The cost is fairly insignificant so it isn't my intention to return them for a refund. I ordered a few summer clothing items on line and on receiving them understood fully why they were so inexpensive. I had ordered them out of boredom and curiosity. I've tried them on and found them wanting; the fabrics and the manufacture all sorely lacking. Someone may like them, but I don''t. They'll go directly into the bag of items I'm collecting to take over to the Salvation Army thrift shop.

It's also given me a lesson on shopping online. I do order things on line; medical masks, for example. Books another example. We've even ordered an elderly oil painting online from an art dealer, and found it as good a method as any for shopping for certain items. But clothing, guess not. I prefer to look at the fabric, the cut, how the item appears in real time, not a photograph on a model.

We've got another full-sun day with glorious sunshine streaming through the house windows, warming everything up. Unfortunately, although it looks as though it must be warm out, such is not yet the case. And the wind that we hoped would finally subside, has decided to linger. So, dressing accordingly we went out as usual this afternoon in search of exercise and fresh air.

 

Both were awaiting us in the ravine. And throughout the length of our hour's ramble through the trails, we came across only one other person and  his rambunctious year-old Poodle that wanted to play, play, play. A young couple moved onto our street a year ago, and we were pleased to see them going through the ravine with their bumptious, beautiful dog.

Last fall the young woman had told us they were expecting a child, their first, and of course they're both really anticipatory. He was alone on this occasion with their dog, and his wife had remained at home. Any day now, he grinned at us. And while we were talking, he pointed out the position of a venerable pine at the foot of the hill which we descend to enter the ravine. 

 When we first discovered the presence of the forest shortly after we bought and moved into our current house, the ravine was quite a bit different than it is now. The trails were very narrow, and the bridges that forded the creek bisecting the ravine were basic footbridges. In the last 30 years those bridges have been replaced several times, built to much more robust specifications, but still susceptible to wear with the years and weather events.

The tree in question was among the largest in the forest back then, and there was no discernible lean.  Over the years, a slant became obvious and each year the tree leans more and more, not toward the creek and the inner forest, but toward the descending trail. Now it's quite evident and it's clear that nature means that tree at some future date -- perhaps not too far into the future -- to descend with an immense 'whomp' to the forest floor.

I took a few photographs meaning to alert the municipal parks department as I've done in the past with similar potential threats to the safety of people using the ravine. We would hate to see this tree gone from the landscape. It occupies an honoured place as a landmark. But nothing, unfortunately, is 'forever'.