Little cottage in the woods

As promised, here are some more views of the little cabin in the woods...actually up in Garner Valley.  This was where I stopped and asked the owner if I could take a photo of her red door.  The garage door was up and she put it down for me. Isn't it precious?  Then she offered to let me take a tour of the cabin.  They rent it out on weekends and hubby and I would love to stay there sometime.  Wouldn't you?

Fall leaves~Mellow Yellow Monday~October 17, 2011

What a difference a week makes! I drove around Garner Valley Saturday and saw all these trees with fall colors.  Last weekend, there were just a few scattered leaves on a few trees.  Saturday, the valley was awash with fall colors.  I wonder what it will be like next weekend?  I will keep you posted!  Mellow Yellow Monday for October 17, 2011.  To visit Mellow Yellow Monday, please go to:  http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/

Fence, gate and foreground~Sunday Stills Challenge~101611

I drove up through Garner Valley again yesterday before heading over to the horse ranch where I board my horses.  It was a beautiful, crisp, clear autumn morning.  I wanted to check on the aspen and birch trees in the little community at Garner Valley.  I saw this fence and gate and as I was taking photos, the owner of the house invited me in to see their little weekend cottage, which is for rent!  I loved her fence and this front gate and she told me...gasp...that they are taking it down next week!  Nooooooooooooooooooooo!  But, then she said they were installing a new one and showed it to me.  It's just like this fence, only newer.  They are painting it themselves to save some money, but hiring a professional company to install it.  I hope they retain the gate.  Isn't it adorable?  She was very kind and invited me in to see the small "cottage" and I'll be posting about that next week.  It was cute, cozy, and clean.  I may drive hubby back up there today to take a look at it again.  Sunday Stills Challenge for October 16, 2011. I like how the gate is in the foreground, but you can still see across the street.

Last week's photos

Here are a few photos from last weekend that I never got to post.  I want to get them up here because Friday morning, my laptop crashed.  I was one screen away from "THE SCREEN OF DEATH" on it...(the screen where you can't reboot your computer or you lose everything).  That happened on my previous computer,my desktop, but fortunately hubby took it to his computer guys and they WERE able to save all my photos.  Now hubby backs up both his photos and mine about once a month...BUT...I had over 200 photos from last weekend, many of which I never posted and still haven't.  It seems that my SONY laptop overheated, so I turned it off for an hour and the screen came up normal.  Phew!  What a scare!  I probably had 600 photos on it that weren't backed up!  So, I decided to post them here today (not all 600 of them!)...These are a few of my favorites from last week.  Hubby hasn't had time to back these up, so I need to get them online before POOF! my laptop crashes again.  I think it is okay now as long as I shut it down for the day when I'm done blogging in the mornings  (...crossing fingers...) The top photo is some fall color up in Garner Valley.  Next is an interesting gate there. After that is a photo of the murder of crows right across the street from a yard sale up there last weekend.  And, finally, that's my cousin's miniature horse.  Isn't Sunday (his name) adorable?  Enjoy your weekend!  I'm off to do "horse stuff" with my horses and I'll drive up through Garner Valley again, looking for ravens, fences, horses, and other interesting things to keep me busy posting with for the next week!  I did take some photos of the rock work along Highway 74, but I just haven't done that post yet.  Donna, I'll also do a post on another one of my horses next week.  Thank you for reminding me!
~~Cheryl Ann~~

Friday Fences~101411~Valerie's horses

I drove up through Garner Valley last Sunday and drove to my cousin's ranch there.  Nobody was home, but her horses were out in their front paddock.  They are very friendly and curious and came right over to see me.  I've ridden one of them several times and maybe when I'm ready to get back on a horse, I'll ride him again.  I love her rock work fence.  You can see their white fence in the background.  Friday Fences for October 14, 2011. All of her horses are Tennessee Walkers and she has trained them all herself.  To visit Friday's Fences, please go to:  http://lifeaccordingtojanandjer.blogspot.com/

Clouds and pine tree~SkyWatch Friday~101411

When I drove up through the top of our local mountains Sunday, I immediately noticed the clouds.  They were high and wispy.  I followed them all along the highway along Deep Canyon until I came to the tall pines.  I saw this beautiful view and stopped to admire it.  SkyWatch Friday for October 14, 2011. To visSkyWatch Friday, please go to:  http://skyley.blogspot.com/

My scrub jay~Nature Notes~101311

One afternoon a couple of years ago, I saw a blue blur fly into my front yard.  I had been feeding the birds out front for some time and he just appeared.  He has now been in our neighborhood for over two years.  He's quite bossy and LOUD, but I sure enjoy watching him.  He's now calm enough to allow me to go out in my front yard and garden without flying off.  He'll tweek his head and look at me and when he sees my car drive in the driveway each afternoon, he immediately appears.  I notice that he takes a peanut and flies off to the neighbor's yard across the street.  I often hear him chattering further down the street and even on the next block.  He's quite a character and clown!  Sometimes he disappears for a couple of weeks, but he always reappears (so far...). He SHOULD be up in the pinyon forests of Deep Canyon, where I see his relatives.  Apparently he either got blown off the mountain or he chooses to stay here.  He did disappear last Spring for a couple of weeks, apparently looking for a mate, but the only other birds his size around here are the mockingbirds.  Honestly, if he weren't around, I'm not sure I would put as much food out for the birds in my yard. Nature Notes for October 13, 2011.  To visit Nature Notes, please go to:  http://ramblingwoods.com/