Given a fresh cool temperature and light wind, Irving thought today as good a day as any to spread the six bags of mulch he had brought home last week with that intention, over the garden beds at the front of the house for the utility effect of water retention, so the plants wouldn't dry up so readily in the heat of the sun and we'd no longer have to water as frequently. He had chosen bright orange-red cedar mulch rather than brown, because it appealed to him, and once down, it certainly has a brightening effect. It will fade over summer and by next year will have sunk into the garden soil, enriching it and necessitating another layer of mulch be applied for the same reason next season. 

I thought I'd make a cabbage salad otherwise known as cole slaw to have with dinner tonight. I used a half-head of tight green cabbage, a Royal Gala apple, half a Vidalia onion and two smallish carrots for the salad. This time instead of trying to slice the cabbage thinly, I used a mandolin and it did a far better job shredding the cabbage than I could ever do free-hand, though it's best to be very careful when using that kind of kitchen implement. When not in use, the blade can be locked down and that gives you an idea of how accident-prone its use can be.

When Irving was halfway through spreading the mulch -- which, by the way, has a wonderfully aromatic cedar fragrance -- we decided we'd take an early trot through the ravine and gathered ourselves together. Meaning collars and halters for Jackie and Jillie, a supply of cookies for Irving's bag, and my little Kodak 'elph' camera.

We couldn't have imagined a finer made-to-order day for a ramble through the forest trails. Sun, a good breeze, and a temperature of 22C; perfection. The pink of the thimbleberry blossoms against the white pannicles of the elderberry shrubs, and the newly opening yellow heads of pilotweed make for a colourful entry to the forest. On our way in we noted that there are already some of the wild raspberries ripening.

We took our time, just enjoying the weather and the pleasant feeling of feeling physically free and mentally alert to the green world around us. There were a few encounters with dogs familiar with Irving's bag contents, but otherwise once again scant few others out enjoying the venue of our natural world.

When we had completed our circuit for the afternoon, Irving tended to the raspberries we had espied earlier, gathering a little handful of the tiny ripe berries. Jackie and Jillie know all about berries and what they taste like. Jillie is not quite as enamoured of fruit as Jackie is, vegetables are more to her taste, but she will never pass up the opportunity to eat anything on offer.

Jackie, on the other hand, devoted to both vegetables and fruit, was on the case immediately, knowing what was in store and that a treat was in the offing. Ripe red, moist and delicious, it took them one inhalation and the berries were history.

 

Back at home again, we did a tour of the garden, this time to examine the dexterity Irving demonstrated in scattering that cedar mulch on the beds and borders. We inspected and gave our wholehearted approval. Which motivated one half of this gardening partnership to continue distributing the mulch until all six bags were completely exhausted. And so was he.