Meeting the Neighbor(s)

We made our first trip north with the camper, dogs, and supplies (including chainsaws). We ended up delaying the trip by a day due to weather and went on April 30. I spent a couple nights at a campground in Florence, WI (1-star, would not recommend).

We spent 3-days working in the woods sawing down trees and making enormous brush piles to either be mulched or used for firewood in the future. After some research on the Florence Co. website, I found some sources to help with the tree removal. He did a GREAT job and has been a huge support with me coming up and the timing of things.

I have learned a LOT while there:

1. When felling a tree, it rarely goes where you want it. Just ask the broken chair and bent chainsaw bar.

2. There are a LOT of trees. Pines grow as prolific as dandelions in an untreated yard.

3. Clementine continues to learn appropriate boundaries for safety (i.e. don't try to sniff the chain side of a running chainsaw, etc.).

4. Charlie does not particularly like giant sticks (trees) coming his way anymore.

   1. Charlie ALSO does not like when the tree moves for no reason.

We officially found our favorite bar (until we discover more). It is the 101 just off hwy 101 (creative, I know). Delicious food! It could have been because it was after two days of hard work, but either way, I am not complaining. Turns out, if I want to get to know people in the neighborhood, that may be the place to go.

One of the days after mom and dad headed home, the dogs followed their noses a little too far and discovered the "permanent neighbor's" property - the neighbor who was already living there when I bought the land - the neighbor we spoke about becoming friends with. Turns out there is a good chance we will NOT be friends. The dogs were discovered exploring his property and he doesn't appear to be a person who asks questions prior to letting off shots from his gun. I had discovered they had gone outside the range of my land and had started to walk down the road towards them (I have GPS collars for both that I can look up their real-time location) when I heard 7 gunshots go off. While watching their little dots on the map on my phone, I stopped in my tracks with my heart in my toes waiting for their dots to move. They both took off FAST back the way they came and met me on the road, both unscathed and both looking at me with smiles on their faces ready to tell me about their adventure.

They took some time in their enclosure in the camper to think about their behavior and it's impact on others (while I sat staring at the trees wondering what I would have done if one was injured or killed). After that, they acquired an additional vibrating collar that beeps, vibrates, then gives a small buzz if they still do not listen. The buzz rarely gets used, but the beep and vibration was used often over the next few days to keep them in sight.

This neighbor's name is Brent, and the best description I can get from people of him is a nervous laugh (from Florence zoning), or a gaze into the distance trying to find the right word to describe him - the only thing coming to mind being "different."

Brent has made me feel quite at home with all his passive aggressive notes and the post dog exploration note promising "appropriate retribution". It just makes it homey and welcoming.

I ended up heading home a few days early due to a number of factors (generators - no matter how quiet - hurt my heart to be run in the middle of the woods to run my computer for work, new employee starting a week earlier than planned, etc.)

Des Moines is noisy and bright.

I miss the woods and the water.

I heard the coyotes howling on my last night (Charlie and Clementine didn't know what to make of that).

...and the loons have returned.