And so much for spring's arrival, much less the transformation from winter to spring. Oh, it's started, sure enough. The spreading areas of revealed forest floor in the ravine where snow and ice has melted on the hillsides of the ravine give ample evidence of that. Several days ago looking out the side door of the house I tried to see if the lilies, always the first to thrust their tender green spears out of the thawing ground, had begun to appear. Nothing.

But then, yesterday, sure enough the first of the tiny green points of foliage had materialized. Closest to the house, that is. Even though there's ample snow left, and the barest of soil patches has just begun. What a mood lift that is, to see lily fronds emerging!

So, what of yesterday's weather hastening the snow melt? Not all that much yet to be seen. But we weren't able to get out to the ravine yesterday for our usual afternoon jaunt on the forest trails. It was certainly mild enough, just on the cusp of freezing, at 0C, but the morning began with freezing rain, then ice pellets, and finally rain pounding down throughout the day.

A gloomy, dark day. A stay-at-home day. A day when, in any event, I cleaned the house, since it was house-cleaning day. And when I was finished washing the floors, I filled up another pail, girded my knees and went down to the basement to wash the tiled powder room floor and the large tile expanse of the recreation-room floor there. Just another spring-cleaning chore done, and out of the way, for the time being.

The rain must have incited our neighbourly raccoons to hunger. They showed up, singly and in pairs repeatedly all day, from early afternoon on. It's always kind of exciting to see them. We feel like shouting at them 'welcome!', but restrain ourselves. We cannot, however, restrain Jackie and Jillie since both of our little dogs resent the intrusion into 'their territory' of any other animals. Just as well the raccoons steadfastly and unconcernedly ignore their loud carrying-on behind the windowed front door.

Spring has no end of surprises in store for us. While we had rain all day yesterday, we've progressed backward to an all-day snow event today, though it's the ninth of April -- with weather forecasters informing us to expect five to ten centimeters of snow through the day. Snow falling in great, thick gobs all around, refilling the landscape with its pure white radiance on yet another moody day.

Oh, those disappointed lily spears!