a Treat that Can't be Beat

~click on Any photo for a closer look~

A few days ago, I promised to show you what Bill did for me...

 He said, let's take a ride...

so through so much fall, winter, spring growth,

we rode down one of our less traveled paths 

in our woods,

past thick poplar growth, 

 so thick, we had to weave our way 

carefully past, so as Not to scratch the truck...

(not that it doesn't already have it's share of nicks.)

 The first food plot was already so thick

and in great need of it's first mowing

so the clover comes thick for the deer.

 He even stopped so I could zoom in on

a patch of orange and yellow Hawkweed, 

 and a hillside of Bunchberry blossoms.

 Bill's been so busy with the field work that

when rain was in the forecast, I was happy

to get out of my daily routine and

 ride along up my favorite less traveled drive

up and down the hills,

 around the bends, oh,

 to my favorite place in the world, 

our retreat that we have not retreated to

as often as we would like to.  No one ever

told us that retirement would be so busy.

 A calm comes over both of us the second we see 

our lil' cabin in the woods.

 Right next to the deck is a nice patch of

wild strawberries in full bloom.  I cannot 

wait to pick.  They are so intense in flavor,

Far better than any other...yet so tiny.

 He started a fire to enjoy while we listened 

to the creek and the birds enjoying it with us.

 There are always ' projects,' like the new seat

for the bench that did not get replaced last year,

and trees to harvest that strong winds had taken down.

Bill calls that, ' easy firewood.'

 My reclaimed Pink Rock shines since Bill dug

it out of the brush for me.  It's the size of our 

dining room table with one leaf in.  :)

 I'm not sure why, but somehow, 

everything looks so much brighter,

more intense, in the woods.

 I can never get enough of Murray!!!~

 Murray Creek, that is, 

 as she twists and turns...

 waiting, just waiting for the trout to jump,

or the frogs to jump off the shore for a swim.

 The rainbow colored area rug dries in the sunshine...

it once was under my Grandmother's rocker,

now it's the first thing my feet touch upon

getting out of the log bed when staying the night.

 One more look at Murray,

one more listen.

 Oh, no!  Take me back.  It's too soon to leave

our ' Creekside Retreat ' in the woods.

I always hate to admit it, but

we have to leave so we can come back.

Bless Ya

Come Back Again and Again