In its day, it was a sturdy looking one-room post and beam cabin, similar to the looks of Henry Thoreau’s cottage on Walden Pond, Massachusetts. Years have gone by and tenants have come and gone. Some of the prior residents returned, hoping to reclaim this piece of realty before others flew in from the north or south. They chose this homestead to raise their family year after year. First come, first to settle in.

The cabin has character and charisma. It has enough floor space for a large family. Due to years of open exposure to all types of weather, the color of the wood has lightened, changing the tone and shadows. Its roof is intact for the time being but the rusty nails will eventually eat away to open cavities allowing rain to enter. The front door has redesigned itself into a Dutch door for easy entry and escape. The foundation is on stable ground and this property has been sheltered underneath an overhang near a busy neighborhood for eight years.

Looks can be deceiving. Marty and I have walked by this property several times a day the past couple of months and have not witnessed the presence of squatters.

But in the last 10 days, a commotion had been occurring without our knowledge or even a work permit.  A building project was started on top of the cabin. Crafty workmanship was executed in silence. 

How did this new dwelling come about without us noticing it?

Were they working on it while we were at work? 

And who is the contractor?

Because of the mandated quarantine, for the last month, I have worked from home. How did I miss this until now?

The other day, Marty spotted activity coming and going near the log cabin. Sometimes coming and not leaving. The small home continued to look uninhabited. No debris in the doorway or material sticking out through its cracks. 

After taking a critical look at the structure, he then noticed the new addition to the roof. Instead of moving indoors, they (whoever they were) decided to live outdoors in a cozy nest of twigs and feathers. 

Our curiosity lead us to peek in the nest and we were surprised to see children. Three blue eggs. We then spotted mother Robin in the tree 15 feet away watching our every move. In her silence, I felt her motherly concern about the safety of her offspring around us. We knew we were out of bounds getting too close to her family and came to an agreement. We will keep our distance and she can care for her family in peace.

Now, we wait, for it’s all in the timing of nature. Soon we will hear the peeps of our grandchildren only for a brief time before they become fledglings and make their way into the world. We hope they will return next year to the abandoned cabin to live in the open-air addition.

Roe Chiacchio RN, CPT, CDP is a personal trainer, specializing in cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation and a certified dementia practitioner. She shares her perspective and knowledge about health and wellness in her articles published at PenBay Pilot, Well Being Journal and NCCDP. Her business, ONWARD, Cardiovascular Health, Wellness and Dementia Management is located in Camden, Maine. Her education is based in behavioral science, psychology, neuroscience and gerontology studies. Hobbies include photography and international travel. Volunteer work: Hopi Nation. For more information, contact Roe at 207 249-8166, or roechiacchio@gmail.com