A mockingbird singing 15 stanzas greets us on the first three mornings in our new home.
I am elated.
Then, neighbors on both sides start extensive power tool projects–the mockingbird flies away. He’s leaving me in a strange, new land.
Before moving, we attempt to seriously downsize. I struggle to follow advice “When in doubt, throw out.” However, we arrive in Venice with too much stuff for a small, brand new clean, shiny back house thoughtfully curated by my daughter, Jennifer. We are burdened and nearly buried by boxes, but our main immediate concern is the safety of our cat, Yoyo.
He is a jungle indoor-outdoor creature accustomed to commanding 40 acres of forest, meadows, and ravines. We manage to corral him for two nights. He scratches into freshly painted walls as he tries to get out.The third evening, he is stealthy as he slinks, slithers and scampers out the door. In two seconds he claws and scrambles over the 8 ft. fence. The fence borders a long alley lined on both sides by high brick walls and fences. Both ends have locked gates, but Yoyo discovers territory beyond.
In his Caz hill life, Yoyo slept with Jim most of the night. Daytime, he often stayed nearby to assist with ranch jobs, so we figure he will recognize Jim’s scent. To give a clue for which fence is ours, Jim displays his sweaty, stinky shirt in the alley dirt.
At 4:20 a.m. I hear scratching and a kerplunk on the deck. Our cat staggers in, crawls under the bed and restores himself by sleeping 10 hours.. Later, we find dirt paw prints on the black shirt. After this, Jim is extremely anxious about Yoyo’s whereabouts, but learns we cannot cage this cat. Soon, Yoyo creates a command post and surveils the neighborhood by sniffing his morning “newspaper.”
Yoyo acclimates to new surroundings more readily than I do. I don’t know east from west until I look at the Subaru compass.
Here’s the sunset.
Here’s the sunrise:
We are used to deep quiet sunrises like this.
Of course, we expect auditory pollution. It turns out that day time voices are not too invasive, partying people have entirely too much evening fun, and we’re pleasantly surprised not to have a single crabby, complaining neighbor. We must accustom ourselves to barking dogs near and far, crow-cacophony, radios, leaf blowers, power tools of all sorts, trash trucks, engines revving up, car horns, vehicle motor background hum, sirens, helicopters near and far. We are beneath the flight path of small planes and we’re learning to minimize consternation when conversations are interrupted from above. We surrender by hushing, pausing for a few moments as we point to the plane roaring. When an engine cuts out right over our heads, we hold our breath and are grateful when the engine resumes and patches together the deathly silence. Now and then, screaming LAX jets sear the sky. Jim is nearly deaf, which fortunately minimizes his annoyance. It’s harder for me.
I could go on forever listing what I miss after 20 years of adventure in the Cazadero hills and along wild, northwest seas.
But I have ton of things to learn. I practice courteous parallel parking skills and when and where to park. Here’s my day #2 parking ticket for being on the wrong side of the street on gutter sweeper day.
I finally figure out how to run clever, small, energy saving appliances, which operate almost silently and have a friendly dingaling when they’re done. I prefer my hillside solar dryer–
but the automatic one is not half bad:
I discover the dryer lint trap. Here it sits on the excellent redwood table made by our friend, Joe Cooper in the Caz hills.
We immensely appreciate Joe’s handiwork, which nourishes us as much as home-cooked meals.
Other items from the north bring comfort. Here’s Salt Point salt, a gift from Angie Cooper.
It’s sprinkled on Forbidden Rice, also from Sonoma County.
Unpacking, organizing and decorating are fun in their own way. Jennifer has been doing detailed house and hotel floor plans on graph paper since she was 8 yrs old, so she is an expert, helpful design consultant. Here’s a detail from the new, So Cal version of the Hall of Mirrors:
Note the reflected toilet paper with fancy wrapping. BTW, we discover jaunty messages subtly embedded in each colorful wrapping ~creators of Who Gives a Crap are clever.
Boxed and bagged stuff find new homes. Cupboards are packed with real food. Somehow, non-essential joke food was not thrown out.
The zip measuring tape with the hand holder knitted by Jim’s sister, Debbie Bistline, travels many inches every day..
Watch this for a second:
Eventually the deck is clear enough for Jim to enjoy reading out there. Also, the Pacific Ocean air in Venice is clear and refreshing–this is hugely important.
Catherine Rojas, my Southern Cal friend/teaching/gardening colleague from 30 years ago, brings a generous, essential gift for the deck garden: dirt.
We make a deck-kitchen garden that might overflow with blooms and mini batches of produce .
My mother’s collected copper treasures and my travel souvenirs from days of yore, such as this Greek lantern, bolster mental stability.
The Blue Dude, made in Mary Entriken’s ceramic class, still hangs out.
Red rocks backpacked from Goat Rock picnics help re-establish our footing.
Our daughters and family and friends help make us feel at home.
On Labor Day weekend, our Caz hills neighbors, Jesus and Patricia, spontaneously drive 10 hours for a crazy, fun one day visit. Jesus and Jim resurrect the bell, which has been on the sidelines looking junky. With each move over the decades, Jim has insisted on hauling it up and down the state. Here it is –the two guys ring in a new chapter for us.
Coming soon–do not miss–entertainment Southern Cal style.
We miss you! Ask for our mail address!
Gretchen Butler Wild Art 
Another beautiful, and sad, report from your soul to the many souls that love you. Thank you. And we miss you!!!!!
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Thank you, Jenn
for prompt, encouraging response–Did your version of it include the opening mockingbird image??? It seems to only show up if you push the read blog or homepage button.
