Last night there was a visitor we haven't seen in a while. One little raccoon came around to the porch and sat nibbling peanuts for quite a while. The night before a cat was around, waiting on the porch we imagine, to see who might be arriving. And that 'who might' would be our neighbourly rabbit. Certainly the cat isn't interested in carrots and peanuts. It was shooed off the porch and sometime during the nocturnal hours the rabbit came by to claim his carrots.

 

 

Now Irving is concerned that with the raccoons stirring out of winter hibernation the safety of the little rabbit may be doubly jeopardized, drawn to the porch to retrieve carrots, while the raccoons will be returning for peanuts. We'll just have to stop putting out food for them and now is the right time with spring on the cusp of arriving. So as soon as the snow melts in a few weeks' time, that will be it for feeding wildlife until winter returns once again.

 

There was actually a small article in today's paper about an angry squirrel in a nearby community that has been going about in a grumpy fashion, latching himself to people and actually biting them. The speculation is that the squirrel has become accustomed to being fed by people and after approaching and not being given anything to eat, his response is a punishing nip. Experts appear to have ruled out rabies.

 

In the better weather, in any event, Jackie and Jillie will be out and about more, and they're curious about all the wildlife appearing on the porch. Obviously enough wildlife carry germs and parasites some of which could be pathogenic, and we'd prefer not to have our pups exposed to any such threats. So we'll clear off the porch and the wildlife will adjust to seeking out their normal forage, now that it is available to them.

 

Last week we were shivering under sharp winds making the ambient temperatures below freezing even colder. This week's forecast is for far milder temperatures. Yesterday we had a glorious, sunny 5C day, and we can see the snow reducing in the backyard. Snow goes quicker there than it does at the front of the house. And of course in the ravine the snowpack is dense and in shade mostly thanks to the forest canopy. We can see that even so, the snow and ice is fast melting, given the spread and rush of the meltwater swelling the creek.

 

I thought I'd bake a bread today, and because Irving likes certain types of bread, I was intrigued by a recipe I saw on line. I neglected to write down any of the recipe or methodology, even the name of the bread that results, bit I decided today I'd bake it anyway. All I really need for instructions is a casual recall of ingredients, and method is fairly standard.

 

So this is a white bread using unbleached all-purpose flour, made with milk, eggs and butter. All ingredients that Irving is devoted to. I've made egg breads before, challahs, but this dough was different; more egg and the addition of butter. So it handled quite differently. Kneading the dough it was extremely silky and elastic, just an altogether different feel. After it rose, it also felt different. But the proof will be in the tasting, as that old adage goes...

 

We knew it was balmy before we set out to the ravine this afternoon. Since it was so warm, there was no need to have Jackie and Jillie wear their boots, any longer. Lighter sweaters would do, as well. And the same for us, though we needed boots. They may have felt liberated, with a real spring in their steps, but our steps were labouring. It was gloriously mild at 11C with full sun.

The snowpack reacting to the temperature and the sun is dissolving, the snow and ice melting, so that each step we took meant we sank deep in the snow that was once so firm. A forward step and a slosh backward requiring a bit of a push for the next step ... and on and on. Pretty exhausting. All the more when ascending and descending the hills. No problem for Jackie and Jillie, their traction is guaranteed with four limbs to our two.

 

We could hardly believe how warm it was, even wearing lighter gear. At certain points on the trails you walk into sudden freezing spots, or alternately warmer areas; little brief micro-climates. Unlike yesterday we began to see others out enjoying the sudden spring weather. Unsurprisingly, everyone sported wide smiles and a breezy attitude full of spring expectation.