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Updated November 2001
We are so incredibly lucky to live in a country that is beyond beautiful ... and free. And in no place does this grip your heart so completely than overlooking your own state from the gentle, ancient slopes of the venerable Blue Ridge Mountains.
My friend, Linda, brings her Arab over every Thursday to enjoy a new and different guided tour I plan for us on the millions of trails, and endless hacking territory, in the Piedmont Hunt lands of western Loudoun County. Yesterday, on the 1st day of November, with a delightfully warm sun beaming down on a spectacularly clear day, we sallied off at about 11AM heading northwest towards a different area than we've been riding lately. I wanted to surprise Linda with the view I'd found the day before on the slope behind a lovely estate called Myrtle Hall, about a third of the way up the the Blue Ridge.
The trees on the ridge had already shed most of their leaves, but our destination was one of the few areas that had been allowed to clear as pasture. (The foresight of the county, and state, Mountain Ordinances in Virginia are very strict to prevent the Blue Ridge from being stripped of it's forest for the sake of homeowner "views".) The cows that originally had been in residence on these fields had gone to market, so the gate was merely pushed closed and not secured. It was a great opportunity for Linda to practice opening and closing a gate from the saddle -- although Glory, who cooperated as best he could, was a bit confused with all the to-ing and fro-ing. And then it was time for a trot and canter up the long, long slope. By the time we got to the top, both horses were huffing and puffing, and not inclined to do much but listen to our awestruck "ahhs!" over the splendid landscape spread out before us. Linda remarked that it brought tears to her eyes to see such beauty -- and she kept thinking that those who would hate this country so much have never seen the beauty it contains.
I could not agree more.
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With the push of the weather towards shorter days and colder nights, it's only a matter of time before we have to pull the shoes and open the winter pasture, and fluff up the pillows by the fireplace... and dream of all the riding and driving in store for next summer. But in the meantime, we're still enjoying every last vestage of this wonderfully warm autumn season from the box seat of our carriage.
My friend Kitty has been coming over to drive Flag and Andy with me, and despite the exceptionally dry gravel roads (which can kick up quite a bit of dust with the rare passing motorized vehicles), the scenery is much too beautiful to pass up a chance to take to the open roads for some final driving. Its now mid month, and the trees have littered the byways with heaps of crunchy brown leaves. The deer are becoming bold enough to graze in pairs and herds in the cut alfalfa fields, but still flee with flashing white tails when they spot us approaching. Others that are less brave huddle quietly in the brush, scattering in wild flight the second we pass by, startling both us and the ponies. We've seen some marvelous racks on the bucks, who (we are sure) know that muzzle loading season is upon them with a vengenance, and rifle season is only around the corner.
Throughout Loudoun County the cornfields, so green during the summer, and now yellow and dry, are buzzing with machinery as the tight rows of stalks are stripped of their bounty and ground into fodder. Overhead the skys resound with hugh flocks of Canadian geese winging their way southward. In loud, honking groups they swoop low over the local ponds, sliding along the water to settle in picturesque tranquility.
The masses of bittersweet are now in their glory, draping their berry-laden vines in a hodge-podge of brilliant gold and red over every available fence and hedgerow. The other fall berries are also displaying themselves in bright spots of red, burgandy, and white in the drab woods, and I'm already taking note of their locations in anticipation of collecting a wealth of Christmas wreath material.
All around is peace and quiet as Nature undresses in preparation for winter. We'll continue to enjoy our outings until the winds begin to blow cold.
