February Header

A new month and a new header. This is a picture of the gate to an area we call the horse run, previously mentioned in this post. We call it the horse run because the previous owners fenced it in, providing additional grazing for their horse. It bisects two fallow corn fields and is bordered with trees on each of the long sides. The road is to the immediate left and the runoff creek is behind the photographer, running parallel to the run. There is a gravel wash at the far end several hundred feet away, allowing creek access for watering the livestock.

This has become one of our favorite areas for visiting and walking, although we didn't realize its potential our first few years here. We were still overwhelmed by the spaces encompassing us and finding a balance to living here and it wasn't an area that received much focus. We recognized its beauty after a neighbor brush-hogged it and have been keeping it mowed ever since. Unlike the mowed meadow around our house, the turf in the run is mostly grass, creating a park-like setting. With the large trees protecting it and the creek running along its flank, it is a special place for birding and exploring.

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horse run gate in winter

I like when the gate poles are crowned with spheres of snow. I don't know why they are uneven in length but it makes for a more interesting visual. The shorter post is covered with Parthenocissus quinquifolia (Virginia creeper), providing brilliant red fall color and another contrasting element. Two Larix (Larch) are visible with an apple tree between them. I had a devil of a time cropping this into a header, as I wanted to include the gate but needed to eliminate too much of the picture's relevance.