Ruminations

Blog dedicated primarily to randomly selected news items; comments reflecting personal perceptions

Saturday, July 25, 2009

A Sodden Landscape









We'd managed to squeeze only a short and late-day hike in the ravine yesterday. There was simply no let-up in the volume of the rain; one sweeping rain event after another drenched the entire area. Although we could get out protected in rain gear, it's different for our little dogs who would soon become completely soaked. So we sat it out. And at half-past three saw our brief opportunity. All of us geared to encounter rain in our trek. Glad to get out to stride about, and enjoy the brief interlude of drizzle.

The month-long daily rain events have left us with a completely sodden landscape. The big surprise is that the gardens don't appear to have suffered unduly, although local farmers' fields have, unfortunately. By mid-morning this day there was sun, a welcome sight. And surely it would begin to dry things out. We went off to the ravine, no raincoats on this occasion. We anticipated that we would see some unusual things. And we did, thanks to the effects of the overwhelming humidity and soaked ground.

There was no shortage of lichen; bright iridescent greens, yellows and oranges, clinging to tree trunks. And peculiar fungi formations, from riotous moist-looking orange heads poking through the drenched soil, to groupings of Indian pipe, and yellow-capped mushrooms, as well as translucent-appearing white fungi growing like stalagmites.

Like yesterday, the creek was in full flood, muddy and roiling, carrying debris with it and rumbling its way through the ravine. When we completed our initial descent into the ravine and deposited peanuts at the base of the huge old pine, a drama unfolded before our eyes. First one little red squirrel approached from the right, grasped a peanut and ran helter-skelter back to the right with its prize.

And approaching speedily from the left, another tiny red squirrel took possession of its prize and just as speedily decamped with it. Then in quick succession appeared a black squirrel barrelling down the trail we had just descended, to skirt around and approach the base of the tree and avail itself too of a peanut, before scurrying back off. We have been made aware of the heated competition between the squirrels, having witnessed them in full chase, one of the other, from that location.

They're not by any means the only squirrels we see in our perambulation through the ravine trails this day, there are many other out as well, awaiting their due. Goldfinches flash their bright yellow bodies through the branches of trees, and robins sing beautifully in obvious pleasure at this propitious weather.

There are bees everywhere we look, lingering on the Queen Anne's lace, the bright yellow goatsbeard flowers, the cowvetch, and the ragweed. The latter sends its sweet fragrance everywhere we walk. We see the first of the jewelweed finally in flower, tiny bright orange orchid-like flowers. There are clumps of bright purple ajuga everywhere.

As we ascend the first of a pair of hills, Riley's attention is suddenly taken by the presence of a creature we hadn't noticed, as it blended so perfectly into the background of the detritus-laden ground. We were delighted to have a rare sighting of a toad. It moved only slightly as Riley's nose nudged its small dappled body, just enough to bring it to our notice.

Evidently, that encounter sufficed for Riley, and he trudged onward and upward, we following. And then we encountered evidence of other life-forms having taken their ease in the ravine, albeit creatures rather more 'wild' than those who belong there. Three plastic lawn chairs sat neatly one atop the other, at a juncture about half-way through our walk.

Neighbourhood youth up to no good as usual, and some householder will have gone out to their lawn this morning to discover that a few of their outdoor pieces of furniture had suddenly vanished. Whether this is the result of a grudge, or that it simply pleases young people to abscond with others' property, or that some bright group felt it would be more comfortable to have their covert little camp fires seated on plastic lawn chairs is anyone's guess.

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