It is sheer folly to live in a geographic-weather area such as ours without realizing that certain precautions must be taken to ensure maximum safety. Driving on Ottawa roads and highways can be extremely hazardous in the winter season. With the introduction of special 'ice tires' rather than relying on all-weather tires to get us through a typical Ottawa winter driving has been made much safer. That is, for those people who continue to drive with caution, not those who figure that putting on ice tires means risks can be taken.

We were caught by surprise this year with an earlier-than-normal winter entry. Not that we've even entered winter yet by the calendar. But a month ago winter arrived nonetheless with icy temperatures and plenty of ice storms and snow events. People who like to get ahead of things may have changed their tires but most hadn't yet. My husband managed to get it done several weeks back.

But there's another concern in driving during the winter months. Not only do streets get plowed to clear them of excess snow after a considerable snowfall, but salt is liberally sprinkled down afterward to fend off icy conditions. Granted, less salt than used to be the norm, replacing it with sand and light gravel, but salt is still used liberally. And salt plays havoc with metal and moving parts, so the perfect environment for rust is created.

In prevention of just such a scenario where after a few winters of driving over salt-encrusted roads leaving vehicles rusted and dangerous to drive, there is the option of having vehicles treated with an oil undercoating in prevention of rust finding a perfect breeding ground. For the past fifteen years or so my husband has had his vehicles rust-proofed and it works wonderfully well; no rusted out fenders and floors and impaired brakes for us. Yesterday he took his car and his truck in for sequential servicing to get that done, so we're weather-proofed as far as winter driving is concerned for the remainder of the winter -- which is another solid four months.

In between his trips to the shop that oil sprays vehicles, we had an afternoon traipse through the forest trails with Jackie and Jillie. It was an icy-cold day, some wind and -6C, but sunny, a perfectly clear blue sky and a blazing sun. At this time of year, however, the sun sits lower on the horizon and by mid-afternoon viewed through the tree canopy of the forest seems to stall just slightly above the horizon, viewed about half-way up the mass of tree trunks.

We came across someone we'd never seen before, a woman walking a large-breed dog. She was a little careful with her dog because of Jackie and Jillie barking at the presence of a strange dog, as their breed is wont to do. But her dog, a 8-month-old puppy, was simply curious at the bad social manners of two little dogs, and far from hostile. They soon enough became acquainted. The puppy was a cross between a Corso and a Great Dane, and had already assumed notable proportions, with more to come. His head was large and noble, his eyes appealing, his curiosity and gentleness apparent.

Where there are clearings in the forest between the stands the sun penetrates far more fully and illuminates tree trunks with a golden glow, sending our shadows in elongated form across the snowy comforter covering the forest floor. We view the forest in so many variant landscapes reflective of weather conditions, time of day and allied variables, it becomes an ever-shifting landscape, fascinating and everlastingly beautiful. There was still ample snow fluffed on the trees from  the snowfall of the day before; sun and fresh snow, an unbeatable aesthetic combination!