It’s dry enough now to ride my bike Across the Road. I take Ginny to try and wear her out a bit. Yesterday I took a different route and decided to veer off the road that borders a walnut orchard. I don’t know why I haven’t done that before–veering off the road. Maybe because at other times of the year it’s muddy or weedy (including puncture vine, also known as goats’ head that puncture tires and dog feet) or being harvested. Or because I’m not the sort of person that goes off the trail.
Maybe it’s that I am not a big fan of orchards in this area. Almond orchards seem to be taking over the valley and the landscapes that I love are hidden once the orchard has been in a couple of years.
Anyway, it was beautiful view from within the orchard.
Peaceful.
Colorful.
Orderly.
However, I still love the broad landscape that is outside the orchard. This is one of the few black walnut trees remaining around the fields.
The mountains are almost obscured by the young almond orchard that is across the big canal but at least I can still see the sunset.
This was taken on the first walk a few weeks ago. The dogs are on the leash until we get off of Meridian Road.
The field was bedded up and planted about two weeks ago.
Can you see the sprouts when you look at one of the lines almost right in the middle of the photo? Those are sunflowers.
The most exciting thing for the dogs is that the canals were filled about a week ago.
On the last walk I noticed that Rusty spent more time than usual in the water. He usually just goes in when he’s hot and gets out again, but this time he spent time cruising (the best way to describe his half walking/half swimming) up the canal. I think his hips are bothering him so much that it felt better to move that way.
He also needs help getting out now. Last year I helped Ginny out. This year it will be Rusty. 
Wet dog.
The alfalfa has been cut and baled once already and is now being irrigated.
Here is another week’s growth of the sunflowers.
The best surprise for Ginny I think is that she got to chase the Toy into the water again. Rusty will have more of these photos on 
Mustard blooming.
Mistletoe berries.
Almonds just about ready to bloom.
Looking west.
Taken earlier in the day. One of our two almond trees is in full bloom and full of bees.
January 22, 2015. 
February 5.
February. Almonds are blooming.
April 26, 2015. The field has been bedded, ready for tomatoes.
May 3, 2015
June 9, 2015
July 22, 2015
August 9, 2015
August 30, 2015
This is a photo taken across the road, from Across the Road. (That is my pasture looking west.)
The alfalfa field that is the green triangle in the upper right in the aerial photo.
Beans that were planted after the wheat harvest in the are shown in the triangle that is the upper center of the aerial photo.
September 5, 2015.
September 9, 2015. It took 4 days, working 24 hours/day to finish harvesting this field.
September 23, 2015. Back to the beans. The dry plants have been put into windrows waiting for harvest.
September 27, 2015.
October 6, 2015. Field disked and bedded waiting for the next planting. I’m told that it will be planted to sunflowers this spring.
November 29, 2015. If we have regular rain I can’t walk across here because it gets too muddy. There have been very few days that we haven’t been able to walk. 
December 1, 2015. View of our place, looking west across the field. We need to see more green on those hills.
We suspected after the soil was worked over and over and finally bedded and rolled smooth and flat like this.
They struck me as interesting.
She brought it back by walking along the bank until she got to one of the above-water crossings.
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