The neighbors tree

We have seen some strange things in the big Pine tree next door.  From our deck, we look right out into it, only 20 feet away or so.

Over the past two years we have seen a lot of critters living in it as the neighbor feeds them.  Squirrels, Racoons and tons of piggeons have made a home in the tree.

Sometimes it just gets weird.

All summer long we have watched a Racoon make his home in the tree, after eating his fill and drinking a bunch of water, left out by my neighbor.   He climbs up about half way up and sleeps on a branch.   Earlier in the year it was quite a spectacle as some crows must have had a nest in the top. They would go crazy once that Raccoon made his way up the tree.  He didn't seem to have any interest in the nest, he is well fed already.   He ignored the crows. It wasn't as easy for us!

One night last month I was out on the deck. I heard some noises below, and saw a raccoon under the tree.  Then I saw another raccoon under the tree.. and a few more.    A few minutes later, I saw a baby raccoon climb down the tree, and the anotehr and another, then some bigger ones came down, but not adults. I counted seven come down the tree.  I have never seen more than one here in over 3 years.

The raccoons appeared to be dancing or something, running around the yard in circles, all lined up around the small yard under the tree.  It was bizarre. I couldn't stop watching. But then something unexpected happened.  The neighbors daughter came out and went out into the yard with the raccoons!   They didn't run away or anything. I had to stop watching. I didn't want her to see me watching whatever she was going to do next!

The next day, no raccoons.  But a big truck with no roof showed up.  It was an appliance truck but most of the roof was gone, Of course you would never know unless you were above it. From the ground veiw it appeard to be a normal truck.

Three people exited the truck and went to the neighbors house. Four more people showed up in a car.   They didn't leave for two days.  

I am not sure what this has to do with anything, but I never saw the raccoons after that one night.  Was it a goodbye ceremony? Did the neighbor catch and eat the raccoons?  She burns cardboard boxes for heat, so anything is possible.

so now a month has gone by. No raccoons. I think maybe the neighbor is moving?  Her car in the back that has not moved since we moved here, is gone!  It was an old honda that was covered in cardboard and rocks.. The interior was packed with cardboard.  I figured it was just for storage, but we could never understand why the cardboard was coverig it on the outside.

Saturday night I heard a raccoon out by the tree. I didn't bother to look. Now I wish I had.

The next am, when I returned from an early morning shopping trip, I parked South of the tree. I had to walk under the tree. It was raining off the tree.  ?????   There was no rain anywhere, just fog, but the tree was dripping water, a lot of it.   What the heck? did they hose the tree off?  

I went to the deck to look.   It was raining on the tree.  Only the tree. I stood there, 20 feet way, completely dry.  But I could see the fog and mist flowing onto the tree.   It made no sense at all.   I can't explain what I saw, but considering all the other weird things that have happened around this tree, I don't think there is an explanation.

UPDATE

We came home Thursday afternoon to find the Sheriff on location. All her stuff was piled in the yard, where it sat for the last few days. She was evicted it appears.   

Now I wish I had waited a few days to write this blog, as the story ending has changed.

The raccoon dance was their goodbye.  And the Tree wept.