Yet another one of those weather roller-coaster days. Sometimes nature is beyond kind, giving us warm and sunny days, then when the curtain on daylight falls, bringing rain to irrigate the landscape so that by morning the rain is finished and the sun has returned. A perfect formula for summer. But not always one that accords with nature's plans since she tends more to the spontaneous than the planned.

And today certain has been spontaneous. We have been gifted with sun, sporadically changing places with rain. Wide, cerulean skies, not a hint of a breeze, the sun warming the atmosphere in the microclimate of our backyard. And then, suddenly, even while the sun has full reign, pattering rain falls lightly, tapping our shoulders to remind us not to depend too heavily on what we might imagine to be the perfect scenario.

Jackie and Jillie, if they had their 'druthers, would never be exposed to the rain. Poodles were originally considered to be water dogs. Obviously, they didn't get the message. Jillie in particular will do anything -- including hiding her little self in out-of-the-way places to avoid getting wet. It's difficult to persuade her that a little water won't melt her; she believe otherwise.

So last night she was sternly lectured that she had to go out and finish up for the night before we all headed upstairs to bed. Jackie is far more relaxed about rain and the inconvenience of becoming soaked. Almost indifferent, though not completely, he doesn't mind all that much getting a bit wet, just shakes it off; a typical little boy, you might say just as his sister's attitude is typical of most females, save those considered tomboys.

The anticipated flowering of the Stella D'Oro lilies was encouraged by both the rain and the sun. They're prepared to entertain us for the remainder of the summer just as the peonies are preparing to depart this summer of 2020 for good, only to return the year following. There are four peony shrubs in the backyard, the bright pink ones have little fragrance, while those that are pale pink or white exude a most beautiful fragrance.

When time came to set out for the ravine, we thought the rain had stopped, but just to ensure we wouldn't be unpleasantly surprised mid-circuit on the forest trails, we brought along little rainjackets for the puppies. Plenty of blue sky, and plenty of white, scudding clouds interspersed here and there with angrier charcoal grey clouds. And though no grey clouds were overhead, it was raining. Off we went regardless, counting on the forest overhang to keep us dry.

It did, but only because the rain stopped as we entered the ravine, and what fell after that was mostly excess moisture from the forest canopy. All the rain we've been privileged with has brought out the presence of fungi. For some odd reason the bright-coloured mushrooms we used to see -- in shades of loud oranges and yellows, even purples and reds -- have been absent the last few years.

This is not a day to bring people trustingly out to the forest trails, and the trails reflected that. We had them entirely to ourselves. Because the threat of thunderstorms seemed imminent we decided that a shorter circuit would do us for the day and returned home much earlier than we normally would.

And then we enjoyed a spin in the garden, to admire the luminous appearance of the foliage slicked with rain, glinting back at us in reflection of that golden orb above.