After yesterday's unending series of thunderous rainfalls with no relief throughout the day, we had to resign ourselves to the inescapable fact that we were skunked out of a hike through the forest for the day. Jackie and Jillie don't take kindly to getting soaked, even with their raincoats on; scant cover under the ferocity of stormy rainfalls. So brief trips to the backyard had to suffice yesterday. We woke this morning to a thoroughly drenched world, and the result of even more rain through the night was obvious.

 

In a morning break from rain, we went out with Jackie and Jillie to the backyard to see how the garden there had fared. Jackie and Jillie are always on the alert for the presence of other creatures unauthorized by them, the guardians of the property, but they failed to notice a tiny hare almost hidden in the grass in front of the large garden shed. I ushered them back indoors to give the little creature a full opportunity to browse the grass, before letting them back out again.

 

 

We've seen these little fellows around for decades, generations after generations of them. The garden is just the place for them to nibble on whatever takes their fancy; this spring it was emerging tulips. In the winter they visit for peanuts they share with the squirrels at the back door. The hares don't have far to go to venture a little further and reach the forest, just across the street from our house. 

 

 

Later, in the afternoon, another break in sporadic, much lighter than yesterday's outbursts, gave us the opportunity to get out for a hike through the forest with Jackie and Jillie. The footing was fine. The forest floor had absorbed an astounding amount of moisture, and the creek below was in full thrust, swollen with rain. When we ventured out there was some blue evident in the sky amidst widespread clouds, mostly white, but the high wind was moving the clouds expeditiously and bringing along darker clouds.

 

 

Since it was a cool 19C, plus the wind, we wore rain jackets, but had no need of them, as it happened. Miss one day of tramping through the woods and surprises await you. Woodland spring phlox is now in bloom. The Jack-in-the-Pulpits continue to reign supreme, and we came across some truly robust specimens, always a delight to see. It seems that everything is turning up on the forest floor earlier than usual, given the moist weather that is prevailing. We saw those delicate little blooms of fleabane, surprising us with their unexpected appearance.

 

 

When our relatively short circuit was completed, we ambled back up to street level and made our way home. Once there, we look around at the garden to see how the growing things we nurture, perennial and annual are doing, and everything seemed to be thriving. With the notable exception of the tree peony which had performed splendidly for the past several weeks, producing huge pink blossoms, now utterly bedraggled. And then the skies opened up again with a quick, heavy downpour. 

 

Jackie and Jillie were due for a grooming, and they had an early afternoon appointment at the 'spa' attached to the veterinarian clinic we've been using for the last thirty years. The young women there are an absolute delight, taking pleasure in what they do, and so obviously caring for all the dogs and cats they expertly groom. Jackie and Jillie are familiar and comfortable with the process. It takes about an hour and a half for their bath and haircuts. In that period of time we went off to do our food shopping as usual for a Tuesday.