Two days ago we frazzled in 32C heat and yesterday our flirtation with deep summer came to a precipitous close; at 21C, the temperature was much more reasonable. Tomorrow, we're gearing up to accept -- because we have no other option -- a high temperature for the day of 14C. Now that's unreasonable. We're ping-ponging back and forth from heat to too-cool, when what we really would appreciate is prolonged, consecutive days of moderate Goldilocks conditions; not too hot, not too cold, just the way bears like it.

Out we went again early this morning for our hustle through the ravine, because the weather forecast warned we were in line for thunderstorms this afternoon. Jackie and Jillie are all for these early morning walks; they just snooze them off later in the day. And for me, after enjoying an hour and more on the forest trails, I can take my time cleaning the house without spurring myself on to hurry or the day will pass too late into the afternoon for our hike-through.

 Not only did we get almost a full day of rain yesterday after we'd returned from our morning walk, but it rained through the night as well. Whatever was parched -- and the entire landscape would qualify -- is now satiated, well irrigated and no longer shrinking from the presence of the overheated sun. So it was a wet, very wet ravine we entered this morning. 

The air was fresh, nicely scrubbed and leaving us with the feeling that our lungs were drawing in cool, clean oxygen; which of course we were. We gained a feeling of greater energy to be expended. The green screen of the forest is now close to mature. While there are still some trees, like oaks that are laggards, everywhere we look, in any direction, fresh, bright green dominates.

The apple trees are now beginning to bloom, as well as the hawthorns. Tiny strawberry plants are blooming alongside the far more numerous violets. Because it was overcast, even though the sun presented a wan face from time to time, the trout lilies adamantly refused to open their blossoms, keeping their flower heads tightly shut. The trilliums, on the other hand, don't mind the absence of sun, they feel refreshed from the rain, and they're glowing.

The shy little rings of lilies-of-the-valley that tend to gather around the base of tree trunks are now also revealing the tiny wands of white bells, though their similarity to the appearance of cultivated varieties is purely notional. Not much commotion at our end today with Jackie and Jillie running ahead to bark furiously at the oncoming presence of strange dogs, because there were none.

Although it wasn't yet raining, the combination of threatening rain, high humidity and hungry mosquitoes convince most people they have better things to do than leave their comfortable, air-conditioned homes for a turn through forest trails. So the woods were silent, serene and hugely appreciated this morning.

After we returned home the sun came out for a visit of about an hour. Before long, however, in came dark clouds and in the distance thunder softly boomed, and gradually grazed, then entered our extended landscape. There are few things more comforting than being at home and hearing the loud promise of an approaching thunderstorm.