The Fences at Cedarock

Sometimes I just have to shake my head and wonder why...

...why has it taken me so long to visit this beautiful place?

Especially since it is basically right under my nose...

...in the same county where I live...

...less than 20 miles from home.

~

It's been on my list of places to visit and I surely didn't know what I was missing.

And talk about good fences...well, this place is loaded with them!

So I'm sharing them today at Theresa's Good Fences link-up.

 

 

This is what you see as you turn in to the entryway of Cedarock Park.

 

 

It was early last Friday morning and I was coming down with a cold.

My head was so congested and I needed to breath in some fresh air.

So off I went, camera in tow, arriving there before 8:00 AM.

 

I pretty much had the place to myself except for a woman who came to walk her five dogs.

 

These two sweeties greeted me as I walked over to the Garrett Historical Farm, just inside the park.

They seemed quite glad to see me, assuming I had a treat for them, no doubt.

 

They cracked me up as one tried to eat the fence while the other was biting it's nose!

This little game went on for a few minutes.

 

They were the size of horses but I soon realized they weren't...exactly.

As I turned my back, I heard one of them "heehaw".
I am no expert on farm animals but I knew they weren't your typical run-of-the-mill donkey.

I did a little research and I think they must be a type of hybrid mules.

Regardless of their number of chromosomes, they were beautiful animals and quite entertaining!



It didn't take long to decide that I really would like to live here :)
 

 

Just going to let the photos speak for themselves...

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

After leaving the farm area, I walked down the road a ways until I heard water rushing.

I knew that there was a falls somewhere and my ears lead me right to it.



It was only a trickle compared to a picture I had seen of it on the website.

 

A few weeks back when we had all of that rain,

I heard that the falls was running full force, clear across the dam.

So after a few more shots...

 

...it was time to head back...

 

 

...snapping a few more as I walked along the path.

 

 

I couldn't believe that two hours had passed and I was still able to breath through my nostrils!

 

 

Snap, snap, snap...as I made my way back up to the entrance.

The bright morning sun seemed to be setting the trees on fire.

 

...snap...snap...just one more :)

 

Back to my car and back down the fence-lined driveway toward home.

Immediately, my sinuses became clogged again.

I was miserable the rest of the day.

But it was so worth it :)

Views From My Front Porch

A MYSTERY

~Author Unknown

 

Who turned the green leaves

And turned them red and gold?

Who touched the morning air

And made it crisp and cold?

Who touched the green grass

And left it frosty white?

Who changed the whole world

 While I slept last night?

Of course there is no mystery here...

...we know Who changed them :)
~
I found this darling poem online saved as a PDF file with no reference to it's author,
only that it seemed to be written by a 4th grader for some kind of class assignment.
I just had to share it with you...

...since it's exactly what I've witnessed here over the last day or two.

I've really been admiring everyone's beautiful fall foliage posts recently

and I've mentioned a few times in my comments that we didn't have much color yet.

Well, the color has just popped out here...literally over night.

All of a sudden, the woods have come alive with pops of reds and yellows...
...with the brilliant backdrop making it easier to spot the birds!
The views from my front porch have dramatically changed!

I better enjoy them while I can because we all  know what's coming next.

~

Come said the wind to the leaves one day,

Come o're the meadows and we will play.
Put on your dresses scarlet and gold,
For summer is gone and the days grow cold."

~ a children's song of the 1880's


Sharing at:
Mosaic Monday
 

Little Red House in the Woods

I've been dreaming of it for years.

Now that it's finally a reality, I'm just tickled pink...but I'm seeing RED...
...in a good way! :)

~

Years ago when we first moved into our little brown house in the woods,

I really liked it's rustic charm but over time, the brown faded and became quite worn.

And after we had the garage built, we weren't able to match the browns exactly.
We lived with the slight difference in paint color for close to twenty years.

Yes. Twenty. Years.

It was time for a change.

WAY past time.
~
A couple of months ago, I posted an update and a little sneek peek of the upcoming changes.
It is still a work in progress but it's far enough along to finally be able to share.



It went from brown to primer gray to red.
Our contractor suggested that instead of replacing the old, decrepit front stoop,
he could build us a good sized front porch.
Ohhh...YES please!



We painted the existing shutters black and added new black ones to the back.

I painted the front door black...

...and sprayed the old green wrought iron patio set with oil rubbed bronze...

...and added new cushions and umbrella.

There is still some trim work to do and finials to add to the stairs,

but it was a happy day when just this past weekend we were finally able to use the new porch!

 

We have really missed having a front porch ever since we sold our cabin

and it has been exciting anticipating that fact we were going to add one here.
 I have been decorating it in my mind since June when the project began :)



 

Our vintage metal glider has been rescued from the garage since it's face lift...

...and is now at home on the new porch!

These wicker rockers were $3.00 (each) yard sale finds...

...repaired and sprayed with the same paint that I used on the glider.

The vintage ice cream table set was a present from my hubby for my birthday :)

 

We were trying to beat the clock to get the porch set up before our first visitors arrived...

...and we just made it with a few hours to spare.

 

This is my Nashville bunch, testing out the glider...

our first front porch guests.


And Buddy, their dog, made himself right at home, as you can see.

 It was little chilly to sit out there very long...

...but was much warmer sitting around the campfire in the back.

This is my oldest son with his two boys, his significant other, and her son.

And here's the whole bunch of us, all together at one time.

I was one happy Mama/Mawmaw, having the whole family gathered together :)

~

The home improvements are still a work in progress, like I said.

There is still plenty of work to be done.

The past few months have had it's share of stresses and there will be more before it's all completed.

And although I am thrilled with the newness of our surroundings,

there is nothing to compare to just being together under one roof...or sky...as the case may be.

 Brown house, red house...it simply doesn't matter.

Memories are memories and treasured wherever they happen :)

 

Sharing at:
Mosaic Monday

Grace at Home