Another break in the successive heat waves that have been giving us hot, sticky days, unusual in their frequency. We had the option of sleeping in a little longer as we did yesterday morning, or getting up and having breakfast then taking our time before heading out to the ravine with Jackie and Jillie -- which we also did yesterday, or getting up before the threat of afternoon rain and making directly for the forest trails.

The thought of staying in bed a little longer won out -- but just for a minute, before we decided we'd make a break for the ravine and an early morning ramble. We're never sorry about those decisions. It almost seems that foregoing breakfast for a later morning hour and slogging through the trails unfed we've got more energy than when we embark for an afternoon trail hike. Admittedly, that happens after we've done whatever work has to be done in and around the house. Jackie and Jillie don't leave the house before a cheese snack to get them through first-thing-in-the-morning tummy rumbles.

And they can also now count on occasional treats of ripe berries as we make our way through the various trails burgeoning with wild berry stalks. Berries are ripening fast now, and they'll continue to do so for months to come.

In the brief clearing before descending the first long hill onto the ravine we could see that the first of the Himalayan orchids had set its buds, preparing to bloom. Oddly, though we've had a wet spring and a wet summer, the masses of jewelweed that tend to grow not only alongside the creek but in great numbers on an upper portion of the forest that tends to be damp, haven't seemed to take off at all this year. Their growth looks stunted, though as moisture-loving plants they should be fairly robust by now.

We wondered when or whether we would begin to note the appearance of fungi, given the damp conditions, prevailing humidity and extremely warm temperatures of late. Years ago we used to see mushrooms far more often than we now do, and in amazing colours of bright yellow, dark orange, pinks and browns, and even pallid blues. Finally we passed a small grouping of pink-passing-for-red mushrooms, as though in answer to our question.

The proliferation of thistles and pilotweed have been in bloom for some time, and now we're seeing the much larger, taller bull thistles begin their bloom with beautiful pink or purple blossoms. We enjoy their appearance now, but when fall and winter arrive their dried state is to be avoided, if at all possible.

Then back home again, to begin the rest of the day, the garden welcoming us with its warm, rich colours and textures. At the very front of the property we own, modest in size, the garden bed is in full sunshine.

We've so many mature trees now around the gardens that sun has difficulty penetrating in the beds and borders closer to the house, so a focus on shade-loving plants is a must, and that's where plants like hostas come into the picture, and we have plenty of them in all sizes and textures and colours. The foliage is so ornamental it hardly needs the flower stalks they tend to send up in mid-summer, though they tend to flower at different times.

For the most part, Jackie and Jillie follow us about as we peer around at our little bit of heaven, but it's clear enough that this can be a tedious exercise for them, when they'd prefer to conclude the morning adventure with a filling breakfast to satiate a grumbling stomach. So, in we go, and after we shower it's breakfast time for everyone. Utter, sublime relaxation.