For two quite small dogs, Jackie and Jillie certainly enjoy a varied menu.  In that they get to taste-treat much of what we eat ourselves, with certain reservations. Last night our dinner consisted of breaded chicken livers, herbed mashed potatoes, fried red onions and green beans. The onions are forbidden, the potatoes unnecessary but the green beans and the chicken liver provided a nice treat for them after their own dinner meal.

 

 

Which itself included cooked chicken over their kibble moistened with chicken soup, and a fresh vegetable salad, the usual 'second course' of their dinner. They have their meals before ours is served and they're in full expectation that their mealtime isn't complete without helping us out with ours. They even get to share some of the strawberries and yogurt that we have since they love fruit too, and they have yogurt over their kibble for their breakfast meal every morning.

 

This morning they also shared a hard-boiled egg between them. When Irving has soft-boiled eggs for breakfast, an extra one goes into the pot for Jackie and Jillie. It's become a breakfast ritual. To meet their habitual expectations born of a long acquaintance with our mealtimes.Cantaloupe for breakfast? I'll have some of that too, please.

 

To entertain us further this morning, snow fell gracefully for hours. One of the first things Irving did before our pre-breakfast shower (our shower is large enough to accommodate two) was to shovel out the walkways in the backyard for Jackie and Jillie. I did my share later after breakfast, shovelling out the front walkways. We weren't expecting snow again. But it's been surprising us day after day, again and again this winter.

 

When we left for the ravine the snow had stopped for the day. And we were pleasantly surprised on this beautiful, mild-temperature day, to see the sun break through the clouds as they began dispersing. Its bright warmth began to melt the snow, making it even denser. But we found the trails in the forest to be well tamped down and smoothed over for an easier tramp, after yesterday's snowfall.

 

These are perfect weather conditions; balmier temperatures hovering just above and below the freezing mark, and fresh snow comforters billowing over the soft contours of the forest  hills and valleys. So mild that wind feels like a caress. But looking up into the forest canopy there is ample movement of the spires of trees. And looking further up, fleecy white clouds moving briskly through the azure blue sky.

 

Approaching the last of the bridges over the forest creek we saw a small flock of robins lift themselves from the creek bank to fly gracefully into the forest backdrop. Soon afterward as we forded the bridge, there was a pileated woodpecker close by on trees adjacent the bridge. The majestic bird has a habit of moving to the opposite side of a tree when people are nearby, so it's difficult to view it fully. I had no opportunity to snap a photograph of his jaunty red head, but we were treated to his madcap laughter that reminds me of a loon,