Once again Irving called me outside to see the spectacle of the setting sun, partially obscured by a light cloud cover, but managing with all the light-power at its disposal to blaze right through, a brilliant yellow-orange disk of illumination. As usual, I grabbed my camera and tried to capture the sight of an approaching dusk skyscape. It didn't take very long after that event when we were enveloped in the dark of night. It seems so sudden, too soon to wave goodbye to the day.

We'd been shopping earlier in the day for our weekly groceries and bought asparagus from Ontario. It's good to see local produce finally ripe enough to boast their presence on supermarket shelves. We also bought Niagara-grown yellow plums and peaches, the very best peaches grown anywhere. Their distinctive sweet, moist flavour has no equal.

While we were shopping, Irving browsing on the shelves where condiments are stacked, showed me a packet purporting to hold the ingredients for Yorkshire pudding. The sight of which made us both laugh; Yorkshire pudding, flour, salt, egg, milk. Simple, comprised of four ingredients. But available in a pouch packet where presumably one adds liquid to produce the completed batter. Saving the trouble of mixing together three other common ingredients. As convenience goes, how much time does that save?

But it did inspire me for dinner. We decided to have a small roast, Yorkshire pudding and asparagus, with fresh peaches for dessert. Quick, easy and fully nutritious for a table offering that's delicious and satisfying. Jackie and Jillie agreed wholeheartedly, agreeing to force themselves to eat a few tidbits of the roasted brisket.

Today turned out warmer and fully sunny. Jackie and Jillie took turns after breakfast splaying out on the deck in full sun, their black coats absorbing the warmth of the sun until they began to roast, themselves. While we dispatched a few routine housekeeping tasks around the house, they waited patiently for us to prepare for our usual ravine hike. We set off in mid-afternoon thankful for a good stiff breeze to cool down the sun's heated rays.

It's surprising how wet and muddy the trails have remained. We had a day yesterday after all, without rain. Because it was so lovely  just meandering about we decided on a longer route and made the most of our time through the forest. When we had exhausted our options and were heading for the last bridge to bring us to the hill leading to street level, a big black Labrador, sopping wet from soaking in the creek, rushed over seemingly out of nowhere, wagging her rump, her tail describing perfect circles, her human nowhere to be seen.

She's an affectionate girl and was clearly conveying her expectation that her presence would excite in us an urge to reward  her with biscuits. And that's just what happened. She sat calmly before Irving while he fussed with his bag of goodies, Jackie and Jillie expressing circles all around him, and then it was cookies all around, and then some.

When her human did show up eventually and we had spoken awhile he pointed out to us the presence of a large wasp's nest that had eluded our notice. It hung directly over the junction of the trail we were on and two other trails, one extremely narrow and filling with mature vegetation reflecting the fact that not many people use it, though we do. This is the third such nest we've seen in many years in the ravine. The wasps no doubt finding it a perfect place for easy access to the pollinating garden of wildflowers just ahead in the forest meadow.