We know they're there. Their presence is always back-of mind. We've never seen them ourselves in the ravine, but many others have. We've been shown photographs taken of them, not very distinct since they're taken usually at night. And that is because they're mostly nocturnal in the sense that this is when they manifest their presence; after dusk, before dawn. They're quite likely active at all parts of the day, but they're secretive.

Of course they've adapted to urban living now. Their whereabouts in the ravine is likely at its depths where the forest is most crowded and there are no trails to forge through. These living in the ravine don't yet have the confidence of the more urban-presenting of their species who appear in daylight hours in park settings, within the city, a threat to small pets.

Yesterday we were out in the ravine a little later than usual in the afternoon. It was an unusual outing. Never before have we seen so many people; singly, in couples, and groups, strolling through the trails, onthe upper trails for the most part. But it seemed we weren't able to go five minutes without encountering yet another group. It was a cool day, but sunny. At a time of the year when there's not much left to see; just asters and some late-blooming pilot plants; the underbrush is beginning to retract itself back into the soil of the forest floor. Deciduous trees have not yet begun the serious business of colour and casting-off of foliage.

Crossing one of the bridges fording the creek a woman stopped us to remind us on seeing Jackie and Jillie, that there have been more frequent sightings of coyotes. There have been a few litters and the few coyotes that had been present have increased in numbers. She sees them frequently, she said, entering her backyard at night on occasion. That means the threat to small creatures is more intense. The coyotes 'invite' companion dogs to a chase, and then when they've been isolated from their humans, other coyotes emerge for a concerted attack.

There are now fewer foxes to be seen out and about in the ravine, claim those whose homes abut on the ravine and who were accustomed to seeing them occasionally. Fewer squirrels too, it would appear. Though there are more snakes now, one doesn't imagine they are high on the gustatory list of edible delights for coyotes. So, we're more cautious about keeping Jackie and Jillie closer by us, although we really don't want to have to resort to leashing them and restricting their freedom of movement, the place where they are accustomed to running about freely. With the onset of shorter daylight hours we may have to rethink that.

So we felt a little restrained in our enjoyment of yesterday's hike through the trails. We eventually exhausted the sightings of people going through the trails when we made our way along, descending into the ravine. We set aside briefly the worrying thoughts revolving around the safety of our little dogs. Peace prevailed. We watched bees collecting pollen from the fall asters. We ambled our way through the trails; up one hill down another, Jillie as always intent on preceding us and we intent on calling her back into view.

And then, arrived back home again, the opportunity to roam about the gardens a bit, appreciating close scrutiny of individual flowers at the peak of their flowering perfection while beside them others that bloomed earlier are on the fade end of their life cycle. And because we knew that the following day would bring rain, it seemed a sensible time to cut the grass even though the ground was still well saturated.