The freezing rain that was predicted for our area overnight didn’t materialize, We awoke to find our world snow-covered once again. As it turned out, it was actually a pleasant morning to walk the dogs, with the temperature just at or just above freezing.

I’d just like to ask Mother Nature to look up from the poker game and pay a bit of attention. It’s March 22, and we’re done with snow for this season, thank you very much. Trout season opens in just over a month – in fact my painting exhibition at Yumart here in Toronto, opens on the same day as trout season this year. In closer to two months, morels will be fruiting around here, and if you can find some, there will be tasty dinners ahead.

Morels always seem to come about a week later than I want them to. I’m usually out there looking well before they start fruiting. The challenge scouting for morels is that they don’t fruit until they fruit, and you won’t know if a likely spot pans out until you actually see the mushrooms.

It’s spring cleaning weekend for the dogs. Georgie is visiting our fantastic groomer Lorraine this morning and Memphis has her turn tomorrow morning. George is starting to get adult fur in. It started as a ring around his torso and the slightly darker and less fluffy big dog fur has been coming in down his back. Memphis has had a very thick coat this winter. This morning she managed to find burrs on walk. If Memphis walks anywhere near burrs, they get embedded deep in her coat instantly. Lorraine will strip out a lot of that old undercoat before she sheds it all over the house.