Yesterday we were rather pleased to have escaped the snow forecasted to fall overnight and through the day. Nonetheless it was cold, somewhat windy, albeit sunny so the day turned out to be quite beautiful. Oh, every day is beautiful. This morning we were in for a shock, coming downstairs for breakfast as we google-eyed a layer of snow that had fallen overnight when the temperature fell to -1C. It had not been forecasted; so much for the professional weather prognosticators.

And when we went out to the backyard, seeing those poor tulips prostrate with the weight of the snow, it was pitiful. It was also much colder than yesterday, because today the wind was merciless, wild and noisy. But the snow melted fast; in several hours it was gone. And for heaven's sake, though the day was supposed to be largely overcast, out came the sun!

We've had to haul out warmer clothing for all of us, for however long this interim period between spring's arrival and its withdrawal takes. We ended yesterday on a comfort-food note, a day when we were happy to get the fireplace fired up because it was so cold. I decided to do a small sirloin tip roast that had been hanging around the freezer for a while.

At the suggestion of a roast, though my husband isn't all that fond of roasts, his eyes lit up, and he suggested a Yorkshire pudding to accompany it. Now that is something he really is fond of. And so I thought what would complement the pudding, and since I had green beans, that would do, but I've also got lots of tomatoes, so I set about skinning tomatoes for a stewed tomato dish that includes sweet onions, celery, and bell pepper.

Laundry day today. And Irving is busy with our tax returns. An agonizing process that year after year becomes more frustrating as the federal government finds ever more ways to make it more complex even while Revenue Canada Taxation claims it has streamlined the returns to make them more user-friendly, ha-ha.

And then Jackie and Jillie informed us they'd had enough of sitting around the house, ordering us to wrap things up and follow them out the door. Which we did, snuggled into semi-winter jackets. The only signs left of snow in the forest were little pockets around the base of tree trunks, looking like nothing so much as bits of snow tucked into tree-toes.

Now and again we caught a glimpse of the sun, otherwise the forest interior was fairly dark. Had the snow remained it would have brightened things up somewhat. There was a lot more sound than usual in the forest today, the wind chugging through the forest canopy sounded like freight-train-central. Loud, insistent and eerie, in a way. Also potentially dangerous, since rapid and rough thrusts of high wind is capable of bringing down dead boughs and trees don't warn: Look out, down below!

When we arrived back home again after roaming the ravine, the first thing Jackie and Jillie do is check out the porch for visitors. The two little squirrels that were there were swiftly disinvited and our two rude little dogs availed themselves of a quick few grabs of Cheerios that had been put out for the squirrels.

A short while later, I looked out from the house interior, and there was one of our other regular visitors. As in so much for raccoons being nocturnal creatures. Not, evidently, when they're Cheerio aficionados.Watching the little guy who is likely a juvenile from his size, Jackie and Jillie express their considered opinion that he's unwelcome, but they certainly aren't speaking for us.