October, 2021
Deer neighbors are such dear neighbors. They really are.
Inside major metropolitan cities in the USA there is lots of fantastically wonderful stuff. But when I get outside the major metropolitan areas in the USA, it seems to me I find even better stuff. Today I found homes, almost none of them with fences or gates around them, and wild deer living their lives here as they have for centuries, and I found views of mountains, and waterways, and forests, and I listened to bird song … not just bird song, but bird choruses.
One or two blog posts ago, I mentioned I had been looking for something when I came across other things of interest, such that I never found the first thing I was looking for. Well, today I found that first thing I was looking for … the Mayfield Dam. Come take a look!
I was the only visitor.
This sign (above) near the dam showed the larger area and the waterways in the area. I was camped at Ike Kinswa State Park. I’m visiting the Mayfield Dam today, although I will visit the Mossyrock Dam later this week.
The Mayfield Dam might be considered a small dam in the scheme of things, but it looked huge to me.
Look at the detail below … all the walkways … everything needs inspecting and maintenance … and safety is critical.
The road across the top of the dam (below) easily accommodates the largest semi truck ever built.
But what’s that semi-circular concrete construction on the left side of the dam in the photo above? I’ve not seen that on other dams.
The photo below is of two inlets (one on the left and one on the right) that direct water from the lake above the dam, then through underground conduits, bypassing the dam, eventually feeding the turbines downstream that produce electricity. I’ve visited other dams in the Pacific Northwest and not seen anything as complicated as this. I want a private tour so I can learn everything. 🙂
I walked around for at least an hour, trying to figure everything out, and truthfully for a good portion of that time I just stood and listened and watched and enjoyed the water and the forests and the birds. The road further up the river/lake, the road around to the other side of the dam (and to a road that led to the bottom of the dam) was closed to the public.
And so, by and by, I headed on up the road. This was one of those days where I simply turned a corner, chose this road over that road, not having a clue where I was going. I loved it. 🙂
The two cabins below were old log cabins that had been improved and could be rented for a weekend or longer. They had electric heat and lights and flush toilets, and small kitchens … and an antenna and a satellite dish for TV and internet.
The modern home below was modest in size but exceptionally well-maintained.
And this large estate, below, was spectacular. On a clear day, without the cloud cover, there would be snow-covered mountain peaks there in the distance. The sunsets shining on the mountains would be stunning.
As I drove past the home above, and then turned a corner onto another road, something caught my eye outside my passenger window …
Hi deer! 🙂
And further on yet, the home below had a number of deer neighbors who were visiting.
But my favorite deer folk today was the trio below. They were prancing and dancing, kicking up their heels, happy-go-lucky, not a care in the world. They had obviously been up this driveway towards this home many times before, and were happy to be back here again. One of them stopped and looked back at me as I snapped the photo below.
Hi deer. 🙂