Giving thanks to seven wild turkeys

With all due respect to the state of Oregon — most particularly to its Symphony, its homey groceries, and my wonderful friends who I met calling/canvassing/laughing on so many great campaigns and in “classrooms” —  all of that Everything that happened when I first parachuted in as a 31 year old Manhattanite …  until I finally made it here to this precious Pacific island, three decades later —  With all due respect!

I lived in a beautiful house we built in Washington County, Oregon (97007) almost as many years as I did on the East Coast. I changed diapers there, my used books from Powell’s multiplied on endless shelves there, I wrote two winning Nanowrimos there, I judged lots of high school debates there! But even though it all happened so long ago — I’ll never forget how exciting it was to discover new ways of learning things on the East Coast — riding the IRT subway, working at One World Trade Center, visiting Indian Pond in Riverdale …  being, at different times, camper and counselor at Camp Hillcroft (and camper at Belvoir Terrace), and then opening the door for the first time to room 31 in Pembroke East…

You know that incredible moment when the light comes on, and you put your feet up and feel completely at home — without ever pausing to wonder about what comes next?  Well … that didn’t happen for me until the Big Island. (Launch date:  September 2, 2013.)

It wasn’t until we did everything we possibly could to help during our parents’ last decade — that we were sure we were ready for a new compass point. An address I had to learn how to pronounce — with a flock of wild turkeys waiting for crumbs.  Three babies and a mother and a troop of extras.   They come and go to look us over and welcome us home.  1700 feet above the sea with a pilot’s clear view.  Mangoes, lemons, papayas, bananas, avocados, grapefruit and all those weeds.