Side by Side Field Trip

One day this past week, hubby and I rode in our yellow side by side, which I christened "Ole Yeller" when we bought it, down to the pond on our property. We sold all the cattle, horses, and goat last summer, a year ago, because of aging parents needing more help, plus we're aging ourselves.

The pond is one of my "go to" places when I'm feeling down or just need to be alone. We hadn't been in a while, and it is unreal how overgrown everything was in just a short time of no cattle or bush hogging the fields. I didn't make pictures, because hubby was driving, and he whizzed through growth higher than the side by side. The field roads were all grown up. We couldn't even see where we were going or where the roads used to be. It was kind of scary, and I was glad I didn't go by myself this time.

We made a fairly quick trip, with very little stopping for pictures, but I did get a few.

These three trees are beside the pond, which I call Papa's Pond, because he's the one who had it dug when I was a child. I call them the three muses, and I've made numerous pictures of them over the years in different seasons. There's just something that draws me to them.

Some people call these passion flowers. We call them wild apricots, and we used to eat the fruit from them when we were children. There are some tiny ones on here, but not noticeable. The flower is pretty though. These are also beside the big pond.

Papa's pond, which is usually pretty, is now stagnant and not so pretty in this summer heat, with not livestock and all the overgrowth. This dead tree had vegetation growing out of it in an interesting way. It's very sad to see the changes that take place with no human tending, but, in another way, nature has very interesting ways of re-claiming what was hers to begin with.

Coming back from the pond via the old tractor road, which is now full of ruts and cedar trees growing up in the middle of the road.

We came through the patch of woods that is also one of my favorite spots, with a big flat rock, which I've always wanted to set up and paint from, but never have. These are some of the smaller rocks and tiny white flowers scattered about.

More tiny flowers at the edge of the woods, just before we crossed the fields and headed back to our house, just over the hill.

We really miss the cattle, the horse, the pony, the donkey, and the goat. Not the same without them. :(

When we got back to the house,  hubby decided we might as well check the river out. It's just across the highway and down a little hill from our house. It's also a favorite local boat landing and fishing spot. On this day we had it to ourselves.

I waded in the river's edge; something I hadn't done in years. The water was very warm, but the sand was shifty. It was very peaceful. The picture above was made going toward town, which is just off the right edge of the photo.

We rode around the edges of the fields along the river before coming back to the house, tired and thirsty. Dodging limbs, tall weeds, thorns, and bouncing over really rough grounds will do that to you!

Anyway, it was a good evening of bonding with my hubby, even if he didn't drive as slow as I like, and it was too cloudy to get good pictures. I'm thankful for the adventure. :)