Fall's Gentle Goodbye... and Battening Down the Hatches

Friday, October 14, 2016

I have enjoyed every single moment of the beautiful fall colors that we had this year.  We have three huge storms coming in off the Pacific that will be hitting us over the next 3-4 days.  At least one of the storms was predicted to have high winds, which will mean most if not all of the leaves will be gone after the storms leave.


Just down the road from us is a beautiful little spot that I like to go to and enjoy the colors of the season.


The road follows the river, and each turn and bend have little delightful glimpses of the river flowing beside it.



The electrified colors of fall were abundant.



The quiet stillness of the waters were broken as the geese glided together in unison.


Some of the few hardy geese who are left.  Most have flown south long ago.


A quaint pirate-looking sailboat was anchored in the middle of the river, while a heron kept watch.


Dried elderberries left on the branches that will be a source of food during the winter for the birds.


Golden hues of marshland set against the backdrop of the mountains.


The call of the birds as they fluttered around, busy about their cares of life... gently reminded me that we all have work to do... and winter is coming.



The Maker of these colors, these vibrant hues... these golden tones... how vast His imagination is.  I never cease to wonder.




Simple things bring me great joy... and the simple joy of this moment stays with me.


Continuing down the little drive... the colors of fall glowing in the overshadowed sunshine.


Down by the river... the wheat grass beckoned gently to the view beyond.


Snow-capped mountains reminded me again... winter's breath is upon us.


Back at home, the blue skies and soft sunshine were calling, and Annie and I left for a long leisurely walk...


The turkeys were out in the fields, and Annie watched them carefully... oh how she loves to chase them.


They know her well.  No doubt Annie has chased some of them as they make their rounds through our property.  They moved quickly to the shadowed forest beyond.


We walked for 4 miles...  I think I could have walked all day in this weather!


I spotted this sign in a neighbor's yard.


A neighbor's golden cottonwood overlooking the valley below.


A little pond below the canyon...


A neighbor's tired old barn made lovely in the golden shadows.
As I walked, I soaked up every minute of the beauty around me, as I knew the three storms out in the Pacific were barreling down upon us.


The first one hit us yesterday.  Rain, rain rain!  I worked outside bringing to shelter anything that could possibly blow away with the winds that we are predicted to get. It rained hard all day yesterday and all night long.


This morning I got up to let the chickens out and assess the damage.  So far so good!  Lots of rain, lots of mud... but all seemed well.


Even 'ole Sal was feeling pretty chipper and serenaded me and his ladies.


My little maple tree, looking rather barren now, after the wind and rain had stripped her leaves.


Fall's colors never last long enough, the wind and rain have had their say.


I filled up an 50-gallon water barrel with water... just in case.  I don't think we are going to need it.{happy smiles}


Uh oh!  I knew something was up this morning when I saw Roger on "sniff duty" behind our storage area.  So that would explain where some of my eggs have been going.  She and Roger have a pact!   A few days ago I found Roger with a brown egg in his mouth.  Now... I know the rest of the story.  I removed the little "nesting area" she had made, and covered it up.... and escorted her back to the chicken coop where proper hens lay their eggs.  I hope she understood.  I really need to work on my chicken language skills I think, lol!


It looks like storm #2 is barreling down upon us.  The skies are rather dreadful appearing.


As long as it is just rain... we will be fine.  The wind... not so much.  The winds were forecast to come this morning, and now it is afternoon... so it seems the storm was not as bad as it could have been.

Old Glory blowing gently amid the darkening rain clouds approaching.
I found this poem and thought it was a fitting one to end my little dialogue with you today.  We don't walk alone!  No matter what storms in life we face... we can look to the ONE who holds the storms in His hand... and rest safe in that assurance.  Whether our storms are physical, financial, spiritual or just life in general, He is the maker of the storms, and is able to keep us safe through it all.  :)

He knoweth the way that I take;
Each of that way He hath planned;
And, walking through sunshine or storm, 
I walk in the shade of his hand.
In deserts untrodden and drear, 
Where foes in the darkness may hide,
He leaveth me never alone; 
He sendeth me light and a guide. 
 ~ Annie Johnson Flint ~


50 comments

  1. Absolutely gorgeous photos! You are so blessed to live in such a lovely area, as am I...I could never go back to the city! Be safe, my friend.

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    1. Yes, we are blessed, incredibly blessed with a bounty of beauty here. I know you are so blessed to live where you do, and are thankful for it every day. Nope, I could never go back to the city! Agreed! Hugs to you today and appreciate you!

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  2. Beautiful photos, breathe taking views. Stay safe!

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    1. Thanks so much, we are doing our best to hold down the fort, lol :) Hugs to you today!

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  3. What beautiful, beautiful pictures, my sweet friend. Idaho is SO much more than potato fields!!!

    I love your 'chicken on the lam' that found that sweet spot for her eggs. lol...what a mean mom you are....lol

    Thanks for the view of your country through your eyes. xo Diana

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    1. Yes, indeed, in fact I have never really seen any potato fields in Idaho, think they are much south of here!

