Calling New York home....again

So Tim, Penny and I made it across the country in five days.  I used to drive it in two and a half days, but I'm not as young as I once was.  Additionally, having a cat with us required extra time at stops for water, food, freedom from her carrier and moments of affection / reassurance.  Plenty of curious looks, giggles and second glances came our way at rest areas.  Apparently it's unusual to see folks traveling with their feline.  Penny meowed a lot the first two days, but eventually exhaustion kicked in and her need for sleep took over.  She was overall very patient.  However, by day three I'm pretty sure she was over the experience.  As were we, to be honest.

"This beats sleeping in your car at the Walmart parking lot....any day."  Our Penny at a hotel room in Michigan.

We traveled north on this trip.  We started in southwestern Montana and made our way across to the wide open lands of North Dakota (soooo beautiful!) and on into Minnesota (holy lakes, Batman!).  We drove through intense fog and a tremendous downpour while passing from Duluth into Wisconsin.  On to Michigan where we considered buying a bumper sticker that read: "The Upper Peninsula.  Unsalted and Shark Free!"  It made me chuckle.  I know I appreciate fresh water being shark free, don't you? 

On to and through Ontario before dropping down into NY.  Tim and I lost each other on the bridge into the US and for a few hours afterward.  After almost five full days of driving and one night sleeping in our cars at a Walmart parking lot, I broke down in tears at a rest area outside Buffalo.  I was a bit of a wreck, but tears did lead me to a very, very kind woman who let me use her cell phone to find Tim.  This lovely lady saw my distress and helped without hesitation.  (Yes, I'm one of those people who does not own a cell phone.)  Thank goodness for the kindness of fellow human beings.  How many of us have been blessed by the generosity and soft words of a complete stranger at one time or another?  I thanked her about a dozen times, walked away calmer than I had been, reminded myself that people are awesome and not five minutes later watched Tim pull into the parking lot.  Challenges do often work out in the end, don't they?  

We are currently hanging at my parents' house until we can move into our new-to-us home.  We will be renting half of an old farmhouse on a quiet country road where I hope to see deer, rabbits, wild turkeys, raccoons, blue jays, cardinals, hummingbirds and whatever other critters decide to show themselves.  Okay, I don't exactly want field mice in my home, but you get the idea.  There aren't any bison or pronghorn running wild in upstate New York that I'm aware of, but I will be happy to see the creatures that call this particular area home. 

Below is a photo of a white-tailed buck Tim and I spotted near the Mohawk River on a walk along a bike trail.  He was pretty startled and stayed motionless in the tall grass for a long while before moving on.  What a handsome fellow he was.  Below that is another shot of the same area as a thunder storm rolled in.  While I am indeed missing the mountains and wide open skies of Montana, I realize there is natural beauty everywhere.  I am excited about the bird watching opportunities that lie ahead.  I look forward to hearing coyotes howling in the night as I've been told happens pretty often in this part of NY.  And I will soon be pouring over maps of the Catskills, state parks and wildlife refuges, hoping for many chances to explore as the weather cools and the leaves begin to change.

It is nice to be back in NY.  This is where I was born and called home until my late 20s.  Old memories abound in this area, fun times with family have already been had since we've arrived, and Tim will soon be on his adventure of pursuing his graduate degree.  Life is really quite good.  Finding rewarding work will make it even better.  Making a home where I can be creative, having access to my beads and other arty pursuits will undoubtedly make things terrific.  Wish me luck with the job hunt.  In the upcoming months, I'll be sure to pass along any escapades worth sharing.

Tim riding a crocodile (or an alligator?) outside the Historic Village Diner in Red Hook, NY