off the beaten path---to the shack in the woods

It's been awhile since I've posted about one of my favorite places on earth.
It's a little shack in the woods on some property we own in a canyon
about fifteen miles from our house.
Dale calls it the Juniebird Nest.
Last week Dale and I and Landon went for the day to
 just enjoy the beauty here.
I've been up here a lot in the month of September doing a little
cleaning, reading and relaxing.
I really can't put into words how I feel after a day spent here.
 

Of course I had to cut flowers from the garden to bring up and set a pretty table outside.

I would love to plant a garden here, but so would the deer, elk and moose 

that travel and live in this area.

I can only imagine the height of the deer fence I would have to put up!

So---no garden I guess.

 

Late September and October are the perfect time for enjoying this 

little

 teeny 

  cottage. 

It's this time of year that the horseflies and mosquitoes 

diminish and it's a lot more pleasant to be in the woods.

These paths through the trees are well worn from the horses and the wildlife.

I think there is something so romantic about woodland paths.

and a little romantic setting in a clearing

Inside, all is warm and definitely nest-like.

Sometimes all it takes to center me is a trip alone to this special retreat.

Because there is nothing to distract me here, I feel as though I can

fill up my soul again. 

Soon, the aspens will be turning gold and then become bare, 

which brings a whole new dimension to the woods.

I look forward to every season here, even winter.

A couple years ago my daughter and I painted the outside of the shack

a barn red so that it would look beautiful in the snow.

And it does!

 THIS day was perfection!

Wishing you all a wonderful week!!!

views around the garden in August

Would you like to take a little garden tour with me?

The gardening season is winding down here and I am so far behind in
sharing photos of what was blooming when.

-----but this post is full of the garden in August.

above and below is an un-named rose in my garden

the clematis Josephine

Bombshell and Limelight hydrangeas 

crab apples in foreground and Bombshell hydrangea in pot in background

drifts of echinacea in a bed at the back of our property

White Swan echinacea

 double oriental lily

the same lily after a little fading in the sun

pots and planters around the garden

Comtesse de Bouchaud clematis

the same rose as before---I just love it so much I had to post another photo of it :-)))

a lovely jumbled mess!

Gardenview Scarlett monarda and Comtesse de Bouchaud

a struggling clematis on the gazebo----it's pretty, but a skinny little thing.
That's what happens in too much shade. I could move it, but I kind of like
it's sparse look here.

Elderberry

David phlox

 
Edsel the Garden Cat

I'm so glad you could join me in the garden today.
...and so is Edsel!