If not now, never. Which is to say, the single most popular weekend for people to venture out into the forest is Thanksgiving weekend, and this one far from being an exception has the additional draw that beckons to people under COVID-19 lockdown, anxious to get out and about since other social pursuits like movie theatres, stage plays, musical entertainment, restaurants, pubs, gyms, are no longer available to them. So, it's the great outdoors.

And of course, the outdoors is great. It's open and wide and the sky today was mostly clear, the sun brilliant, warm and enticing, the atmosphere cool but tolerable, just perfect for a tramp through the woods. Evidently a whole lot of people thought so, since we came across so many of them when we went out this afternoon ourselves. They're mostly seen in specific areas that don't require too much of a physical effort to attain to.

 Joggers, bicyclists singly and in pairs or groups, families out walking with their children, couples, singles, you name it, out they came to view the splendour of fall in a forest. And splendour they found. Although truth to be told, if they viewed the forest from the vantage point outside its environs, from street level, they'd see far more colour in the canopy than when you're right in the forest itself.

The colour tends to be largely above, necessitating that one walk with one's head in the clouds as it were, to see the towering pinnacles of leafy reds, orange, bronze, gold and pink. Other than for shrubs and saplings at eye level in the forest understory. It's the immediate impact of the shades of colour that impress people who have no familiarity with a forest trail. They don't seem to notice details because a sweeping eye won't, only an intent probing eye sees elements of interest and contrasts and the presence of small creatures preferring not to be noticed.

Regular walkers raise their eyebrows to one another, nonplussed by these casual hiking forays where people tend to look straight ahead as though to avoid making eye contact. Where a mood of alienation not sharing the beauty of a landscape seems to be in evidence. Where smiles fail to crease the faces of people who look as though they'd rather be anywhere else. People who tend not to 'notice' that others casually smile at them, proffer quiet greetings of acknowledgment. Oblivious of courtesy and hiking etiquette, in effect.

None of this concerns Jackie and Jillie. They amble around unimpressed by the presence of others, though mindful of their status as guardian stewards of the forest when they encounter other dogs that clearly have no business enjoying the forest since they're unfamiliar and just 'passing by'.  Fact is, of course, if they had their druthers they'd all be in the woods constantly, roaming about, enjoying the leisure, the overwhelming scents and sights.