10-8-03: We walked along the Deception Falls trail. Here's a photo of Upper Deception Falls. We could not figure out what was deceptive about them, but the water in the pool below is a beautiful green.

10-8-03: Then we got to the end of the trail, at Lower Deception Falls. Now we get it! The water from the creek (the same water that was going through the upper falls in the previous picture) is pouring from the right, and the water literally takes a 90 degree turn and thunders through this narrow channel! My guess is that the small channel had worn a fairly deep groove in the rock first, before something shifted the water from Upper Deception to come join it. In any case, it's got to be a one-of-a-kind waterfall!

10-8-03: Eric standing on an old growth stump near Rainy Creek.

10-8-03: They didn't get this one! This huge old cedar is still standing nearby.

10-8-03: This is a particularly cool example of a nurse stump. Stumps can serve the same function as nurse logs, providing a place for a young tree to gain a foothold in the highly competitive forest floor. I like being able to see the big roots snaking all over the place.

11-22-03: The snow came all the way down the mountain this day! It had nearly melted off of North Bend, but was still there to make Mount Si glimmer in the sunlight.

12-25-03: Patchouli decides to spend the holiday helping his Daddy play Nethack by doing his big cat in a tree imitation.

12-25-03: As always, in search of more food. You can tell he doesn't get nearly enough. Notice the roll of fat lopping over the edge of the bag. I've caught him licking the kitchen floor before, too. Recently, he decided to sample the cheese inside some jalapeño poppers. He seemed a little confused by the funny feeling in his mouth, but it didn't actually stop him from continuing to try to eat it.