Fire danger is low.  The creek is not high, but flowing noisily. We are a couple inches behind the average precipitation for this month, but if the forecast is accurate, we might make that up.  Soil is not dry, but it is certainly drier than usual for this time of year, which is usually soaking wet.  I worked up a small bit of garden and planted some peas, and the soil was very workable.  The few sunny days this week have probably let the ash swale dry, but I haven't tried to walk through it.  Maintenance and construction activities along the roadways continued this week.  Plants are green and growing.  Some garden flowers are blooming, but the wild flowers mostly are not.  Stinging nettle are only about 4 inches tall.  Birds are numerous, active and singing.  I saw a cottontail rabbit this week, and there are numerous tracks in the forest.  Fall planted crops are looking pretty good on the neighboring farms.