Remembering Dave at Hawk’s Nest, New York

After Dave’s stint in the Marshall Islands, Rob invited him to stay upstate with him.  Dave jumped at the chance to share some brotherly companionship.  He promptly set up his room–or should I say “cave?”–with all his favorite wall hangings.  He committed to becoming a New Yorker and settled in with good books and new projects to work on with Rob.  He was content.  He would sit on Rob’s deck and soak in his surroundings and was inspired often to write about it.  They had lots of plans, but after the Survival Course he wanted to take.

He knew how much I enjoyed the peace and quiet of the woods at Rob’s.  It was my go-to place when I needed a break from life.  So when I retired to a house just a short walk from Rob, I could just imagine Dave smiling down at me.  During the move, I came across a drawing Dave made when he was 9 or 10.  He had written on it, “My house someday.”  It was a house in the woods that looked so much like either Rob’s or my house.  I have it framed in my living room.

During my first weeks here, it seemed like a community of butterflies were seeking us out; some as large as small birds.  One in particular hitched a ride on Molly’s back during one of our first walks here after the move.  With each season, I say, “Dave would really love…the beautiful fall foliage, the gentle snowfall, the hummingbirds, the peeper frogs, the starry skies, the wildflowers,” and on and on.

In order to get to Glen Spey, we regularly travel through one of the most beautiful views; Hawk’s Nest, which is part of the Delaware Scenic Byway.  Of all the beautiful places here, this has the most dramatic view so I decided to sprinkle some of Dave’s ashes here, but the additional pictures show the beauty of the surrounding woods and the rivers.

When I sit on my deck with a book in my lap, listening to the sounds of the woods, how I wish Dave were here to share it with me.
 
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