It's not uncommon to find things dropped by accident or misadventure on one of the trails in the forest. In the winter months occasionally a toque, a glove, a child's scarf, a piece of a ski pole, a dog bootie that has slipped off. And in the summer, favourite balls that dogs have brought with them, and somehow lost, a bicycle part, sunglasses, a leash. And at any time of year albeit more infrequently, a water bottle, keys, that sort of thing.

Usually whoever happens to come across one of these lost objects places it in a very visible spot, to attract attention, most often looped over a tree branch at sight-level. Sometimes they're picked up by the owners, and sometimes they're not.

Yesterday, what immediately attracted our eyes from a distance was a bright red object hanging from a low branch of a small tree. Before we reached it, we came across someone walking a young, black Labrador Retriever, a friendly, galumphing dog that our own two enjoyed spurts of racing to and fro with, until we parted, and they started up the next hill over one of the bridges before we did.

We watched as the Lab sprung for the red object and retrieved it. That's what Labs do, after all. Actually, any dog of sufficient size to grasp something intriguing like a forlorn mitten, a toque or a scarf will go for it. This dog was undoubtedly delighted with his catch, swinging it about joyfully, prancing with the pride of ownership.

That wasn't to last. The man with him, removed it from his dog's grasp. Likely, the dog felt at first that his companion was just playing with him, teasing him for the woollen hat, and would return it to him. But that wasn't the case. The man hung the hat on a much higher branch, and though his dog attempted repeatedly to grasp it, leaping and huffing with the effort, it was futile. But it did make for an interesting sideshow, and our Jackie and Jillie watched the proceedings more than a little bemused.

The man soon moved on, after watching his dog for a short while with an amused smile on his face. The Lab was willing enough to move on, after casting one last reluctant glance at the now-unattainable treasure that had been his, so briefly.