Our afternoon outing through the forest trails of the ravine yesterday was distinguished by cooler temperatures, a good stiff breeze and a relative absence of mosquitoes thanks to that breeze; circumstances that have been missing for quite awhile. Usually of late, we forge out way along the trails in high humidity and heat, passably relieved by shade thrown by the forest canopy.

It was as close to blissful serenity making our way through the forest trails as any good day in the woods has ever been. Goldfinches are still passing through, their looping flight distinguishing them from the other very small avian species that are more common fixtures in the forest, like chickadees and nuthatches.

At this time of year, in late summer, flocks of juvenile robins often frequent the creek and the forest and we see them tripping the light fantastic on the trails, taking to flight only as we approach and Jackie and Jillie give voice to their confusion seeing birds on the forest floor, not in the air. The wild, manic flaunting call of the Pileated is heard more often now pealing through the forest.

Now that daylight hours are notably shorter, there is a concomitant absorption of vegetation on the forest floor, shrinking back into the foliage-composted soil they arose from, and other leafy vegetation close to the ground already turning yellow, a certain signature of fall on the near horizon.

And while there are fewer wildflowers to be seen now, we come across the presence of greater numbers, and more varieties of fungi, colourful, shapely, surprising in their conformation and size, from shelf fungi to mushrooms.