Thursday, July 21, 2016

Country Roads with Wildflowers and Good Fences


Hello Friends, it's time for a summer drive 
on Country Roads, here in my neck of 
the woods of Washington State. 

We have had our share of cool and cloudy weather
and normally you would see 
majestic Mt. Rainier right in the middle
of this picture, but not today. 

'The Mountain' is hiding behind the clouds. 

We can see that the fields are turning gold....


A sprawling gray farm under thick gray skies
highlights the beautiful golden field 
behind rustic wire fencing. 

And what would a country scene be without
the requisite blue tarp? :)

With all the rain we get here near Seattle, 
tarps are like raincoats for anything 
left outside! 


Another gray farm, in a lovely setting. 

I always wonder how fences get broken.....


There is no mystery here.....


This sturdy wire fence is swallowed up by 
some beautiful pink climbing roses. 

I try and try to get roses growing like this......
and here they are practically growing wild!


Something about this corner makes me feel wistful.....

Maybe it is the old gate next to the new white fencing. 

Both are beautiful, but the old gate has such character. 
Or maybe it is the old telephone pole against the moody sky. 

The golden tree is interesting, too, and caught my eye first. 


I have shared this yellow barn many times here, 
in all different seasons. 

I particularly like this view with the tawny grasses and dark skies. 


And what would summer be without daisies?


You can see some happy cows grazing along the treeline.


Yellow Hawkweed blooms along a board fence
 with new evergreen plantings.


Summer breezes blowing through the open window,
scents of wildflowers, evergreens, grasses.....
birds chirping....

Oh, how I love this time of year!


Yellow Tansy Ragwort, Hawkweed, and Daisies.

Tansy Ragwort is lethal to grazing animals
and farmers are warned to eradicate it,
but I still see it growing here and there.

You can see that county officials have tagged it.

I grow Tansy, but a completely different kind,
for herbal sachets.


Daisies and Goldenrod in a sylvan setting.


Wide open spaces...


The beautiful Cascade Range.

Black Cottonwood rise taller than
all the other trees.

Black Cottonwood is the tallest and fastest
growing Poplar in the world and can
reach heights of 250 ft.

It gets its name from dark branches
and seed capsules covered in white 'cotton'
that float through the air in springtime.


Through my truck window.....


 Purple Rose-bay Willow Herb (Fireweed)
blooms on the side of the road.

Fireweed gets its name from its propensity for
sprouting in bare ground after wildfire.

We frequently see wild Fireweed honey
for sale in local Farmer's Markets.


Beautiful, wild Sweet Peas.


Once an old gas station....
Now restored, minus the pumps.


Two large Douglas Fir dominate the skyline.


Old, abandoned farm.


A curious line of fencing.

Looks like a gate was enhanced with boards.

The wildflowers are pretty, though.


Lovely, tall grasses.


Field of wildflowers.


The road to home.


My neighbor's horse barn.
Can you see the horse?


 Purple Douglas Spirea blooms beside my entry gate.


The welcoming committee .....Kai


Kai and Whitey Bear.


Sweet William blooming among Tansy (the good kind)
as we drive by Ramblin' Man's tool shed.


Hurry up, Mom! We're waiting for our treat!


Home, Sweet Home.


Thank you for coming along
on this summer, country drive,
Dear Friends!

xx

Today I am linking with:

Good Fences

Won't you join the fun? 

24 comments:

  1. just love your welcoming committee. :) everything is growing so lush there. i loved the moody, broody skies and the great blue views in several of these.

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  2. That golden tree is rather spectacular! A lovely tootle round your area. x

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  3. You live in such a beautiful area!

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  4. In many way, your area looks a lot like mine. We're very fortunate to have such luscious surrounding us, aren't we?

    I felt the same way about the fences too...the two on the corner I mean. Very interesting shot that truly tells a story.

    xxx

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  5. Hi Karen, thank you for taking us along on your country drive. You truly live in a beautiful spot on earth. Love the way the fences work in and around the countryside. I love your welcome home committee. Love your hydrangeas growing there by your home. Gorgeous. Thank you for sharing. Have a blessed weekend ahead. xo

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  6. You truly do live in a beautiful part of this great country! Thank you for all of the beauty you have pictured here!

