Red Osier Dogwood

After a few dull days have stacked up in the Bella Coola Valley you start to hope for something 'bigger' to happen with the weather so you can get out of the weather rut you are in.  If the dull days drag on too long, one strategy is to start looking for the finer points on what's going on for clues that the season is actually moving on. One plant my wife and I enjoy watching is the Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus stolonifera) that is quite widespread in the valley.  It grows along roadsides, streamsides and field margins.  In the very late fall the green summer time bark starts to turn red and it seems to get more intense as the winter progresses a bit.  Right now they seem to be at the peak and brilliant red.  It's on dull days without much sky contrast that they seem to be at their best.  They are also a favourite for browsing by deer in our area.

Weather today was just a little above zero in the morning  followed by another mild day with rain showers tonight.  Grizzly