The Days of Overcooked Pasta

Heat waves.

High humidity.

Explosive wildfires with our sister sanctuaries requiring evacuation of all animals.

Unprecedented drought.

I critically re-assess Rivendell's emergency and evacuation plans. I've been grateful for the larger and established sanctuaries who have been willing to mentor us. Always, they share their passion, invite deeper insight, and help us prioritize our 'to-do' list.

During the writing of the sanctuary's business and development plan, we had the opportunity to review previous and current aerial and survey images of the property and discovered a hidden brush-overgrown road in the lower pasture. The road seems to lead into Bree and will allow for an easier ingress and egress of the pasture, which is wonderful news for us and our larger-bodied animals who will next year, call this home. After so much brush removal behind us, Paul and I now feel like brush-experts and quickly placed the road's clean-up high on our priority list.

The weird weather impacts our days more than we'd like, requiring double or triple time on each task. Though we are sure to be working by sunrise, it doesn't take long to feel the heat slowing down your neural-connections and shift your brain's architecture into the equivalency of overcooked pasta. After you hammer your own thumb for the third time and start to feel a strong intolerance for massive amounts of straw being stuck to your sweaty body for one second longer, there is truly nothing else to do but to surrender and head to the Shire. There, it feels 20 degrees cooler and you have the bonus experience of getting to watch your big goofy dog play in the creek.

Despite the heat, we rigidly follow our plan, knowing that each task completed is one more closer to being able to bring home the animals. Each day, we hear stories of animals in need and it becomes harder and harder to not step in and help. This week, a sanctuary owner shared the experience of witnessing 50+ farm animals in need and only having the ability to save two.

Two, out of so many.

How do you choose knowing the others will not make it? The scenario haunts me.

Our build plans are now formulated enough to have sought partnership with a contractor. Finding a contractor who feels as deeply as we do about conversation and earth-care has been challenging but we've been successful. I'm excited to introduce him to you.

As soon as our ERP* is approved, the contractor will have the greenlight to start the build process. I have no idea what to expect and am thankful that he will handle what I now recognize is a twisted labyrinth of county offices and needed filings.

A deer and her fawn have started to visit the creek in the Shire. When we purchased Rivendell, we were told that deer used to frequent the area but haven't for years. I am hopeful the singular little family is indicative of a return.

Though we have yet to see it, for the past two weeks, we have been hearing a wild turkey. I am anxious to add it to our inventory of other sightings, which now include sparrows, finches, hummingbirds, bluebirds, quails, doves, roadrunners, hawks, rabbits, coyotes, and deer.

Rivendell is growing into its mission of becoming a sanctuary of safe harbor, restoration, and conservation. It is hard to put into words what that feels like but it resonates deeply within my soul. It is a psycho-spiritual experience I have come to know as home.

*What is an ERP?

An ERP is an "Expedited Review Process" required by the county due to Rivendell being adjacent to the Santa Rosa Plateau. The plateau's ecological reserve preserves approximately 8,400 acres and is home to over 50 different wildflowers, 27 species of mammals, and at least 185 species of birds including the golden eagle and great-horned owl. During the ERP review, the county will ensure the sanctuary's development and build plans will not interfere with any "no disturbance" areas.