May 2018 – Musings …

30 May …

Tomorrow would have been George’s 90^th birthday anniversary. Now he will never be more than 89.

Next year we will be the same age.

~~~

In the past I have preached to my children and grandchildren to ALWAYS put things back in their place, or where you found them, so you can find them the next time you want them.

I failed to follow my own advice and as a consequence there are no pictures this week. I’ve lost (misplaced) my camera.

Oh well …

~~~

Last weekend Paul and I were alone together again. We made the most of our time with lunch at Burger King (again … but this time in Weed and there were no tables for just two) followed by grocery shopping (topped off by a bucket of rainbow sherbet) and a trip to the library in Weed which turned out to be closed on Saturdays. Paul suggested I volunteer to work in the library on Saturdays and he would go with me.

We returned to the library yesterday afternoon and I discovered new things about the local Weed library (no jokes please). It has a large separate children’s section with a large collection of books which they effectively give away (the children can check them out and keep them as long as they like) and lots of reading “nooks” complete with pillows and lights. Wow …

~~~

Weather has stayed much the same. This year we seem to be having April in May … rain, rain, rain.

The dogwoods are lovely. We have only one on the farm. I’ve been thinking of getting a couple more but haven’t yet decided if … and if so where to put them.

All the rain created a situation out in the solar drying area. One day last week I washed the kitchen towels and dish cloths and hung them out to dry. Before I could bring them in (it was dinner time), the rain began and they got a natural rinse. The next day, just as they were getting dry and I was getting ready to bring them in … the rain began again.

A total of five days and rinses, but they are finally folded and put away … very fresh and clean.

~~~

I recently finished reading a book which was put together in a way I’d never noticed before … if it has ever been done. There were two interrelated stories which were occurring at different times (one in the early 1900s, the other now) and the pages telling each story were printed on different paper so the colour was different.

I tried to take a picture to show you.

Made me wonder who thought of that … the author? the editor? the publisher?

~~~

While on the subject of books … I am still reading in the collection of Science Fiction and Fantasy. I just finished “War of the Worlds” by H.G.Wells. Interestingly it is different from the versions I have heard and seen, but not vastly so.

I have begun “A Princess of Mars”, one of Burroughs’ Jack Carter novels. I’ve never read any of them. I haven’t read the Tarzan novels either.

Before I started “A Princess…”, I read a bit about Burroughs. It is said he wrote what he considered “trash” just for the money and what he wrote turned out to be inspiration for Bradbury and Lucas. I can see the resemblance now that I am chapters into the book.

Oh well …

I have a collection of Bradbury on order at the library. Next read.

~~~

Latest “disaster” on the farm is that the well pump is aging … fast. Over the forty-two years we have been on this land, we’ve had only two pumps. The last one died in the middle of winter … remember? It was one of the New Year’s surprises. So this isn’t too bad. After all, the load went from two oldsters, who bathed twice a week each, to a family of six (counting the kids out in the “cabin”), three of whom bathe every day, two of which bathe every other day, and me who bathes twice a week plus extra when it’s hot and I’ve been working outdoors.

We were on rationed water for a day and a half. Mark has it under control now and will be getting a new pump to have on standby.

He is also dealing with a dead hydraulic system on the Ford tractor, as well as his fire, church, lodge, and radio duties.

~~~

A trip to Yreka last week showed me how unfortunate those who travel through on I-5 are. They miss so much. The locust trees are in full display. The alfalfa fields have had their first cut and are being watered for the next. The roses, both domestic and wild, are putting on quite a show.

Beauty before me.

Beauty behind me.

Beauty all around me.

~~~

For this week remember …

If folks look at you quizzically when you smile at them, smile anyway. Smiles and kindness are contagious.

(I’ll bet you have smiled back at the telly more than once.)

So … ‘til next week …

P.S. The answer to the analog clock puzzle is … the hour number is the square root of the minutes number. Thank you Cuz Don.

23 May …

The Science Festival was last Saturday. Mark and Kamille were out the door by 0700 for set-up. Paul and I stayed home until noon. We spent the morning working (weeding) in the courtyard. We got to the festival about 1300.

Of course we went to the amateur radio booth first.

Then Paul toured and learned about volcanoes and catapults and making woven baskets and planting trees and …

~~~

Weather has been giving us chilly mornings followed by warmer temperatures and thunder storms.

It is raining lightly this morning. So much for drying soil so we can plant.

However, the lilacs are loving it …

as are the wisteria …

and the apple tree.

May is the time of year for the fantastic green buds on the fir trees …

and Mike found a cluster of morels.

