Thursday, September 18, 2014

A Country Drive with Good Fences

Come along with me on a country drive,
 as we enjoy these final days of summer. 

The skies are blue as we drive along the foothills
of the Cascade Mountains in Western Washington State. 


We have taken a detour and have found some lovely farmland
surrounded by beautiful white fences. 


Apple trees, tawny grasses and conical evergreens 
create a lovely scene. 

I would love to go for a gallop along this fence-line!
This scene reminds me of those long ago days, 
riding my pony over the fields of rural Massachusetts. 


I had a pretty little Welsh Mountain Pony. 
Chocolate brown with cream colored dapples, 
and long, wavy blonde mane and tail. 

His name was Thunder. 

My girlfriend had a nearly identical pony. 
The only difference was a straight mane and tail. 

We had so many wonderful adventures together! 

But it was a brief happiness.....


Within a year he was sold....

It was taking too much of my time 
and as the eldest daughter of 5, 
I was needed at home. 

It broke my heart, 
but I will always remember those sweet, 
carefree days, riding over the trails and fields, 
the wind in my hair and freedom in my soul.

And those gentle, velvet nuzzles.....


Mt. Rainier rises above the farmlands as we continue along our way. 


An old abandoned barn...


Don't you wish you could see inside?


We travel along thick forest with wonderful old telephone poles. 



Sometimes I feel like a bird on a wire. 
Life is a balancing act. 


We pass an old log chipping site
in the middle of the forest. 

Large piles of sawdust wait to be loaded onto trucks-
this is a hot commodity in horse country
to spread on stall floors. 


We pass riders of a different sort, 
enjoying these late summer days. 


Winding country roads are my favorite way to travel. 


We arrive on the outskirts of a charming country town. 


Folks here travel in style.....


Need gas? 


Even the light poles are charming. 


Wouldn't it be fun to attend the Theatre? 

But the skies are too blue and the road is calling.....


We turn around and head for home, 
past sweet little fenced in gardens. 


And freshly cut hay-fields..... 


Christmas tree farms....


And corn fields. 


Beautiful Mt. Rainier shimmers in the distance 
as we get closer to our foothills home. 


No matter how many times I see this view,
it always takes my breath away. 


Lovely, hazy, late afternoon light glows as we 
get closer and closer to home. 


We count our many blessings as we near our mountain road. 


We close the gate behind us as the lowering sun
casts golden rays. 


Gratitude fills our hearts as we say goodbye to this 
lovely summer day. 
xoxo

Thank you for coming along with me today, Dear Friends! 

xoxo

'How there you sate in summer time,
May yet be in your mind;
And how you heard the green woods sing
Beneath the freshening wind.
Though the same wind now blows around,
You would its blast recall;
For every breath that stirs the trees
Doth cause a leaf to fall.

-Elizabeth Barrett Browning-

22 comments:

  1. Hola amiga querida !! Que viaje más entretenido !! Que tengas un buen día

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  2. some quaint little places around there. and some lovely plank fences, too! thanks, karen!

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  3. Lovely collection of images. The countryside there is beautiful. And I love the views of Mt Rainier.. Wonderful fence finds. Enjoy the rest of your day!

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  4. Oh my goodness, that was one beautiful country ride!

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  5. Beautiful farm country and some great country fences!

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  6. i love the mtn shots, the bird on the wires, the old gas station pump & that old car. awesome filled post!! ( :

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  7. Memories.... I had a horse named Thunder as well. : )

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  8. This was a lovely ride you took us on, not only on these pretty roads but also down memory lane. I enjoyed your post very much, thank you :)

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  9. Wow that was some drive. Loads of beautiful scenery. I can see why you love living where you do. Mt. Rainier is gorgeous.

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  10. You live in such a beautiful area. Thanks for taking us on your drive in the country. Mt. Ranier is amazing to see above all else. Have a great weekend. Pam

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  11. Dearest Karen,
    No matter which day, always a different view of Mt. Rainier!
    Oh my, I too had a pony, or I should say, we had a pony. Perry was his name and we also would go out on Sunday afternoons, in the little buggy with two leather benches on each side. That was so special. When Dad got his first tractor, he sold Perry... I was in Highschool and I never forget that when I came home from school, a horse dealer came past me, leading Perry off into a big car. That made me so sad; why was he not allowed to stay with us for so many years of hard labor? He did bring all the wooden crates with veggies to the auction, year in and year out. So much hard work, plowing and one year Dad took it upon him to clear an entire orchard for being able to use the land. Perry had to pull out those huge trunks...
    One day we will meet again; I used to braid his tail... he was so sweet; a big pet!
    Sending you hugs,
    Mariette

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  12. Karen,
    There's just nothing like going for a drive on a country road, is there? I often take drives in the country with my husband. The birds on a wire picture is sweet, and I chuckled about what you said about the balancing act. I would love to get my Christmas tree from a tree farm like this one. How special that would be. I smiled when I saw the corn fields, as they brought back good memories of when me and the kids visited grandma's farm in Iowa. It had rows and rows of corn fields, and she made us wonderful meals every day. I love your "country road" pictures, Karen. I always feel a great peace when I'm surrounded by nature.

    ~Sheri

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  13. Hi Karen,
    thank you for this wonderful country-drive! It is beautiful, Mt. Rainier, fences, the old barn, yes, I would love to see, what is behind .....and so nice to hear your story about your little pony.....I never had one, but we had a farmer where we sometimes could have a little ride on one of his horses ....I guess, this is every girls dream ;O)
    Happy weekend to you,
    hugs and blessings,
    Claudia xo

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  14. How cute is that town!! I love everything about it...and that gas station is wonderful!!! The country by you is just magical! I didn't know that you had a pony!! What a dream that would be...though you only had Thunder for a short time isn't it just fantastic that you have those memories!?! I do so wish I could have a look around in that barn! It is so charming! Wishing you a weekend full of good things Karen! Nicole xoxo

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  15. What beautiful countryside. Thanks for sharing it with us. I love winding roads, though we don't have many of them where we live. I too had a pony, a Welsh/Arabian cross. He was beautiful and I loved him, although he the me to the ground a few times. Lol. BTW we live close to Eau Claire. No one I know pronounces chair that way. Lol

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  16. I enjoyed the ride ery much, your pictures are beautiful and the countryside is so calming... Mount Rainer always takes my breath away as well.

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  17. Thank you for the ride on the countryside roads, Karen! ... The blue skies, and the birds on the wire - and the beautiful Mt. Rainier in the background.

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  18. Wonderful post and makes me homesick for the beauty of the Pacific NW! The first time I saw Mt. Ranier, I was nineteen years old and I took a whole roll of FILM of Mt. Ranier...never thinking that they'd all look alike! I was just so excited to be that close to it! Hope you're having a good week!

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  19. Das sind richtig coole Bilder :)

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  20. We live in the same neck of the country and you posted such beautiful pictures of familiar roads. I love the Pacific Northwest. Should I ever move to another area I would dearly miss all the truly awesome beauty it is easy to take for granted because I see it around every bend in the road, from even the traffic stoplights , and driving to do the grocery shopping. We are so blessed !

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Thank you for stopping by! Your comments are important to me and are very much appreciated. xx Karen

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