Yesterday for an alteration in perspective we decided to reverse our usual circuit and start off in the direction from which we usually conclude our daily ramble in the woods. This kind of thing invariably elicits keener interest from Jackie and Jillie who are eager to be exposed to something that seems to be different heading through the forest trails.

They take everything in their stride, happy and excited to be out in the woods. Jackie on the continual lookout for squirrels challenging his never-ending attempts to outrace them to the point where he would be able to countenance them directly, rather than as usual end up puzzled at their strange disappearance, scrambling up trees before he even realizes how his intention has been evaded.

So, off we went, ascending where we usually descend, and in effect going backwards along the interconnecting trails to accomplish the loop we're familiar with, only backwards. The heat of the day hadn't yet arrived, and a really brisk wind both kept us refreshed and flying insect pests at bay, a great combination to make a  hike all that more enjoyable.

While we enjoy taking in the larger perspective of the entire landscape, we are also always sensitive to those little colourful bits of vegetation declaring the presence of wildflowers to enliven our interest even more. Yesterday was no exception, we came across nice little patches of trailing lotus mirroring the bright egg-yolk gold of the sun, on the forest floor.

Many years ago we noticed at one of the creek tributaries down deep in a gully that there was a clump of meadow rue. It was the only such clump we'd seen anywhere in the ravine. We expected it would gain a foothold, expand its presence, grow to full mature height and engender eventually a bit of a colony, but it never did. It did, years back, give birth to another, smaller clump. But now the original is gone and only the smaller one persists, but just barely; obviously the combination of soil and exposure to sun is lacking in providing the perfect environment for the plant.

Interspersed here and there among other residents of the forest floor alongside the trails, there is also buglos with its pale-to-dark purple flowers, an injection of colour among the drab brown-grey of the exposed forest floor and the bright verdance of the vegetation inhabiting it.