Another Sunshine Ride~

 Our Thanksgiving meal was  excellent - if I do say so myself!  We had a piece of pumpkin pie covered in homemade whipped cream, to go with our lattes this morning.  With plenty more pie to enjoy, we decided getting the bikes out again - was a good idea!

Butch on our way north~

Today, we parked at the Depot in Malvern & rode north toward Silver City.  I was really surprised there weren't any other cars in the small parking lot.  Being Black Friday, I guess everyone was shopping.

Golden cattails~

Never one to pass up any day this nice to be outside, it was fun to have my husband as company & familiarize him with my favorite areas.

The new development - expanding~

This view though - was a surprise!   Since the land clearning photos I'd taken on October 28th, the area has expanded to the far side of Key's Ave.  This development is going to be larger than I'd imagined.  It's going to be hard to see houses going in where fields once were.  Not as diffficult as watching acres of forested land go under the bulldozers of development - but difficult nonetheless. 

Butch discovered a loose bolt on the Cochran bridge~

We stopped on Cochran bridge & Butch found the railing to be very loose.  He located the cause - a bolt coming out at the bottom of one of the rail support struts.  I've posted a short video on the Wabash Trace FB page.

A rider was coming towards us about half-way to the Trestle.  She was wearing a pink jacket, so we knew it was Mari Jo!  We stopped to chat - as we all admired the gorgous day.  I guess it's easy to know those of us adicted to fresh air :-)  We're the one's on the trail!  She was happy to see Butch out on his bike twice in one week!

The two of us on the Trestle~

The Trestle was our turn-around point.  The water level seems to be a little lower each visit. We stopped at the park on our way back to Malvern.  The level of the pond too, is lower by the day.  Our rain for this week, has been moved out until later next week.  Even then the chance is only 24%.  We're now 8.75" below our seasonal norm...  As much as I enjoy this weather - I'd enjoy seeing a few days of some nice rain even more!  

Ready to go home~

Back at the depot, it was so nice having Butch to load up the bikes!  I'm taking advantage of every minute my husband is home!

We List the Homestead~

Here we are, listing our Homestead in Western, WA.  Never something we expected to do.  When we moved here - I told Butch I never wanted to ever move again!  Our hopes were so high - we were excited to have found our dream spot.

Over the years, we completed most of the items on our punch list.  Home has been a home we've enjoyed immensely.  Both of us have recognized the changes in the surrounding County - haven't actually been improvements.  At least not as far as accessibility to work, family, recreation etc.  Butch almost spends more time on the freeway commuting - than he does at either work or home.  Worse every year & now escalating beyond anything we could have ever imagined.

From the Cottage~

Then - there's the neighborhood...   If I stop to remember all the tracts of forest that have been cleared since we've lived here...  Now, of the wholesale development going in behind us, up the road & to the south...   I'm overwhelmed with sadness.  Once native environment is gone, it's gone forever...  The projections for future population growth in Snohomish County are unbelievable...

The Cottage~

 We've had some beautiful, if warm evenings this month. I was cleaning in the Cottage as Butch came home Tuesday.  Working in Arlington - so close to home - for the first time in years - has been so nice.  We were sitting on the steps, watching Farah graze when Janelle called to ask if we were ready to list.  Neither of us hesitated - but just answered;  "Do it!"  So it's done - the listing went live today.