~~~

The chicken house has undergone a renovation. The flock of chicks is rapidly approaching pullet size and the poor old coop wasn’t ready for them. Pictures to follow.

~~~

Remember the young woman I spoke about in the Van Gogh paintings and wondered about? Well … last Thursday the following turned up in Facebook … “Early in his career, while living with his parents in the small Dutch village of Nuenen, Vincent van Gogh painted an extensive series of character studies featuring local peasants. The woman depicted (in the portrait) is the only one whose name is known: Gordina de Groot. Locals called her Stien, but Vincent, for reasons he never shared, called her Sien.”

That still leaves the question of their relationship unanswered, but it is interesting in that he painted and drew her many more times.

~~~

Monday evening I discovered an insect bite on my left forearm. I didn’t see the insect, but the bite was surrounded by a round, target-like ring so I saw the doctor yesterday. I’d been working in the brush clearing out for spring in an area which is a deer path and am hyper-aware for Lyme disease. Doc said there was an 80% chance it was Lyme so I am on doxycycline. Supposedly, if treatment is started within 72 hours all goes well.

~~~

I will be off again this afternoon to help with the food bank in Mt Shasta.

~~~

Last monday George has been gone six months … so to close the week …

You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late. —Ralph Waldo Emerson

‘til next week …

16 May …

Julie (her grandfather was my cousin) arrived last Tuesday and was able to stay for three days. Mothers’ Day was coming and she needed to get home. We all enjoyed her visit (as well as the sausage and ham that came with her) and hope she can come again … maybe next spring.

~~~

Also last week, Mark got called out on a fire over at the Seldom Seen Ranch in Shastina about 20 miles to the east of us. He was gone from about 1700 wednesday until almost 1000 thursday.

~~~

After my note last week about the temperature and time on my stove, a cousin sent me the following …

The numbers on digital clocks are fascinating and you can have fun thinking about them:

What is the smallest number that can appear? 1:00

What is the largest number that can appear? 12:59

What is the smallest sequential number? 1:23

What is the largest sequential number? 12:34 also 6:54

What is 3:14? Time for pi

What is today? 5:16

What is the same forwards, backwards, upside down, and as a mirror image (on a digital clock, not per Times New Roman font)? 11:11

What do these times have in common … 1:01, 2:04, 3:09, 4:16, 5:25, 6:36, and 7:49? (Answer next week)

Had you heard that some schools are replacing all their analog clocks with digital ones because the students can’t read the old ones?

~~~

Last Saturday Paul and I spent some time in the school garden. We weeded and transplanted and forked soil over and talked with the others there and brought home sunflower starts and a couple of carrots left from last year.

When we were done, we went to Burger King for lunch … just the two of us. Paul chose our table (a table for two near a window) and brought our tray over to the table without any help. Such a much.

Then we went grocery shopping and he kept me on track since I tend to be an impulse buyer … but we both forgot the kraut to go with the brats. Oh well …

All in all a good day.

~~~

Also last Saturday, Mark and Kamille and several other members of the radio club spent the morning holding a testing session for amateur radio wannabes. Those testing were from the middle school class as practice for their final exam and possible certification as amateur radio operators.

~~~

Overall it was a busy week. Monday I met with my grief support group, and Mark and Tyler did paneling in my room. Tuesday I helped with the produce distribution at Great Northern in Weed and brought home lettuce, tomatoes (sauce simmering as I type), cabbage, potatoes, broccoli, grapes, yogurt, and a toy for Paul . Today is my therapist appointment and the radio club meeting.

Too bad I don’t have anything to do.

~~~

The shooting stars out in the meadow are doing their Spring thing (picture by John) as are the lilac and the dogwoods and the oak leaf buds … the pine trees are twitterpated (i.e. yellow dust all over) … and the weather has moved toward summer.

Did I tell you Mikayla’s cherry tree has come into bloom?

Not yet time to plant, but Paul has been playing outdoors a lot. That reminded me of my Grandmother Tyler saying that everyone needs to eat a peck of dirt before they die … and of this …

Have you ever noticed the relationship between children and the soil? Watch how happily they are touching the dirt. The children play in it and eat it. If you are stressed, go to a spot on the Earth, sit down, put your fingers in the dirt, dig in it. Wash your hands in the soil. When you touch it, notice what it does to your hands. Our bodies love to touch the Earth. Sometimes we get too busy and forget these simple things.

So … ‘til next week …

9 May …

What was supposed to be the final check on my eyes last Monday didn’t happen.

No one remembered to tell me they would be dilating my eyes and so I didn’t take a driver with me. Now I have to reschedule.

Good news is that my eyes are great … 20/20.

~~~

Yesterday was Tiffany’s birthday. She is 23. To celebrate she made slime and ate cheesecake.

