This area picked up a trace of precipitation over the week in the form of snow flurries.  Otherwise, nothing measurable has occurred since November 22.  The pattern seems to be, since August or so, fairly long dry spells followed by measurable precipitation.  The U.S. Drought Monitor currently has this region in a moderate and expanding drought yet local waterways have surprisingly remained about the same as last week.   So all things considered, it seems a mildly dry soil condition remains and if not for the frozen ground it would most likely be moderately dry or worse.  Trees are bare, lawns are fairly brown and bare soil looks dry.  Wildlife remains quiet with the usual winter birds at the feeder.  I did see a lot of rabbit fur on a nearby trail the other day and figured it was probably a fox that caught it but it could have been an owl or hawk.  Whatever predator it was, it obviously got itself a meal.  Anyhow, while it may be winter now, it's still a jungle out there.