This is how the house looked in October a few weeks before escrow closed. It was raining when we went to meet the guy who was going to do our home inspection. It rained a lot that first year. Quite a few of the trees on the property had already lost their leaves. The Virginia Creeper on the trellis was already dormant but when we had seen it two weeks earlier it was a combination of vivid reds, oranges, and golds. Behind the trees, and the shrubs to the right there is a another section of the house which can't be seen from the street. To the left of the large pine tree is an overgrown mound that we would eventually turn in to our covered parking pad. 
This is the view looking down our street. That's Eric in the picture and down the street you will see our truck. The other car we owned was a Mitsubishi. They lasted one winter and we knew they weren't practical for the mountains. One winter of digging out anytime we had to go anywhere let us know we didn't want a repeat the next winter so, we sold them that summer and bought Jeep Cherokees.
This is the view if you are looking up the street. The tan house (on the right in the photo) was our next door neighbor's house. Sam and Carol were teachers who were very quiet and respectful, and made great neighbors. We hardly knew they were ever there. Unfortunately, we lost them as neighbors the first year we were up here, and someone less desirable moved in afterwards.As you can see the leaves are beginning to change color. The first things to change are my Virginia Creeper, then the black locust trees (they are the yellow-green ones you see in the picture) the ferns after that and the last to change are the oaks. The oaks are the last thing to green up in spring, and you don't plant a thing until after they do because there's still a chance of snow or frost until that happens.
