Dreary Mid-December

Since Thanksgiving ended this PS turkey has been languishing on the back burner :).  (I thought of that turkey humor sentence days ago and could hardly wait to write it!).  I think he'll end up moving into my WIP rotation and I will get him finished up come what may.

I'd like to invite you along on a mid-December walk, but must warn you it is cold and damp and the snow still lingers in the deep shade.   

See what I mean?  My track are in the center as the tire track lanes are either too icy or too muddy and thus too slippery to safely navigate.

Beneath the Oaks spots of color pop up unexpectedly.

Mosses and lichens in bright greens.

This meadow bordering the Big Creek still has a thin blanket of snow.

As the snow melts the creek rises with brown rushing water.

While this hole may not be much to look at at first glance, it is rather interesting.  In August when the ground had turned hard and baked, a hungry bear with a very good nose found an underground bee hives nest.  The strength of the creature was truly amazing has it tore apart the concrete-like soil and unearthed the nest.  Poor bees!    

In mid-December much of the forest is brown and taupe and drear. 

The moss covered rocks in Dorothy's creek provide a small bit of color.

But the fog and gray dominate the landscape. 

Nonetheless, this is wonderful growing weather for young Douglas Fir trees.

I'm off to try and get my Christmas organized.  Wish me luck!