Like the moon and its effects on Earth's oceans, we wax and wane too. In the sense that some days we've got endless energy to spare and others we revert to sparing the energy we can muster and modify our motivational aspirations. Sometimes timing is everything, as is a conjunction of circumstances. Yesterday was a cool, mostly sunny, breezy day. Cool enough that when we took ourselves out for our daily ramble in the ravine with our two little dogs, we needed garments that covered our legs and arms for total comfort.

It was also the day that Irving spent most of his time out-of-doors. It took a while for him to disperse the six large bags of cedar mulch awaiting his attention on a weather-appropriate day, over the garden. Those areas of the garden in particular where we haven't trees hanging over them to shield them part of the day from the heat of the sun. They're areas that dry out quickly, requiring too-frequent irrigation.

Of course we also feature a large number of garden urns and pots that we've acquired over the decades to become part of our garden, and they too have a tendency to dry out especially on windy days, So those gardens-within-a-garden also need watering, but far less than the sun-exposed gardens. Mulch does make a significant difference, and helps in keeping the weed population in check as well.

We spend about an hour-and-a-half daily on our circuits through the ravine's forest trails, expeditions rife with ascents and descents, so that takes energy as well. Today is a day of rest. In a sense, that is; there are still countless ordinary little tasks to be done within the house. In contrast to yesterday's weather, however, today has turned out dry, hot, breezy and sunny. Just as well to spend most of it indoors.

In the morning after their breakfast Jackie and Jillie chose to spend some quality time sunbathing on the deck. We had a more leisurely breakfast, not given to gulping everything down in a huge hurry as they do, and indulging at the same time in reading the newspapers or magazines of interest. A civilized pace of life. It wasn't until later in the day that we all prepared for our usual daily hike.

I wore a light, sleeveless, airy top and shorts, which I don't often do. So we were both comfortable in the afternoon heat of the forest, mitigated by the shade of the forest canopy, and the steady breeze penetrating the forest interior nicely. Irving was greeted on several occasions by members of his canine, cookie-loving fan club, but otherwise, not many community people out in the forest this afternoon. Many more may have chosen an early morning traipse through the trails to avoid the afternoon heat.

No circuit through the ravine's trails leaves us disinterested in doing another, infinitely smaller circuit on the trails we've made over time on our little bit of urban heaven, our secret, almost-hidden garden, shielded partially from public view by the mature trees we have on our property; spruces, yews, cedars, mulberry, crabapples. Whose presence ensures much of the garden is heavily shaded with only occasional sun exposure. Which explains our fondness for hostas and begonias, among other shade-loving plants.