February continues to be mild, but also very wet.
It can be a challenge to find a break and get outside.
But when one does, there are rewards like our evergreen sword ferns.
The last of the rose hips.
Spent blackberries.
The first pussy willows!
The Secret Path took a beating this winter.
My sister and father worked hard to clean it up...
...all the way to the Big Creek.
Wouldn't you think this lean tree would have been a sure casualty of our winter storms - at yet it hangs on...
...while on the other side of the bridge this monster tree tumbled down.
As you can see there is still lots of work to be done.
The creeks continue to flow fast and full.
People like a tidy forest without stumps and snags.
But look at all the action this stump has seen...
...and this snag.
I think some of the holes are fresh work.
Cow's parsnip comes up very early.
Oregon grape remains bright and shiny.
The hazel brush provides food and habit for numerous birds.
That's the state of the outdoor world in late February.
