Neither of us can quite recall a summer like this one. We've had wet summer months before, of course, even a summer we can remember during our working lives when rain fell heavily on weekends, sparing weekdays when everyone was at work. We even had a summer about a dozen years ago that was wet enough to liquefy the Leda clay in the ravine to the extent that some of the hillsides simply melted away sending uprooted trees into the creek below. That occasioned a summer of remedial work to free up the creek since aside from being a natural water conduit for the forest, it is also used by the municipality as a storm-run-off for nearby communities.

 

 

All too many nights this summer we've heard the comfortable sound of rain pelting the house windows and on some occasions, booming thunder and lightning bolts jolting Jackie and Jillie out of their sleep. The night before was one of those occasions, and last night yet another. When we'd gone out for our afternoon hike through the forest trails yesterday it was cool enough despite the humidity to wear rainjackets and tuck the puppies' into our pockets 'just in case'.

 

 

Just-in-case failed to materialize and we enjoyed our trek even though rain seemed imminent. Today on our afternoon jaunt through the forest trails we were struck by the forest floor's accumulation of detritus, ranging from stout tree limbs, to bits of branches released by the ferocity of wind and rain the night before. Much warmer today than yesterday, though and where it was heavily overcast and threatening rain, today the sun appeared. Although the forest was suffused with an overabundance of rain, rays of sun penetrated the forest canopy.

 

 

We saw a small garter snake slither swiftly across the trail. A notable event, because we haven't seen any snakes this entire year. Usually, in early spring, they're ready to emerge from their winter dens and warm themselves in the heat of the sun on rocks or parts of the trail where the sun has an appearance. But not this year. One year we watched as a nest of hatchlings poured themselves out of their underground habitat to begin exploring their way into a snake's hidden life.

 

Jackie and Jillie seldom 'notice' snakes, even when they're on the move. They can pass by them with no indication they have recognized a life form, even though the slightest movement of a squirrel will send them into a frenzy of curiosity. Even robins running along the trail as they often do,  elicit their interest, but not snakes. They're accustomed to seeing rabbits, squirrels and the occasional raccoon in the backyard and they always react to their presence. Not sure what it is about snakes that escapes their notice.

 

 

It's the time of summer when asters begin to evince their presence. The early blooming asters are fairly spare in their presentation, not nearly as attractive and more akin to cultivated garden asters as the later ones tend to be, blooming in bright shades of pink and lavender. The early ones are undistinguished in pale mauve, yellow or cream with irregular petals. 

 

The Himalayan orchids on the other hand, are difficult to miss and a shame when they are. This year like the Queen Anne's lace and Pilotweed, they've assumed an incredible height, towering over us. There are also feral coneflowers popping up in limited colonies alongside the creek. The Thimbleberry shrubs have produced a good crop of ripe berries, but their time is coming to an end, while blackberries are now quickly ripening. Irving picks thimbleberries (purple raspberries) for Jackie and blackberries for Jillie; their preferences.

 

 

Everything is now ripening toward early fall. The feral hawthorn trees in the forest are festooned with bright red berries although the American bittersweet vines are still flowering. This year we've seen few baneberry plants, either white or red-berried, for some reason. Even very mature Jack-in-the-Pulpit produce red berries, in preparation for future Jacks to eventuate. 

 

 

That weather alert warning remains in place, although so has the sun, so far this afternoon. It's so pleasant here now, that on our return home it seemed like a good idea to just stay outside, seated in the garden, enjoying both the sun and a cooling breeze on a 26C day. Later, we discovered on the news that Toronto isn't enjoying much of this summer day with heavy rain and flooding. Heading our way? We'll soon enough know.