Visitors with wings ...

  After three days of zero activity or interest at the bird feeders I placed outside the kitchen window, I decided to move them to just off the back patio where I had previously seen a cardinal and Carolina wren.  It proved to be a good move because not only did I see the Carolina wren at the feeder, but also inspecting one of the birdhouses I have hanging in the trees.  I have started a new list to the right of birds seen at the feeders, and hope that the numbers and variety increase the longer I am here.  I think they have just not been fed here in the past, and don't expect feeders.  My eBird checklist has several new species I didn't see in Wisconsin, so I am excited to be looking for new faces at the feeders.

  I've seen at least one grey squirrel, but haven't yet told Charlie.  He seems to be unsure of what to think about the nearby dog that barks whenever I go outside with him.  I have to wonder if they sound different than Wisconsin dogs, or if it is just because he can't see it.  Knock on wood, he is much quieter here than he was in Wisconsin, but I think perhaps it is because we left the drama llama there, and this house doesn't have the negative energy that was in Wisconsin.

  Speaking of energy, there has frequently been an aroma of flowers in the house at odd intervals and places.  I haven't quite been able to pin it down to anything specific that I may have packed and brought into the house, such as the dryer sheets I packed with my clothes.  I'm choosing to believe that it is angels blessing the house and the move.  Especially after being graced with the presence of a cardinal while moving in.

  Things are slowly coming together with unpacking.  There will be more furniture I need to get for the living room and book/storage shelves for all the rooms.  I briefly thought of getting beanbag chairs for the living room that will be easier to move later than larger furniture.  But the one bean-chair I got to sit in while watching TV after getting up from the floor was nearly an Olympic feat has become a Senior Olympic's feat.  These old bones are not made for sitting on the floor or in bean-chairs.

  My "office" has a goal wall that I am using to decorate with artwork and photos of past trips to remind me of places I want to travel to again.  I'm looking forward to adding to it, but at the same time, it reminds me of mementos I had left behind in storage in Wisconsin.  I'm torn between finding a way to retrieve everything there, or just letting it all go and getting new items from future travels.  I know that most of what is there would be unused here, just more clutter in an expensive storage unit.  If I were to just let all that "baggage" go I could put the funds spent on that unit into a travel fund.   Hmmmm.  I think the decision has been made...

Giving thanks ...

Safe travel from Wisconsin to West Virginia, in spite of snowstorms, winds, freezing temperatures, and road construction.

The three F's:  Faith, Family, and Friends.

Staying healthy, and that my family and friends have also stayed healthy.

A job that could move with me.

Watching the sunrise, drinking [click here> Blueberry Cobbler coffee on the back porch, and listening to my wind chimes that are tuned to [click here> Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme which is from one of my favorite movies, Somewhere in Time.

That the insanity of the year did not completely alter our normal as I watch and listen to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Tuesday...

More unpacking today and getting settled.  I did a little bit of exploring, finding my way to and from Walmart without the assistance of Google Maps.

  I stopped on the way home at the stables across from the [click here> Greenbrier resort to see some of the horses.  In the distance, I could see a falconry class going on.  There is so much to do there!  Bucket list time!

  With Christmas just around the corner, I stopped at [click here> the Depot where they have an amazing Christmas shop all year.  I also looked at the schedule for trains between my sister's house and mine and was excited to see that they have a route that runs three days a week.  

  On the way to Walmart, there is a road that goes through a tunnel.  I don't know where it goes, but maybe next week when I have a day off I will take it just to explore.

  The mountains around me are just amazing to see, and that is with most of the trees bare of leaves.  I'm sure it is stunning in the spring, summer, and fall.  I've also noticed that the number of stars I can see in the night sky is just incredible.

the road trip from ...

 ... you know where.  It is 2020 after all.  The places and times I stopped were great.  It was the driving part that nearly did me in.

  The trip started by almost NOT starting.  I very nearly had to delay by 24 hours but introduced someone to my inner Amazon and *she* convinced him that not only had I just become his worst nightmare, but it was also in his best interest to 'comply.'

  We made it all the way across the Michigan Upper Peninsula on Monday, stopping in St. Ignace after dark at the foot of the Mackinaw Bridge.  My intent with going that route was to retrace my trip to get 'there' and emotionally erase my past.  It was a bittersweet journey, reminiscing about the people I had met, and the bridges that *he* burned to keep me from establishing many close friendships.  There is actually only one person I have stayed in touch with, and only because she was my co-worker and not someone we knew jointly.

  Of course, Charlie was thrilled to be on a road trip.  The cats ... not so much.  I finally realized they did better if there was no noise.  No radio, no running commentary to Charlie, and the GPS as silent as possible.  I was not making the mistake of the trip to Texas in 2010 when Oreo escaped and spent two years living wild before I was able to make it back to Florida and apologize.  (It still took him six months to forgive me).  Gracie and Lucy were not only harnessed and leashed, but the leashes were attached with a clip ring to the travel crate with limited movement allowed in the truck.  Still, they spent most of their time in the crate, only occasionally venturing to the front seat to voice their displeasure with me or nap.

