Nature husbands her treats carefully. We are tantalized and teased and ultimately pleased when her generosity is such that we can enjoy a multitude of her so-very special tidbits teaching us over time what her talents have created and what we can be exposed to, to attain an appreciation for everything that surrounds us in her various landscapes, courtesy of her  hand.

But there are certain rules of her game. Not everything at once. If there is a special treat at hand, it comes with a bit of a penalty, so to speak. A little bit of pain and then there is gain. It's the old one-step-forward-two-steps-back. Are we complaining? Whining about it a little bit. Do we have reason to find fault? Not at all, but we indulge in it anyway.

You cannot have the all-encompassing beauty of snow, for example, without cold, for one accompanies the other. If you pine for a sunny day to illuminate the blanket of snow softening the visuals of the landscape, then prepare for cold. If you prefer a more moderate temperature then don't complain about the low overcast of solid pewter clouds. Winter comes with many gifts but it takes away certain things at the same time. Winter equals shorter days, longer nights, night-time temperature dips and wind that nips.



Oh, there's other things; less spontaneity when planning to be out-of-doors. Not quite as casual to prepare for entry into the outside. In warm months just slip on a pair of shoes and out you go. Try that in the winter and you'll do it only once, after limping back, a frozen lump of regret into the house for boots, coat, hat and mittens. That's just for starters.

On the other hand, the air is fresher, albeit colder. True, it takes more of an effort physically to exert oneself in the winter than it does at other times of year, since ice and accumulated snow present hazards that must be avoided in the one instance and respected in the other. But oh, the beauty that surrounds us when a fresh snowfall has concluded and the entire landscape is cradled in scintillating flakes of new virginal snow; sublime, a fairyland of delight. Children are more apt to want to go out to play in the winter than in the summer.

In our own two little companion dogs we can see the happiness when they encounter a snowy landscape. They're fascinated and delighted with the presence of that light, airy frozen liquid that cools their paws, wets their muzzles, and invites the indulgence of a competitive race between siblings to see who can get bogged down first plowing through a freshly-burnished snowbank.

On our toddle through the woodland trails yesterday afternoon Jackie and Jillie met up with their old pal Max, a miniature Apricot poodle with a sense of mischief of his very own, a lively little fellow with the attention span of a cricket and the energy of a tiger. When Max was a puppy he was a veritable ball of fire. He has since become calmer in temperament, but only slightly. He doesn't have a pack, but if he did, he'd be their unrivalled leader. What he does have is a fully indulgent human companion.