There's this to be said for dark, gloomy, rained-in mornings, they're powerful incentives to overstay our time in bed of a morning. A situation that Jillie will tolerate just so much of, and no more. Just as she insists on our rousing ourselves once we've betrayed our awake state by greeting one another good morning, her brother thinks of our bed in terms of a trampoline, when later in the day I'm upstairs changing into outdoor clothing and he becomes ultra-excited over the prospect of a hike through the forest.

 

 

Like yesterday, we thought we wouldn't be able to get out, given ongoing rain. But we did, late yesterday and did today, far earlier in the afternoon. When we exited the ravine and stood talking to various of our neighbours rain started up again, and we felt validated at the wisdom of our choice in getting out while we could, avoiding the rain.

 

 

On the last leg of our hike, close to the opposite end of the creek by the pollinating meadow, while Irving was picking ripe berries, I focused on the creek. Watching the water roil downstream. Just as I had done yesterday. And just as occurred yesterday, the figure of a great bird lifted itself from the water and soared into the sky, to land beyond our vision somewhere in the forest canopy. Seems a great Blue Heron is hanging about. I tried to photograph it in flight today but without success. Here one moment, while I tried to focus; gone the next.

 

But we weren't entirely bereft of things to see and hear. All the rain seems to have awakened the attention of the forest birds; owls, cardinals, robins, crows to name a few, and we heard a pileated woodpecker nearby puncturing and ripping a tree of its choice. Down by the water's edge on the low portion of the sloping banks, jewelweed are in full blooming flush, their bright little orange heads inviting the sun to return.

 

Later, we set out to do our food shopping, stopping first for a bag of kibble for the puppies, just short of $100. A bag lasts for months, since they're just little dogs, and their meals are supplemented by pretty much most of what we eat too, from fruits and vegetables to eggs and cheese, yogurt and chicken. 

Then it was off to the supermarket, and unusually, we found it quite busy. Irving theorized that people have returned from being away on holiday, just as he had earlier theorized that mating birds are no longer nesting and raising their young, so they're more visible now in the forest. I can say with complete confidence we were the only people in that busy store wearing face masks; uncomfortable, but still in our opinion, for us, a sensible precaution.

 

There's ample evidence that people in this community take it seriously to heart that there are some, living among us all, who find it difficult to stretch a dollar on required food for their tables. The large metal container kept in the store lobby to contain shoppers' food donations is usually picked up by drivers for the Food Bank on a regular basis, and Tuesday is one of their pick-up days. Today, however, it was difficult to find a space in the overcrowded container to balance the bag containing our weekly contribution.