Our two little dogs were faced with the prospect yesterday of amusing themselves. They usually do a fairly good job of it, but it's not every day by any means that they cannot as well anticipate the excitement and enjoyment of an afternoon hike through forest trails. Yesterday was just such a day. Persistent, heavy rain, about 80 mm of it. They weren't disconsolate about it, but they were a trifle restless.

The rain of course is badly needed, since we're still mired within a winter landscape. Lots of snow and ice yet to be melted. So on the one hand it seemed a nuisance interruption of our daily ritual not to be able to venture out into what turned out to be a dark, dismal, rainy day, and on the other, viewed through a philosophical lens, a necessity, to urge the landscape further toward spring.

I found plenty to do myself, and it isn't hard to do. Bustling about in the kitchen is one of my favourite activities. Granted, I do that plus go out on daily ravine hikes, but yesterday was the exception. Friday is baking day. And I had decided to bake a cheesecake. It turned out light and airy and delicious, as it's supposed to. I had sprinkled white chocolate chips over the partially-baked graham cracker crust before pouring in the cream cheese mixture and the final, lengthy baking process, so it had an additional wallop of flavourful sweetness to please our dinnertime dessert palate.


 And of course whenever I'm working in the kitchen I have company underfoot, Jackie and Jillie forever hopeful that manna will fall from the heavens. Occasional it does when I bend over and proffer some tidbit to them. I had been slicing tomatoes over chicken breasts in a casserole I was preparing, and they love tomatoes. Later, I was cutting up cauliflower into a roasting pan, and they adore cauliflower.

In between, while we were reading the newspapers, it was rest time for the two little nippers -- er, nappers. Jackie inserts himself between the pillows at the back of the sofa in front of the windows in the family room and snoozes away. It's his very favourite perch, adjacent my computer station. Jillie naps happily beside my husband, ensconced on the love seat.



And then of course, there's their own very special home theatre. The 'screen' is our front door, out of which they peer for what seems like endless hours watching intently as a parade of squirrels, birds and raccoons make their pilgrimage to the porch to take advantage of the treats put out for their delectation. The porch also provides a bit of a shield under its roof, from the rain.

We were hoping that the rain would falter at some time in the mid-afternoon, and temporarily stop, granting us the opportunity as often happens, to get out to the ravine for at least a short circuit. But yesterday this was not to happen. We remained indoors, dry and comfortable, while wind whipped the rain about in icy sheets throughout the day. Eventually, as this weather continues, the snowbanks on peoples' lawns will melt completely, and the ravine will finally be free of the wintry aspect that clings on so stubbornly.

It's not just Jackie and Jillie who are fascinated by the regular stream of visitors that come by to honour us with their fleeting presence. We too are drawn to the spectacle. We particularly like it when a bird will feel confident enough to alight and select sunflower seeds or peanuts, in the presence of squirrels. Or when a bold little squirrel will patiently wait its turn, sharing opposite ends of the porch with one of the porcupines...