Cleanup time

Little did we know when Victoria planted her boxwood hedge near the deck years ago that it would serve as Casey's after-dinner (or after-breakfast for that matter) muzzle cleaner. Fortunately there's more than enough of this all-weather, renewable resource around the backyard for this kid's cleanup - and our comic relief. And what's more it seems to thrive on drool and food scraps each growing season, while birds snack on the leftover morsels all year long.

Pregame warmup

That look

There's that "look". That familiar glance our way when the kid knows we've just had last cups of coffee and are ready to get going, anywhere.

Indoor obstacle course improv

Wake-up snow, such as it is

Not exactly a snowmageddon from the looks of things this morning but Casey was excited nonetheless.  A Frisbee toss is the first order of business with the first snowfall of the season and today was no different with this accumulation of less than a half inch.

We might even have another go-around at it later, once the kid thaws out.  He's always up for it.    

Subfreezing trend hangs tough

The quest for foliage that doesn't crunch continued today with temperatures hanging in there around 35 to 30 degrees, mid to low 20s at night. This late afternoon pause in a neighborhood greenbelt might readily convey that icy trend, fairly normal for the first week of any new year in Whatcom County. Needless to say we weren't out long.

New Year's rehab

The kid is obviously laying low after a rough a rockin' New Year's Eve. It wasn't like Casey was out partying. He was home baby-sitting Stella and everything was fine until after midnight when south end revelers thought it would be a good idea to light off fireworks. A recent city ordinance has actually done very little to curtail these now illegal explosives, with pets usually cowering until the moronic activity subsides. 

    

At least things have settled down enough to rehab on the couch. And 2016 should be OK until July 4, when we'll leave town for peaceful summer environs before the next round is set off.  

Tramping through Middle-Earth

A diversion on the south side, with late afternoon temperatures dipping toward freezing, and Casey looks as if he's seen a Hobbit. Middle-Earth, not quite, just halfway through the Connelly Creek Trail.

Electric blue canopy

An incredibly beautiful day in the Pacific Northwest, with an electric Twitter blue canopy of a sky stretching beyond the horizons. Please, don't anyone spread it around.

Morning star

Just look at what's poking through our canopy of rainclouds, for the first time in over a week - a star from the east...well, from the southeast actually. 




After days and days of precip, the wettest December on record for our county, what a welcome sight. A portent of a joyous holiday season. OK, maybe not, but it sure got Stella's attention.

Fascinating 

That's called a shadow, girl.

The kid's birthday feast

What do you get a guy on his eighth birthday who has everything? Well, tonight we thought we'd blow his mind with a carnivore's delight from the food cooperative, a grass-fed beef quarter pounder he'll remember all year. And something tells me Casey's not zoning in on the candle but getting reàdy to do a face-plant into his bowl.

Squirrel lookout

First things first in the morning, in spite of constant rain. Casey and Stella set a watch for squirrel raiders in the backyard. At the first siting Casey will go ballistic and bolt for the door, while his sister heads for cover.

A new slant on a morning nap

Just to keep the circulation going for the full aerobic benefits the kid takes his snooze to his easy chair.

Snoopy's endorsement

Glass at sunset

Sunset mirror effect on Lake Padden

Catching up

Look who's taking time off from watching the all important morning hummingbird feeder activity with a war and news report from Democracy Now...Stella Girl. Living an incredibly sheltered life doesn't mean that you shouldn't keep on top of current events.

Late night hall ball intensity

Loved these shots of Mr. Intensity.  Just what you want to do at 9 at night when the World Series was wrapping up after going into extra innings.  Casey picked the bottom of the 11th to coerce a little attention out of us to play a little indoor catch and hall ball.  But he doesn't get his way with Victoria without demonstrating a little restraint first.   

"Leave it Casey...leeave it...leave it. OK, good boy!

Just check out the kid's eyes.  Our indoor, late night athlete really, really wants that ball.

Front yard precursor

everything in our world, even a drop of dew -

is a microcosm of the universe.

                                           Ralph Waldo Emerson

 
A bejeweled maple leaf - as if deliberately posed on the front lawn - is an early evening standout and a saturated precursor to a week of much wetter conditions.

Barely beating the rain

What's not to love about fall in the Pacific Northwest? The daily highs and lows are so moderate they're boring, but the color schemes can be breathtaking if you know where to sample the palettes.


Today Casey and I took it all in during an outing, sampling a range of crimsons and burnt oranges, soon to be crushed underfoot or soaked beyond recognition before going through autumn's recycling program.

Wish I would have taken more video but I was too absorbed in the surroundings, and then rain cut our hike short. But here's a sampling.

Democracy Now was a sleeper.

Monday's Democracy Now just didn't hold the kid's attention this morning.