Rosedown Plantation

It's been quite a while since I've posted in Good Fences.  I had the good fortune of visiting Rosedown Plantation in St. Francisville, Louisiana last weekend and captured some photos worthy of sharing. The plantation encompasses 374 acres and is one of the most intact, documented examples of a domestic plantation complex in the South.  

The entrance road to the visitors center is lined with a white fence and live oaks

Live oaks also line the drive to the plantation house

A truly classic southern plantation

I love the beautiful gate that decorates the old entrance to the property

A grand centerpiece

Trails wind through serene, shady gardens.

The azaleas were in full bloom in shades of pink and purple

The Spring Pilgrimage attracted lots of visitors to the area that weekend

This area is the summer garden and will be exploding with colorful blooms soon

Spring blossoms are scattered throughout the plantation grounds

Aren't these yellow blooms pretty?

I particularly loved the color variations of these blooms

A variety of old, worn statues stand along the entrance path to the plantation home 

I hope you enjoyed these photos from the Rosedown Plantation.  It's a lovely place to visit if you're ever in the St. Francisville, LA area.  Thanks for visiting and have a great weekend!

Linking with Tex at the Run-Around-Ranch for Good Fences

Ordinary

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you're aware that my husband and I moved in October of this past year.  Since we live about eight miles from town, we're surrounded by country roads in all directions and I've yet to explore some of them.

A few weeks after moving, I took a short drive north to check things out.  As expected, there were the usual things one would see on a drive in the country- cows, pastures, ponds, cows, barns, hay rolls, cows...you get the picture ;).  Nothing fancy as far as fences, either- just ordinary barbed wire fences to keep the cows in.  

I attracted the interest of a couple of them- 

they probably wondered who the crazy woman with the camera is.  

Simple and ordinary, yet refreshing.  That's why I love the country side of life.  

Linked with Tex for Good Fences

A Fence & A Whole Lot of Flowers

Around the bend from our place, about 1/2 mile or so, is a piece of country property for sale. It was probably a cow pasture at one time, or maybe someone's hunting area.  

My son and I walked around the property to check out the wildflowers and have a look around. Goldenrods are everywhere, beginning from the fence and continuing across the open field, yielding only to the dense forest on the west side.  

What a pretty meadow of wildflowers!  Pretty patches of purple-pink grasses stood tall above the goldenrod and added a striking color contrast.

Narrow-Leafed Sunflowers are also abundant and look so pretty when paired with the Blue Mistflowers.

Small patches of these pretty pink flowers and tall purple flowers are scattered throughout the meadow.  If you can identify their species, please let me know.  

The autumn wildflowers have been exceptionally abundant and beautiful this year.  Have any of you noticed any difference from previous years?  I just wonder if I've actually paid more attention to them this year.  

Linked with Theresa at Good Fences
Thank you for hosting, Theresa!

Good Fences #28: Autumn in Cades Cove

Cooler temperatures are on their way- by Saturday our outdoor daytime temperatures are expected to be in the mid to upper 70's with cooler nights in the mid 50's.  I can hardly wait!  How I love the feel of Autumn!

What better time to post beautiful images of colorful Autumn foliage than the month of October? These good fences, although aged and dilapidated, border some of the scenic pastures of Cades Cove, one of the most popular areas in the eastern United States.    

My husband and I have been frequent visitors of Cades Cove during several autumn seasons, usually in October.  These photos were taken during our trip there last October.  The fall foliage was spectacular- never had I seen it more beautiful.  I was in awe at the amazing colors all flowing together, like an autumn quilt. 

In just one week, we witnessed the transformation of foliage color from summer greens and early autumn yellows into a mosaic of gold, crimson, orange, red and scarlet.  Words and images do little to define the magic of autumn's prime show in the Smoky Mountains.  

Linked with our great hostess,

 Theresa at Good Fences

Good Fences #23: Last of the Colorado Fences

These are my last photos from our trip to Colorado that include fences. I don't have many photos with fences, so I need to get out more and explore. Hopefully I'll find some interesting fences closer to home. I'm sure they're out there...

Mule deer standing close to fence at the edge of woods...

moments later he jumped over the fence, but I missed that shot!

An obviously tame doe and her offspring grazing near a brick fence- 

at the edge of town in Ouray, Colorado.  

Another shot in Ouray...

Stop and look both ways before crossing!

To see more featured fences, 

check out Good Fences with our great hostess, Theresa

Good Fences #22: Somewhere on a Colorado Ranch...

My hubby and I saw some pretty amazing ranches along our drive in scenic Colorado.

Behind the fences of some of these properties were beautiful horses, some grazed 

while others slowly walked along their grassy paths.

These are just some random photos that I took as he drove...

Linked with Good Fences

Thanks to Theresa at the Run*A*Round Ranch for hosting this wonderful meme!

Good Fences #21: Old Fence in the Middle of Town

If you pass through the small town of Poplarville and drive along its Main Street, you can't help but notice the old, renovated white house with tall round columns right in the middle of downtown, next to Hancock Bank and across the street from Radio Shack.  I was told that the house was built in the 1930's, shortly before Main Street became developed.  Until then, it was considered a "country estate".  

This aging, rusty fence surrounds the house and an entire city block.  I was informed the fence was placed within a few years after the house was completed, probably dating it back to the 1930's- early 1940's.  

It appears that at one time the fence was painted white, but now nearly all of the paint has peeled away and rust has overtaken it.  Apparently this fence was for decorative purposes only, because it is much too short to keep predators out and most animals in. It is warped and broken in some spots and has a few pieces missing, but I think the imperfections add interest to it.  I love old fences.  Most have a story behind them...

Linked with Good Fences

Thanks to Theresa at Run*A*Round Ranch for hosting this great meme!

Good Fences #20- Colorado Country

For this edition of Good Fences, I have a few more photos to share from our Colorado vacation a few years ago.  Most of these images were captured along Colorado highways on our return trip home- how I hated to leave such a beautiful place!  

A fence can't get any more simple than this one...

but the scenery in the background is beautiful!

(This is actually the Tetons in Wyoming)

A herd of elk were seen moving from an overgrown meadow to a grazing area

This Red-Tailed Hawk found a sturdy post upon which to eat his snake meal

 He hurriedly devoured his last bite of snake-

then off he fled...

A common critter seen in open fields along several portions of the Colorado highways 

is the Prairie Dog- we saw literally hundreds of burrows as we traveled through Colorado.

I tried to sneak a closer view, but all I saw was "tails" as they fled to their burrows.  Cute!

A young antelope stood still long enough for me to capture a good view of him- 

another common animal seen  in the fields of Colorado.

I hope you enjoyed my images from the country side of Colorado :)

Linked with Theresa at Good Fences
and Eileen at Saturday's Critters

Thanks, Theresa and Eileen for hosting these wonderful memes!