Usually when we take Jackie and Jillie in to the little grooming shop not far from where we live, adjacent to the veterinary hospital and in fact, another service of the complex, we make a following appointment for them at some future month. But when we did that last time, in the early days of winter and made the appointment for April 2nd we had visions of spring in mind, everything fresh and green, the accumulated snowpacks of winter long gone.

So yesterday was the scheduled appointment to get our shaggy-haired little dogs bathed, nails cut, ears cleaned, coats trimmed -- and winter, despite the date, still lingers for us. On the positive side, having the hair on their legs and paws trimmed will mean it'll be easier to get their boots on and off. On the negative side, there's always the concern that with shorn hair they won't be as warm on those days when it's really cold.

Yesterday wasn't one of those days. We had a high of 2C degrees, very tolerable, although heavily overcast. Each day the trails look and feel different, depending on the overnight temperature, the time we go out and the the prevailing high temperature tempered by the piles of snow and ice left on the forest floor; so we get slushy trails or firm and icy trails.

But the snowpack is disappearing, though it will take some time before it's entirely gone. There are now very visible patches of the forest floor appearing here and there where the sun can penetrate. And the creek at the bottom of the ravine while not yet in full flood mode, is full and rushes along with its seasonal complement of snowmelt.

Out we went, garbed a little lighter than usual, to trek along the forest trails, hoping the sun would decide to come out while we were there and lighten the landscape both visually and in its warmth-melting qualities, but it was not to be. We wondered why we seemed to have the ravine to ourselves when suddenly Jackie and Jillie perked up and began barking. Before long we saw Nova barrelling up one of the hills we'd just mounted ourselves, hell bent to greet us.

He's a really big boy now, but he hasn't lost his puppy emotions and possibly never will. He makes it so evident that he's happy to see us all, emitting little whimpering cries of greeting, nuzzling Jackie and Jillie and waiting for a hand along his head and back, from us. We knew that Rob wouldn't be too far behind, but Nova covers a lot of ground quickly and it took a surprising length of time before Rob did appear, despite that he's a huge man with a long stride.

Before we left the ravine, on completion of a fairly long circuit, preparing to ascend the last long hill to street level, we waited to catch our breath before going on, while at the bottom of the hill. This has become a ritual that Jackie and Jillie know well, and lately they've taken it for a sign that they should take advantage of our pause to have themselves a last-minute run-about. This time Jillie decided not to meet Jackie's challenge, so he just ran rings around her, instead.

On our return home, off we went to the spa, to leave Jackie and Jillie there. They know the drill now, but take no comfort from it, protesting and despairing that we're once again abandoning them. We deposit them directly into the tender arms of the young women who operate the spa and who so obviously love what they do there and the clients who come in to be bathed and trimmed.

While they were being looked after, we went off to do our grocery shopping. That completed, we returned to claim our little treasures. As we approached the building, we could see two little black dogs leaping at the windows, excited by the oncoming presence of two people they saw drawing nearer, to rescue them from the purgatory they'd been placed in.