We arrived at the supermarket just as it opened its doors and got the grocery shopping done good and early. Early enough to ensure that the store would have only a few shoppers walking up and down the aisles. Which is, in these days of COVID, the way we prefer to shop now. We're more partial to getting out of bed at eight or later, than showing up at a supermarket at that hour, since we tend to go up to bed fairly late. But we've compromised for Tuesdays in the greater interests of entering a store with few other shoppers about.

We had to drop by the Dollar Store right next to the supermarket for batteries. It's been awhile since the battery in our garage-door opener was replaced and it's been behaving fairly grumpily lately, in revolt against an almost-expired battery as a result. Again, few others were in the store, and we were in and out in no time. 

When we'd gone out to the backyard with Jackie and Jillie just after seven it was COLD, just above freezing. But the day began warming up pretty quickly. By the time we finished breakfast and I decided to clean out a few more kitchen cupboards, it was still fairly early so out I went again to the backyard, inspired to fuss about in the gardens a bit. Not that there's anything to see there yet. Bright little green spears of lilies and irises poking out of the soil, rose canes turning red, tiny buds beginning to show on branches.

I got a little busy cutting back some of the wayward branches of the Weeping Mulberry. The puppies were curious and underfoot, interested in helping out. I wore a light cotton jacket and before long it was just too warm and the jacket was shed. We then decided to head out for the ravine and I'd get back to the gardening on our return.

Warm enough to change Jackie and Jillie's heavy harnesses for their light summer alternatives, finally. They're still wearing their rubber boots in the ravine because there are still quite a few boggy areas to slush through. The creek has long since lost its height and enthusiasm to thrash its way down the forest raceway at the bottom of the ravine. We keep hoping to soon see wayfaring ducks and great blue herons returning from their southern sojourn, but none have yet appeared.

By odd coincidence we came across two different women we've become acquainted with who went through the winter months hiking with their dogs through the ravine while they were pregnant. Today, oddly enough we encountered first one then the other pushing one of those three-wheeled all-terrain strollers, new baby inside; one a girl, the other a little boy.

When we completed our circuit on what turned out to be the mildest day yet of this early spring with a temperature of 15C, barely a whisper of wind, and mere wisps of clouds doing nothing to obscure the sun coasting high in the sky this early afternoon, I went back out to the gardens to pick up all the branches I'd lopped off and after raking the winter's-worth of detritus from the garden into a compost bag, carried on at the front of the house.

While I was out there, one of our neighbours came by. It's always great to see him because he's such a cheerful, sweet-natured man. Living alone in a beautiful house that he maintains with immaculate attention to detail with one little cat for company, he often goes off on tourist trips all over the world. During COVID like everyone else, he's stayed put. Some months back he broke his second hip after doing the same with the first one a few years back. But he's getting around just fine now, walking briskly, with just a hint of a limp.