Fort Dhu
(By Creek Hearing)
Men need only trust in Christ's teaching and obey it,
and there will be peace on earth.
— Leo Tolstoy
“There it is. I’ll race you!” Sukey squealed. We darted the last few yards to the fort and dove under the towering Evergreen. “Now we can relax,” Becky sighed. We lay on our backs and gazed up at the heavens through thick Pine needles. Still panting from the dash, we lost ourselves in our secret thoughts. It is perfect.
I discovered Fort Dhu. Sukey built Fort Dhu. Becky named Fort Dhu. The word “dhu” comes from the Gaelic word meaning “black.” Since our last name is Black, and the location of the fort was mysterious, and we claim Scottish ancestry, and we like intense names, we (mostly Becky) dubbed it, “Fort Dhu.” Peace is the essence of Ft. Dhu. Its surroundings, outside, inside, sounds and smells are peaceful.
Fort Dhu is situated on a hill slightly above Loop Road to the east, three curves past mile marker eight, where all the crooked mailboxes and the stop sign that sticks half-way out of the ground stand guard at the rocky entrance to a gravel driveway called Black Forest Road. To the north, there is a perfect view of the Wenatchee Valley. On clear nights, we can see Rocky Reach Dam, and on clear days, we can see Glacier Peak. To the south are Pine forests where weed-like bitter and sagebrush have taken over most of the grassland. To the east on the other side of Creek Hearing lie vast cherry orchards belonging to Kyle Mathison. There is a line of tall towering trees surrounding the orchard acting as a leafy green fence. To the west, the hill climbs up to plateau-like gentle rocky-sloped sage and bitterbrush land. My grandpa (who is a hunter) told me that the deer like bitterbrush, especially in the winter. It keeps them alive.
The fort itself is a large Evergreen tree that must be at least one hundred years old. On the ground around it lie years of fallen needles and pinecones. We made a sort of camouflage barrier of dead branches stuffed with pine needles to create a circular alcove under the largest and lowest branches of the tree. It’s perfect for stargazing on balmy summer nights. It is serene.
The inside of the fort is a calm haven for weary travelers (like myself), a quiet and peaceful abode that took some work to create. Fort Dhu is a tempting escape from the busyness and the hectic insanity of life.
In Fort Dhu, the only sounds are the rushing of Creek Hearing, the chirping of Robins and Blue Jays in the trees, along with an occasional owl, the wind whistling in the branches, and the occasional car zooming by. It is peaceful.
Because of our makeshift barrier of needles and cones, we can see the cars and their occupants traveling Loop Road, but they can’t see us. We spy. Even though they can’t see us, we always dive for cover whenever we hear a motor drawing near.
Since we discovered Fort Dhu, it has been our secret get-away. Our escape from the general calamities in life. (i.f.) Fort Dhu is the perfect place for viewing the world around us. It helps me enjoy life at its best. It is a serene place. It is a place where I can lose myself in my thoughts, and not be forced from my mental meanderings. (i.p.v.) I need to escape living and enjoy life, and finding peace is the best way to accomplish it.
