Because we're Canadians-eh! and like everyone else, obsessed with the weather -- will it be a nice day so we can enjoy ourselves out-of-doors today? -- the first bit of 'news' we're interested in usually once we're awake, is the weather. Not transfixed by it, exactly, perhaps more curious than anything else. But uppermost in mind at first from long experience is the weather report. And today's was the assurance that there'd be no rain, but we could expect sun, a nice trade-off. 

 

So it didn't rain, but nor did we have sun. Both conditions which perfectly suited my personal plans for the afternoon, excluding our ravine hike with Jackie and Jillie. We left earlier than usual for the ravine, because I planned to do some outside work in the garden, seriously preparing it for winter that will be arriving all too soon.

 

In fact, dressed for it in comfortable clothing, cool and overcast days are bracing and pleasurable. And going through forest trails with colourful foliage gently tumbling through the air brings back never-forgotten memories of these very same scenes, from childhood to parenthood and seeing our own children so long ago, enjoying what nature prepared for us at this seasonal time.

Raking leaves, hearing migrating flocks of geese flying overhead, seeing children plop themselves into piles of leaves with squeals of delight presaging the same actions and reactions in months to come when the snow flies is so nostalgic and mind-soothing. 

 

And then suddenly, Jillie launched herself into one of her hysterical barking fits. A large poodle mix was approaching, a beautiful white dog, and she was reacting to the presence of a dog she'd never before seen on the forest trails. Her initial reaction is invariably the same; sighting, barking and hysterics. 

Somehow she senses when a dog is cautious and frightened, a condition that serves to increase her hostile behaviour. And oddly enough many large dogs are timid and fearful when small dogs behave like this.

No amount of reproach, of calling her to behave serves to halt this behaviour. So she was put on leash and didn't like that very much. She kept trying to lurch forward to freedom from restraint, but I wasn't having any of it. I've resolved to continue leashing her whenever she embarks on one of these emotional-blackmail adventures. Jackie is less inclined to this type of behaviour, but she influences him.

 

Back home again from our hike gone sour mid-trail, I remained out in the garden, and starting in the backyard began the work that will occupy me in my spare time to prepare the garden for winter. I spent several hours, and in that time filled four large compost bags with cuttings, with spent annuals, and even so managed only to make a modest start on what will be weeks of preparation. It's hard work, but there's still satisfaction in getting it done. Not the least of which is sweeping up all the detritus that has fallen on our walkways from our many trees.

Finally, it was time to call it a day. In I went, to be greeted by two puppies who had surely begun to despair that their afternoon vegetable salad would be forgotten this day. So first off, I chopped up sugar peas, cucumber, bell pepper and tomatoes for two eagerly-waiting little dogs who know which colour bowl is theirs and where it will be placed.

And then I turned my attention to chopping up other vegetables; garlic, onion, celery, bell pepper, tomatoes, herbs for a savoury chicken-broth-based soup to simmer for dinner; corn kernels will be the last thing to add before the hot, flavourful bowls will provide the comfort we need on these overcast, cool fall days.