An absolutely exquisite weather day. Mind, our landscape still bears no resemblance whatever to spring, since we remain ensconced deep in the snowpack that developed over those long months of winter, yet there is no denying that spring is coming...coming...coming...

Walking up our street this afternoon with our little dogs on our way to access the ravine entrance by the group mailbox you could see the difference. Usually there is nobody outside. Today there was. On one side, one of our neighbours unloading downhill skis from his trunk, on the other, one neighbour at the end of his front yard was speaking to his direct neighbours, just returning from a walk to one of our nearby shopping plazas.

So of course we had to stop at each of those homes to share a chat with each and then everyone came together for a bit of a longer chat, while Jackie and Jillie seemed to sigh in resignation, wanting us to get on with things. We did do that, eventually, thanking them for their patience.

From a distance as we approached we could see the forest floor being released in bits and pieces from its accumulation of snow. Before long, if this mild weather keeps up, the bare patches that we see will soon spread and accelerate the snow-melt, filling the creek with its runoff and bringing us ever closer to true spring that we can see, smell and touch.

With a high of 4C, full sun, and only a few contrails marring the wide blue sky above, we moved along happily in what appeared   and in actual fact was, balmy weather. At the side of the creek as the snow begins to melt you can see striations in the snowpack indicating various snowfalls that had fallen months back. Soon they too will melt.

And when they do, the ravine-trekking dogs will be confused and heartsick. Where has all their snow gone? They love the deep snow, and some dogs just loll about it in, relishing the cool softness of the snow, rubbing themselves into it and taking full pleasure in these opportunities soon to be lost to another season. Jackie and Jillie are somewhat puzzled at the sight of other, larger dogs immersing themselves, back laying in the snow, legs up and squirming, but they too look for deeper patches of snow when we're ambling about.

As for us, the mild, windless temperature of this day softened the trails and made them easy to navigate, no slipping, sliding, just trudging along on firm, yet readily purchasable trails.A pair of bright red cardinals took wing at one juncture, and chickadees flitted about in the trees. Before we left the trails for home we were surprised to see a floating pack of flying insects veer around us. This is just the kind of weather when you can see snowfleas if you look carefully, leaping out of the snow.