A Summer Joy, Or Every Day is Grandparent's Day

Ponca Low Water Bridge

The house is very QUIET---

On the porch:

The little red "digger" truck (just the right size for small hands to drive along the porch railing) is abandoned on the swing, and the blue sand bucket with yellow shovel sits at the door ready for the next river trip.

In the kitchen:

The half-eaten banana turns brown on the counter, and a few stray Fruit Loops lay scattered on the kitchen floor.

The "dirt-dirt" sippy cup is now washed and dried and back on the shelf ready for the next chocolate milk break.

In the living room:

The magic markers (truly magic because they only show marks on special paper) lay in disarray on a tray on the table.

The little American flag, at one time clutched in a chubby hand, no longer waves.

The house is very QUIET---

Upstairs on the floor is the remains of a Lincoln Log cabin. Only a few hours ago---

"Mimi, build a house," says the child sweetly.

"Okay, Jack Henry, you put the roof on," says Mimi obligingly.

"Why! Jack Henry! You crashed your truck into my house!" says Mimi, not too surprised.

"Yep! Mimi, let's do again!" says the 'precious' child with an impish grin.

Molly, the Jack Russell, morns the fact that her new buddy isn't around, and Daisy relaxes again, relieved that her home is no longer invaded by a noisy pint-sized stranger.

The house is very QUIET---

"Pops! POPS! PO-AHHH-OPS!!!!!

"No! No bath! No nap! No go inside!"

"Mimi! Mimi! Pops made the scoop (on the tractor) go BAM! BAM!" (Arms fly into the air for emphasis)

"Read book again, Mimi, ple-eee-ase!"

"When is Mommy coming?"

QUIET everywhere---

With many waves and kisses, Jack Henry, our "grandest" is buckled into the car seat for the three hour trip back to the city.

"Go that way, Mommy!" the two-year old commands, as he points down the mountain---150 miles to go!

Two tired grandparents sit down in the living room, feet up, and relive the joys of the last two days--basking in the QUIET that takes over the house.

The Night Visitor, or Things That Go Bump In the Night

Night visitor at Mountain Springs

From ghoulies and ghosties and long-leggety beasties

and things that go bump in the night, Good Lord, deliver us!

Cornish Prayer

Jack is used to me waking him in the middle of the night with a whispered "What's that noise?" Usually, without really listening for a "noise", he will attribute the "bump" to our fridge. It has a way of letting us know with grinding and bumping noises that it is working hard all night to produce ice. In the dark house at night it does strange sound! However, this night I was awakened by Jack as he slipped out of bed noiselessly. His slow, deliberate movements made me aware something was going on.

Then I heard him laugh (quietly) as he told me to "Get up, there is a raccoon walking across the beam above the living room!" That got my attention! I was now totally awake!

When I realized this wasn't a dream, Mr. Raccoon was slowly making his way through the birdhouses etc. that decorate the space above the kitchen cabinets. From dealing with critters in the past (mostly outside), I knew not to make a loud noise or do anything that might startle one, especially when he is delicately balanced over our heads--in our living room! Whoops! One birdhouse down!

Jack instructed me to open all doors so the raccoon would have an escape route. What else can you do with a raccoon doing a trapeze act in the house? The raccoon made it across the cabinets and into the loft. From there he made a slow loop around the loft carefully balancing on the back of the sofa, across the bed, over numerous baskets, books etc. to my craft cabinet then on to the computer. That got him completely around the room back to the loft edge. The only thing left to do for a self-respecting raccoon in such a predicament was to swing down feet first, holding on the edge with front paws (much like a kid swinging down from a tree) and drop to the first floor--a height of about eight feet. He landed on the metal top of the log fireplace below with a bang! (thank goodness it was not burning at the time!) And, in a flash, he was out the wide open front door. He was as glad to leave us as we were to see him go!

The whole episode took five to ten minutes, but going back to sleep wasn't easy. How did he get in our house? It was stuffy in the house earlier in the evening so we opened the wooden back door, hooking the screen, to allow the cool night air to flow through the house before bedtime. We then forgot to close it. Mr. Raccoon was obviously up on the porch checking for leftovers in the dog food bowl which is close to the door. When he discovered, with a little push, he could slip through a corner of the screen door where, thanks to Daisy the frame was bent. However, the metal frame snapped back blocking him from leaving the same way he arrived.

And, how did a raccoon perch himself on the beam above the living room once he made his way into the house? That is a mystery! We cannot find a way for a critter his size to climb from the first floor and onto the beam without using the stairs! Then, he would have had to follow, in reverse, the path across the loft, over cabinets and onto the beam. Who knows! He's not telling!

Second Chapter: A night or two later, we let the dogs outside before bed. Immediately there was a commotion that sent me to the back door and Jack out the door and into the yard. As I stood at the screen door (yes, same screendoor), looking out into the dark night and fumbling for the outside light switch, a whirr of brown fur flew by followed close behind by two barking white streaks! We have a complete wrap around porch with railing so the race continued, making two complete laps around the porch before the desperate brown furry creature (by now identified as a raccoon, same one? Who knows!) bailed off under the railing--a height of probably 10 feet. The dogs had to go around to the steps which gave the desperate critter enough time to run across the yard and up the nearest tree. Enough excitement for that night!

Third chapter: The next night Jack set out the Have-A-Hart trap using dog food as bait. Mr. Raccoon made another night visit to the porch. He obviously can't resist dog food and carelessly crawled in and snap! All he could do was sit and await his fate which was a relocation trip in the back of the truck down the mountain to Kenner Creek Bridge. This is where I took the his picture before releasing a very relieved and tired raccoon. My last (I hope) picture of him was as he loped down the grassy trail toward the creek.

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