Rising Waters and Cat TV

I have created a monster. She sits in my lap often when I'm at desk/computer, but hasn't paid much attention to it. A little while ago I noticed her watching the cursor move, so I decided to pull up some live bird feeders and make them full screen. She was fascinated! All of them have flown in this pic, but there were lots of them and she swatted at them, even tried to bite one on another site.

Can't really tell it, but she was trying hard to bite that bird! Now, of course, she wants to be on the desk and looking for birds all the time. I can leave one up for her when I'm not using it, but don't think that'll be enough. But -- it made me laugh enough that it just might be worth encouraging.

Went for a walk in the rain this morning (a lovely 'Oregon' morning). Opted against the ponds trail and for the river trail, since I haven't been along that one for a few weeks. It was a nice change and, being Eugene, there were plenty of other walkers/runners/cyclists out. Folks here don't let a little rain get in their way!

I've been noticing water pouring into the ponds in the weeks I've been walking over there, and can clearly see that water is rising everywhere. The ponds are great overflow for rainy winters and help lessen the dangers of flooding downriver.

This culvert leads from the river side of the road to the ponds where I've been walking, on the other side of the road. Water was pouring through.

The gated culvert that runs under the river bike path is protected from debris by a nice log dam. One of these two culverts has some hydraulic pumps that can move water in either direction, but I can't remember which one that is. I'd guess it's this one, but who knows!

Same culvert, showing gates. Pretty fancy stuff.

River is rising, too, though still well within its banks. In all the time I've been here, it has never flooded and I think it's a pretty rare event. Certain portions of the bike path can flood, usually ones that go down and under a road.

Nothing like the docile river of summer, certainly.

Headed back to below-freezing weather for the next week or so. Don't love it, but can't change it. Snow predicted, so I hope to get some photos of the ponds in the snow. Stay tuned!