Thursday, April 9, 2015

Country Roads with some Good Fences


Come along with me 
and we'll take a little drive
along the country roads 
in my neck of the woods - 
Western Washington State, 
near Mt. Rainier. 

The wild cherry are blooming, 
lighting up the woodlands
with their delicate blooms. 

We are driving on my mountain road
and you can see a child's tipi
on the far right under the cherry blossoms. 

Oh, to be a child again, full of imagination......


I have stolen away to do a bit of marketing, 
as my Dear Grandmother, Bea used to say. 

It is a cool and overcast day, 
but these are best for photos-
no shadows to interfere. 

You can see the very tall Douglas Fir
in the background with its gangly branches, 
along with a beautiful Hemlock, with branches
reaching skyward. 

Douglas Fir is the main crop for 
our logging industry here. 

It is grown and farmed on vast acres
of land along the uninhabited foothills
of the Cascade range. 


This beautiful flowering tree catches my eye
as we descend to the plateau. 

I am guessing it might be a red-bud? 


This large specimen is just starting to bloom. 
This is a flowering cherry called Kwanzan. 
This variety is very popular here. 

The pretty fence displays the hazards of 
the climate .....moss! 

Pressure washers are also something 
very popular here! 



I love a tree lined drive....

You can see the fields are greening up nicely, 
but last year's dried growth still stands. 

We had no snow this year to flatten it down. 
It was an unusually mild winter. 


This little beauty is a pink dogwood. 

This has to be my very favorite type
of flowering tree! 

This one is still mostly in bud. 


The road ahead is so straight, but the speed limit is low. 

This gives me time to enjoy the scenery. 
xo
I could get a lead foot on a road like this....


But who wants to speed by scenes like this? 


Sometimes I just want to stop and run across 
the fields. 

I can hear the farmer saying to his wife as he looks out the window.....
"Who's that crazy lady running in the field?" 

- as I fall in a cow pie, head first. :)


I'll just have to be content with driving - 
Sheryl Crow on the CD player....

"All I want to do is have some fun-
I've got a feeling, I'm not the only one!"

Can you see the little school bus shelter at the end
of the fence? 
We get lots of rain.....


I love how the road bisects the tall trees in the distance. 
It is like driving through a tunnel. 


Cherry trees frame a small red barn. 


There are some very happy cows in this emerald field. 


A ranch fence meanders through the forest. 


As we head home after 'marketing', 
the skies turn moody near
the foothills. 

Black cottonwood rise above 
red alder and a lovely hemlock. 

Black cottonwood is the tallest, fastest
growing hardwood in the Western U.S. 

They can reach heights of 150 ft. and 
diameters of 60 in. 
They can live 200 years. 

They are preferred nesting trees
for raptors of all types due to their 
great height. 


Love this. 


Another view of the Kwanzan. 


And the red-bud. 


Wild cherry in the forest as we start to climb
the hills to home. 


A pretty little farm. 


Almost home. 


My little dirt road. 
We take a left right here. 
Open the gate....
(and don't forget to shut it
when we get through!)


Home Sweet Home! 

Now who's going to help me
bring in the groceries? :) 

Thanks for coming along today! 
  
xoxo

'Happiness is to be found along the way, not at the end of the road, 
for then the journey is over and it is too late. 
- Robert R, Updegraff -



Today I am linking with:  The Run-a-Round Ranch - Good Fences

Won't you join in? 

27 comments:

  1. I enjoyed the ride through on your beautiful country roads Karen. Those blossom trees look really spectacular!

    Wishing you a lovely spring weekend!

    Madelief x

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  2. Oh good heavens are those trees so pretty up against those fences!!! And that tipi with that stone wall in that shot are amazing!!! It is already so lush and beautiful by you Karen!!! I am biting at the bit for things to get green around here!! Thank you for the beautiful inspiration!!! Wishing you a glorious weekend!! Nicole xo

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  3. What a lovely outing. So many pretty blossoming trees. And great fence shots BTW! You have a lovely home.. Have a happy day!

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  4. lovely bloom-ful trees and green pastures, too! a great area you live in!

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  5. Beautiful countryside! The cherry tree is gorgeous!

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  6. So glad I came over from TexWisGirl! You drive was melodic and full of spring delights!
    Thank you!

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  7. Gorgeous blooming trees. Those Redbuds really stand out. I enjoyed your photos with the lovely trees and great fences and that last shot of your "Home Sweet Home" was delightful. Always a pleasure to go on a road trip with you.

