What an alluring, perfectly beautiful day this has been! I've got plenty of work to do indoors, since I've started spring cleaning, and our kitchen has an enormous number of cupboards to go through. Bit by bit it'll all be done, day by day, when the time presents out of the normal household tasks that are looked after routinely. But something called me outdoors this morning.

 

Oh now I remember, it was Irving taking out a stepladder to reach one of the light posts in the front garden to replace several lightbulbs. Since he was out, I thought I might just as well join him. So, while he was replacing lightbulbs I 'noticed' some tree branches and climbing rose stalks that called out for trims. And while I was at it, the dried stalks of many of the hostas suggested I clear them away too. And before I knew it, there was a half-full bag of compost for Tuesday's pick-up.

 

It's just that the sun was so warm, and so was the ambient temperature, at 10C, preparing to rise to 14C for the afternoon. Back into the house we went, to proceed with other things on a busy day. And when all that was done, I put on a dried-pulses and vegetable soup to simmer for a few hours in preparation for dinner. Yesterday's dinner was somewhat similar; a vegetable soup and freshly-baked whole-wheat-cheese-sesame croissants, hot out of the oven. Vegetable soups and warm dinner rolls complement one another.

 

That having been done, we set out for an afternoon walk through the ravine with Jackie and Jillie. Hardly knowing what to expect. Last time we were there, just a few days back, it was a mild, but windy and cooler day. We watched as a pair of Mallards that tend to return to the ravine every spring to nest while on their way further north, disported themselves in the creek, happily bathing. We thought we might see them again today, but they were obviously elsewhere deeper in the ravine.

What we did see was bright pops of yellow-gold on the banks of the forest creek; the earliest of the spring flowers already in residence to our gratification. Little colonies of coltsfoot popping up here and there, a welcome sight, much in advance of later early-spring flowers like woodland violets, trout lilies and trilliums, not to mention our favourites, Jack-in-the-Pulpits. All yet to arrive.

 

Jackie and Jillie were happy to be out, intrigued by all the fragrances we cannot detect, but which deliver to them all manner of doggy-important news of the neighbourhood. We saw few others out enjoying the woodland trails, and that likely was due to uncertainty over the condition of the trails. The snowstorm several days back that left heavy piles of deep wet snow has left no trace, although the high winds that accompanied the several-day storm event, did take down some vulnerable trees.

 

The forest floor, however, was fairly dry for the most part, and that was welcome, as we bathed ourselves in the warmth of the bright spring sun, sailing through the blue ocean of sky today, the slightest of breezes evident, and the most exquisite feeling of spring-appreciation hugging our sensibilities.