Another beautiful summer day dawned this morning. Moderate everything; heat, wind, humidity. So we bookended our afternoon ravine hike through the forest trails with visits to the garden. I'd done some tidying in the garden yesterday afternoon and then Irving pulled weeds in our awful lawn before cutting the grass. Nothing needs watering. So off we went, following Jackie and Jillie to the ravine.

 

Hanging over us a series of dark clouds wavering over whether to open the spigot on rain, or wait awhile. The clouds were blown out of contention by Aeolus (or was it Zephyrus) looking out for our welfare. We've got a stone mask of the Greek god hanging high on the brick wall above the garden, his hair curly and unkempt, ditto his beard, his mouth wide in the business of vigorously and with full authority blowing air around.

 

 

The two gargoyles we have facing either side of the house on the porch complete a companionable quartet of heavenly spirits if we count in the statue of Persephone standing in the garden. Their kind care and consideration has resulted in a comfortable garden, eager to please, and it does. And then of course, there's always Jackie and Jillie maintaining a careful watch on their garden.

 

 

The cooling air caressed our bare arms, the breeze wafted our wayward hair aloft, the shimmering green of the forest enveloped us, and nothing could be more soul-soothing to convince us that all is well with our little world, while madness rages without.

 

Irving had the opportunity to make some neighbourhood dogs happy when we were up on the spine of the ravine, drawn to our presence by the excited yipping of our two little companions. There weren't many ripe berries for picking today, most are in the still-ripening stages. 

 

 

Between us we often discuss things we've read that the other hasn't, and from that often comes long conversations as two people who've lived long lives together philosophize from the depths of their experiences. Jackie and Jillie pay no mind to us, but we mind what they're doing, and often call them back from the forest interior when they're up to no good.

 

 

Earlier in the morning I baked a double-layer chocolate cake. To be frosted on our return home, after it had completely cooled. It's actually for our daughter-in-law's birthday. Which was on the 27th, but they'll be here with us tomorrow, so I'm catching up. 

Back at home again, we rest awhile in the garden, look about at everything, admire new blossoms that present themselves, while Jackie and Jillie await our entrance back into the house where they anticipate their afternoon salad, as a reward for being very, very good little dogs.