A Country Drive with Good Fences

The fields are golden near the foothills

of the Cascade Mountains. 

It is has been very hot and dry 

with no measurable rain

since early May. 

This is very unusual. 

Fire danger is extremely high

and everyone is a little on edge.

With tall, dry timber framing parched 

fields, things can quickly 

get out of control. 

Many small brush fires have 

broken out in the Puget Sound region

(as we are called here on the western side 

of the Cascade mountains of Washington State), 

but thankfully they have been quickly 

extinguished by our brave firefighters. 

We are so grateful for them! 

With moody skies and tawny grasses, 

come along and we'll take a mid-summer's 

drive along the country roads

near my home. 

Here a circular exercise pen

for horses, is neatly 

framed with shrubs and fencing. 

A newly blacktopped stretch of road 

leads through open grassland 

towards the Cascades. 

White rail fencing underlines

the view. 

After the silo, the road 

bends sharply to the right. 

There is a large sign

preventing you from going left. 

It says,  'Absolutely No Trespassing!'

with a high locked gate and many 

stern warnings of consequence. 

I believe it is a natural gas pipeline. 

This beautiful farm sits just beyond 

with miles of white board fencing. 

Further along, a horse farm 

with four rails instead of three. 

The Cascade Mountains come into view 

once again. 

Normally, Mt. Rainier dominates

the skyline, but today it is 

hidden among the clouds. 

This is the route my Mr. takes back 

and forth to the office and 

is also the road to my eldest daughter's home. 

This is the 'back way'. 

Not a soul on the road but me! 

It's beautiful on a warm, summer day, 

but it is quite another story

on a cold, dark, rainy night! 

A few happy cows! 

Pumpkins and cornstalks growing at the local pumpkin patch. 

A patchwork road along the corn fields. 

A big new barn under construction

on this farm. 

Mt. Rainier is the usual view, 

but not today. 

A low, boggy area remains green. 

A pretty little cottage as we drive through town. 

(Sorry for the glare!)

A close-up of a beautiful garden 

back-lit by the late afternoon sunshine. 

Miniature Donkeys as we get closer to home. 

Almost home. 

Farm equipment and cattle in the field. 

All roads are dead ends. 

The main road ends at a rushing glacial river

half a mile ahead. 

This river is protected for salmon. 

Beyond that lies hundreds of miles of wilderness

all the way to Mt. Rainier and beyond. 

We turn right off the 'main' road, 

put my gray Ford Ranger in 

2nd gear, and climb to the top

of my little mountain. 

Large boulders,

 excavated when the road was built, 

 sit to the left. 

This road is impassable in snow

without 4 wheel drive and studded tires. 

Home Sweet Home. 

Thank you for coming along on this ride 

with me, Dear Friends! 

This journey just wouldn't be the same without you! 

xoxo

Today I am linking with:
Run*A*Round Ranch Report - Good Fences

Won't you join in?