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We went to Camelot Equestrian Park.   Sunday Morning. 600 and some  acres.   

                                                                         Saturday afternoon,  as Jenny and i were working on the kidding pens,   sirens began.    Ears prick.   This hill is along a major road.   Sirens are not uncommon.  Vehicle events….it's long and curved  and carved into granite with no shoulder.  Californians drive fast.     But they kept coming.,  the sirens.   3:00 went into 4:00 and we searched the phones for info,  getting uneasy and then the sounds of the Fire Trucks.   Soon after,  helicopters and planes.   Ok.  We finally see that there is a FIRe.  And we read that it is nearby.  OK.  We begin readying.  Doing things that should have been done 2 months ago,  like raking out the Goat Boat from last year.  We try to reach Alyssia but it goes to  mail box.  We finally reach Jenny's man.   He will set out.  and then Alyssia,  ok.    By then it's going on evening and Alyssia DOeS arrive ….by driving up the Canal road after the police baracade would not let her through on Old Olive.  The Evacuation is underway.  Mandatory.   So it's Jenny and Alyssia,  pulling the horse trailer and the Goat boat into place, by hand.   no easy feat,  hooking them to the Old Cowboy's truck and to the old Toyota.   Time.  it takes Time.   Then…load the Goats.   It goes what we might say was relatively smooth,  the Doe Goats,  they cajole and herd them,  i stand at the opening of the Goat Boat with the big blockade thing we have built and let them in and also keep the ones in,  from getting back out and keep track of Emrie,  who wants to be in the middle of it all,  "  I help"  she says  and we let her learn.    Doe Goats,  all except Karma,  who WILL NOT load,  Doe Goats are in.  Ready.   I drive the old Toyota,  pulling the Goat Boat down ahead while they bring the Old Cowboy's truck with horse trailer into place to load the bucks.   

i'm down at the end of the driveway road for what seems like forever.  Waiting.   Then they come.  We leave and drive to Lakeside parking lot.  It's the hub of Cal Fire and all Rescue,  Butte County Sheriff rescue.  FULL of them.  Full of people buying what they need.  FULL.  Over the Brim    We pull to the far end of the area because no one knows how to back up a trailer.  Talk.  

We are a person short.  Jenny's man couldn't get through.  I will need to drive.   I haven't driven a  pulled object in over 20 years.   It's dark now.  my night vision isn't great.   We decide i will stay at the Casino parking lot about 1/4 mile down the road for the night.  In the morning,  decide what to do.  Alyssia,  the kids,  Puppy in the cat carrier,  Talkie in her little transport pen go home.   Jenny goes home to Chico for a couple hours and comes back   We sleep in the bright lights of the casino parking lot on Saturday night.  

Calls are made.  Who is open to receive livestock?    This is the first time for Camelot.   It's 15 miles away.  OK.   Sunday morning we go.    Evacuations are still in place.  Fire still burns,  20% containment.  

 


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home becomes the old Toyota Pickup.  Me and Tay.   We sleep.

 


20190909_124210,   

there are more things that need to be said.  But for now,  this is enough.  Mid Day Monday  we come Home.

I am still driving.   When it's time,   i drive up the Hill,  pulling the Goat Boat.   UP and UP and hard hard UP at the end,  wheels spin and skid,  rocks and dirt flies in a burst,   but we get here.  Here.   Done.

an Initiation.

we  let them all OUT.   Home.  And they begin immediately exactly where they had left off.  

they begin immediately exactly where they  had left off.

this is IMPORTANT.  Very important.

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30 responses to “home….not home…home……”

  1. Peggy McG Avatar
    Peggy McG

    Whew! And what a lesson to take from the animals!

    Like

  2. Deb G Avatar

    To be resilient…adaptable. We will need that. Sending love.

    Like

  3. jaime Avatar
    jaime

    I’m so glad you are home. Remembering all the events from last year came flooding through me when I read that you had evacuated again. Welcome back. Safely. Happily. Now I can breathe again. What is the last picture?

