Feeder Watching With The Cats in Everyday Ramblings

Mrs. Sherlock had an idea for a local hike yesterday near where we had been before but not quite, at least for me. There is one neighborhood up in the West Hills of Portland that was built up in the 1880’s that has never suffered any real downturn and it is where the rich folks built because of the views and it was up above the maddening crowd of laborers and shopkeepers and regular folk.

There used to be this cable car up those hills, pretty rickety, enough so that it didn’t last too long, but next to the mid point to the top in the wooded hills this house was built.

The top windows were about flush with the tracks. This was the only house at first. There are a few old photos, one from 1886, of men in hats on two cable cars and behind them this castellated house. It looked a bit more like a castle then.

Three years later you can see the neighborhood around it being built up.

It must have been amazing to live here during those years with all the growth and hard work that built the city up in such a short time.

I took this picture when Mrs. Sherlock and Frida and I were all vaguely lost. We were doing a hike from a book and after we walked up a steep long public stairway (and encountered an un-housed man living on a landing, he had a great view from his tent) we discovered that the next stairway up had been closed off for public access.

This street was not labeled as a dead end but it was.

We had to go down and around a path alongside the freeway where we encountered a number of other homeless folk and then looped around and after walking up a curvy road with no shoulder to speak of or sidewalk or bike path, (always anxiety inducing with the dog), we came back up to this incredible street full of huge mansions.

There was still snow up there, unlike down in the flatlands where the redbuds continue to bloom.

I looked the house up when I got home. It only has 3 bedrooms and 1 ½ bath. It does have beautiful hardwood floors and a lovely fireplace. And spectacular views from those arched narrow windows. The interior has one gorgeous classy African inflected sculpture in each room.

If ever there was a setting for a poem…

There was an email when I got home from the umbrella organization that certifies yoga teachers and the recommendation was no more in person classes until we get through this.

With the sewer issue and my sense the studio was struggling I went ahead and donated what I had paid so far in rental fees and canceled my classes at least until May.

Many many yoga teachers are scrambling to teach online courses. One of the things that makes my classes so special is the in person community aspect and at least for now I don’t think I can create that online. Some of my students barely have smart phones!

At least I didn’t sign a contract or sublease.

I so hope none of my students get sick. It is heartbreaking to contemplate this possibility but they are all smart and socially responsible so I know they will be prudent.

Wow. This is hard. For each and every one of us.

Besides cleaning and cooking and taking walks I think I will start writing letters. I have some recipients in mind but may branch out to other isolated folks I learn about.

Yesterday morning I was working on a great online course on feeder bird identification. I was a bit of a failure at telling the difference between Carolina and black-capped chickadees. Luckily we only get the one kind here.

Feeder watching with the cats is on the approved behavior list.