The Wildgarden Ravine

A rare day today without rain. Who might have imagined that we would have so many days, one after the other, of rain? This is spring weather, surely not the kind of summer weather we have always looked forward to. But no matter, it isn't snowing, just raining. Unending rain; if not throughout the day entirely, then throughout the night and part of the day. Still enabling us to get out and about.
Although to be sure, the trails are utterly sodden.

Clay becomes very slippery when it's so wet, and one must take some care not to slither and slide. Falling means becoming slick with muck, necessitating a change of clothing. The birds find no fault with this weather, sunny at last, and warmer than it has been, of late. There are goldfinches flitting through the trees, and chickadees. Crows with their raucous cries; some appear to be fledglings, complaining about their parents not being assiduous enough in feeding their hungry young.

Cardinals and robins compete with one another to produce the sweetest trills. There are fly-catchers deeper in the woods, perhaps pee wees, from the sound of their plaintive cry. And there, for heaven's sake, is a chipmunk running across the trail, up a tree, where it sits, observing us as we pass with our little dogs until we leave him the peace that he demands, free of human interlopers.

He obviously has no idea that it is we who leave all those peanuts day after day, and most certainly wouldn't care if he did know. Whatever appears, however magically, represents the bounty of his environment and he, like all the other small creatures, take advantage of it. They seldom, we have noticed, scold us however, for our inconvenient presence. There are a number of red squirrels who, upon witnessing our approach will speedily take to the ground to hurry over to the specific places where we ordinarily leave those peanut tributes for them.

Chicory is now in evidence, with their bright blue flowers. Goldenrod are setting their long yellow heads. Goatsbeard is still flowering, those that have finished, presenting with those delicate seed heads comparable to those of the common dandelion. Bull thistles have begun to form their 'floral' displays, not yet with colour; blue or purple. Queen Anne's lace is starting up here and there, none of the floral sprays quite mature, but beautifully detailed. And there's another wild lily flowering, beautifully orange with black markings.

The cool, green forest envelopes us and draws the heat from the day prevailing upon us up on the street where the atmosphere responds to the paved street, the driveways, slightly ameliorated by the lawns and gardens of the homes where people adjacent the ravine live. The ravine is an incredible haven for wildlife of every description, from insects to birds to small mammals. On occasion coyotes, deer and skunk have been seen there. We still happen upon raccoons, used to see grouse and foxes, and once a snapping turtle in the creek.

We're fortunate to live in such close proximity to a natural area that cleanses the air we breathe, gladdens our thoughts and our feelings. Relaxing, entrancing, refreshing us.