Beaver Moon

I recently learned that a full moon in November is also referred to as the "Beaver Moon". From the Farmers Almanac website, this was the time to set beaver traps before the swamps froze, to ensure a supply of warm winter furs. Another interpretation suggests that the name Full Beaver Moon comes from the fact that the beavers are now actively preparing for winter. The Beaver Moon this year was a week ago today.

Damp Mushroom

As I walked through the woods in the Mt Hood National Forest last week, I was happy to find many varieties of mushrooms growing out of the leafy ground cover. This one glistened from the rain, and had a bit of damage to the side, but I liked how it provided a window to the scaly underneath. Another surprising note was the large number of shamrocks that still covered the forest floor. Since it has yet to have frozen up there in those woods, the shamrocks were all still alive!

Rippling River

Another shot from Salmon River taken last weekend.

Falling

You would think, with the gusty winds and number of leaves that have been constantly falling, that the trees would all be bare. But there are still a lot of trees that have not even started to lose their leaves yet!