DRIVEWAY REPAIRS - NATURE STANDING BY

Most of this week was spent on a driveway repair project. I didn’t do it! I had a contractor come in and take care of it.

If you live on the wet side of a mountain range you can expect to get more than your fair share of precipitation. We live in such a place. When we get what I call a “gully washer” we can get and inch of rain in less than a half an hour. If you have a driveway that has a pretty good pitch down, which we also have, you can expect over time some problems. We got those.

The contractor moved his equipment in on Monday and away we went. I had to stick around to watch progress but they were usually gone by 3:00 or 4:00. That’s when Koty and I headed out to the forest.

Mother Nature can wash you away or she can regale you with wonder. One thing I admire so much is how she does not overload you with all Her flowers in one fast lot. No she meats them out. Each month, she waves Her wand and a different variety has its moment to strut its stuff. In our wanderings here on the mountain we came across these beautiful sights.


FLEABANE AND YARROW


FLEABANE


NOT SURE


It truly is a luxury to be able to take off into the wild on foot right from your home. And, more to be able to wander in those wild places for hours and never see a single human. Some of the views up here are to die for. We did most of our walking in the rain. I like to photograph in the rain. The color saturation is just yummy.


LAKE KOOCANUSA AND THE WEST KOOTENAI


It took three days and four pieces of equipment to get the driveway fixed up. We waved goodbye to them Wednesday afternoon. It was not long before some of my extended family came to investigate. They seemed to approve.


THREE GENERATIONS CHECK OUT THE DRIVE


BROTHER, SIBLING AND TURKIES CHECK OUT THE DRIVE


WHITETAIL FAWN GROWING UP SO QUICKLY


WHITETAIL MOTHER AND CHILD


Have I mentioned already this has been the coolest summer since I moved here seven years ago? Well, it has. The thermometer has not broken 100 once this summer, normally we get at least seven to ten days of it, usually in July. This week we’ve been mostly in the 70’s. Also unusual has been the rain pattern. Normally our rainiest month is June but this year July and August have been the wet ones.

On Friday we had one of those gully washers and a hailstorm. The temperature dropped to 45 in a nano second and it looked like it had snowed. Actually, this storm was very fortuitous for me. I was able to find out how my new drainage system would perform and get it corrected if need be. There were some issues but the guys were out here on Saturday to make the necessary corrections.


OFF TO THE MEADOW


I like stormy weather. I like walking in the rain. I like thunder and lightening. Koty likes the first two but not the thunder so much. When we’re in the house he comes and sits by my side. When we are out in it his passion for roaming seems to overcome his fear. And, lucky dog, his coat is so thick he can just shake the water off whilst I become a drowned rat.

Stormy weather also brings with it photographic rewards and below are some images that I think kind of capture the drama.


STORM CLOUDS GATHERING


STORM CLOUDS LIFTING


AFTER THE STORM


This week I also wrote a story about my first car on the Musings and Memories blog. It was in 1966 and I think it kind of captures how different things are today. If you would like to read it you can find here ....MY FIRST CAR

That’s it for us this week.

©Kinsey Barnard Photography