There's a special relationship between the weather and timing, and we certainly can't complain that we haven't been advantaged by both in deep collaboration with one another. With the best of intentions Irving planned to use the new lawn mower he brought home after our old one finally broke down, but the opportunity between rain events just hasn't materialized. Until today. The morning started out fine, with a wide, blue sky, but it quickly degenerated with the arrival of rain-threatening clouds.

 

 

Still, there was enough of a window caused by a lapse in timing for Irving to get out after breakfast and mow both the backyard and the front lawn. Just as he was finishing up, rain began, and as he entered the house there were those excitingly ominous rolls of thunder.  It's the kind of weather-language that Jackie and Jillie respond to with warning growls, then having established their authority over any approaching storm, they simply re-assume anything that had taken their notice before the weather-notice. 

 

We, however, instantly 'noticed' waves of thick, heavy raindrops hurled against the back windows as the house became dark and darker yet. So that was fairly good timing, both front and back grass neatly cut and the new mower passing muster. The violent rainfall lost no time inundating the landscape which has just recently dried after yesterday's rain.

 

 

Yet before long it was over. As abruptly as it began, and we started seeing gaps of blue in the thick cloud cover signalling an  opportunity presenting itself. Jackie and Jillie must have been aware of the potential for a hike in the ravine, since they began appealing, following us about with the obvious intention of conveying to us their readiness to get out for a long hike through forest trails.

 

A cool day after all, following hard on several smotheringly-hot-and-humid days. Cool, windy and very wet. The trails about as saturated as we ever get to see them. Our puppies swaggered about on their personal trails with none but themselves to claim it their property. The forest interior was as dark as it ever gets, during wet, overcast weather conditions.

 

Nonetheless, we watched as two familiar blonde ''Doodle' mixes ran uphill to reach us on the spine of the ravine. Dutifully, once they arrived, positioning themselves in front of Irving and politely awaiting his reaction which was not long in coming, as he began doling out cookies. Usually big dogs are given three big cookies in succession, then head-patted and advised that's it for the day. And they invariably hesitate just briefly before turning and heading back to where they'd left their humans.

 

Just about then we heard an owl nearby. So near to where we stood we were certain we'd be able to spot him, but we weren't able to, after all. A responding series of hoots was heard faintly off in another direction before the one close to us spoke again and we witnessed a prolonged conversation taking place. We hadn't realized that the owls had returned.

A glance at the sky through the overhead forest canopy informed us our time without rain was being challenged, so we altered course to take  another, shorter loop to take us to eventual street level, and home. The afternoon that followed would give us several fairly light rain events, partial clearing, then the arrival of another thunder storm.

 

I took that opportunity to get busy in the kitchen pre-preparing dinner. I had half a tub of cottage cheese left from last week's shopping, and half a can of black beans left from an earlier dinner of wraps, so the menu for today turned out to be cheese blintzes (blini filled with cheese, honey, cinnamon) and to complement that, a salad incorporating the leftover beans. For dessert, sliced, cool kiwis would do.