Unsurprisingly, as a result of yesterday's cooler temperatures accompanied by all-day rain events, it was still humid, though warmer this morning, and it was obvious when we ventured out this first thing that it had also rained overnight. An opaque grey fog enveloped the atmosphere, soon to lift, but until it did, an air of mystery was lent to the landscape.

Bluejays have returned and we hear their shrilly distinct call through the woods and close to our backyard on occasion. There was a time when we would see bluejays hanging about continually, when we lived in the suburbs of Toronto. Now, we see them only on rare occasions. They only appear in the Bilberry Creek Ravine forest briefly in spring and fall, otherwise they must seclude themselves along with so mamy other of our native species in the boreal forests.

When we did go out late morning to the ravine for our daily trail walks in the woods the fog had lifted, the forest floor was heavily dampened but since it was also  covered with newly fallen pine needles and colourful foliage that had drifted down from the tree canopy, encouraged by the considerable winds that blew yesterday, the trails weren't muddy.

We hoped that Jackie and Jillie wouldn't this time come across a nasty patch of burrs as they had the day before. It took us forever to pick and pluck, pull and push them out of their downy hair, and they didn't appreciate all that poking about. Still, we don't like to restrain them when they decide to slip off the trail and into the underbrush because they've sighted, heard or smelled something interesting. It's mostly Jackie, he has so much nervous energy he needs the opportunity to rush about, enjoying his freedom to do so, Jillie's needs are far less evident in that direction.

It's quite astonishing how many cones have dropped from the pines, spruces and hemlocks. They litter the trails in some places to the extent that they roll under our boots. Squirrels and chipmunks will have no quarrel with nature's bounty this fall.