Driving home today I left Placer County and headed south on Highway 49. Highway 49 passes over the north fork, middle fork and south fork of The American River. I crossed over the confluence of the north fork and the middle fork and just about in the middle of the bridge I entered El Dorado County. Highway 49 is a narrow, winding two-lane highway that hangs on the edge of a steep canyon and over-looks the river. I followed the two-lane highway to the first place that I could pull over to take pictures. It was pouring rain and this moss-covered section of rocks was soaking it all in, swelling with each drop as if it were a great, green sponge. The ferns are lush in this bend of the highway and may go unnoticed by most travelers.
As I got much closer to home, the scenery changed drastically. This area also used to be lush with trees and ferns but was sold to Duarte Vineyards. Most of the trees were cut down and turned into poles (which mark the rows of the grapes) with a loud, grinding machine that ran practically 18 hours a day. If the neighbors would not have complained about the noise factor, I'm sure they would have run that machine 24 hours per day. They took our trees AND our quiet for most of that summer. There is now a gorgeous view of mountains that we could not see before but we lost the beauty of the trees. How do you justify losing one for the other? My husband says that you can't stop progress--that people change and so does life. I guess that's true. You give up something but you might get something better to fill the void. It's the road we choose to travel that matters.
Shortly, I arrived at the top of my road, where the snowflakes were starting to really become thick and steady. I opened my window and pointed my camera at the falling snow as it drifted ever-so-softly to the ground. I followed the road to the end where there was a coil of smoke rising out of the chimney and a fire inside the house waiting for me. Home! 
"...Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."
Part of "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost
wow, like two different universes!
ReplyDeletelove the moss and then the snow.
love your story of trees going, but then the mountains there.
i'm glad you got something back for the loss.
great header pic. is that your pond?
I know that road and it has it's beauty in all the seasons...thanks for the photo tour!
ReplyDeleteNice to see and hear the journey home
ReplyDeleteFrom green to white, that's quite a drive.
ReplyDeleteBethany--No, not my pond. I wish that I had the talent to make one like it though. I have been contemplating it, actually. This pond was found outside a restaurant in Petaluma next to the out-door seating. Nice place to eat, right?
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