ENGLISH RAIN

The past few days have been less like Winter and more like Spring. Invigorating weather. I've been able to sleep with my window cracked open at night, without freezing in the process. During the mornings when I take my bike ride, it's usually 50F / 10-11C and sometimes dripping a little.

The other morning it was a light drizzle. It reminded me of the sort of rain that one sees in movies filmed in the UK -- the type of weather I call "English Rain".

We get a lot of that here. And it's not bad: when it is just dripping, you don't really need an umbrella or raingear on -- it's just drizzling enough to barely wet the clothes. A baseball cap keeps the rain from hitting my glasses as I ride.

A few of the local creeks were full of water. Trickling streams became real mini-rivers. One of the creeks off the local trail dumped a load of mud and water over the Trail about a mile or so away.

An unnamed, perennial creek flooded the Trail with water and mud overnight.

The Cedar River has gone from clear to muddy to clear to muddy. During the rainy days we've had here recently there has been a lot of runoff from the local street-network storm drains, which (conveniently) empty into the river in various places.

The Cedar River after snow and rain earlier in February, swollen and muddy.

Graffiti finds its way to the strangest places, in this case a moss covered cottonwood near the water.

A colorful sunrise during a rainy early morning.

Several ducks enjoying the "English rain" we've been having lately.

One creek in particular usually looks like an Alpine ravine -- the creekbed is massive, compared to the amount of water usually running through it.

During the recent spate of heavy rain we had overnight a couple nights ago, that creekbed was full of muddy water.

'Troll Creek', an unnamed creek but it runs through a beautiful ravine that reminds you of something from a fairy tale. A few days after some heavy rain, the usual trickle turned into a roaring mini-river of muddy water.

A shaft of sunlight through the trees near the Cedar River Trail.

One of the last remaining snowmen in the area. :-)

Driving a couple mornings after the snows hit in early February.

Snow turns to slush -- a week or so before Valentine's week, 2017.

A bright sunny morning a few days after the snow was completely gone.

LOOKING FORWARDS TO SUMMER

Right now most of the holidays are past, and the main thing to look forward to is Summer. And if the recent temperatures are any indication, we may have a real good one this year.

Timmy the Cat says hello.

Here's hoping your days are invigorating -- wherever you are.
CC 2-18-2017