Our home's near proximity to a wonderful forested ravine ensures that wildlife is no stranger to us. Because we place our kitchen waste in two compost bins and have done so for almost 30 years, the bins attract some of that wildlife; squirrels, mice and raccoons. They're located in the backyard. But we also put out nuts, seeds and bread products often on the porch and that attracts birds and squirrels primarily, occasionally rabbits. Yesterday  mid-afternoon, one of our regularly visiting raccoons who generally come around at night, came by to clean up what the squirrels had left.

And when we went up to bed last night around eleven-thirty, a glance outside to the porch informed us that the nighthawk that has taken to sleeping on top of the porch rail just where my husband places buttered bread squares had returned for the night. Fast asleep, the little creature was huffed into a brown ball of feathers. In previous years doves used to come around to sleep after pecking at the offerings, then resting for hours afterward.

We looked for sights of other Mourning Cloaks yesterday on our ravine walk, but none were to be seen. We thought it possible that the freezing temperature drops at night might have killed them, since we had seen only one before the return of the cold. But yesterday was a glorious day, full sun, light breezes, and a whopping 23C. No need for jackets on such a day; with the sun beaming through the forest canopy unoccupied by foliage, we were in direct sunlight for most of our trail walk. So, in a sense, spring flowers that depend on that short window of direct sun before deciduous trees flaunt their new leaves, spring to life almost overnight.

We came across several patches of coltsfoot, bright gold in the spring sun, as though echoing the sun's warmth right back at it. They're pretty well the first of the wildflowers to make their presence. And, as always, we were amazed to discover that trilliums had actually popped up on the forest floor overnight. On the other hand, it's possible we'd overlooked their initial presence as we strolled along the trails previous to yesterday, since some of the early risers were already flaunting the buds of their flowerheads. At this rate, trilliums will begin their bloom by the weekend!

On our way out as we completed our circuit we came across a young man who lives up the street from us, with his girlfriend and his dog, a friendly black Labrador. They wanted to know whether the trails were too muddy to traverse, and though some were, most were drying up very nicely. I casually mentioned the presence of trilliums and the young man turned a puzzled face toward me, to ask what they were.