Fog can bring melancholy when it blocks the sun and mountains for days. It can ground airplanes and make hazardous ship travel. But this morning it seems to have magical powers, turning the sun into the moon, and reducing Mount Jumbo to two dimensions.  Aki squints up at me, as if she can read my thoughts and is not pleased with them. True, she might say if she had the power of speech, the fog obscures all but the outlines of mountains and the sun. But that’s down to science, not magic.

The little poodle mix may just be upset that we left the house before she had her morning cheese. Or maybe she is disappointed that no other dog walkers have joined us on the Gastineau Meadows. I also wonder if we mistimed this visit. By delaying long enough for Aki to enjoy her cheese course, we might have been able to walk on the meadows in sunlight and watched the fog melt away.

Aki doesn’t show any impatience after I plant myself on the trail to wait for the sun to burn through the fog. It does manage to punch out a small hole in the gray and shine on the flank of Sheep Mountain. Then the fog thickens and covers the sun and the few patches of blue sky that had formed briefly over Mt. Juneau. Well little dog, time for cheese.