~~~

Last week I showed you paintings (or rather pictures of paintings) by Van Gogh both of which contained the same woman. Well, I found her again.

This one, called “The Potato Peeler”, was also painted in the spring of 1885.

Makes me wonder how well Van Gogh knew her.

~~~

The family went over to McCloud last saturday to the Celtic (pronounced kell’ tic) Festival to listen to the music.

Sunday Mark delivered the sermon at church.

Also on Sunday … Mark, Paul, and I went to see the annual production of the Siskiyou Senior Players, a variety show titled “We’re Not Quite Dead Yet”. It was interesting. They are not all amateurs (one member is a former writer for television and movies), and in places it was quite clever.

Paul got restless but behaved well overall. He may have been the only one under 40 with the exception of four paramedic students there as part of a class assignment.

I’m toying with the idea of seeing if I could be a fit or should I just remain a trained audience.

~~~

Mikayla’s cherry tree has come into bloom.

~~~

Not important … just interesting.

Last thursday I was baking scones for breakfast and when I looked at the stove the temperature gauge said 425º and the clock said 5:24.

~~~

Weather has been warmer. Yesterday we had a thunder cloudburst with heavy rain. The lightning set several fires around us, but not here.

Julie (a cousin) was on her was here for a visit and got caught in a hail storm on Hwy97.

Our fire was a purposely set slash burn.

Mark drives the water tender for the local volunteer fire department (but I’ve already told you that, right?) and brought his rig up for practice and protection.

~~~

A few nights ago I dreamed that I was in Hawaii (probably because Pele was firing up) and I was looking for George. I finally found him and after a great hug, he began laughing and said “You don’t need to look for me. I’m not lost.”

Then something drew my attention and when I turned back he was gone and I woke up.

~~~

Originally I followed the posting below with “Maybe” … but I’m feeling better now.

We can endure much more than we think we can; all human experience testifies to that. All we need to do is learn not to be afraid of pain. Grit your teeth and let it hurt. Don’t deny it, don’t be overwhelmed by it. It will not last forever. One day, the pain will be gone and you will still be there.

— Rabbi Harold S. Kushner

‘Til next week …

2 May …

Last week was warm until Friday when it cooled off a little and we had rain … hard rain for about an hour with showers before and after … and rain every day until yesterday.

The birch trees are beginning to leaf out, as are the dogwoods.

The apple is putting out buds (but no sign of blossoms yet) and the first hummers are here.

Did I tell you the peonie plants are up? When we moved here we had to get used to some folks calling them pee-oo’-knees.

The bulbs Paul and I planted last fall are blooming,

the gooseberries seem to be offering a good year,

the climbing rose is leafing out,

and there are pea plants waiting to be set out.

The year rolls round.

It is staying light until nearly 2030 and beginning to be light when I get up at 0500.

~~~

My eyes are doing fine. The drops are down to two in only the left eye three times a day and I no longer have to wear the pirate patch at night. When they were checked last week, they were both 20/20.

However, I am having a bit of trouble breaking the but-I-have-to-wear-glasses habit.

I go for the final follow-up next week.

~~~

This month is a filled month. Tiffany has a birthday next week as does my school chum Diane (and a cousin, Julie, is coming to visit). My birthday is the week after. And Michael’s and George’s birthdays both come near the end of the month.

Maybe one big celebration for all (including those whose birthdays fell earlier when the weather was iffy)?

~~~

I go to my second appointment with the therapist (to help me with depression and speed return to “normal” life) later today.

In addition, the folks in the grief group decided we still need support, so we are meeting on our own. Last week it was at an interesting “hippy” style vegan café. This week we are going walking.

~~~

Paul has joined the ranks of “Friends of the 4449”. He came up the other morning and asked if there were any new videos of her doing her highballing. And also said it would be nice if we had a model of her to run around the holiday tree next winter. George did have a model of the SP4449. I’ll have to keep my eyes open and find it.

~~~

I am posting two Van Gogh’s this month. Both were painted during the Spring of 1885 when he was depressed.

The first is “The Potato Eaters” which is fairly well-known.

The other is titled “Head of a Woman” which I had never seen before.

She appears in both pictures. I wonder who she was.

~~~

Mark is active with the local volunteer fire department. He drives their water tender and spent last Saturday morning “tending” a proscribed burn at a neighbor’s place. It was raining on and off and the burn took all day.

Folks are getting prepared for what looks to be a busy fire season.

Tyler has joined him and may become another firefighter.

~~~

Magic happens when you do not give up.

So …

It is time to hang out the laundry.

Onward!

‘Til next week …