FEBRUARY, THE "TEASER" MONTH

We always refer to February in Oregon as the "teaser" month. The weather generally ranges from 60 degrees to the teens. Most often it snows on the valley floor (which it didn't do this year). It teases us with spring-like days. We get all excited about the sunshine and the piercing blue skies and just about the time we are getting used to the beautiful weather, THEN the rain comes back . . . for about 4 more months. This is Mt. Jefferson, our backyard view.

The mix of sun and rain got the grass a growin'. This is our first mowing this year.

The little plants that have been hiding underground start to appear.We get excited about starting outdoor projects. Kevin did some major tree cutting and trimming in the woods. Jim and I helped a little, but Kevin did most of it. It went from this mangled mess of limbs and blackberries tangles to . . . .

this lovely path in a nice grove of trees.

We have 2 old cars that were dumped here years and years ago. One looks like this

and the other one. Kevin cut away all the fallen logs and tangled blackberries on this one. We hope to haul them away this summer, but they are next to the creek and down in a hole. It will be quite a project.

Jim and I planted a few fruit trees. It will be years before we see fruit, but ya gotta start somewhere.
Unwanted weeds start growing with a vengence. I sprayed about 24 gallons of roundup in 3 days.

On these warms days, we start seeing our little friends around the yard.
And we all know the saying, "All work and no play . . . . " So we took out the shotgun and did some playing. I even gave it a shot, but my clay pigeons came down whole. I need more practice and a shorter barrel.

With every passing gorgeous day, we have THAT question in the back of our mind, "When are the gray days of rain going to return?" And today was that day. Hope you are enjoying the signs of spring and the beauties of this earth that have been created for us.