Puppies learn fast. All the more so when learning involves a treat, something that tastes good that someone is offering. And so, whenever we come across Nova -- or more correctly, when Nova comes across us, since invariably he approaches from behind,'catching up' to where we might happen to be, uttering his little yelps of friendly discovery -- he stops beside my husband and waits expectantly. And it just depends on where we happen to be that he has his reward.

If we've stopped at the location where the wild apple trees grow, with their burden of ripe, red apples then he'll be rewarded with little chunks of deliciously sweet and moist apple. A relatively new discovery for him.Since now that they're in season, Jackie and Jillie know from their own experience that there lie treats and stop beneath the trees awaiting action from my husband.

 But if Nova 'catches up' to us (his human, allowing him some independence, walking behind trusting he won't stray far from his voice) any time after we've passed the apple trees, he's out of luck. He can smell the apples on my husband's hands, but they're not there... Life is full of mysteries for a puppy.

Disappointed, but maintaining his good nature, he wanders off into the woods while his human catches up to us, where a chat follows; boring for dogs.

There are always things happening during our walks and yesterday's was no different. A glorious day of sun and clouds in a wide, blue summer sky; as in: what more could anyone ask for?

For starters, a longer summer; this one is waning. It can be seen in a feather moult of crows that have returned to the forest. And it can be seen in the as-yet-anomalous shedding of the occasional poplar leaf, already turned colour in honour of shorter days, cooler nights.

There are other hints; a more frequent sighting of mushrooms, including my absolute unfavourite; the corpse-like blue fungi that tend to congregate at one part of the forest, off the trails on the forest floor. These are large, flattish mushrooms with a quite notable blue tinge and it always struck me that they had a mortuary look about them in contrast to the yellow and bright orange fungi and the purity of the virginal white ones.

Aside from ripening apples to herald the entrance of fall, there are other familiar sights as well. A copse of Hawthorn trees, as an example, their bright, dangling haws red and ripe for fall's arrival. Sigh. Are we ready? Are you kidding?