Cool, dry and sunny today, I decided it would be the perfect time to fertilize the garden pots, and even some of the garden areas for the first time this summer. While I was filling the watering pails and dissolving the fertilizer I did an automatic inventory of the flowers, mostly annuals, inhabiting the pots and thought they needed the extra boost. Halfway through, I heard a faint voice calling my name, and there, at the end of the driveway was Margaret, on her way around the block, and back to her home on the street behind ours.

 

I haven't seen her in several weeks, and even in that brief period, she looks more like a wisp of humanity than ever as she toddled uncertainly down the street, following our conversation. She and Chris, she told me, had been down East to visit with family. Several of their grandchildren were graduating from university and they had a wonderful time with family. Margaret is nothing if not the sweetest person in the neighbourhood. It's good to see her ambulatory despite the obvious effort it takes for her.

 

 

Earlier in the day I was busy in the kitchen, baking a blueberry pie for dinner. Dinner dessert, that is. I also put a chicken soup on to simmer, and planned closer to dinnertime to prepare a mushroom-gravy chicken thigh dish to be served over sticky, Asian-style rice, Irving's favourite combination. Fresh berries are now so plentiful and the cost is extremely reasonable; making the fruit into pies a special treat at this time of year, although serving the fruit with yoghurt is another option.

 

 

We had gone out with Jackie and Jillie earlier in the afternoon, for our usual saunter through the ravine. It isn't all 'saunter', granted, since it is a ravine, after all, and that means hills to be climbed and the descents that come with ascents as we make our way in a circuit long familiar to our puppies. In areas where there are little groves of Serviceberry trees, the air is saturated with the perfume of their flowers en route to becoming summer berries.

 

We saw no one else out on this perfect late-spring day approaching the summer equinox, the first official day of summer. Song sparrows in the forest treated us to the most sublimely melodic melodies, and we could also hear the manic cries of a Pileated woodpecker. Walking down by the creek we looked for any signs that the Mallard ducks might still be in residence, but none appeared, and we take it that they've moved on, after spending several months here on their way back to their permanent summer habitat.

 

 

Nor did we see the Great Blue Heron that has continued to intrigue us when we glimpse it from time to time rising from the creek into the forest beyond. Jackie and Jillie on occasion make a half-hearted dash for squirrels and then wonder where the wily little creatures are, when they make directly for the trunk of nearby trees to disappear from their sight, clever enough to position themselves on the opposite side to where Jackie searches out their presence, leaving him beyond puzzled.

 

 

On our return back home, we sat awhile out in the front garden, relaxing, enjoying the richness of the garden colours, and discussing between us the debate that took place the night before when the two unlikeliest of presidential candidates in the United States -- each the most controversial figure imaginable -- performed, each to his level of mental competence, which isn't saying much, as it happens.

 

Realistically, and regrettably, Canada hasn't too much to boast about in the political arena, with a prime minister and federal cabinet that has proven itself over the years to be incompetent, divisive and destructive of the most basic values of Canadian inheritance.  The electorate, in fact, is well and truly sick of the ethical and moral lapses of the current government. 

 

The Americans, at least, have their general election in the coming months; Canadians must wait another full year and more before they have the opportunity to bid the current Members of Parliament farewell...not soon enough!