Nobody's Mad

The week: early on, I visited the building department at county headquarters down the street and found out that the permit for the cottage is NOT in danger of being canceled.  A burden was lifted from my shoulders!  On Tuesday we planted four more trays of seeds for our future vegetable garden in Seattle.  Toward the end of the week we had cooling temperatures and a wonderful rain that soaked the ground, making watering unnecessary in the garden here on Bullion Street.

Yesterday Mike spoke by phone with his parents in England and found them and all the family to be well.

And magical today: we drove out into the country to visit our nonagenarian friend Doi at her ranch.  Just past Doi’s mail box, we glanced off to the right and saw what seems to have been a mountain lion slouching toward a shade tree to drink from Doi’s pond.  (Our first time seeing a wildcat in the wild.)

We found Doi working in her garden beside the octagonal house where she now lives, on a hill overlooking her old ranch house.  She took us on a moderately long walk down to the old house and the original garden there (still beautiful!) and out to a shed where her husband’s imaginative, free-spirited ceramic work is stored. (Bob passed away two years ago at the age of 94).

Later Doi made tea and we chatted a while.  It was a joy to see this dear friend.

As we drove out across the ranch toward home, a coyote loped across the road in front of us.  The mountain lion, possibly lolling somewhere nearby, was hidden from view.