Apropos of bewilderment, the news that Walmart plans to charge food producers an extra surcharge of 6.25 percent of the cost of their goods sold online to 'help pay' for Walmart's projected multi-billion-dollar modernization of its own facilities, telling the producers that they'll benefit from the initiative ultimately in greater sales, I wonder why people even shop at such enterprises. The supermarket that we choose to shop at for our weekly groceries is large, well maintained, clean, stocks fresh produce and a wide array of comestibles. All at a really reasonable price. And they launch frequent product sales.

When on occasion we drop by other supermarkets their upgraded aisle and shelving glitz and even wider selection of foodstuffs -- mostly pre-prepared and highly processed - is mind-boggling and distracting from the choice of whole foods. No matter whether it's produce or dairy or meats or household cleaning products there isn't one item on those upgraded shelves and refrigerated units that isn't considerably more costly than the very same products we select at the supermarket we shop at. So why people generally tend to choose these glittering emporiums with their focus on processed and non-consumable items is beyond our ken; satisfied in paying a premium price for them as well.

That's the humdrum world of shopping to stock our pantries to keep ourselves well nourished. That other world that we inhabit with all the good fortune at our disposal, is one where those same bodies that require daily infusions of good nutritious food, also have a need to be exposed to clean air, an interesting landscape for the eyes to drink in, and a geological environmental challenge exposing us to healthful exercise opportunities.  Distractions as well as healthy occupations all the more necessary during this time of COVID lockdown and its after-effects. Which is just what we indulged in this morning. At a later hour than is normal for us, setting out at 9:00 a.m.

Our earlier morning outings mean we come across fewer people. But today also being a Saturday explains in good part why it is that at certain crossroads where trails meet and diverge, there were actually scenes resembling 'crowds', as people politely waited, stepping aside to give ample room for others to pass. A lot of unfamiliar faces to be sure. And some well known to us.

For the most part, happily, we enjoyed the privilege of tramping through the trails unobstructed by the presence of others. Our friend Suzy, who doe her Tai Ch'i exercises every morning down at one of the bridges fording the creek before setting off on her own morning trek through the trails, was one of those old friends. Another who walks an elderly Rottweiler brought us up to date on the problems being experienced with hip displacement and his discovery, thanks to a mutual acquaintance of ours, of the good sense of making an hour-and-a-half trip across the border into New York State at Plattsburgh to visit the Village Veterinarian hospital.

The prices charged for surgery at Canadian veterinary hospitals are astronomical. The Plattsburgh  hospital charges reasonable fees, and counts many Ontario residents among their satisfied clients. They're a caring bunch of professionals who know their profession and its clients' needs well. For surgery for Jackie and Jillie when they were still pups and we had them spayed/neutered that's where we went. Our regular veterinarian services we rely on are located much closer to home.