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  8. Wow- It may be rainy and dreary there but look at that GREEN! Wow! Love the fences and that little bus wait. We have lots of them here because of the snow and freezing weather. Great post- xo Diana

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  9. I love your writing style and it really almost makes me feel as if I am along with you on hour journeys. the scenery is so wonderful and you have totally captured the beauty of spring. Your home always looks so inviting too... i feel ready for a cup of tea out on your deck. Glad to see you back from your little break.

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  10. You live in such a beautiful area!

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  11. Karen, thank you for taking me for a drive along the country road with you. How I love to drive the country roads. Everything is so splendid, where do I start? Maybe with the red blossom trees, oh my they are pretty - and the pink dogwood, the white fences, and the red barn. I bet you feel so much comfort when you turn left and see your home sweet home. The outside of your house is so charming with the flowers and the green grass.

    How nice it was to come along with you. There is a country road by my house that I drive often, and there is always so much to see. Country roads are the best, aren't they?

    ~Sheri

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  12. I always enjoy my drive with you, Dear Karen.
    Some of those blossoms were gorgeous! Big and full, wow!
    I loved what your grandmother would say, how very cute, and so true.

    I would be more than happy to help you with your groceries, my friend.

    Have a beautiful week end.
    Debbie

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  13. Dear Karen,
    thank you for another wonderful drive through your wonderful Livingplace! I always enjoy to come along with you!
    Wonderful fences, wonderful Blossoms everywhere ..............and .....I would love to come with you running over those green fields ;O)
    Wishign you a wonderful and happy weekend, my dear friend,
    sending Love and hugs and blessings,
    Claudia xo

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  14. Oh my friend, the fences are beautiful but but but the blooming trees!!!! How wonderful. Still have to wait a further week!
    Happy weekend and all my best
    Elisabeth

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  15. I would drive slow too such a pretty country ramble.
    Merle.................

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  16. Great variety of fences and I enjoyed seeing the countryside on the ride.

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  17. What beautiful roads!!
    Have a nice weekend

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  18. A beautiful tour - and your trees are flowering. I am keeping my fingers crossed for some flowers this weekend but it is not looking hopeful!

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  19. I love these drives together - so lovely. You can tell you get lots of rain as there's such a beautiful green to everything. And those flowering trees - gorgeous!! Still waiting for the brown to pass here and for things to bud. We need some rain so feel free to send a little our way....notice I said a little. ;)

    I'm a great helper with the groceries so I'll gladly help bring them in and we can put on some music and dance around the kitchen as we put them away. Then sit and have some tea and recipe plan together.

    Thanks for a fun outing and Happy weekend Hon!! xoxo

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  20. You took us on a lovely drive, beautiful scenery and pretty blossoms :) Thank you and have a great weekend :)

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  21. Aww thanks for taking me on the country drive with you. I loved it and it's just so pretty where you live. Have a wonderful weekend Karen.

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  22. I was noticing the flowering trees more than the fences!

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  23. Wow, what a lovely drive to town for groceries. I would be dawdling along that's for sure. Here it is multi-lane roads, with traffic racing here and there. You have to drive quite away out west of here to get into any country spaces.

    Thank you for this lovely, peaceful drive.

    Enjoy all that beauty that surrounds you there.

    FlowerLady

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  24. What a beautiful post. It read as if you were talking right to someone beside you. Lovely. A great way with words. And the photos are all awesome!
    -Lisa

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  25. Beautiful images -- over-cast-days are perfect indeed for photo taking outdoors.. Love it when you take a drive and share what you captures.. Hope your children are all doing well?

    Hugs

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  26. I enjoyed the drive with you. Here in southeastern NC, white and purple Wisteria drips from the tall pines. It smells like grape soda pop. Other trees are draped with Spanish moss that sways in the breeze. Some treetops hold Mistletoe in tight little balls. It's amazing the number of Dogwoods that can be seen on the side of the roads, where no one cultivates them. What a treat! The Pine pollen is everywhere, painting our cars and houses with a light yellowish-green dust. The Azaleas are in full bloom for the Azalea festival in Wilmington this weekend. We are still in the spring green phase where the halos work continuously to fill in the bare branches. It was slightly over 80 today, and it felt good.

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  27. I love that time of year when the trees are blossoming! I think I'll need to play Sheryl Crow in the car tomorrow!

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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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