Rainy February

A moody sky in early morning.

Although Winter seems to have passed us by here in Seattle, it seems we're definitely into Spring mode.

Beauty bushes green with buds during the second week of February.

Spring usually means rain -- and I'll call it Spring, because the temperatures are similar to Spring, and some of the bushes are beginning to bud out already -- and so far, this Spring has been typical: 50 degrees (around 6C) and rain.

The cloudy February sky reflected in a shallow pool of water at street's edge.

Last weekend was Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day is generally a day of enjoyment for those who have committed partners, and a day for the rest to endure. However, on rare occasions, there are things that bring a smile to anyone's face, and one of those things I saw recently was a house in a nearby neighborhood where a guy put up Valentine's Day lights!

A house in a nearby neighborhood with Valentine's Day lights!

I also found a Valentine's balloon that got away -- about a mile (Km and a half) from the nearest developed area. It had to float over several stands of trees, the river, and maybe a hill or two before it landed where it did in the brush by my favorite cottonwood tree.

The one that got away -- a Valentine heart balloon stuck in some brush at a park -- the balloon had to float about mile or more from the nearest houses or businesses.

In late January I took some photos of the Seattle skyline and harbor area with my Nikon; some of them came out better than I thought they would. Seattle is known for its coffee and software industry, but for decades the backbone of Seattle was the Duwamish River corridor.  Most of the photos I already put up on my blog post last week.

The Seattle Skyline (in the far distance) from Interstate 5.

The Duwamish River -- named after the local tribe of Native Americans -- is where the shipyards are located; the Duwamish River is where Boeing built its aircraft factories; and the Duwamish River is where numerous industries located during the early 1900's -- and many of them are still there.

The industrial Duwamish Waterway during a late, rainy afternoon in late January.

Aside from the weather, it's been life per usual here. I'm still doing a lot of writing, but my music has taken a back seat to everything else. My radio DXing hobby has been mostly shelved because conditions have been crappy and I'm sort of bored with it at present.

West Seattle's "Junction" business district on a rainy evening in late January.

I'm looking forward for the rains to stop, and the sun to get warmer. But that will take time. One thing I've learned over the past several years is to enjoy the seasons as they come. I used to hate the rainy season because it was no fun to go out and ride a bike when its raining -- but since I've been taking daily rides on the Trail most mornings I just slow down and look at nature, and it makes it more pleasant.

Happy February.
CC 2-17-2016