Although Jackie and Jillie were anxious as always -- as soon as we detached their leashes from their harnesses when we walked up the street and entered the pathway leading to the ravine -- to rush downhill into the forest, we paused awhile to stand quietly, watching a hawk high above, circling the sky over the tree canopy. 

Another not warm, but actually hot day for this 3rd day of October. When we left the house the thermometer read 28C, and since there wasn't a cloud in the sky, the walk over to the ravine fully exposed to a brazen sun, was reminiscent of midsummer. No complaints from anyone, given the long winter ahead of us. And anyone we came across on our foray through the forest trails, smiled broadly since words weren't really needed to describe the unusual conditions and the pleasure that comes with such weather.

We came across a dog walker whom we haven't seen in ages. Every one of the eight dogs he had with him, big and small, happy to be out. The larger ones among them went directly toward the creek to cool their hot paws, some of them panting in the heat. Every one a good-natured pup, curious about their environment and delighted beyond imagination to be able to be part of the procession of well-behaved pets.

Although it is so unseasonally warm, light wafts of wind were enough to detach leaf stems from their loosened grip on twigs and branches and a hail of foliage erupted every time a breeze went by. The poplar leaves are mostly shades of yellow, the maples variegated stripes of bright red. Other will follow in due course. We find ourselves now shifting through desiccated leaves, the shusherating sound bringing back memories. 

Creatures we haven't seen in  awhile are on the move. Tiny caterpillars we recall from our childhood days that we called woolly-bears, orange and black striped, looking for somewhere to build a cocoon to take them over the winter when they'll morph into moths. When one is in the middle of the forest path Irving stoops to carefully pick it up and deposit it close by some vegetation on the forest floor.

We took a slightly longer loop through the trails today just because it was such a lovely afternoon and we felt like extending our stay in the forest a bit longer. Nor did Jackie and Jillie express any opposition to that decision, more than content to continue along old familiar trails.