In Transition

That little house in Portland is becoming a bit more than just a dream. I drove over there Saturday to just walk around it. The blinds were all pulled so I couldn't see inside, but I puttered around the back yard thinking of things to plant and how to build a tree house. I was surprised to see a lot of birds - guess I've been thinking I was leaving all the birds behind. And then I saw an eagle overhead. Really. With a bright white head cruising high up in the sky, sweeping the surrounds with his eagle eyes. Must have been St. Joseph sending a good house warming wish.

Blue and I returned to the farm last night. We'll be back in Portland tonight and tomorrow, then back here for a few days. The neighbor dogs have made friends with the man who is renting the green houses. It's the first time I've seen Zeus with a ball in his mouth and a smile on his face. Brownie and Molly were hanging around, too. So Blue had a lot of peeing to do to make sure they all know who's home this really is!

Blue and I went on a long walk this morning, going a little deeper into the woods than usual. Every walk is getting to be a bit nostalgic. Sort of like it might be our last chance to get down there. I've had a song in my head for days that's like background music for this transition time - Joan Baez's "Deportee". The words don't really fit, but the tune and refrain do. The song keeps playing as we walk:

...Goodbye to my Juan,
Farewell, Rosalita.
Adios mis amigos, Jesus y Maria...

We'll have to have a Grand Farewell Party when the time comes to really leave here.

We saw a pileated woodpecker on our walk. My first! And a crazy, huge, red-headed fellow he was. We heard him first. His call was so raucus that I thought some bird had had his nest raided. Then I spotted him and was able to follow him. Maybe he was following us! Anyway, he really makes a lot of noise when he's in flight. Then when he's on a tree he's still rapping away, but a little lower like he's humming to the bugs inside the tree. The sounds of his pecking are loud enough to be the masterful strokes of a crazed woodsman He followed us from the end of our trail right on up to one of the large trees near the shed.

While we were on our walk we ran into Mr. Beachy and his daughter. They looked miserable. Apparently the weather completely destroyed their house under the blackberries and they's been wandering around homeless, wet, and distressed for days. I felt so bad for them, but their sad little faces perked right up when they saw us. Noble Blue right away attacked an old tree stump and dug them quite an entrance. I'm not sure if it was a cedar tree, but the wood inside is a warm and invting red color. The Beachy's were ever so pleased and bowed to both of us over and over in that peculiar way they have. This stump will work for a temporary shelter until we're all moved back to the city. They didn't want to leave before we did. Isn't that sweet