The Grounds

(as always ~ click on pics for a larger view)

This looks pretty innocuous.  But……

In a few more weeks all of this is going to come down.

I took a late afternoon stroll on the property today.  The light is particularly pretty this time of day.  Long shadows and bits of of sunlight peaking through the branches.  We have a creek that runs through the property.  There is so much life that it brings.  The constant sound of running water and the wild life it supports.  We’ve seen beaver, bobcats, rabbits, skunks, turkeys, coyotes, racoons.  Eagles, bats, otter, turtles, snakes.  More lizards and little tree frogs than I can count.

The man who built our house also built a number of bridges on the property.  The covered bridge (which I somehow managed to get out of roofing this weekend…), a regular foot bridge and two suspension bridges.  The suspension bridges are always a huge hit with guests.  It sways, it bounces, it threatens to heave its crossers right into the creek below.  Get a couple of glasses of wine in someone and they feel the need to conquer the bridges.

We’ve managed to tame the grounds closest to the house.  Pretty flower beds surround the house and we have rolling lawns.   But beyond that nature just flat out wins. 

There are memories of secret staircases

Stone benches that are slowly disappearing.

And the creek itself.  It looks pretty serene in this picture.  But on Dec 31st of last year it was 100 feet wide and nearly took out the bridges.  That was really something.  I woke up after a night of constant rain.  There was a bit of a lull and I was looking out the window and something just didn’t look right.  The field at the bottom of the lawn appeared to be moving at at a pretty fair clip.  I put on my glasses and called Rick to come look.  The creek had risen and had flooded the field and was lapping at the very bench you see above.  It was truly amazing. 

Especially since the Summer before I had planned to clear the field and plant a cutting garden.  Put up a pretty picket fence and have a proper rose garden.  The rose garden would be three miles downstream if I had gone through with my plans.

I’ll stick to gardening in higher grounds.