Updates

Today a moose wandered by, right through the old tipi site and up over the ridge. I followed her with a camera trying to get a good shot without getting too close, but only got pictures of trees with brown smudges behind them. You'll just have to take my word for it.

Here are some updates on previous stories:
The Demented Robin spontaneously stopped attacking my windows the day after I posted the story and asked for suggestions. But thanks to tips from all of you I now have an old cracked mirror out on the deck for hormone-crazed birds to peck at in the spring and I also have a plastic owl to attach to the railing. Next year I'll be ready for him. Thanks for all the sympathy and suggestions.

The Road Association exists legally now and we've amassed a few thousand dollars for road work. Still, no work has been done so far except what some of the neighbors have done to knock down the deepest ruts. Pictures don't do justice to the horrible state of the road, but here are some pictures anyway:
Some parts of the road are rutted :Other parts are nothing but uneven, bumpy big rocks that try to tear out the bottom of your car:And still other parts have BOTH ruts and big, bumpy rocks.
Fortunately the weather has been dry recently and there is no more slipping and sliding as you go over the ruts and rocks. Still, any improvement will be welcome.

And, of course, the parade of visitors continues. The latest guests were my dear old friend Geoff Haworth and his girlfriend Marsha. Like all of this summer's visitors so far, Geoff and I go way, way back but haven't seen each other in about twenty years. Back in 1973 Geoff and I founded what I like to call the Garfield Street Hippie House. We had both recently moved to Seattle - Geoff after returning from Vietnam where he had been sent as an unwilling draftee and I after dropping out of the University of Michigan. We instantly became fast friends and moved into this beautiful old farmhouse on the side of Queen Anne Hill. Geoff has always been like a big brother to me. He made leather goods and sold them at the Pike Place Market and at street fairs where he practiced guitar between customers. He was constantly bringing new friends home from the Market and we had great potlucks and parties and musical evenings. Oftentimes the friends he brought home would end up moving in and there was a constantly changing cast of interesting characters around the house. Geoff moved out of the Garfield Street house long before I did, but we shared houses several times after that in various parts of Seattle with various other groups of housemates. Geoff was also a very good mechanic and helped me learn how to fix my own cars starting with the 1958 Ford I saved up my cab-driving money to buy. It looked sort of like this one: Those were the days, I tell you. Nowadays Geoff is a semi-retired freelance cabinet maker and lives with Marsha who is a nutritionist. They have traveled all over the world together. It is great to see my old friend so happy. Getting back together again after so long, it seemed like no time had passed and we thoroughly enjoyed hanging out on the deck and telling stories and laughing together as always.
Marsha has gotten Geoff interested in hiking and photography, so of course we did the obligatory hike up to the top of the ridge where they both were absolutely delighted with the wildflower-strewn meadow. On the way back we stopped by to visit my neighbor Jeff who graciously allowed us to tour his fantastic grain silo house - still under construction, but more beautiful all the time. Geoff and Marsha were hugely impressed with his craftsmanship and creativity.

Yesterday Marsha and Geoff left for three days in Yellowstone Park. They'll be back for one night before they return to Spokane. They have been delightful visitors - mellow and good-humored and as comfortable as old friends can be. I am looking forward to seeing them again at the end of the week.