Fence styles, part 1: rustic

Fences serve many functions in our world. Often to keep people out or critters in (or vice versa). Sometimes, to simply draw a line around one's property. At other times, primarily to please the eye or to support morning glory vines or honeysuckle.

Out in the countryside, a fence is a practical matter. Interesting, the contrast in this set of ranch fences. On the left, the hard lines of pipe and, on the right, the softer contours of uprights cut from nature. Now for today's question from the naif: what is the purpose of those typical tall ranch gate posts with the high cross piece? I've never understood and nobody has ever bothered to explain.

On close examination, this appears to be an image of what's called a Texas gate, made of barbed wire, stiffened with sticks. Once you open it, you merely lay the fence down on the ground, pass through and immediately do the polite thing, which is to reclose the gate. (That can be hard for small people like me, as you have to pull all those heavy wires pretty dang straight to reach across the opening.)

A slick fence that has to be considered rustic, as it's the work of the Forest Service up at Lake Mary. The close-up of an upright (below) includes wild lavender verbena that is common up here in the mountains in mid-summer.

Suddenly we're in the city, where rustic is a style, not a necessity. Less than a mile from the Courthouse, FYI.

This particular fence really caught my eye the first time that I spotted it. The front lot line (above, below) is delineated by a collection of snags, roots, stumps and other interesting tree bones.

I don't know quite how to characterize this fence; however, I suspect the person who wove a miscellany of sticks among the wire had an artistic vision.

To finish this collection, a touch of faux rustique -- the timbers are varnished and that's one expensive lizard enjoying the sun.

Today's Links: First a couple of changes to my blog roll at right. I've added EatStayPlay.com of Chino Valley and changed the name of RV-Boondocker to the Occupation of Independence, on accounta Boonie has settled down in Silver City NM "until the automobile industry tempts me into replacing my aging, full-sized van with one that gets better mileage. Until then I will stay busy living a car-free life as a local wannabee in the Little Pueblo". Steve Lummer describes the community garden that his church members are growing. Quilted Dogs explains about the garment industry's amazing Size Zero, complete with a video of anorexic celebs. NASA has its own youTube site. And finally, the LA Times tells how we nearly lost the earliest images of our exploration of the moon, emphasizing again the problem of yesterday's abandoned tech.