Since the extreme cold conditions have moderated, with the advent of a new front bringing in more reasonable temperatures, we've had days of light snow flurries and very damp atmospheres. With the wind, sharp and persistent, even temperatures of -2C such as we had yesterday seem cold, but compared to previous weeks, entirely tolerable. With the added bonus that there's no need to pull those almost useless Muttlucks on Jackie and Jillie.

We were headed down the first hill into the ravine yesterday when behind us at bursting speed of high enthusiasm came a black Labrador Retriever known to our two. They felt pretty exuberant, all three of them, racing back and forth, up and down the trail, as we made our own way down. At one point, Jackie in an excess of enthusiasm, leaped up onto one of my legs behind the calf and before I knew it, I was sprawling on my back, on the snow.

My first impression was that I felt Jackie's little body under me as I fell and so that was instantly concerning, but as it happened I only glanced him thank heavens, and he was fine. So was I, the accumulated snow soft and giving, sheltering me from harm. It felt, in fact, quite pleasant, the way one recalls when as a child, plopping down on snow to produce a snow angel the snow embrace you. The man behind us called out are you all right? and since I lifted myself immediately he had the answer to his question. And on we forged.

It turned out to be a real dog day in the winter forest. All dogs seem to love the snow, wanting to revel in its presence, actually bathe in it. We came across one person after another known to us from long acquaintance and short in the ravine with their dogs. A guarantee that all of the dogs that day had more than enough exercise racing after one another. After the Lab there was Benjie the Bernese Mountain dog, just a year and a half old and happy as a lark, and then two lovely Irish Setters followed by a pair of Sheltie/Beagle mixes.

The landscape was peerless, after all those snow flurries. Though the sky was overcast there was a glow on the snowpack that shimmered and deepened the white to an indescribable buttery glowing shade, made all the more remarkable seen from a distance. All of our rambles in the woods are remarkable in some way, there is always something to catch our interest, something that seems to stand out demanding notice. It's ample reason not to miss our daily outings if we can manage not to.