Water

This week's topic for Friday My-Town Shoot-Out is a huge favorite of mine: water. I can't think of another subject that is more appropriate for the Pacific Northwest of the US.

About an hour's drive to the west of Corvallis lies the ocean.

Flowing right through the town itself is the Willamette River. It is very high, angry and rushing because of the storms we've been having lately.

But in a few months it will become tame enough for a canoe.

Meanwhile there is the rain. We had a very dry fall and winter, but now we're making up for it.

People complain about how much it rains here, but what do they expect if they move to a temperate rainforest?

I love the rainwater, the full creeks everywhere rushing to the sea.

Water itself is like some high-tech trick, a special effect that can take many forms.

Rain drops turning to ice.

A winter mist.

Although I love the rain, snow, and mist, I'm less fond of the mud. Try walking two big dogs through this stuff.

In fact we go through mud every day, but before coming in the house the dogs have to jump into a little pool of water to get clean. It's the only thing that works: the price of living in this climate and having dogs too.

Photos from-or near-Corvallis, Oregon.