Right now on the 6th of February 2024, northern Arizona is getting hit with a winter storm. The remnants of that California storm. I like to watch the train Cam from Flagstaff on YouTube, and it is flat snowing. That means in a couple of days this waterfall at the back of Fay Canyon in Sedona will be flowing good. It makes a giant pool below some ruins and I like to sit by it.
Common witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) has started to flower in the local woods. With a growth habit ranging from a droopy shrub to a small tree, it often grows quite densely around here, and its golden, ribbon-like flowers can light up the woods after the leaves have fallen in mid to late October, giving the impression of early spring growth in the middle of fall. Witch hazel has a long history of medicinal use for its anti-inflammatory properties, and its knobby, forked branches have often been used as divining rods.