  Mackinaw Bridge was scary the first time across in the daylight, and there was no way I wanted to cross it in the dark, with snow and high winds. There was no snow the next morning, but still windy, and still scary.    About an hour after I crossed the bridge I had to stop for a life-changing phone call.   My divorce is final!!!!   I stayed the night in Okemos/Lansing Michigan to spend a few hours with the cousins I saw on the drive up in 2014.  It was so good to see all of them again, and one cousin I had missed the first trip up.  Of course, Covid-19 limited the hugs, but not the laughter.

  Wednesday was the worst and longest travel day.  I think when (not if) I go back to visit those Michigan cousins or my sister in Pennsylvania who is an equal drive distance away, I will find an interesting town halfway there to stop for the night and play tourist.   I had the hardest time staying awake during the morning, and stopped a few times to doze, even with driving into the rising sun.  Not sure if the stress of that, combined with the exhaustion of the entire week had just taken its toll on me, but what I had planned to be an 8-hour drive day turned into a 12-hour one.

  This was the point where I crossed the Ohio River from Ohio and into West Virginia.  Within an hour I was driving in the dark ... in mountains that I'd never been in before ... and in construction zones.   I arrived almost three hours later than I had planned, utterly exhausted.  I unloaded what I needed from the truck for the night, opened up my mattress in a box that had been shipped ahead of me, and slept on the floor...

  ... for about 5 hours.  Strange house, strange noises, strange dreams.  I woke up at 3:30a and spent the rest of the day going nonstop.  Put together a new bed frame, unloaded the trailer as soon as it was light out, returned it, did some shopping for necessities, put together a table for a television center, unpacked while waiting for the television and internet to be connected, put together a desk for work, got my computers set up and ready, showered (after not having any hot water for most of the day it was amazing to just stand there and let it pound my tight back, neck and shoulder muscles loose), then I finished "dressing" the bed and collapsed at midnight.  I almost overslept this morning and was nearly late for work.  One of the many things that I forgot in my rush to leave Wisconsin was my alarm clock.  

  Charlie and I did the tourist thing a little bit when we returned the UHaul trailer and ran errands to find Walmart and pick up a box that had been misdelivered.  He was so excited to see things and made a point to bark at every dog he saw (farting on me in the process which I did NOT appreciate).  The cats have no interest in exploring so far, although Lucy did find the only place in the kitchen that she could get stuck and after four hours I finally found her behind the kitchen corner cabinet and had to pull her out.  Needless to say, I took steps to make sure that never happens again.

  Thursday morning while I was unloading the trailer, I was 'visited' by a bright red cardinal, which I took as a good sign and plan to get feeders filled as soon as possible that I will be able to see from my kitchen and office windows.  I will share photos soon of the house, and area when the weather warms up enough for walking.

the countdown begins ...

 We survived the election week from hell.  Much like this year has been, it was uncomfortable, frightening at times, and annoying.  I was so grateful to finally be able to watch the morning news and see actual news unrelated to the election.

 The cats are enjoying some fall sunshine in the front window.  Charlie and I started what will become our Sunday ritual today... a car ride into town to get the Sunday (or in this case Saturday) paper, coffee, and a donut.

 The house is 3/4 packed, with my office [the MOST cluttered room] still remaining to finish this week, and here I am procrastinating getting started on it, with small spurts of activity between writing.

 It will be a busy week no matter what.  I'm being considered for a supervisor position, and interviews will be early this week.  

 I've been researching my new home2be and am getting even more excited about the opportunities there.   There is a [click here> small zoo less than two hours away that is working to save the red wolf population and reintroduce them into the Allegheny Mountains.  They have volunteer opportunities with their education department, and I'm super excited to get involved with them. 

 Fingerstoesandlegscrossed that the [click here> WV Dandelion Festival will take place next May.  It was the inspiration for the name of the blog.  I want to fill my new home2be with art from the area, and [click here> Lee Street Studios is one place I'm going to look for it, and ... drumroll please ... they offer classes!  But I am especially excited about the [click here> Lewisburg Literary Festival in April!

anxious anticipation ...

 I could not fall asleep Friday night.  I think the anticipation of the upcoming move and road trip had me anxious.  The journey will retrace the one I took to get here, with an extra stop since I don't know how early I will be able to get on the road the day I leave.  There will be much to do that day, the last of which will be loading up the fur kids, and relinquishing the house key.

Finally, at 4a Saturday, I gave up trying to sleep and got up, showered, and began my day.  This resulted in being completely exhausted by 4:30 in the afternoon, and so to bed, I went.  I slept for about 15 hours with bizarre dreams of an ex-husband, a junior high school crush, dogs waiting for me at the rainbow bridge, and a house I have not lived in for over 23 years.  My body was rested, but my brain confused.

Today I have been listening to the Minnesota Vikings (my favorite team since the days of Fran Tarkenton) and the Green Bay Packers football game, purging and packing my living room clutter, and shopping for furniture.  Since I can only take what I can carry alone I've been ordering larger items and having them shipped ahead of me.  For the first time in over eight years, I am decorating again according to my preferences and not someone else's.  Furniture styles I like, not something picked up for free on the side of the road.  Colors that bring me joy, not something related to a college football team favored by someone who never finished the 9th grade.

I am excited at this time of new beginnings and creativity.  The future is bright ... and not a bright garnet and gold.