A Country Drive With Good Fences

It's been quite some time since I have taken 

you for a drive on the country roads 

near my home in western Washington State, 

so come along with me and we will enjoy

some scenic views for my link up with 

Good Fences. 

This handsome little farm lies at the base 

of the small mountain where I live. 

It dates from the turn of the century

when this area was newly settled by 

farmers, loggers and coal miners
in the late 1800's. 

Another vintage farm. 

You can see that the grass stays green here,
year round, where it is mowed. 

This area was once a dairy farming area, 

but the Food Security Act of 1985
with its Whole Herd Buy-Out Program
put an end to that.

Now there are very few dairy farms left
in Western Washington and only one in this area
(that I know of).

A long line of fencing still stands.

This curious mailbox-like contraption
stands by the roadside.

Here it is again, with a view of the neighboring farm.
There are no houses here or on the opposite side of the road.

A true mystery!

Late winter has its own beauty.

Bare limbs and tawny grasses frame a melancholy scene.

 The country highway stretches out before me.

Can you see the hawk in the tree?

I think this is a Rough-Legged Hawk,
which is the same size as the Red-Tailed, but
the dark coloring gives it away.

The Rough-Legged is a common winter resident here,
nesting in Canada's Northwest Territories and Alaska.

He is perched in a Black Cottonwood, one of the largest
and fastest growing trees in the U.S.

As we reach the edge of our Cascade mountain plateau,
we can see all the way across Puget Sound (not seen),
to the peaks of the Olympic Mountains, deceptively close.

A beautiful sight on a clear winter day.

When we reach the valley floor, these are common signs.

Mt. Rainier is a volcano, but the real danger lies
in what are called Lahars.

It is estimated that those in the path of a Lahar
will have less than an hour to evacuate.
There are sirens that warn of danger.

Every place on earth has its dangers.....
Some have tornadoes, some have hurricanes,
blizzards or sandstorms,
not to mention man-made ones......
but we have earthquakes and volcanoes.

Life is always a gamble.......
and a blessing.

In the meantime we try to just enjoy the beauty.

And the peace.

And the remaining unspoiled spaces.

It's a lovely place to park your boots.

And raise a family.

And finally, to enjoy our sunset years.

Now it's time to head for home,
kick off those boots, and enjoy a nice
home-cooked meal :)

Thank you for coming along, dear friends.

xoxo

The everyday kindness of the back roads
more than makes up for the acts of greed
in the headlines.

- Charles Kuralt -  journalist.

Today I am linking with:

The Run*A*Round Ranch Report - Good Fences