WATERCOLORS

I also considered titling this post "Upon Further Reflection..." because of the nature of the following photos, and because I said that I had completed posting for the Pass Ramble.

Well, giving further thought, I realize I had forgotten to include

these photos, taken at river's edge.

The sky was blue; the rushing water was clear enough that river-bottom rocks projected copper and gold colors to the water's surface.

By zooming in to the opposite bank, reflected golden leaves, and then nearly-bare young trees become  abstracts:

This reflection in a mud puddle at the camp ground is only partly abstract:

END OF THE ROAD

Leaving Roslyn for the return drive, we had to try one more "side road". 

That ended with the option to turn onto a dirt road labeled,  "Primitive Road/Caution!"

We found it to be nicely-graded and wide, and so we went to "just around the first corner".

The sun was lowering with a last-strength effort, and golden trees were bright against the dark evergreens.

This is the typical contrast of the northwest.  Our forests are thick with fir trees and the deciduous trees are scattered, tucked and hidden by the overpowering dominance of evergreens.

You can't blame them for trying:

On the way back out, we knew we'd be stopping for this barn.

Anyone who knows my love for barns also knows my distaste for tin roofs.

In almost every case, a tin roof invalidates a barn, in my opinion.

However, I loved this shape and the fact that autumn was in the spotlight in the background.

So, I tried different camera settings to capture only the barn's shape, and the pop of colors:

On top of the Pass, we stopped for photos.  I turned around and Lo! There was "our mountain"!

Through the fog, there stood Guye Peak where we lived for several years.

Our home was on the flanks, behind the horizontal tree-top line in the picture:

Just about home now, looking up to where we used to pick wild huckleberries

while living at the Pass:

This is not commendable photography, but it is included because it is the perfect natural stamp of approval

to the perfect day.

It was blatant and stunning as I turned down our road,

but had faded by the time I got home and grabbed my camera:

This was the last post for "Over the River and Through the Woods" blog

about day's ramble a week ago.  There are 6 previous posts connected
to this one.

THE OLD CAMPGROUND

There is nothing like the appeal of a walk in the forest, and it is even more enticing when it is "asleep", so-to-speak, settling down for the winter.  Fir needles have softened to a plush, aromatic carpet, squirrels and chipmunks grab pinecones with urgency, rivers run fuller from autumn rains, and the air seems more still all around.

We pulled into a campground  to get close to the river.  Sturdy picnic tables had cloths of fallen leaves in tapestries of gold and red; fire pits were filled with cold ashes.  It was all ours!

Just a little bit of orange-red remained at river's edge:

 We kept an eye out for bears that might have a hankering for a berry and a cool drink.

(but what would we have done if one came?)

The view upriver:

 

The literal end of the road is at Salmon LaSac, which is just a wilderness area with many trailheads.

Walking a bit, we came across these old vacant cabins.  It was river-rock chimney that caught our attention.

I wonder how many generations have kept the homefires burning here, come summertime?

 The view from the front porch:

POSTING THE COLORS

Here is another chapter in the Over the Pass Ramble.

The higher we went on the mountain road and the later it got in the day, the more fickle the sun became.

Or rather, the clouds with the breeze became more unpredictable.

We spotted bright statements of color across CleElum Lake and would quickly pull off the road

only to be frustrated because clouds suddenly covered the spotlighting source.

What we wanted to "shoot" would look dark and plain.

The bright exclamation points of gold punctuated first the near side, then the far side of the lake, and we couldn't capture either one in time!

Our side of the lake:

The far side:

Then our side:

 Then a little bit of both, but not as stunning as we had seen it to be seconds before:

In the northwest we do not have Spanish moss, but "Goat's beard":

We pulled into a remote campground and set up our cameras on the banks of the river,

with the enthusiasm of fishermen.  Only we hoped our "catch" would be a moment of sun on the trees:

WEATHERED WOODS

I could lose all track of time in the back streets of a little old town, if I have my camera.

Pat and I were so alone in Roslyn, we could hardly find a place for a cup of

hot chocolate.

But it was easy to stroll a block or two off of main street to find these treasures.

I love not only the geometry here, but how each board has aged to a different shade:

The same structure:

This is someone's back porch.  Hmmmm....

Aged doors never disappoint: 

But in all my rambles, I have never seen anything like this, just left outside!

I thought of naming it "Dirty Drawers", but I have too much respect for this charming piece.

I can imagine its use, perhaps behind the counter of an old wood-floored store.

I can also imagine putting it to use in our own home, had I been here when it was first tossed out back; before it got warped and ruined!

A lone window, as actually reflected in aonther window across the street,

so this is taken through glass:

Shades of New England:

This looks like a Hollywood set, but it is just a side street of Roslyn:

After visiting Roslyn, we headed up the mountain road, so there is more to come.

A GOLDEN STAIRCASE

Just leaving town, Pat and I shrieked at the same time.  Oh! This house, or rather these leaves made us stop in our tracks.  I parked hurriedly in a bus zone. ( I mean, how busy could the route be, when we had so far seen no one?) The house was on a corner or we never would have been lucky enough to spot it.

We were all over this place like bees on honey, taking our shots while trying not to disturb any leaves.

Now, that was hard, being as they were so crunch-tempting!

And this is the one tree that caused such a scene. 

So many more leaves to go!

(On the way back through town a couple of hours later, we saw these leaves

had been raked into piles.  Made us wish we had crunched and kicked through them!)

More to come on this ramble.

COLORFUL! HISTORY AND EXTERIORS

This is the 2nd post for the Autumn Day Ramble with Pat.

Here in Roslyn, we were completely alone as we walked main street.

The buildings are historically original.  We loved this one-block-long huge building, but there was no indication of its purpose.

These windows were on the street level:

And these were bordering the length of the building, up under the eves.

I took many different angles of them.

This place looks quite well-suited for a Halloween party:

Yes, Roslyn has a colorful past, including reknown robbers successfully

getting the bank funds and numerous payrolls at gunpoint.

But nature was colorful that day too.

I really like the weathered wood and brick as the background to these leaves:

From happy experiences, I know that walking the alleys and back streets of a little old town can be rewarding.

Who needs curtains?

There was no explanation for this building either, but the door was certainly rich:

A secret entrance?

 

This was the reddest barn we have ever seen. 

It wasn't so garrish when reflected in a mud puddle:

The day was only just beginning.  Other posts will follow soon.