Home. Sweet, Sweet Home.

Over the river and thru the dale, down the white gravel road and back to the riverside again. Pass thru the farm fields, the DNR Game Area, 'round the bend, and over the county ditch.... we pulled into the drive and saw the mature spruce scattered around the yard next to the river and the cabin and couldn't believe we had the right address. We backed up (easy to do when there aren't any other cars in sight on the road) and checked the street number again. The only indication it was for sale was one little 8 x 11 sign stuck in the ground on a wooden stake that bore more resemblance to a yard sale sign than a realty monelith. But, there it was. We were in the right place, and OH MY GOSH!

A 60's era cedar sided A-frame cabin wrapped with porches on all sides peeked out from under the spruces, nestled next to the river. In that very instant, that very nano-second, I knew that I was home. I knew that this little cabin that looked for all the world that it was in Colorado or the Black Hills was where I was supposed to be. My heart burst it was so full.... Hackberry and red-osier dogwood alongside the river, mussel shells (Pearly Giant Floaters) as long as my extended hand littered the riverbank. Turkey feathers and deer tracks marked the yard where the wildlife had enjoyed the empty house - oh, and racoon poop on the porch! It was perfect!!!

The first explorations of the riverside were really an unforgettable experience. The first time following the deer trail thru the remnant native grasses at the edge of the yard~ the elation of finding wild grape vines to hang onto and make the 10 foot drop down the embankment to the river....landing on the bank, an array of stones and mussel shells in various stages of decay and other river detritus. I've never seen such a scattering of monster-sized mussel shells in my life, in any of my National Park stations or on the National Wildlife Refuge. It was incredible.

The river is about 50 -60 ft wide here by the cabin, and in late fall of 2008, was only knee - thigh deep all the way across. The rocks on the bottom clearly visible and beautiful. The remnant edge of bottom land forest leaning and reaching out to each other from each side, providing perfect perching spots for the fishing birds. We walked from back corner of the yard, riverside, to the other back corner, and found another egress up to the yard level. There was even an island or jetty, perfect for the little kids to use as staging grounds for their river exploits or late evening summer campfires at the river.

We got back up to the yard and called the realtor to tell her that we had found our home. We hadn't even been inside yet.....