Few might have guessed that they had only to enter the forest from the street level above to find instant relief from the suffocating oppression of yesterday's heat. Even we -- long familiar with such conditions and discovering through all the seasons of the year how different the atmosphere tends to be within the forest than outside it -- weren't exactly certain what we'd find there yesterday afternoon.

Yet, just as soon as we descended the ravine to access the forest trails running throughout the natural wooded area that encompasses our urban neighbourhood we found instant relief from the heat, humidity and haze that enervates one's physical resources under those conditions.

Thanks to more than adequate rain and sunshine the forest, like our gardens up at street level are flourishing. Passing through areas at the outer edges of the forest there is ample evidence that this will be a bumper year for wild berries. Raspberry canes are flush with blooms, and each of those delicate little white flowers will bear a delicious fruit come mid- to late-summer.

Even the wild strawberry plants are still boasting their lovely little flowers and they too will offer sweet delicious, moist berries before too long as the first of the berry crops to mature and delight us. The thimbleberries have not yet begun to blossom, and their larger, deep pink floral offerings will mature into larger thumb-sized berries resembling thimbles in their figuration; equally delicious.

We came across one of those shelf fungi on a snag, a tall old tree stump that was perfection in its architectural formation and colouration. It's one of those natural spectacles that arrest your attention briefly in admiration of nature's portfolio of artistic perfection.

Jackie and Jillie found our traipse through the forest as exhilarating as we did, poking their little snouts everywhere, checking for 'messages' left by their friends on their own way through the forest trails. Despite the 31C temperature and the muggy atmosphere above, we were cool and comfortable, and for some strange reason the mosquitoes that have been plaguing us regularly seemed in scant supply throughout the walk until we came to the last fifteen minutes and they played catch-up-gotcha!

Indeed, it was such a comfortable atmosphere that greeted us in the forest that despite being offered cold water to refresh themselves, Jackie only took a feeble lick and Jillie spurned the offer of cooling water altogether.