    Like

  4. Michelle Slater Avatar

    Great to have you home again. Whew. May all be well. You know how we are all in attendance to what’s happening, how we care for you.

    Like

  5. Deb Avatar

    Good to hear it went smoothly and the time away was short.
    A Not a Drill.

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  6. Mo Crow Avatar

    (((Grace))) there and back again

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  7. jude Avatar

    a small circle in time.
    home again, i sigh a sigh

    Like

  8. Marti Avatar
    Marti

    Home and the goats back to what they were doing. How they all seemed to take it all in and continue and I think it is because all of you simply did what needed doing, no drama, just one foot in front of the other, just doing and going. Thankful that all are safe.

    Like

  9. Tina Avatar
    Tina

    Glory Be .. my prayers have been answered. Such heart stopping moments for all of you but how you all did what you had to do. Sound like for the most part you were prepared and all did what you had to do.
    Glory Be .. you are all safely home again.

    Like

  10. Joanne Avatar
    Joanne

    Good that your daughter was with you. I know it would have been horrible for her not to be able to get to you and the herd. And good that there were no kids to deal with. Yet. You might need a “bigger boat”.

    Like

  11. Patty Avatar

    A practice run… you all know you can do it and have the history
    of it in yourselves. Sending love.

    Like

  12. Irene Avatar
    Irene

    I’m glad everyone is home and safe.

    Like

  13. Hazel Avatar

    The sense of you being home, wherever you are, I love that. Sending love & thoughts…

    Like

  14. dee Avatar

    Oh god. Not again, you must have been thinking. So glad you could return home after not long away.

    Like

  15. Laura R Avatar
    Laura R

    Gold Country or Feather Falls? I didn’t hear the news of the fire and evacuations. Please feel free to call us for help!XO

    Like

  16. grace Forrest Avatar

    yes…very much so. Very MUCH.

    Like

  17. grace Forrest Avatar

    it’s a frame of mind.

    Like

  18. grace Forrest Avatar

    that last pic….where i sat in the truck, waiting for
    the ok to come UP the driveway road, that they had unloaded the horse trailer and moved it into place. That it was my turn.
    to the near left, the button bushes that line the creek which you can see.
    Just ahead, where i turn off this dirt road, Carefree Way, onto the road UP the Hill. If you click, you see a dark line of stuff..that’s the Geo Grid that Jenny wanted to use but isn’t being used…
    so the pic is of the very beginning, bottom of the road In and UP.

    Like

  19. grace Forrest Avatar

    yes i do know and i feel kindof bad for the anxiety this kind of thing provokes,
    but again and always, it’s a journal

    Like

  20. grace Forrest Avatar

    yes. this morning, suddenly, my BODY sighed.

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  21. grace Forrest Avatar

    yes…that’s it, no Drama. excellent choice of words…
    just doing what needs doing. Going.

    Like

  22. grace Forrest Avatar

    oh…your Glory Be gave me a BIg SMILE

    Like

  23. grace Forrest Avatar

    there’s room in the boat

    Like

  24. grace Forrest Avatar

    yes. we know now. The two of them, just them, can
    turn and maneuver the horse trailer….it’s Big and
    Cumbersome. But now we know.
    Knowing makes all the difference

    Like

  25. grace Forrest Avatar

    oh, Hey Irene…yes.

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  26. grace Forrest Avatar

    yes…i am learning to love it too

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  27. grace Forrest Avatar

    not much time to think anything. And yes. So much
    different than last year.

    Like

  28. grace Forrest Avatar

    Gold Country. It’s just a little way down the road.
    it was a “small fire”…400 acres…in the footprint of the Carr Fire…???….???? oh well….
    It was fast. within a couple hours. Stopped just one road away.
    It is always a comfort to know you are just nearby. I thank you so much for that, Love

    Like

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