It is no mere urban legend that in this part of Canada -- most of Canada in fact -- winter is notoriously loathe to vacate the premises. It is, rather, stark reality; our winters are tediously long. They do, of course, have their compensations, and we make the most of them. Here we are in mid-March and where elsewhere in our part of the world spring is being invited to come in and make herself comfortable, in Ottawa we've had, again, two straight days of unrelenting snowfall. Not heavy, mind, but constant, light and wet.

And beautiful. Did I neglect to mention that it is exquisitely beautiful when it covers the landscape with its deep fuzz of sparkling white? So that, when we make our way through the woodland trails in the ravine, the forest trees, muffled in layers of snow appear evanescently wondrous. There is an overcast atmosphere, of course, and there is little difference in colour tone between the sky and the forest canopy and floor. The trunks of trees take on a dark aspect, and everything else is white; a symphony of indescribable beauty in black-and-white.

And because the trees, both conifers and deciduous, and the shrubs and bracken are lathered in white fluff, every few seconds a branch will dip under its weight of accumulated snow and release its burden. Our hoods are as much a defence against the constantly falling snow as they are protection against those heavy plops of snow dropping down on our heads and smashing into infinitely smaller portions, dispersing as they continue to fall.

Jackie and Jillie zealously disport themselves in the new snow, gratified that it is still around everywhere they prance about on the trails, off the trails, for they love the snow as most dogs do. They're delighted with the white landscape, and more than amenable to sharing it with the casual friends they come across from time to time, taking their own enjoyment.

Forecast for tomorrow? Interesting you'd ask: more snow. We did see the sun poke its hesitant head out both yesterday and today momentarily, through a bank of clouds, then withdraw; it knows its time and place in the atmosphere -- for the time being given over completely to snow, more snow, lots of snow, an excess of snow....