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  7. Dear Karen,
    thank oyu for this beautiful summer country drive! It really is so beautiful, where you are at home!
    Kai and Whity Bear are so sweet , waiting for you coming home :O)
    Have a lovely and wonderful weekend, my dear friend,
    sending Love and Hugs and Blessings,
    Claudia xo

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  8. Hi Karen, wide open spaces, you live in a wonderful part of America! And I also love the dramatic skies.
    Isn't it nice to be greeted by a dog when you come home? Your's seem to be particular enthusiastic. Dogs just make me happy!
    Warm regards,
    Christina

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  9. Hi Karen, I've been traveling around Europe/Asia for five weeks now and in my old age I'm finding that Washington is the most beautiful place in the world. Thank you for sharing such wonderful photos of your little slice of heaven. You live in such a lovely, serene place. Wishing you a fun filled weekend, Pat xx

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  10. Karen, I never knew Tansy was poison. We have yellow tansy in Maine and I pick it every summer and dry it for Fall arrangements. Those Gas Pumps are worth a pretty penny today.Very great photos and what great views of the mountains. We have rain today and almost mid 90's in Maine. Except for the coast, it is always 10-15 degrees different, for the better. yvonne

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    1. Hi Yvonne, so nice that you stopped by! Oh, yes, Tansy should not be ingested and should be handled with gloves. There are two kinds and the names are confusing. Tansy ragwort is the livestock killer. The herbal Tansy is different, with a very strong camphor odor and ferny leaves great for moth sachets. It is not as toxic, but should never be consumed. Animals avoid it because of the strong scent. Half the flowers in our gardens are poisonous......Foxglove, columbine, narcissus.....we just need to be very careful :) Yes, the gas pumps...I hope they find some, it would look so cute. I love New England - grew up there - and remember those hot and humid summers. My hair would get so frizzy! Lol! xx Karen

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  11. Another beautiful tour and I really loved the welcome home committee.

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  12. Hi dear Karen !! Que lindo campo .. Adore esas bellas fotos .. Espero que tengas un bendecido fin de semana

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  13. You certainly do live in a beautiful place. I enjoyed driving around with you, today!

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  14. In the midst of a scorching Texas summer, you have no idea how cool and refreshing your pictures are to me. I wish you could send some rain, or even a cloud, to us.

    Love your welcoming committee and the pretty driveway that leads to your home. Those blue hydrangeas are gorgeous, too.

    As always, thank you for taking us along on your rides.

    Marilyn (in Dallas)

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  15. I loved the drive -- it really is truly beautiful this time of year in the Pacific Northwest and we are happy to be back for awhile. I never did find the horse in that one picture -- so I think I'll have to go back and take the drive again -- fortunately that is easy to do. Thanks for making it possible!!

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  16. Karen, what a joy to share this little jaunt with you. You live in a very beautiful part of the world. And your sweet doggies...adorable! I'm very enamoured with your garden. Your hydrangeas are spectacular. Have a beautiful weekend my lovely. Mimi xxx

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  17. Oh thank you for yet another lovely country drive. I love the road to your house also and then your driveway and sweet gardens. Home sweet home for sure.

    Have a nice weekend ~ FlowerLady

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  18. Your area looks like what my perfect vacation is like in my dreams! Country roads, barns, old fences and lots of wildflowers. I do hope to get out to the Pacific Northwest someday.....

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  19. Such a beautiful drive and I can see how things are changing with the seasons, I love when the grass grows tall and sways in the breeze. Isn't that just how it goes, when you try to grow something a certain way and then you see it in nature doing just what you wanted.. Wow those Black Cottonwood trees grow pretty big. I wonder if that was the kind of tree that was out front on my hubby's boyhood home, when we met as teenagers I would go over and there would be white puffs that came off the tree, but that's in Michigan I don't know if they have those there or not.

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  20. It is always such a treat to travel along with you. So many lovely farms, fences and views. Of course the sweet welcoming committee when you arive back home is also fun to see.

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  21. A lovely drive ... and how nice to be welcomed home by your "committee" LOL!
    Great travels, lovely scenery.

    All the best Jan

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  22. I enjoyed your country drive. We've lived in several quite different places--New England, Wyoming, now Kentucky. I'm still amazed by the diversity of weather and landscapes to be found in a journey across the US.

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  23. Beautiful rural scenery! I love the flowers and the mountains. Your dogs are adorable. We had dogs when I was little. I'd love to have one or two, but hubby's afraid of them.

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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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