A Walk in the Nut Orchard

So I had a 45 minute walk in the living ranch nut orchard today.  Wanted to do the whole loop including the river but as usual I ended up walking at dusk and had to cut the path short.  This has been my second trip to the ranch and I realized today that nut orchards have a completely different smell than the evergreen temperate rain forests we have across most of the state. I like the smell of the nut orchard, not as much as i love my forests, but it is a nice smell.  They also have interesting seeds that kinda look like very nobby caterpillars.  


Part of the path goes through a small section of regular forest at least second growth if not old growth and I heard something I don't think I have heard since South Dakota.  A loud hoot, hoot, hoot.  Now not being up on my owls I couldn't tell you which kind but it was, but it was refreshing to hear a wild owl probably getting ready for his evening hunt.  At least I hope it was a wild owl and the raptor center wasn't right next door.


Also another highlight of today earlier was a yummy Pinot Noir from local Sweet Cheeks and some oh so cute alpacas.