Although we took our usual leisurely time enjoying Saturday morning breakfast, afterward we hustled to get out in late morning before the heavily overcast skies turned even darker, since the weather report forecasted 90% rain for the afternoon. We anticipated a long ravine circuit, so took the precaution of wearing not only warm but waterproof jackets.

Jackie and Jillie have their own raingear, and his happens, in the dimness of a darker day to glow with a white luminescence the camera picks up when I photograph him. We were glad to get out, glad we decided to wear warm clothing since aside from the fact that it was only 9C, it was also one of those days when a robust wind helps the cold feel even colder.

Nice to amble along, no concerns, just the freedom to concentrate on how free our limbs felt as we ambled along the trails. Jackie easily clocks in double or triple the trail-time we do since he's always veering off trail into the woods leaping over obstacles on the forest floor with gay abandon, searching for those elusive and clever squirrels who must consider him a bit of a dolt not to realize that the woods are their precinct, not his.

Last year down by the creek there was a colony of late-fall blooming turtleheads, surprising us by their presence. We've been looking for them in the same place this year, but they haven't returned; likely they were seed escapees from someone's garden caught in a visiting dog's hair, or excreted by a passing bird, but if so it would seem likely that one or two might be present, not the numbers that we'd seen last year. The puzzle is why they hadn't returned since they're perennials. Nature and her many mysteries.

At this juncture there isn't much left to flower in the ravine. Basically it's fall asters and that's it. The white ones have long since finished their bloom, followed by the pale mauve flowers and the bright purple-pink ones, still flourishing.

Despite all signals pointing to the imminence of rainfall, we were able to get through our walk on the forest trails with no rain appearing. Which meant that I would be able, on our return home, to get out to the gardens, front and back and apply myself to the ongoing task of tidying up, cutting back perennials, yanking annuals in preparation for winter.

I always anticipate looking forward to a spring garden in which all preparations to resume gardening have been completed and I can get on with the pleasure of re-planting annuals.