Last of the Color~

 Today, to me anyway, was a perfect weather day!  The mornning started out at 28 degrees, frost on the ground & brilliant sunshine.  We had our mat-makers fall pot-luck & the turnout was smaller than usual.  We missed seeing all our friends & still had enought food to feed an army!  I ate way too much & every bite was yummy!

I'd planned to ride today, with Monday's misty rain gone & my work caught up yesterday.  I was ready to leave when Butch called & said he had time in his schedule to come home for the night, before heading west!  I could just get in a shorter ride.

Soy field down for the season~

At Silver City, things were quiet, only one other vechile in the parking area by Happy Trails.  The countryside, with the fields down, has regained it's wide-open look. I ran into Mari Jo a couple miles from town, she was returning from a ride as I was leaving.  We had a short conversation about the weather & drought.  She mentioned that the worry is the municipal wells providing water to the towns - possibly going dry if this drought continues...  

Southbound~

The views from the trail are rapidly transitioning from the beautiful golds & oranges of early autum, to the last of falls color.  Someone had gone along this area of trail & swept away the walnuts & leaves.  I could see either sweep or blower marks here & there.  The rest of the trail was a little easier to navagate, with some of the leaves gone.  The squirrels are hard at work still, gathering up the bumper crop of walnuts.

Silver Creek ~

It was a very quiet day too...  The water level in Silver Creek has gone down some.  The .30 of rain we received on Monday, was hardly enough to settle the dust.  (Butch though had welcome rain to drive through, all the way south to Carthage, MO.)  Nebraska is even drier than we are.  The North Platte river is completely dry.  I'm amazed that Silver Creek is still flowing & the small creeks feeding into it still have a little water.  

South end of the Trestle~

The rust of the trestle, looks beautiful against the orange of the leaves.  The smells too, are so fresh, since the light rain.  Today the weatherman said we had a slight chance for more moisture, but the clouds didn't produce what we need so badly.

Bright colors!

I called Butch from the trestle & he was already in town & dropping the trailer.  I turned back for Silver City.

The look of fall~

The trees now barren, have the look they'll keep for the upcoming months of winter.  Mari Jo & I have mentioned many times, how neither of us could live in a place that doesn't have seasons.  

Another bright little tree!

I wasn't up to par today, that's for sure!  The heavy lunch took it's toll on me.  I was happy to finish up the shorter ride & return to the Explorer.  As I came down the hill a couple blocks from home, it was easy to spot Butch's big Blue Freightliner parked in his spot by the cabin!