Last of the leaves...

As the weather gets colder and the rains continue to come down,

the last of the fall leaves are swept off the trees, carpeting the path

and eventually turning into food for the woods and the tiny creatures who live under foot...

Griff and I went out to the Boy Scout camp the other morning and I took a chance bringing my

camera. It's been so wet and unpredictable, that I've barely ventured out 

with it, unable to keep it dry for even a brief amount of time.

So glad I took it this day as the rains had ceased briefly 

and there was the world...going on anyway, despite the weather...

The colours are mine...warm and jewel tones.

Not yet painted with the brush of frost and winter.

Just hanging on for a few more autumn glows.

And then he flew over...

The raven.

Soon joined by a mate.

It was so sweet to watch these two tenderly preening and cooing to each other...

The larger birds have begun their mating season and I've seen the eagles playing

in the sky and heard the Great Horned owls calling to each other.

As I walked through the woods, the rain was soft and the constant drip off of the trees

muffled birds in the bush and kept me aware of any larger animal sounds.

When I'm on my own I occasionally stop and listen and look behind 

just to keep aware. Griffin is my sentinel on my walks and keeps me well informed.

 When it comes time for me to stop and take pictures of something, 

he sits down and patiently and waits...listens...and watches.

He knows I sometimes take a while.

He's in no hurry.

Today I found the most delicate oyster mushrooms growing on an alder...

 They were as thin as skin and small and beautiful...

This year isn't the best for our fungi friends though.

It was such a long dry autumn and I think that's why I haven't seen many.

These little chubby ones were only about an inch high...

Now is the time to spot birds nests too.

All of those times that I've walked by this one while a whole other world was

being hatched and raised without me knowing!

The salmon  have long since come up the creek and it's full and wild now, going 

where water wants to go...

So for now a bit of respite from the rain...glad I could share some of our December.