A few days ago I noticed a chipmunk was trying to figure out a way to get to the repurposed fountain I use to hold oranges for the birds to enjoy.

That particular chipmunk never did seem to figure it out. When I changed out the orange yesterday, the orange that had been there a few days still had pulp left, so I set it near the entrance where I often see the chipmunks go. To their special haven. Right under my Joyful Pause Cottage Studio. 

I’ve dreamed up all kinds of images of what their little home must look like under there. And though I can sometimes feel frustrated when they dig in my flowers, I do love having the little rascals around because they are so darling and really fun to watch.

Around noon today, I was sitting on the deck, eyes closed, as I did my second session of breathing exercises I do each day to help me better manage my asthma. It’s amazing what you can hear when you are still. And that’s when I heard something that caused me to open my eyes to see a chippy had finally figured out how to get to the oranges. It made my heart smile.

It was early Thursday morning last week when I opened the front door to see a chipmunk on our front stoop. He/she didn’t look right. I then noticed it was foaming from the mouth. My heart went out to the chippy as obviously, it was suffering. Either from rabies or perhaps someone had put out poison and it had gotten into it. Because I wasn’t sure if it was rabies or not, I sat down near the front door, closed my eyes, and sent healing waves of love and support to the chipmunk in hopes it would have a peaceful transition.

When I opened my eyes a few moments later another chipmunk had just hopped onto the stoop and chased the sick chipmunk away. I looked for it several times that day hoping to find it and give it a proper burial. But I never did find him/her but hoped the transition had gone quickly.

I thought about that suffering chipmunk as I held the half-eaten orange in my hand and also remembered the chipmunk who couldn’t figure out a way to get to it a few days earlier.

So I placed it near the entrance where I often see them run in and out and how they are often scampering along the west side of my cottage. Friday evening I was telling John what I’d done with the half-eaten orange when I walked across the deck to see if the orange was still there. And guess who was enjoying the orange pulp? A chippy, of course!

John smiled and said, “That is Chippy Boulevard.” 

I laughed and couldn’t agree more. I thought about how many years ago he would get frustrated with me that I sometimes feed the critters, but now he has grown to enjoy them as much as I do. 

While the chipmunks, squirrels, bunnies, and birds have been my joy and entertainment for a long time, it has been especially rewarding to hear how John’s appreciation of them has grown. Just a few weeks ago he said, “This really is our little sanctuary back here.”

Indeed it is. And how grateful I am.

XO

Barb

“Like to sparrows in a hurricane 
Trying to find their way
With a head full of dreams
And faith that can move anything
They’ve heard it’s all uphill
But all they know is how they feel
The world says they’ll never make it, love says they will.”

Pretty much from the day John and I started dating – me at the age of 15 1/2 and John at the age of 19, the refrain lyrics above, by Tanya Tucker, have been special to us. And the little birds on the dash of first, our van, that John converted to livable space to use for vacations, to then upgrading to an R-pod camper, and now the little bird’s new-to-them for traveling is a 2010 Tiffin motorhome.

It was a leap of faith…but then again, every step of the way has involved either a small amount of faith or a big dose of it.

I’d have to say for the past six months or so it has been at the forefront of my heart how John and I are in the autumn of our lives, which I’ve written about a few times on my blog lately.

Then traveling to check out this motorhome and meeting the owner, the emotions that have been whirling around in my heart became even more magnified.

As the older gentleman, I’ll call him, Henry, showed us around his well-kept and maintained motorhome he was selling he shared with us that when he wanted to upgrade to a motorhome five years ago it took him a few days to convince his wife.

I related to that as a motorhome has been on John’s bucket list for quite a few years. But it was me that had to find a comfortable place with it.

Henry and his wife traveled often in their 55 years of marriage.

“My wife died in February and why I’m selling the motorhome,” Henry said.

That went right into my heart and how hard this must be for Henry as he is in this difficult transitional space without his wife of all those years. The autumn of John and my life came into full view again.

We then had a few laughs when Henry showed us the large bedroom closet and with his hands just a short length a part he said, “This was my section for clothes.” He could never understand why his wife had to take so many clothes when there were always laundry facilities at the campgrounds they stayed at.

I smiled in recognition and tried to shed some light on this for Henry. “I’m the same way. It’s just that you don’t know how you are going to feel on any given day about what you want to wear, so it’s why I bring different outfits.”

With those words just out of my mouth, he said in exasperation, “She also always had to bring two crockpots!”

I chuckled inwardly as he continued to try and understand why those things were important to her.

At one point we shared with Henry that we were very interested in purchasing his motorhome, though it was a big decision. I shared with Henry that what he was asking for the motorhome was exactly what we’d paid for our house when we bought it over thirty years ago and the same one we’ve been in all this time.

Henry shared how they’d been in the same house since they’d been married also.  “But five years ago when we contemplated buying a motorhome or not, one day we looked at each other and agreed to take the leap and do it.”

He said they never regretted it.

Before we left, we shook hands with Henry. His eyes filling with tears he said, “I’m going to cry when this motorhome leaves my driveway.” My heart went out to him once again.

On the two-and-a-half-hour ride back home my heart was stirring with so much emotion. For Henry and the loss of his wife and all the memories they’d made…and again, thinking about how John and I are at this over mid-way point in our lives.

It was a big decision and though I sensed John was ready, I still needed time.

The following morning things unfolded quickly with another couple that was very interested in the motorhome, which was the nudge we needed to make the decision to take that final leap.

And I thought about all those years John supported me as I cared for three special needs dachshunds. Now it was my turn to support him and this dream he had for so long.

After getting things in order it was Tuesday morning when we made the two and a half hour trip there and then back home again. But this time, with me following behind in the car, as John confidently took the wheel of the motorhome. About halfway home, we stopped for a picnic lunch in the new rig, and then it was homeward bound.

When we arrived home, and the rig was backed in our driveway, John still in the driver’s seat, tears filled my eyes to see him in his element, happy as could be… and his dream come true.

And these two little birds with a “head full of dreams and faith that can move anything” think about the years ahead and the memories we will make in our new-to-us traveling home.

“The world says they’ll never make it, but love says they will.”

And what a ride it continues to be!

XO

Barb