There was another spectacular light show outside our bedroom windows the night before last. Flashes of electrical light entered and moments later the boom of thunder alerting us to the impending rush of rain to come in its full abundant frenzy, lashing the windows and presuming that if light could enter our bedroom via open windows, so could the rain. Time to close off entrance points.

The thought came to our sleepy minds that these theatrics were right on cue as forecast. And that it was likely they might continue through the day. They were, and they failed to. By the time we awoke hours later although the landscape was utterly drenched and dripping, it was under a clearing sky and the sun was already on duty, turning the droplets of water still streaming down the glass of our patio doors into diamonds.

Jackie and Jillie could sense they were in imminent view of a ravine walk as usual. The very transmission of our minds to theirs sending them into a tizzy of excitement they express by leaping madly about, challenging one another to their interminable physical duels where each performs precision moves to foil the other and someones one is ascendant, sometimes the other.

In the ravine they became somewhat becalmed, too busy being alert to the wide assortment of odours, fragrant and pungent reflecting things we ourselves likely would fail to appreciate if we could but interpret them as little dogs are adept at doing. They veer about from one side of the trail to another seeking out the source of the fragrances that waft toward them from everywhere on the forest floor.

Yesterday's forest was as dripping and as bedazzling to our eyes as was that of the day before when similar conditions; rainfall minus the thunder and lightning inundated the landscape transforming it into a venue of deep blazing colour, everything with an especial sheen of rainwater turning the vegetation into a seemingly magnified version of exquisite detail and colour.

Jackie and Jillie had the opportunity to importune and intimidate Sasha, herself a fairly boisterous dog, but never failing to humble herself before the onslaught of two smaller, arrogant dogs who think that because there's two of them they have the upper hand in claiming possessive rights to the ravine and all others must accede to their 'ownership' of all they survey.

When we returned home from our ravine jaunt it was to view a garden saturated, colourful and exuding confidence in its beauty. We find ourselves unfailingly amazed at the size of the hibiscus blooms that proudly parade themselves day after day. And we're finally satisfied that the zinnias have managed to branch out and up to rival their robust presence of last year's garden.

The copious rainfalls the gardens have enjoyed this summer went a long way to satisfying the needs of thirsty growing plants. The trees overhanging the walkways at the centre of the garden beds and borders tend to shed bits of foliage in such heavy rains which also prod spent flowers to loose their grip and fall to create a growing heap of detritus. From time to time so much of the walkways become covered with vegetative cast-offs there's little choice but to assemble the clean-up brigade and tidy things up.

After breakfast my attention was turned to a Friday dessert, and because both cream cheese and fresh pints of blueberries had been on sale when last we did the food shopping I thought to pair them and bake a blueberry cheesecake. So that's just what happened. I used a scant 2/3 cup of Graham cracker crumbs, 2 tbsp. of butter, 2 tbsp. of dark brown sugar and a half-tsp.of cinnamon to make a bottom crust, pre-baked it briefly, then scattered a thin layer of white chocolate chips over the partially baked crust.

Then I put together a half-cup of granulated sugar, a small 340 gram tub of cream cheese, 2 large eggs, 1/4 c.sour cream, 1 tsp.vanilla, and whipped it all together to a nice smooth froth, poured it over the crust, and baked it in a 325F oven for about an hour. Meanwhile, I mixed a half-cup of granulated sugar, 2 tbsp.corn starch, 1/4 c.cranberry juice, and the washed blueberries into a small saucepan, stirring, bringing it all to a simmer, then stirred until the blueberries had 'melted' and the mixture was thick. Turned off the heat, added 2 tbsp. butter and a tsp. of brandy flavouring.

When the cheesecake had cooled sufficiently, the blueberry topping was spread over, and the finished product was set aside to cool for dessert at dinnertime. Our weekly concession to a shared sweet tooth. My husband would later barbecue chicken drumsticks and cauliflower in a casserole dish in the barbecue. I had a chicken soup cooking on the stove (Jackie and Jillie get to eat the chicken from the soup through the week supplementing their dry dog food). I cooked a small amount of rice to go with the soup, along with finely chopped green onion.