Better late than never, although it was beginning to look to us like 'never' would be the operative this year in spring's arrival. First off this morning, though cool after yet another night of below-zero temperatures, the sun blazed through the house. And it seemed to take no time at all for the ambient temperature to begin warming. Jackie and Jillie were certainly attuned to the warmth and the strength of the sun. They agitated continually to have the patio doors slid aside so they could go out on the deck and splay themselves there.

Jillie gets really hot in the sun's rays, revels in it, and then comes back indoors and heads right for her special place under the coffee table in the family room. Jackie doesn't seem to become quite so overwhelmed with the heat as does his sister. He'll just saunter back indoors, wait a short while, then reappear at the doors and await our notice to obediently slide the doors back open for him.

So we certainly knew that we and they would be enjoying a languid poke-about through the forest trails in the ravine today. We set off earlier than usual, up our quiet street and then detoured at the top of the crook where it turns into the street behind us to enter the forest and descend the first long hill into the ravine. All was still, hardly any wind in comparison to its robust and icy presence for the past several weeks.

Ice yet remains on small portions of the trails, but easily bypassed. It's not as though the presence of the ice is readily identified, since now it is covered with the muck from the muddy trail that boots have tramped over the ice. You do know that your eyes belie its presence the moment your boots touch it, however; dark and muddy it may appear, but it becomes evident swiftly from tactile pressure that it is indeed ice. Another few days if this warmth continues, and it will all melt.

The high for the day 14C, and no real wind to speak of, it felt as though we had at last entered spring.
Jackie, as is his wont, was everywhere at once, behind me, pulling me forward, swerving to the left, to the right, lagging, leading. And all the while Jillie walks like a perfect little lady, straight ahead with few exceptions, at a leisurely pace matching ours.

But it was Jackie who detected the presence of the little snake. He started back with surprise at its sudden movement. A movement obviously caused by his inquisitive little nose sniffing at this strange object adjacent the trail. It was a garter snake, and we expected to see them about as soon as the weather warmed. They're anxious to leave their dens, and seek out the sun, loving its warmth on their skin. This little fellow must have been a year old, anxious to leave our presence, which he did speedily.

At the conclusion of our hike, when we reached street level and embarked on the short walk back home, the street had been transformed. The long, awkward months of social distancing and lockdown have wearied people of the new 'normal' we've all been channelled into by the presence of the ongoing threat of the viral contagion of COVID-19.

There were people pushing strollers, children on bicycles, couples walking their dogs large and small, and there were some of our old-time neighbours and good friends out on their lawns, doing some spring clean-up, all hugely conscious of the weather-given opportunity to enjoy the out-of-doors. The situation calling for time spent together while observing a 'safe' physical distance, to talk about the latest news back-and-forth.