      Mean mom? LOl... I'm a softie really... I took the wheel base that she was determined to lay the eggs in and brought to the coop in the hopes she will lay it there now. We shall see, lol!

      Hugs to you Diana, hope you are feeling better!!!

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  4. Beautiful photos. I miss the west. I spent half my life in northern Utah and saw Idaho quite a few times. :) Thanks for sharing these glorious sights.

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    1. I'm glad you enjoyed the pictures! We are awaiting another storm today hoping that it doesn't bring the wind. Appreciate your return visit, and look forward to getting to know you better :)

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  5. Beautiful photos. I miss the west. I spent half my life in northern Utah and saw Idaho quite a few times. :) Thanks for sharing these glorious sights.

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  6. So happy to meet you today! What a pleasant surprise! And I LOVE your blog...pictures of fall in your beautiful part of the country! There you are saying farewell to fall and we are just getting started with it here in Florida! I love the poem by Annie Johnson Flint as well. It is so wonderful to know that "He knoweth the way that I take"...and He leads me all the way. Looking forward to getting better acquainted in the future.

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    1. Hello Pam, so happy you came over for a visit! Indeed, fall takes a while to make its way south, and you are right, you will be experiencing fall while winter is settling in here, lol! I do so love Annie Johnson Flint's poetry so much too. I too am looking forward to getting to know you better! Hugs to you today :)

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  7. My husband lovessssssssss Annie....Coffee and her could be cousins, wink. Coffee is more caramel as his mom was a white shepherd and his dad was a typical saddle back. My husband also loves the Trump sign, wink. He said to tell you, we have a nice one in our picture window (upstate NY here, it seems every household has Trump signs, especially after Hillary lying about bringing jobs to our area).

    ANYWAYS---digressing, friend...I would love to live in Idaho, so very pretty, looks like here, smiles. I hope and pray you stay safe during the storm. Keeping you in prayer.

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    1. Coffee and Annie probably are distant cousins, lol! Annie's mother was a white German shepherd and her dad was a husky. I haven't seen a picture of Coffee, but I can just imagine how he and Annie would look alike! Yes, we have waaay more Trump signs in our area, I see none of Hillary.

      We fared great in the storm, just rain, no wind, and for that we are thankful! Appreciate your visit, and hope you are having a good week :)

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  8. Oh my goodness!
    I am so very happy I visited you here today!
    I love your space here, and so enjoyed lingering over your beautiful photos.
    You part of the world is simply stunning.
    I will be visiting often.
    Have a cozy weekend!!!!

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    1. I am so happy you stopped by for a visit too, and so delighted to meet you! Appreciate your visit, and sweet comments, they mean so much! We had a lovely weekend, lots of rain, but little to no wind, and for that we are thankful! Hugs to you today :)

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  9. I LOVED this post! The beauty of the photos, the serenity of the prose, you made me want to come for a good long visit.

    I do hope you do not have damage from the storms. It is sad to think of your beautiful leaves gone so soon. We are just getting color now. I have a couple of red maples that are just starting to show their beauty.

    Be blessed and safe my friend.
    Laura of Harvest Lane Cottage

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    1. I would love for you to come for a nice long visit, that would be lovely! We were spared any harm from the storms, and I give the Lord thanks for that! Lots of rain, but little wind, and all is well! Appreciate your visit and kind concerns, and I hope you are having a blessed week!

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  10. What beautiful, beautiful pictures! I enjoyed your ride and walk - fall is my very favorite season. It's just beginning where I live, and I'm enjoying the bit of crisp to the morning air, and the cooler days as the leaves just being to turn colors!

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    1. I do so love fall too, the colors are so vibrant. I hope you are getting to enjoy the beauty of fall there, that is so exciting! Appreciate your visit so much, and pray your day is blessed :)

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  11. Oh, so beautiful. How blessed you are to live in such surroundings. I have said many times I so envy other bloggers who live in these gorgeous placed soaking up such scenery on a regular basis. Love the chicken story. So funny. I also love the Annie Johnson Flint poem perfect! He knows the way I take.

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    1. I think there is beauty to be found, wherever you are... but I won't deny that I think we are truly blessed with an abundance of beauty here. I'm glad that you enjoyed your visit here, and do hope you will come back and visit, I cherish each and every friend :) Hugs to you today!

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  12. Hello my friend! You have once again managed to capture the beauty all around you. :) I'm so glad that the first of the storms were not as bad as predicted and that you stayed safe and had no damage. We got the rains, but never got the really high winds. It's after midnight on Friday/Saturday and the rains are once again starting to fall here. My DIL, her mother and the grandboys cut their trip short in Seattle and headed home Friday before the really high winds were due to hit once again. I am so glad they did.

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    1. I'm so glad your family got back home safely and that the storms were not as bad there too! So thankful! Appreciate your visit, and hope you are having a lovely day :)

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  13. Wow, Marilyn! Your area is gorgeous!!! Such glorious autumn colors! I'm so sorry to hear about these storms headed your way. I'm praying for your protection! Hang fast, my friend. Love & hugs....

