Mockingbird Hill in South Salem

When N and I take the dogs for a walk to our neighborhood park, we rarely run into anyone interested in trading anything more than the occasional "hello". But today, on our final stretch towards home. we ran into an older woman named, Addie.

She immediately engaged us in conversation, telling us which house she lived in, that her father had built the house and how several years ago she moved back from New York to renovate the old family home and retire. She said that her father's house was one of about 5 houses in the area and that they used to have a clear view all the way over to an old brick home at the southwest end of Madrona. She pointed out another house, that has been through several owners in the 20 years we've lived in this neighborhood, saying it was once the size of what is now the garage/shop.

Addie asked where we live and when we told her Mockingbird Drive, she asked if we knew the story of how the road got its name. She said that a woman lived on that part of the hill and used to come out onto her porch in the evenings and serenade the other residents, always asking permission first. The songstress sang, "Indian Love Call", a few others we can't remember and then ended her concert with "Mockingbird Hill". Then she'd tell each resident goodnight, before retiring. Now I wonder what house the singer lived in or if it even still exists.

If it hadn't been raining (our dogs aren't crazy about wet dog walks) we probably would've taken Addie up on her offer of an exploratory walk to see one of the oldest homes in the area.
I love history. Especially when it's connected to where we live.


Mockin' Bird Hill
Page Patti

Tra-la-la, twiddly-dee-dee
It gives me a thrill
To wake up in the morning to the mockingbird's trill
Tra-la-la, twiddly-dee-dee
There's peace and goodwill
You're welcome as the flowers on Mockin' Bird Hill

When the sun in the morning
Peeps over the hill,
And kisses the roses 'round my windowsill
Then my heart fills with gladness
When I hear the trill
Of the birds in the treetops on Mockin' Bird Hill

Tra-la-la, twiddly-dee-dee
It gives me a thrill
To wake up in the morning to the mockingbird's trill
Tra-la-la, twiddly-dee-dee
There's peace and goodwill
You're welcome as the flowers on Mockin' Bird Hill

When it's late in the evening,
I climb up the hill
And survey all my kingdom while everything's still
Only me and the sky -- and an old whippoorwill
Singin' songs in the twilight on Mockin' Bird Hill

Tra-la-la, twiddly-dee-dee
It gives me a thrill
To wake up in the morning to the mockingbird's trill
Tra-la-la, twiddly-dee-dee
There's peace and goodwill
You're welcome as the flowers on Mockin' Bird Hill

Tra-la-la, twiddly-dee-dee
There's peace and goodwill
You're welcome as the flowers on Mockin' Bird Hill