What started as a sunny, clear, crisp 45 degree Xmas Eve day in Eugene turned into a rainy Xmas Eve night, perfect for cozying up next to a warm fireplace! A wonderfully uneventful day today...just like Xmas Eve should be...relaxing with the family, watching a few movies, prepping for a traditional prime rib and yorkshire pudding dinner as well as checking out a few of the Xmas light offerings around the neighborhood:

Palm trees and reindeer...oh oh oh!

Ah, there's the warm fire I've been looking for...with a beautiful Xmas tree next to it...can't wait to watch family and friends open gifts tomorrow morning:

It was a long month between Thanksgiving and Christmas, a long month. The pre-holiday, pre-vacation work rush was quite taxing on the mind, body and spirit. But alas, the hard efforts of the end of the year crunch is behind me and ahead of me only holiday and vacation divindends forthcoming. First stop on the road, the beautiful pacific northwest and Eugene, OR.

Here's a shot of the stair climb to the top of Skinner's Butte, overlooking the city of Eugene:

Out of the woods to the top of the butte:

While the weather this time of year is cold, rainy and often overcast, these grey overtones are offset by the numerous shades of greens, light and deep from the multitude of foilage that flourish in this beautfiful state year around:

Here's a shot of the city from the top of Skinner's Butte:

Here we have a local top-of-the-butte resident, snacking on some leftovers...curious