Howling at the Moon

We made it. Well, at least to the first stop in the Pacific Northwest. We are living and working for two weeks in Williams, Oregon, just across the state's southern border and planted just off the Rogue River.

Rebecca and I have already been here five days and are enjoying ourselves, though the work is demanding. We are working at Howling Acres Wolf Sanctuary (HAWS), which is basically a retirement home for injured or abused wolves and wolf-dogs. It is a non-profit run by the older couple (Charlie and Sherri) who live on the premises, as well as volunteers from the area.

This place really is interesting. Neither of us have ever experienced anything like it. There are about 20 wolves and hybrids in fenced-in pens where the animals are grouped into ones, twos, threes, and fours. I have no idea why some are grouped and others aren't.

I've really been impressed--no--amazed at how quickly we were thrown into positions of responsibility here. Rebecca has already given at least seven tours of the place. She gave her first on our initial day of work. She hadn't even been given a tour yet! Now that I think about it, neither of us have yet to be given the official tour. Charlie and I have been doing a good deal of repair work around here. I've been fixing everything from fence posts to electric fences to the park's benches.

Rebecca and I each went into pens with the wolves today for our first times. Rebecca, without the slightest fear, went into Feather's pen by herself to clean out the tub the wolf uses to bathe and drink out of. Rebecca made it seem as though she had been doing it for years. I, however, was terrified to go into the pen and even to guard the gate. So, basically, I stood by the gate tazer in hand and legs trembling everytime one of the wolves trotted past while Charlie patrolled the perimeter of the pen hardly noticing there were wild animals anywhere in sight. Hopefully by the time we are done here I will be able to touch one of the wolves without wetting my pants just a little. For now, I'll just paint benches.

I can't say enough about Charlie and Sherri. They are both terribly interesting, immensely kind, and embarrassingly generous. They have been running this place for 17 years. Sherri is the brains of the operation and Charlie is the workhorse. HAWS is taking its toll on them though, and they are looking to sell. Charlie has had countless strokes, two in the past year, and Sherri suffered a heart attack just two months ago. When I asked about Charlie's strokes, Sherri told me about a bad one he had when they lived on the reservation ... oh yeah, Sherri is full blood Indian and they lived on an Indian Reservation for a few years! At hospitals on the reservation you are given your choice of traditional western medicine or traditional Indian medicine. Charlie chose the Medicine Man to help him overcome the full paralysis of his left side that resulted from the stroke. For two weeks he was not allowed any communication with Sherri nor her with him. After those two weeks, when Sherri showed up to take him home, he RAN to the car jumping with gladness. To this day Charlie will not tell her what went on during those two weeks. They have three grown children and I think five grandchildren. They also have cared for 23 foster children during their time here with the wolves. One more note about Charlie. After fighting in Nam for seven years, (yes, seven, he was there before it broke out, and was one of the last to leave) he joined the notorious Hell's Angels biker's club. In a very short time he became president of the club and later started another chapter up here in the Northwest. If you need me to clarify, yes, Rebecca and I are working for a president of Hell's Angels. I'm not sure we will put that on our resumes, but we might.

We are excited to be here waking to the howl of wolves 20 yards away, and happy to be taking this time in our lives to enjoy the freedom to pick up and go somewhere and pick up wolf poo. Thank you for your love and encouragement.

Ooowww Wooooo (Me Howling Goodnight)