Oregon Junco

It's hard to work up the inspiration/energy/inclination to go outside, much less take a unique picture when it's raining. We had just enough of a taste of sun yesterday so that we were feeling pretty fed up when we woke up this morning to pouring rain again....I was taking all most of the rain in stride until that happened....

We were happily ensconced with coffee and newspapers, but the dogs were making it clear that they wouldn't be responsible for the results if we didn't take them out. We have a big yard with a deer fence all the way around it and lots of places to explore.  Tim's dog, Olive, here for the weekend, is sensible enough to use the doggy door when she needs to go out. She even goes out to check things out on her own. Ozzie, on the other hand doesn't even seem capable of going pee by himself!

We donned our boots and coats, found our umbrellas and trooped down to the creek...as far as any of us was willing to go in the rain. The creek has gone down a little, but there is a huge log wedged between two trees. It must be at least two feet across and was either uprooted from the bank or washed down from further up. Either way it is a pretty sobering reminder of the power of water. Mostly what we got for our efforts was two wet dogs...

I decided to make some savory cheese 'crackers' to take to our neighbors' house for dinner. They look a lot like doggy treats and I'm not sure they taste much better, but they might improve with cooling....

I think the weather gods have been toying with us all day. The sun comes out and we rush outside, me to look for an interesting picture, OilMan to cross off one more chore in the garden. But it doesn't last. Just as we're getting organized, it starts raining again. 

I'm making the best of a heavily cropped shot of a little junco waiting for its turn at the suet feeder, and OilMan is drifting from his real puzzle (the kind with pieces you put together) to the virtual ones on his computer.

Pretty soon it will be time to feed the dogs, and then it will be time to take them for a walk in the rain again....