Tailgate Picnic

We went for a long country drive yesterday.  

 We checked out a few mountain cabins for sale. Not in any serious way. Just dreaming on a sunny autumn day.

 We have been wanting to visit these mountain slopes a ways north of us for some time. It's a preserve in the heart of an ancient super volcano, filled with elk herds, and the perfect setting for a few westerns shot here. (The Missing, with Tommy Lee Jones.) Sometimes referred to as the Yellowstone of New Mexico, it's the beautiful Valles Caldera in the Jemez Mountains.

We packed a few simple provisions to stave off starvation after a mountain stroll. There are no picnic areas here, as the point is to save a postage stamp sized piece of land where there are no humans. Or few of them anyway.

I love exploring the woods this time of year. Taking in the bird song, breathing the piney air, and gathering odorous leafy stuff. Love the pale grey of this mossy growth, whatever it's called. 

I always want a tailgate picnic in fall, whether it happens or not. Big or little. Fancy or plain. 

 A few roadside wildflowers enhance the pleasure.

 And a few other cozy things.

 Casting about on a late afternoon in fall looking for creatures in the open range is good for the soul. We spotted a few elk a long way off with our binos.

Amazing how hot the coffee from the thermos still is! 

  

A little celebration to launch the new season, and say welcome to the delights of autumn. . . . 

A bit of dessert, and it's time to move on. It's getting chilly. The moon has risen, even before the sun has set in the western sky. . . . 

 

Thanks so much for trailing along. . . .

Have a great weekend!

Jacqueline