The Art Dept

 So I’m back in the woods, and here’s what I mean by that:       It all started when we moved back to Indiana from Florida eight years ago. We moved here to help my in-laws in their last season of life. It was a decision that had been bathed in prayer and much discussion over a long period of time. Finally, the timing became clear and right. So we moved here, to my husbands boyhood home in rural Indiana, in late summer, 2013. Not because it was convenient (it wasn’t) but because there was a need and we were the best choice to fill the need.        It took awhile but we adjusted to our new home and new responsibilities. David’s dad’s health was declining rapidly by the time we moved here, but he was gracious and thankful to the end, and I am so glad to have had the time with him that we had.       Once he passed, life and routine changed, especially in regards to my mother in law. David became increasingly wrapped up in her care...

      One night in the late fall David and I decided to go out in the woods and choose some trees that we would later transplant. Actually it was early spring or late winter, too soon for the leaves to be on the trees, which meant it was too early to identify the species of tree.  But we set out with boots and jackets on into the woods.  O n this one day that we came out to pick trees, our cats followed us out into the woods. I don’t think they’d ever ventured out this far, but being the faithful pups that they are, they must’ve felt obligated to come with us. So we’re out in the woods with our cats looking at little beginnings of trees and guessing what species they are, when we realize we are not alone. Our neighbor’s big German Shepherd was out there too; he probably came out there all the time, but we never did, so he was a little concerned by the intrusion. The cats reacted to the stranger quite differently. One of them (the tree c...