Another overcast, temperature-mild day of melting snow and the creek running deep and turbulently, the ascents and descents in the ravine becoming slippery with their glaze of melting snow. But it was also a day of interesting interaction in the ravine. With quite a few people out and about, taking advantage in the community surrounding the forest of its invitation for a long and leisurely stroll through the forest pathways, it was inevitable we would come across people we've long known and care about.

First off was a friend who had good news that his heart condition remained unchanged from his last check-up. That good news had a quite evident impact on our friend; although he is the type of person who always makes an effort to be cheerful and fun to be around. Anyone who knew him could sense the difference in his attitude. We'd seen him last a week earlier, and his health problems, primarily back and leg pain, were beginning to depress him. To have good news for a change turned him right around; his cheeriness was authentic now, his back straighter, his head higher, the jocular manner we're familiar with returned with full-gale force.

His dog, an old Rottweiler who patiently puts up with our two little dogs' antics, settled down for a cooling rest in the snow, while his human brought us up to date on ravine news we'd missed. One of the three Border Collies, he told us, had been bitten by a coyote, and the veterinarian bill was a modest but necessary $400. We'd spoken with one of the three dogs' humans about the potential for coyote interaction, given the frequency of sightings just a few days earlier, and he was confident he'd have no problems, the three dogs are reassuringly obedient to his command.

Soon afterward we were introduced to the presence in the ravine of a new little puppy being walked there for the first time. All of three months old, a miniature schnauzer with long black silky hair and an obvious love affair with life ran circles around Jackie and Jillie, leaping for joy, taking turns snuggling into each of them and then challenging them to a run-and-tussle. We'd never seen the puppy nor the two women walking her before, and even they had breathless news of the coyotes, telling us that last Sunday which we recall being rife with walkers on a lovely day, had its coyote moments, too.

And then we came across Sheila with the three Border Collies and she gave us the details. That Carter, from the same litter as their other two, but 'rescued' by them from their daughter who had four very young children and was unable to look after a dog too, and needing to be nurtured and trained because of sad neglect, had suddenly run off after a coyote. Barrie had seen the coyote, thought it was a dog, called Carter back, and for the first time Carter disobeyed, running after the animal, and then out of sight.

Barrie heard a 'yelp', thought to himself that Carter had frightened off a coyote, and felt proud of its courage, though disturbed at his disobedience. But it wasn't the coyote that had yelped, it was Carter. Once the dog finally returned to take his place beside his brother and sister, Barrie had given him a perfunctory physical examination, and had seen nothing amiss. Back home, Sheila and Barrie noticed Carter doing gymnastics trying to lick an area on his side, and discovered a raw wound.

And so it goes, the drama, misadventure and excitement of the established presence of coyotes making their home in the ravine. Making it more than obvious that we won't be taking Jackie and Jillie off leash again any time soon.  In this interaction it wasn't the coyote on a hunting mission that began the ensuing fight, but a dog instinctively running after a coyote, perhaps to ward off an attack against his human -- and the coyote merely defended itself.