Thursday, February 25, 2016

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 

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

34 comments:

  1. I enjoyed your ride through the country side Karen. The vintage farm on the first couple of photo's looks like a dream. The photo's have a spring like feel to them as well. The green grass, the blue of the sky. You can almost see the young leaves on the trees. Really pretty!

    Have a lovely day!

    Madelief x

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  2. Hello, gorgeous photos from your drive. The view of the mountain, sky and the moon are some of my favorites. Have a happy day!

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  3. Your post makes me want to get on the road! There are so many beautiful places to see around the country. You are fortunate to live in one of them. I especially love all the green of course!

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  4. Another lovely backroad drive Karen. I always enjoy them and seeing your countryside, the farms, barns, fences and mountains. The photo of the moonrise is beautiful! Have a lovely afternoon. Blessings, Pam

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  5. What a beautiful area! Such a cute farm! And in awe of the snow topped mountain you captured!:) have a great weekend.

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  6. I have missed coming along in a virtual capacity on your drives, so it was a pleasure to take this one with you today! It was beautiful and lovely as always to see more of your local area and the scenery. Thank you for taking me along! xx

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  7. love the barns with rusty roofs. that first homestead is just perfect! you're right about every part of the world having its dangers. enjoy each day we have.

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  8. I've had to look up what a lahar is, sounds awful! Glad you are a long way off even if the volcano looks just round the corner. It's still beautiful though. x

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  9. I love when I get to go on a journey like this with you dear Karen. ;) Not only is it beautiful - I feel I'm with the best tour guide, as it's also so informative. You're so wonderfully knowledgeable about your area.

    Those mountains get the me the most every time though! SO BEAUTIFUL!!
    Thanks for sharing and I hope you have a great night kicking those boots off and relaxing.
    Blessings my Friend. xoxo

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  10. A wonderful tour of your part of the world. I really enjoyed it as that is the only way I get to see things.

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  11. I sure did enjoy going along on your drive. Love those mountains! My family and I visited Mt. Ranier in the 90's. It was absolutely gorgeous! How lucky you are to live so close to such beauty. We have dangers of hurricanes where I live and the occasional tornado. And I love my area, too. Aren't we blessed to live in such a diverse country with beauty around every corner or down a back country road?

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  12. Thank you again for another lovely drive through your area of Washington State. - The views of the mountains are fabulous. I enjoyed all the lovely country fences.

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  13. Hi Karen, I so enjoyed my visit and taking a drive with you in your lovely area of the United States. The farms are beautiful and each setting is so peaceful. You are so right. Every area of the world has it's own dangers. Love the view of the mountains. Have a great weekend. Blessings to you my friend. xo

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  14. What gorgeous photos, you have so much beauty surrounding you. The mountains are beautiful. Thank you for taking us on your adventure. Kelly.

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  15. This was such a nice series of photos...

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  16. This was such a lovely post, with lots to see and think about. It is sad that governments made such sweeping g buyouts and changes the agricultural landscape (ours did too). With so much big agriculture we have lost the ability to feed ourselves. We are so dependent on foods from far away. Those old farms are haunting.
    Lie you, we live in an earthquake zone. If it's not that, it's something else! We see the Olympic Mountains from here too - gorgeous!

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  17. It is just me again. Wanted to let you know I really appreciated your visit, but most of all for becoming a follower. It means a lot to me. Was going to return the favor, but I do not have Google +.

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  18. You always take us on the grandest drives, sweet Karen. Once again I am amazed by the beauty that surrounds you! And the sweet little home in the first photo...absolutely charming!

    Have a great weekend, my friend. Hugs!

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  19. Dear Karen, thank you for another wonderful post about your area! Wonderful pictures.....
    Wishing you a wonderful and joyful weekend, my dear friend, sending Love and hugs and blessings, Claudia xo

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  20. You certainly took us on a great trip. You live in a very beautiful part of the world, a real delight to see.

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  21. Wonderful landscapes!!!
    Have a nice weekend

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  22. Beautiful countryside scenes and great sunsets.

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  23. Beautiful scenery, you can see for miles and miles! Really enjoyed the drive. Mt. Ranier looks gorgeous. I could quite happily kick off my boots in one of those adorable farm houses.
    Have a great weekend :)

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  24. Life is always a gamble and a blessing says it all. Beautiful Karen. Hugs B

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  25. Such a beautiful and peaceful post, full of lovely farms. Yes it seems like every area of our country has some fall backs to it, but those that live there learn how to live with it. Such a beautiful site those mountains are with the snow. I use to really enjoy Charles Kuralt on the road series :)

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  26. Beautiful countryside and mountain range, skies, trees.

    Thank you for sharing. We all have beauty amidst scary weather patterns. We just need to stop and enjoy all of that beauty and be thankful for each new day.

    Love & hugs ~ FlowerLady

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  27. What a sweet and lovely post! I really enjoyed the trip!

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  28. Dearest Karen,
    Year round you have a fascinating view and always some beauty to admire!
    Stay cozy and enjoy your weekend.
    Hugs,
    Mariette

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  29. Your photographs are so stunning, my darling Karen, I feel so fascinated by your countrydise and by the wievs you've caught, congrats on your talent, sweet friend of mine!

    Sending blessings on the end of your week
    with so much love, gratitude and esteem
    Dany

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  30. Wonderful fence shots and incredible scenery! I have loved my tour today, thank you :)

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  31. What a lovely tour Karen. Those old properties both standing and now gone make the imagination run wild. The mountains look so beautiful but hold that hidden mystery of what is stirring beneath. There are always pitfalls, but until that time everyone can enjoy the sheer enormity and gracefulness of this beautiful landscape. xx

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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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