The late afternoon rain we received yesterday that turned the interior of the house as dark a night-time hours represented yet another rain event in a long, uninterrupted sequence of rain and thunderstorms that have persuaded us we might be actually be living in an aquarium and never before realized it.

Patience being a virtue, we had no option but to practise it as best we could. And today we're enjoying perfect summer weather; not too warm, nice and breezy, and clear, blue skies. Moreover, the forecast for the next three to four days is negligible-to-no rain whatever, and we can manage to accept that, with in fact the utmost gratitude.

Everything seems to be peaking early this year. The garden has taken on a bit of that worn, overgrown appearance that we're familiar with observing in late summer or early fall. In the forest that manifests itself with the presence of wildflowers not normally seen at this point in the summer intermingling. 

Along with plants growing larger, proliferating robustly and expressing more flowers than usual. So along with the daisies and buttercups and fleabane, yellow loosestrife and cowvetch still blooming here and there, there's the addition of Queen Anne's lace, jewelweed, yarrow, the first of the fall asters, wild sunflowers, cinquefoil and goldenrod. Nature's garden is diligently working overtime this year.

Yesterday we came across an old ravine acquaintance walking with her daughter-in-law, a beautiful young women carrying her three-month-old little boy, and walking their three border collies along one of the trails. What a sight they made, all of them together, the child absolutely cherubic, spreading his perfect little mouth in a smile for his grandmother.

Today, a treat for Jackie and Jillie again, meeting up with that little Apricot poodle. When the three little dogs run amok on the trails, they cover a lot of ground but they always tend to return sporadically to us, Jackie and Jillie as much to get away from the other little fellow as to express the exuberance they feel with life. When that happens, small feet flying in all directions, it's best to stop and stand still until they race off again, to avoid stepping on tender little paws.