We thought it mightn't be a bad idea to wait for early afternoon to set out on our usual walk on the woodland trails of the Bilberry Creek Ravine forest yesterday, because the  temperature overnight had been a bit cooler, the wind was up and it didn't seem at all bad out as far as heat was considered.

The thing of it is, I like to preferably get my housework finished in the morning before setting out so that on our return I can relax and do things other than housework. It's a tossup really, which works best. But on really steamy days it is wiser, no doubt about it, to spend our hour, hour-and-a-half rambling about in the ravine earlier in the day.

True, my housework awaits me when we return, but on the other hand, after finishing all those little nagging tasks, I can relax and turn my attention elsewhere without contemplating preparing to go out for our afternoon walk if we've already been out in the morning. We venture out daily because we treasure the opportunity to walk among thickets of trees, to see all manner of vegetation growing by leaps and bounds, to recognize wildflowers in season, to feel relaxed and privileged to be there.

A number of people we have had long familiarity with who live close by variant ravine entrances go out several times daily for walks. They may not take the lengthy circuit we do, or be there as long each time, and on the other hand, they may. When we were younger we went along at a much speedier pace than we do now. So an hour spend rambling up and down the trails, climbing hills is more than enough for us each day.

Jackie and Jillie seem to find it so, as well. Even though most often when we return from one of our jaunts they become excited and energized, playing and tumbling about, racing after one another upstairs and down, through the house, until that spurt of energy finally tires them out and they relax.

So out we went in early afternoon thinking we would be spared the worst of the afternoon heat, and no doubt, since we were in the shade of the forest canopy enjoying a cool breeze, we were. But the atmosphere was so heated that even so, after an hour of ascents and descents we felt fairly hot. Exiting the ravine and walking down the street to our waiting house also makes a difference for that brief, full sun exposure puts the cap on things.

Even Jackie and Jillie feel enervated by their brief amble down the street, anxious to get into the house to cool off. It helps, I suppose that we wipe their little paws with cooling water. And then the next thing we know, they're off everywhere at once in hot pursuit of each other.