We never quite know what we'll be viewing out the glass of our front door these mornings. Jackie and Jillie are as curious as we are, but they're far more interested in seeing if any squirrels are around and about while we're fixated on the weather.

The squirrels haven't got time-of-day quite right yet, when they can be guaranteed a heap of small bread squares hanging around the porch, sometimes buttered, sometimes not, awaiting their discovery. Of course it's not just for squirrels, since crows, chickadees and cardinals come around as well. They're all more than welcome to visit us, their presence delights us just as much as it aggravates Jackie and Jillie.

These days alternate between clear, sunny and almost balmy-seeming, or heavily overcast, windy and cold. The absence of sun, just like the presence of wind can make all the difference. Of course, when we're toddling along forest trails, the forest canopy keeps the penetration of the sun to a minimum while performing the very same function with the wind.

Two days ago we went for quite a late afternoon ramble in the woods. The sun slanted warm and bright through the canopy in some areas, hugging tree trunks and giving them the appearance of being afire. That's at the beginning of the stroll; by the time we're ready to emerge from the forest, dusk will have already made its amazingly early appearance.

A day ago the sky was a steely gray and emitted light flurries, with a penetrating cold hoisted by a blustery wind blowing the tree tops about. No matter; whereas in the summer months when we often see no one else out on the trails, at this time of year no matter how inclement it is for the time being, we're surprised to come across plenty of others strolling about with their dogs.

Like the black Lab that had to be kept on leash to prevent it from further aggravating an injury it had sustained a few days earlier when it ran amok through the underbrush, performed an acrobatic leap after a squirrel and twisted one of its legs. We came across two other black Labs that day in the ravine happy to be out and racing madly about after squirrels.

And several terriers, those smart little dogs whose sensitivity to the fact that someone will be carrying along treats with them and if they're successful in communicating their expectation of a treat one or more might be forthcoming. It worked for Angus and it worked later on, for Buddy.

Any time Jackie and Jillie involuntarily share goodies with other dogs they don't mind at all, since it's yet another opportunity for them to enjoy their favourite little goodies. They rarely get such treats at home but when we're out in the woods we think it's more than appropriate to reward them from time to time when they behave well.

The landscape is turning once again. When it's at the freezing mark the trails are rock-hard and the footing is great. When the temperature relents a bit it doesn't take much for the freeze that hasn't penetrated the forest floor very deeply as yet, to thaw and in doing that creating a slippery mush not the least bit kind to footing on the many slopes traversed by the trails.