Pockets Full~

Rain, quite a bit overnight, some this morning - then sunshine!  OK, everything could really wait & I really wanted to ride before the storms that are predicted for the next couple days.

At the outlet of the Wetland~

Saddling Farah, I used the new Stable Ride saddle pad liner that I'd cut to go under the wool saddle pad I purchased from Stonewall.  I'm still having issues with the pad slipping out from under the saddle & I hate that.  We headed out to the north, so many trees down now in the Development - that there's not much buffer left between the construction & my trail out.

Color along the power lines~

 The clouds were moving back in when we left home, once up on the power lines, the rain started.  I stopped to put my jacket on, no point in riding wet.  The colors were just stunning, both in the woods & along the power lines - even on a gray afternoon.

Into the woods~

 Debating which way to go, I decided to go through the woods on the crest of the hill, following the tracks from the ATV's.  Thinking about mushrooms & knowing that this area is mostly Fir trees, I had hoped to find some.  Since the last time we went through here, the trails were more established & easy to follow, Farah hit her trot & we whizzed around, making something of a circle.

Farah with her new orange rump rug.

 Joyce made us a rump rug out of the orange fabric that is used in hunting vests!  Very bright & hard to miss!  I did hear gunfire more than once, a huge doe crossed the trail in front of us, but she wasn't in any hurry.

The large Wetland~

 The rain just got heavier, but the air smelled so sweet & was so fresh - negative ions abounded!  Again - we did some moving out!  I got a Big walk, a smooth trot, seamless canter -  my girl was enjoying herself :-)

Rain drops on the water~

 We headed back from here, but once we were down on the lower trails, I decided to go check out a couple that have been blocked forever - you never know, something might have changed?

Chanterelles!

 It was getting dark, time to head home - when I spotted my quarry!  They were just off the side of the trail & after spotting the first huge one, I realized that I'd found the mother lode!  Did I have a sack on the saddle?  No!  This after using Linda's on Tue., & telling myself that when I got home - a bag would go in my saddle bag!  I wasn't about to leave them, I have fresh scallops for dinner tomorrow night & they would go perfect with them!

What to do?  I took off my rain jacket & filled the pockets!  Then - since the pockets were so full that I couldn't ride without my elbows hitting them, I just tied it to my waist.

Chantrells - home!

 By now it really was getting dark & we had to hustle to get back.  Butch was home ahead of us & he was wondering why - in the rain - my jacket was tied to my waist?  As I started pulling mushrooms out of my pockets, he just smiled :-)