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G,
the first look i did not see mockingbird but just now, yes!!
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OH! glad to hear. I always get scared when I push the Publish button. Afterward, I figured out what I did wrong, so it’s good to know the fixed version made it after all.
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what a wonderful walk through your current chapter…..highs, lows, flows, walls…. such a gift you give us all through these makes one glad to have a computer
>
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Nancy, thank you for this. Your comments always give me an extra boost.
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Just love this latest installment!
Fun to know more Yoyo history.
Rogér
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Roger, so glad you are pleased. I should have shown how you figured out how to construct the “shed.” I wasn’t on the ball with the camera. Anyway, thank you–I have that shed packed carefully with shelves. love, g and j
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OMG…you take neuroplasticity to the highest level my dear! Adapting can be challenging, but my sense of you is that you have always taken life as it comes…and goes….and with your sense of art in all things and your huge heart it always works to the best it can be! Much love…..mike
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Dear Mike, your comments are always helpful. You also find your flow with an open heart.
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Gretchen! & Jim, You do everything with grace and art and color! And we have cat experiences like that
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Dear Michael,
Yay for cats! …. can’t tell you how much I miss book group.
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This
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Dear Sherry, glad you grabbed your email. I missed you on Sunday–catch you soon.
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We miss you too! Really appreciate ALL of your observations. Makes what we have here even more valued. However, you show us the ability to adapt in a most positive way. Love that you continue to share.
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Dear Jan, Thank you–every little interaction with you has been a delight. How about sending a pic of your art?
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Gretchen; I am so out of touch, I only recently heard you two had moved away. Sad we didn’t get to spend more time together beforehand. Your story has impacted me by fulfilling many of our worst fears of “what it would be like”….to move back to “civilization”….Especially like hearing of Yoyo. Good ol’ cats, eh? Finding a way to habitate the new turf with dignity! Good wishes to you in your new adventure.
Anne Hanson
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Thank you, Anne–yup, worst fears.I hear you. Over the years so many times I listened to wild land ex-pats describe living in town. I never, never thought I would be one of them. Thanks for commenting. I have fond memories of embroidering and sharing holiday market with you.
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Gretchen –
I loved reading this SO MUCH!
I love that, among the things you save and savor, despite having to give up so much to fit into a tiny home, are a jar of confetti and sea-tumbled red rocks.
Sonoma County is less for you being out of it, but thankfully your friends and fans can continue to feel joy and tears and deep grounding in your wonderful, witty words and pictures.
Thank you.
-Tempra
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Dear Tempra, we have clicked from the start. I had LOLs while reading your story on hug experiences. We are now mutual subscribers.
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Gretchen –
I loved reading this SO MUCH!
I love that, among the things you save and savor, despite having to give up so much to fit into a tiny home, are a jar of confetti and sea-tumbled red rocks.
Sonoma County is less for you being out of it, but thankfully your friends and fans can continue to feel joy and tears and deep grounding in your wonderful, witty words and pictures.
Thank you.
-Tempra
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Dear Gretchen and Jim:, best of luck in your new adventure. Of course your universe will morph in ways you can’t predict now, and I know you’ll find beauty in it. Enjoy those precious good times with your daughters and families, now so close to you.
Love,
Hannah and John
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Dear Hannah and John,
Appreciate your comments. Also, you have been on my mind because we took visitors to the Grand Canal a few days ago. Thank you for encouraging us to go there–I thought of you while meandering between reflections and other realities. John, please refresh me on what role your relatives had in the canal architecture. I’m going to include the canals in the next Wild Art episode.
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Dear dear Gretchen,I loved reading your entry, seeing the pictures, and I feel like I just visited you and Jim! You’re making your home!Please send me your mailing address and tell me if there are any items from my neck of the coast that you all desire or need.It’s so strange to know you all are so far away. I’ll be visiting Jonah and his in Pomona September 18-23, but I’m too uncomfortable to navigate the freeways down there. If you happen to be out my way, please let me know.My big love and hugs to you and Jim,Elizabeth
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Miss our visits! So pleased to hear from you. We’ve been in touch for so many decades I’m sure we’ll keep on. Freeways—yaaaa bummer for us.
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well this is just perfect. thank you as always for being who you are. please send address.
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Hi Gretchen. I love your art/journal/creative piece as always! Thank you for sharing this part of your journey with humor, grace, patience, fortitude, and hopefulness. I send you and Jim my very best wishes in this new chapter! With love, Diane
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Thank you, Diane. Your encouragement is helpful–as always!
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A very sweet view of your new life. We are sorry you are no longer neighbors. Do well.
Thank you so much. Don’t imagine we’ll ever find community integration the way we had with you. Will always remember our first dinner invitation from you. Stephanie and Steve were there and we had pizza with many creative toppings. You and Marion were instrumental with the last dinner party, too. You both are lodged in my vivid memory zone.
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Oh so good to hear from you. You are quite an inspiration and full of details on how to make a move after 20 years.
I too have to make this trek. I promised myself that when I was 80, I would move closer to family so that aging in place would be the best quality.
But right now, I was wondering if we could do dinner on Thur Oct 23 or Breakfast on Fri Oct 24. I am coming to LA to spend time with my grandson and his family.
Please let me know what works for you and what your new address is.
Will be so so happy to see you
Much love
kathy
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Hey Gretchen for one fleeting moment I saw you sent a response to my email about coming to see you. Some how it disappeared. Could you please resent?? Thanks
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