However briefly, the reason for us to take pre-breakfast rambles through the forest trails -- to escape the heat of the afternoon through a week of heat-wave-level daily temperatures came to an end overnight. At least we think it did. A pattern had developed of deep heat searing the atmosphere building from morning to early afternoon, followed by dark clouds scudding across the overheated sky, the sun retreating, and thunder informing us a heavy rain was imminent.

Nature's sense of drama, entertaining us with her theatrical performances. Yesterday things turned out a little different. Yes, there was stifling heat, and even our early morning turn in the ravine had a suffocating layer of steamed heat, despite heavy rain of the night before. At least we'd thought the rain was heavy; it looked that way, sounded that way. But yesterday morning the forest hardly appeared as though it had been inundated.

And then this morning we awoke to semi-clouded skies, a rip-roaring wind and a descent in temperature so far from what we'd been experiencing we hauled on rainjackets and tucked Jackie's and Jillie's little raincoats into our pockets...just in case. And once in the ravine, on the trails, it was evident that last night's rain truly was excessive; the trails were steeped in runoff.

The forest pines had dropped their orange-tinted seeds under the influence of rain and wind several days back, and the force of the rain last night washed the trail clear of the pine seed collection, leaving them piled at the edges of the trail; nature re-arranging the aesthetics of the landscape. The canopy was dripping, and the wind whipped through the trees.

The original reason for setting off for an early morning walk completely dissipated in other words. But we felt compelled to head out early anyway, since we had a noon appointment with the groomers to finally get our shaggy little pups relieved of the mass of hair that had grown in, resulting from two cancellations as a result of the COVID lockdown.

The sun came out sporadically to help the roistering wind dry out the forest foliage, and Jackie and Jillie had the opportunity to enjoy some conversations with some of their friends before we wrapped up our circuit and returned home to shower, have breakfast, and read the newspapers. And then we shipped them over to the groomers. They were anxious and so were we; separation anxiety on their part and on ours.

The new COVID ritual was enacted; we ring the buzzer at the entrance of the building and an attendant invites us in as an escort, face-masked and eyes smiling. A brief exchange where we release our two little black imps to the care of the attendants whom we trust implicitly, then we paid the bill before leaving and returned home.

My husband hauled out the lawnmower and I cleaned the bathroom, passing time before we received a call several hours later that sister-and-brother were ready for pick-up. Before we entered the building, we saw our two freshly-groomed puppies leaping at the window of the room they were placed in awaiting our return, scratching frantically at the window as they saw us and even from the outside we could hear Jackie's sharp, imperative bark 'took your time, didncha!?'