A Fine Fall Afternoon~

Stanton Farm

When you wake to gray overcast & light drizzle - it's hard to get in the mood to ride!  But then - the day again clears off & it's just incredible!  The trailer wasn't hitched, I've been busy playing in Linda's big back yard - so saddled up & headed out!

Heading toward the construction zone~

I decided to try to get out to the south again.  It had been a while since I'd had the run-in with the Russian who was at the job trailer & could hardly speak English.  We got around the ecology blocks & downed tree.

Houses going in~

Amazing how fast a housing development can spring up...  There was a excavator working farther back - tearing out trees etc.  All the original signage designating the area a "Native Wildlife Habitat" were - of course GONE!  Sickening...  We went on out the road, through the gate in the fence that locks it off & out to the power lines.

Trail still here~

 There we went further south & picked up the last trail that goes to one of the beautiful wetlands.  The sun coming through the moss on the trees was so pretty.

Busy Beavers!

I was really surprised to find two trees taken down by the Beaver!  They were quite a way from the wetland, so it will be interesting to see if they get cut up & moved as time goes on & if I can still get here to see.

A magnificent Eco-system...

I climbed down to get my photo, then we turned back the way we'd come.  I decided to turn in on the first trail, where the construction people had cut trees to block it from the other way.

Little Pilchuck Creek

We did get to the creek & across it, but the trees were still there & no way around - I wasn't going to do a repeat of trying to fight my way through...  So again we turned back & went out to the power lines & back through the development.

Bright red!

Did see this little bush along the road - I don't know what it is, but it was sure pretty & stood out from all the surrounding hard-hack.

Creek flows under~

On the paved roads, the Beaver have almost blocked the culvert yet again & the water is backing up!  Looked so pretty in the sunshine.  Once back to the convergence of our trails - I decided that we had time to trot up to the north power line trail & watch the sunset before we turned for home.

I'd just dismounted to let Farah graze when we heard a ATV coming slow.  It was a hunter in blaze orange & I'd forgotten ours this day.  He pulled up, turned off his motor & said;  "Connie Hoge?"  It was getting dusk & I thought it might be the Tom that I'd met in the jeep.  So I asked;  "Tom?"  He laughed & said;  "Yes, Tom - but not the one you met a week or so ago - that's my neighbor!"  We both laughed but I had to ask how he knew me?  He replied;  "Google Earth"!   Too funny - he uses the program as a lot of us do - to check out places we've been or want to go to & he'd looked at the photos I've posted in Panoramio.  Really a nice guy & we had a good talk about how our open space is being reduced & destroyed...  Notice we say;  "ours"...

Getting dark~

It was getting late by the time we said our goodbye's - nearing Farah's dinner time & that always puts her in a hurry!  :-)  I swear she has a sixth sense of knowing when Dad has beaten us in getting home!  She hit a Great trot & in no time at all we were back!

Home!

Yes!  Butch was home ahead of us!  He'd done my chores - but I surprised him by having a roast in the oven & the smell made it outside!