Maybe I'll keep the firethorn bush

I've been worried about the wild birds this week ever since I saw a wren picking through some tree moss for bugs and not seeming to find any. It's unusual for Seattle to be covered in snow for more than a day or two, and it's been a week now. Today I was glad to see someone finally making use of the firethorn berries.

I've decided maybe I'll keep the bush after all. Or maybe I'll get Moe to help me figure out how to pick plants that offer food year round.

Snow!

Today's post is pure frivolity -- I just wanted to show you the pretty snow pictures.

Snow berries.

Snow stream.

Snow frolic.

Snow tolerance.

December discoveries

Here are a few things we discovered in the yard this month:

Moe swears he did not put mushrooms on the outpost; they just grew there themselves.




The creek monster continues to elude capture...






The stream is high enough for some mini rapids.





The baby conifer sprout survived the dog mauling and grew some new branches. (This is not the photo I originally posted. I replaced it with this one because it's easier to see).

Do trees still grow taller when they've been topped?

There is still snow on the east-facing slope west of the creek. There is no snow anywhere else, so this is probably the coldest spot on the property. (This is not the photo I originally posted. I replaced it because it's easier to see in this picture).





For BJ, clover that grew in spite of being planted late late in the season. :)