Although it's early days yet in this winter season it's normal to welcome snow. By late winter we'll be groaning under the weight of the accumulated snowpack, but we've a long way to go yet. Temperature fluctuations are critical to all of this. Because the temperature just hovered above freezing we had all-day rain yesterday, so copious it would have been foolish to try to get a hike through the forest trails in for Jackie and Jillie.

They wouldn't have appreciated the effort. As much as they love being out in the forest, they detest rain. Jackie will tolerate it, Jillie will do anything to avoid it. So it was with great difficulty that we managed to convince them at least a few times to venture out into the backyard despite the pouring rain. They can always take refuge under the deck, four feet of height that only the most driving rain penetrates. Yesterday it did just that.

Even the deck itself, though there's a metal canopy covering it, couldn't keep itself dry. And then, finally, the temperature began to drop and wonder of wonders, that rain turned to snow. And weren't we pleased to see it. No balking last thing before we went up to bed late last night, out they both zipped into the magical aura of freshly falling snow, over the inch or so that had already accumulated.

And this morning they literally dove into the snow in the backyard. There seemed to be a thin crust of ice just like the filling of a sandwich, with fluffier stuff beneath and on top to make for a satisfying, charge of crisp crackling, stepping on its beautifully smooth, white presence. Encouraging Jackie to go a little berserk with the pleasure of it all, ripping about like a little black lunatic.

Then, throughout the morning and into the afternoon the sun played games with the snowclouds, giving us the occasional blast of light as it parted the clouds briefly, interspersed with additional light flurries as the clouds once again took ascendancy, to top off the night's snowfall.

On with their boots along with coat and harness, and we set off for a circuit along the forest trails. All the trees fluffed with thick layers of snow limning their branches, it's a sight to take one's breath away with the wonder of nature in winter. We muse about whether dogs, who so love the snow, have any idea why it is that one day they're totally bereft of its presence and suddenly the next, there it is, fresh and wonderful, inviting them to frolic and enjoy it.

They did, and we did as well.