We finally managed to get our internet connection working last night. I am really sitting in our cabin writing to you rather than sitting on the hilltop. Magic.

In the crisp morning air all that can be heard is the whizzing, whirring sound of the hummingbirds as they go back and forth between our two feeders, the peewee is screeching its monotonous song, and the light babble of Bart’s Creek, still flowing with spring run off water. It’s very peaceful here. It’s taken some time but I think we are finally on cabin time. Time that passes slowly and sweetly, without you even noticing. It’s hard to explain.

We are “off the grid” here, meaning we have no one providing us with services. We make our own electricity, relying on the sun to spill its power onto our solar panels and down into the batteries, so we have to be mindful of our usage. We have a wind generator too, but we took it down when we moved to New Jersey. The wind is downright wicked up here and would have ruined it if we had left it up unattended. We do have a large propane tank and our refrigerator, stove and furnace are powered by propane. We have a well with deliciously cold water. Yes, we have running water and all the comforts that go along with it. Rustic but comfortable.

The dogs are certainly enjoying themselves. We take plenty of long walks.

For now I will leave you with the sunset from the other night. More coming soon.

I am blogging from Des Moines, Iowa. We are passing by newly formed “lakes” right now. There’s a lot of standing water out there. Looks more like a bayou than anything else at the moment. Incredible. And downright scary for some of these people only feet away from being engulfed. They say the river here crested last night, and with no further rain, it has stabilized.

Our detour took us about 60 miles out of the way to the north, to Dubuque and over. I wish I could tell you it was a pleasant diversion, but it was not. Although it was a divided highway, it was not Interstate driving. Poor Dubuque’s roads were clogged with all of us “I-80ers” but they couldn’t have minded too much since we saw several signs like the Burger King we passed by was displaying saying, “Welcome I-80 Travelers!” At least someone could benefit from our miserable drive from Dubuque to Interstate 35.

We fought strong broad-side winds the whole way. Not much fun. The whole thing put us back about two and one-half hours of travel time.

We passed field after field with what we could only assume were planted with crops. It was difficult to tell since they looked more like rice paddies than farm fields. Swollen rivers and streams were nearly at bridge levels and had spilled over their banks to create new ponds and lakes. Oh, those poor people. While we were merely inconvenienced by our little detour, these people have lost their homes and more. So sad. And we didn’t even get close to Cedar Rapids where the worst flooding occurred. It’s going to take a while for the ground to absorb all the excess water. wow.

We’ve stopped in Omaha, Nebraska tonight. We had hoped to get further, but being buffeted by that wind today and having the extra hours spent going out of our way, we just couldn’t put the cats, dogs or ourselves through anymore car time. Tomorrow we hope to make good time and arrive at the cabin before dark. I may not blog for a few days until we can get our satellite internet up and running. Until then ...

I am taking advantage of cell phone broadband and typing from the car. We just passed Chicago where there were signs that I-80 is closed from Iowa City to Des Moines so we are going to have to detour around the flood zone. Should be interesting. We did hit some rain yesterday in Ohio, but nothing severe.

We’ve left the wooded hills and mountains of northern New Jersey and Pennsylvania behind. Instead we have more open farm land. So far the trip has been easy. The cats are resigned to their kitty crates today, unlike yesterday when Sam would meow mournfully every time we stopped. The dogs have also settled into the rhythm of travel and are asleep cozy in their crates. As for me, I guess I am resigned to my passenger seat. Even though Rick is driving I am driving too. You know how that goes?

There seems to be less traffic. Maybe it’s due to the higher gas prices. We certainly are seeing very few motor homes on the road. We hope to make it to mid-Nebraska today. We’ll see how much the detour slows us down.

That’s it for now. Have to return to my job as co-pilot. Maybe more later if I get bored ...

Okay. I am first to admit I am not a politically active type of gal. For the better part of my life I have not been interested in politics at all. Even worse, [and please don’t hate me for this!] I was not even registered to vote for many many years. I just frankly didn’t care.

This year I care. I really wanted Hillary as President. I think we need a woman running this country. Men have governed for 200 years now. It’s never happened before, (a woman in control) and exactly why is that? When did men take over and we became the lesser, “weaker” sex? Too long ago to even try and keep track. It’s very sad. Women in ages long past were held in high regard as healers, rulers. Then we became “witches” to those who wanted us out of the picture. Mostly by the male gender.  uh oh. I feel my hereby dormant feminist side raising its nasty fangs. Excuse me! But I digress ...

Having a black Presidential candidate is as ground-breaking as having a female one. I am probably sorely dating myself here by what I am about to say. When I was a child in the early sixties and we drove to Florida from our home in New York for vacation, we stopped in many southern locales. I clearly remember stopping at a motel in North Carolina and going into their adjoining restaurant which displayed a sign saying “No Blacks allowed inside. Service for Whites only.”  I remember it like it was yesterday. [ahem, just when was that little tiff between the North and South?]

I have to admit I haven’t really paid much attention to Obama as focused as I was on Hillary, so I need to start listening and decide which is the lesser evil. I am a Democrat, but at this point does it make sense to vote for McCain? I don’t really like Barack that much from what I have seen and heard. His religion for one scares the pants right off me. Maybe scarier than a Republican viewpoint. ouch. How can I even be thinking of changing sides? But Reagan was a great President and he was a Republican, but the Republicans have had control now for many years and they just seem to be running this once great country right into the ground. On the other hand, McCain is pretty old to be taking on a Presidency. Then there is the unfortunate resemblance in names between Obama and that guy we have all been taught to hate (I’m sure I don’t have to mention his name here.). I am not the first one to mix his name up with the other one. Decisions, decisions.

Does it matter if Obama takes Hillary as his running mate? Just what does runner-up mean in the whole scheme of things, either in Miss America or the presidency? What are the odds of something happening to Obama and she takes over? Not very likely, so that doesn’t even sway my vote.

What a year to go down into history. Too bad it wasn’t a woman. bummer. Sorry, Hills.

I hereby announce the first sighting this year of a firefly (or fireflies). Just now I walked out on our back deck. It’s nearly dark at 8:43 p.m., but not quite. I’ve been watching and waiting this past week for their arrival. Tonight I saw my first firefly of the season. It started in the darkness of our woods. Before long it was tracking across the yard towards Hailey who was chewing on her bone. It passed by her unnoticed.

Winking. Blinking. Tiny, but bright, flashlights in the night.

Welcome back. I’ve missed you.