A month ago, the rains fell only sporadically; now it blows in and hammers, drizzles, mists and sweeps over the Pacific Northwest. Winter. This morning there was freezing fog, and when the fog dissipated, the cold remianed strong. But that’s November; it’s our wintry rainy season. So I decided to look back at October and share some last fall scenes. Photos were taken at Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge, a place we return to 2-3 tmes a year. Riparian forest, lowlands, wetlands: 1800 acres of wonders to explore. The trails are just over 3 miles when all are open–but worth even a shorter walkabout. I hope you enjoy the shots.

We end up at our starting point having enjoyed a couple of hours observing birds and skittering creatures we can’t quite find. And listening to wind sweep over grasses, play in branches and bring to us birdsong. And watching the river flow with its quiet power, smelling fecund earth mand fallne leaves– and walking, walking, walking. It is always a privledge to move about nature’s surprises and designs.