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    1. We were spared any harm from the storms, and I give the Lord thanks for that! Lots of rain, but little wind, and all is well! Appreciate your visit and kind concerns, and I hope you are having a blessed week!

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  14. Oh, dear friend! I am SO sorry you are going through these storms. I didn't realize they were headed your way. I am so thankful for God's provision and protection over you. I was in tears by the time I got to the end of your post. Thank you for the beautiful poem at the end. I needed that. God bless you and keep all of you safe in His tender care. I am praying for you and your family. Love you so much!

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    1. Oh, isn't it a beautiful poem! I have always loved it, and such a blessing to know we are safe in His care, always! Indeed, we were spared any harm from the storms, and I give the Lord thanks for that! Lots of rain, but little wind, and all is well! Appreciate your prayers dear friend! Many hugs and love sent to you today :)

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  15. I just love how you write about your farm, the beauty that surrounds you and your love for God. It is refreshing and just what I need.
    I had to chuckle about Roger and the egg and chicken talk. :-)

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    1. Thanks Carla, I'm glad you enjoy my ramblings, lol! Life is never dull around here! Hope you are having a lovely week :)

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  16. So pretty there. The yellows appear more brilliant than on this island. Great post. I will be back.

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    1. Thanks Marie, appreciate your visit here, and I look forward to getting to know you better! Have a blessed day :)

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  17. I loved your beautiful photos - cute chicken too hiding her eggs.

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    1. Thanks Hazel.. and yes, life with chickens and dogs around here really is never dull. They are quite entertaining... appreciate your visit, and trust you are having a wonderful week!

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  18. What amazing photos, you live in such a beautiful area. Isn't it a shame when the fall foliage is just beautiful, the high winds always come? I always wonder if it's just God's way of doing a fall clean up before winter sets in. Hope you have a wonderful week ahead. Kelly

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    1. I was really thinking we would lose all our leaves in the past weekend storms, but we didn't... there is still some color,for which I am very glad! Appreciate your visit Kelly, hope you are having a lovely week!

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  19. What amazing photos, you live in such a beautiful area. Isn't it a shame when the fall foliage is just beautiful, the high winds always come? I always wonder if it's just God's way of doing a fall clean up before winter sets in. Hope you have a wonderful week ahead. Kelly

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  20. Beautiful, beautiful photos, Marilyn. I pinned many! Hoping that your storms didn't amount to much more than rain, and that all is well at your place this morning.

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    1. I'm glad the pictures were enjoyable for you! :)

      We were spared any harm from the storms, and I give the Lord thanks for that! Lots of rain, but little wind, and all is well! Appreciate your visit and kind concerns, and I hope you are having a blessed week!

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  21. I enjoyed your photos Marilyn, especially of the wildlife and your own domestic fowl. :) We've had a gorgeous fall here and the leaves are still colourful although they are blowing off like crazy today. Have a wonderful week!

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    1. Thanks Pam... fall passes all too quickly doesn't it! Hope you are still able to enjoy some of the fall weather :) Hugs to you today!

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  22. So...we were at a friends house this weekend and they were showing us photos from a recent hiking trip in Wyoming. They said they couldn't get enough of the views from that part of the country, so I pulled up your blog and said, well, have I got a website for you!! We spent a good long time drooling over your glorious photos. We also discussed your chickens and your debt free lifestyle. Suffice it to say, you have a few new fans!! :)

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    1. What a lovely compliment you just paid me, Kim, thank you dearly! I just share what the Lord has provided around me, and I'm glad to do it! Appreciate you dear friend, and hoping you get to have a taste of fall soon :)

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  23. I do hope you are faring well in the storms.

    Hello dear,

    Today I made a blog friend list on my sidebar, and you are on it!
    Hugs,
    Laura of Harvest Lane Cottage

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    1. Why thank you ever so much Laura, that is just sweet of you, and thankfull, we were spared any harm from the storms, and I give the Lord thanks for that! Have a lovely week!

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  24. Your area is absolutely beautiful! Thank you for sharing the photos. Hope the storms don't cause any damage. Have a good weeek! ♥

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    1. Appreciate your kind words Anne! We were indeed spared any harm from the storms, and I give the Lord thanks for that! Lots of rain, but little wind, and all is well! Appreciate your visit and kind concerns, and I hope you are having a blessed week!

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  25. OH ... say it ain't so! I'm not ready to batten down the hatches quite yet. It's supposed to be in the low 70s here on Cape Cod for the next few days!

    ;-}

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  26. Oh what beautiful pictures! I love that you added some of them to your new header too. So many of those are totally frame worthy. We are also enjoying our fall colors while they last but the leaves are coming down fast. We have had some big rains lately too.

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    1. Why thank you Abbi, so sweet of you to say so! Appreciate your visit as always, and glad to hear you are enjoying fall colors! Our rains are pretty heavy, but have eased off some today. Have a lovely week!

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