Rain Rain Rain....and Sunshine

Maple Bud on Mossy Rock

We had nearly 4" of rain in the past few days.  It made all the paddock areas slop holes of muck and mud.

I spent most of yesterday raking and cleaning around the hound dogs in hopes of getting their areas a bit nicer looking and not so muddy.

Dixie has adjusted nicely to her new spot which is thankfully not in the wet spot it used to be in!

We made more trips to Madison.  Once to the VA and once to the UW Hospital.
The UW Hospital is like a maze of unending hallways and elevators.  You practically need a personal guide to get around from one department to another. However the staff and other folks guided us around with ease.

I Like Lichen

So about yesterday at 5 pm I decided to take a break from raking and yard work and grab my micro/macro 40mm lens and take a short hike to see what the afternoon light would show off to me.

The forest is just beginning to show signs of life but one really has to look hard for it.

Soon the ground will be teaming with undergrowth and wild spring flowers.

New Growth

Views of the Big Ravine which the kids call it, will disappear in green undergrowth, not to be seen again until next fall.

The Big Ravine

I didn't find a lot to photograph and searched for the elusive Blood Root to no avail.  I expect after the next couple of warm days they will start to pop up on places like the ravine or dry wash as we call it.

I made my way up to the road and headed towards the mailbox.  It was time to go home and start the chores.  Still the 45 minutes of wandering the north hillside near home was worth it.  The fresh air had a hint of warm air in it and the sunlight after days of rain was very welcome.

After feeding the dogs I went back to my project of cleaning up the piles of rock that had been pushed off into the yard over winter.  It has been a long grueling task, but I take it in small amounts.

It is really quite amazing how quickly the driveway dried out after all the rain we'd had.

And lastly but not least...

I was pleased to find a crocus that had come up in the yard.

And the Daffodils are making themselves known.  It is pretty obvious that this fall I need to separate them.