Startled

    Taking flight soon.  I am preparing to leave on a seven-month journey.  The seagulls in this photo were startled into flight by my little dog on a recent trip to the beach.  I sometimes feel startled that I will be taking off for such a long trip alone with just a little dog for company.  I'm not afraid of being alone so much.  I am startled that this is coming to pass at all.
    I so often have an eye to the sky.  When I count my blessings one is that I live along the flight path to our local airport.  Any plane will put a little grin on my face and set me to dodging about to see around the trees for a glimpse of it's silver body.  I imagine the people looking down already regretting their journey is at an end.  Birds will do the same thing.  Geese, whooping cranes, kingfishers hawks all have captured my attention from the yard.  Where are they going?  What do they want to find?
   My beloved husband, Gary, and I had planned to travel.  The Subaru Outback was purchased as a good travel car and as a hopeful talisman that Gary would survive the cancer.  Scotland was on the list too. Gary purchased little dog, just in case he didn't make it and I would need a travel-through-life companion.  So little dog it is.
   I have a few more weeks to tidy the gardens, finish construction projects and prepare the house to be a home for someone else.  And to say goodbye to friends.