We had copious rainfall throughout the night, a hotand muggy atmosphere prevailing. By morning the bedroom window was streaming with rain, since the wind drove it directly at the back of the house. Downstairs, the sliding glass doors to the deck, also at the back of the house were streaming rain as well. But just as Irving took the puppies out to the backyard the rain came to an abrupt stop. Lucky, we thought since nothing upsets Jackie and Jillie more than to have to get out into falling rain.

We spent the early morning driving over to the supermarket to do our weekly shopping and from there to the special vegetable and fruit shop and then another stop. The rain held off though the sky was murky with clouds and then suddenly out came the sun. During breakfast the sun shone and J&J made a number of trips outside to catch some sun rays.

By early afternoon rain had returned in the form of quick-onset squalls and thunderstorms, one event following on another. One moment there would be sun, the next teeming rain. Wind pushed the clouds high above our landscape, unveiling these little intermissions of rain and sun. Finally, the sun was out again and the sky appeared clear enough and so we packed along little raincoats for Jackie and Jillie, tied ours around our hips and set out for the ravine.

We walked up the street in the heat of the sun's rays. Any time the sun withdrew however briefly it turned cool. By the time we had gained the upper plateau of the ravine we heard a faint rumble, and realized the blue sky we had entered the ravine under was now once again storm-wracked with ragged grey clouds. And then came the rain. At first we were uncertain whether it was (hoping) just rain falling off the saturated leaves. And when we realized it really was raining, on went the raincoats for J&J. 

In these circumstances J&J don't seem to mind being in the rain. They're stoic where they aren't at home. So did we get thoroughly drenched? Unlike the fierce downpours that occurred before we left the house, this was a brief little shower barely penetrating the forest canopy and then out came the sun again. 

We've had some quite hot days lately, and we could see the forest floor beginning to crack for lack of moisture. We were scheduled to water the garden today, and now we don't have to. So we never really complain about rain-days. They usually work out well for us, allowing us to find a window of opportunity to get out for a vigorous hike through the forest trails between rain events.

These days of summer spontaneity call for different meals altogether. Yesterday evening we had wraps for a change filled with black beans, vegetables and cheese.Today it's a potato salad, and that's where herbs grown in the garden come in handy. While out with J&J earlier I had snipped parsley, sweet basil and chives to include in a potato salad. So that's what we're having this evening, topped with salmon and devilled eggs, Irving's favourite (the eggs, that is).

Even J&J enjoyed some salmon popped into their afternoon vegetable salad after our hike. I reserve the salmon juice for them as well, and they relish it, adding a garnish to their treat. They're so fond of vegetables any time I'm in the kitchen cutting up fruit or vegetables, they make a sudden appearance, cadging for handouts for themselves.