Moving like a snail through this morning, the dogs wondering, “What’s she doing up? I she OK? and why did she let us out in the middle of the night? WHAT’S GOING ON???!!!!”
Coffee’s good, though.
To give the Crane Tourists some space, Teddy and I headed off to the golf course. Though it’s less than a block away, I drove because I never know where the neighbor’s dogs will be. I’m not about to have a dog-on-dog confrontation. It was OK. Teddy didn’t like it much — he was actually afraid at first. He’s only been there a couple of times in his life — I think exactly 2 — and he walked behind me at first. Then he found a good smell and was a “free.” It was interesting to watch him encounter a new place. He seems like a fearless, spunky little dog, but he isn’t. I saw yesterday that he gets his courage from me and Bear. But then, maybe Teddy was sensing my complicated, mildly apprehensive, emotions.
It felt alien to me, too, and small. The I first moved here, I walked there almost every day that wasn’t golf season and many summer evenings. The view from the pasture dba driving range was the mountain beauty I longed for when I moved here. I called it the Big Empty and it is that — and not.
There’s a volleyball net set up on the far side by the ponds — a little disturbing to me because the deer live out there. Nets of all kinds don’t mix well with deer. The net was aligned in such a way that neither side would benefit from prevailing winds.
A couple of Canada geese were cementing their romance by beating the waters of the slough with their wings then standing up tall in the water. Teddy and I walked so we wouldn’t bother them.
All I can say about it is that it was a walk. It made me feel briefly melancholy for the times before 2020. What a catapult the last three years have been! I might not walk any farther at the Refuge than I did at the golf course, but it’s vastly different though the same basic landscape. The Refuge feels to me like an infinity of space. The view looking toward home from the golf course was once familiar, the blue house that drew me to Monte Vista and the house where the kids lived. I felt almost as if I were in a dream.
I looked up at the second story window that used to be the little boy’s room. I could imagine him up there on a summer evening. He would have been sent to bed, but instead of going to sleep, he was waiting and watching for me and Bear. Sometimes he would call out, but usually, so his parents didn’t know he wasn’t asleep, he would lean out the window and wave.
Teddy ended up happy and tired from the walk. Bear let him have the sofa last night.
“Summer is the season of inferior sledding” - Inuit proverb 
My scaredy cat is the biggest cat I’ve ever had: Elwha has slimmed down to 16.5 pounds. Sol Duc is only twelve pounds, but she is way braver and has explored way further around the block (harness and leash) and walks right up to the deer. She also knows that cars stay in the road. They are really interesting to watch, sibs or half sibs and so different!
Good post and pictures
That white patch on Teddy’s face always makes me think he’s a little skeptical — particularly so in this shot, and with this commentary! I’m glad you were there to provide comfort and courage for him on this strange day of time change! I had my alarm set for 6:30 this morning for an 8 am zoom meeting — turned it off and woke up at 8:30! Even humans have difficulty with the time change!
The time change just seems weird and capricious to me, but I remember teaching 5 pm classes how grateful I was to have it light when I went home.
When I was little the time change was explained as accommodating to the farmers who wanted it to align their animals with the day length of summer — ok then, but now that sounds like an excuse, especially since the famers are complaining that they want Standard time to be the standard! I’ve always preferred the evening light that comes with Daylight Saving Time!
That farmer explanation never made sense. Who wants to milk in the dark? I heard it was so kids didn’t have to walk home from school in the dark. Lots of people prefer the evening light. I decided not to have an opinion since I can’t do anything about it. There are just WAY too many things like that! 🤣
And, of course, the answer to that doesn’t make sense either — “your one vote does make a difference! — I was rather down the other day because I only had one vote about something — my one vote makes no difference at all — unless I make noise about it, and that’s not likely to happen!
It’s just weird. I think my UPS driver and I hit the truth of the matter. Vote then go on about your business. My big trauma today is that the back door of Bella is broken and Bear can’t get in the car. When it broke I thought, “Hey, this is great! I can fix this!! I know what to do and I can actually DO something!” I really thought that… 🤣
I think you an your UPS driver do have the right idea!
Me too. ❤️
The golf course walk would seem strange after such a long time away from it. It is not where your friends are.
New places can be a little uncomfortable – for people and pets. Glad that Teddy overcame his apprehension. I hope Bear let Teddy have the sofa because she likes him and not because she couldn’t jump up there….
She can jump up there easily. I think what REALLY happened is Teddy got there first 😉