It was late afternoon, verging into early evening by the time we managed to get out for our usual walk in the forest with our two little dogs yesterday. A warmly benevolent day, the sky remained clear throughout the day and the sun warmed the atmosphere substantially though there was some wind and the temperature didn't rise above 15C.

The light mist of pale green that has been gaining momentum is now emphatically green, most visible in the lower story of the forest, but emerging without doubt in the upper story reaching into the canopy, a verdancy that is in its infancy but steadily advancing. At a rate that never fails to amaze for its astonishing speed.

Most of the trails have dried up, although some still remain mired in muck, requiring avoidance of a type that doesn't close them off, just necessitating going off trail for the length involved and veering off into the woods a bit.

Apart from the fact that the forest deciduous trees and shrubs are  regaining their colour and hastening to do so, new life of the kind that replaces old fallen trees is also commencing. Pine seedlings in particular seem to pop up without notice; suddenly they're there, with every intention of maturing into the size of those that draw our awe in various places of the forest.

Despite the time, we dawdled, took our time, peered about here and there, making the most of the venture, as we usually do. There's just too much we can miss sighting if we hurry through, and taking our time simply makes the exercise all the more pleasant.