There are a handful of things that have my immediate attention. No, the Presidential nominating processes for the two similar parties is not one of them. Nor was the return of Kim Davis to her job. Though both certainly seemed to be pressing issues for many other people. No, I have my typical anxieties over flying, as I am headed north to the wilds of Pennsylvania for the East Coast Gathering. And there’s my upcoming move the following week. At the moment, both of these are primary issues in my mind.

This OBOD East Coast Gathering will be my first time at this event. I already know a good number of the people that are going to be there, since I had met them previously at the OBOD Gulf Coast Gathering in March. I know that ECG will be a bit different – plus, there’s also the setting to consider as well. The Spirits of the Land in Louisiana were waaaaaay different than those of north Texas, just as they will be very different within Pennsylvania. I think it will be a fascinating time….

My beloved Big Backyard Tree

But once I get back – one of the most disruptive processes for an individual’s life will take place — moving from one home to another. And while I am looking forward to the move – I also am a little anxious over things. Here at this house, I will be leaving behind some of the Spirits of the Land that I have managed to reach out to – I will be leaving behind an area that I have become comfortably grounded with – I will be leaving behind Psycho my kinetic squirrel neighbor who feeds at my backyard water/feeder – and I will be leaving my three beloved trees in the backyard. Its really rough to leave an environment you have cared for and so deeply connected with.

But, I will be heading into ancestral Comanche territory. I have already started doing research into the specific tribes that were in the area, along with some of the deeper history. There’s a lot to take in. And I am excited at the prospect of what Spirits of the Land I can connect with. I already have made close friends with some of the local Crows – all of whom recognize me and caw their greetings every single time I appear in their sight. I know that they will eventually locate where I live – since I am only a few miles away from the college.

Still, the move has me on edge because I wonder what the near future holds for the area I am currently sitting in. Urban “upgrades” are happening all around – and only spell the influx of more people to the Denton county area. I already don’t recognize a lot of the area I lived in just south of the lake, just a decade ago. I fear for a lot of the environment here around the lake. There are three herds of mule deer that are trapped against the shores of the lake by urban growth. I can only imagine how much greater their peril will be as the traffic patterns continue to grow and change – particularly in those dawn and dusk hours that they seem to be so active. I understand the socio-economic impact that such growth will have for the smaller communities in the southern part of the county (where I live), but I see so little concern about how this will impact the wildlife and the environment that was here first.

Old Alton Bridge – aka Goatman’s Bridge – Denton County Texas

I have written a few pleas to my local city council, imploring that the green spaces out near Goatman’s Bridge continue to be maintained, and respected. But the growth in the area has already seen part of those trails earmarked for “improvements” – which I believe to be known as “apartments”. These small communities, after all, are considered to be “commuter towns” — which means the emphasis is on growing the population, not maintaining the greenery.

In a manner of speaking, I feel a lot like many of the wild animals that once inhabited these spaces. As modern living of the Dallas/Fort Worth metromess continue to expand northward, I am packing my house and moving ahead of this sprawl — hoping to outrun the concrete jungle as it grows. Fleeing for the greener spaces….