Month: June 2018

27 June …

 

The radio club participation in the Castle Crags bicycle event went well.  There were minor glitches, as usual.  But the sponsors again said they don’t know what they’d do without us.

I started out as the park liaison with the sponsors at 0530 and then moved to a SAG wagon at 0800 (with a driver who in the past refused to have a radio on board).  By the time our shift was done at 1330, Andy (the SAG driver) was a convert admitting radios are very useful.  I enjoyed the time with him as well.  He was born and raised in Dunsmuir and so had a lot of stories about the area.

I then went back to the park and filled in where needed.

At the end of the day, when every other radio was gone, I was sitting in the park waiting for either Mark or Kamille to come get me since I had ridden in with Mark in the morning.  I was getting teased …

They’re all at home.

Someone will notice you’re missing.

Didn’t you go get her?

No.  I thought you had.

Well … what are we going to do now?

However, they both showed up about 1800 and we all made it to bed on time.

As usual, we were given leftovers to bring home.   This year we didn’t get as many bananas, but we hit paydirt with root beer.

~~~

It has been seven months … tears are still an occasional problem.

~~~

There is a group of local amateur actors who call themselves the Siskiyou Chancel Players.  They perform in the style of the old First Drama Quartet, i.e. with minimal costuming and no props while reading from scripts.  I learned that back in the Middle Ages there were acting groups like this which performed religious plays in actual church chancels … hence the name.

This group did a performance last Friday (when I got to see it) of a one act play called “David the King” which is a more biblically accurate retelling of the story of David and Bathsheba.

Mark read the part of Nathan, the Prophet, and Kamille was part of the women’s chorus.

They will do a repeat performance next sunday.

~~~

My television watching took an upturn last week. “Endeavour” is back on Masterpiece, and Mark introduced me to a series titles “Wayward Pines”.

~~~

The planning for the MS 4^th of July events went through a (to quote a member) shitstorm, but seems to be on track now. 

The blog will be early next week since the 4^th is a wednesday.  So the report on how our participation in the activities goes will be in two weeks.

~~~

Have I told you Paul is taking swimming lessons at the pool in Weed?  I was the taxi this morning (which is why the blog is so late) and was very out of place in the waiting area.  I was the only one watching the kids without a phone in my hand to which I was paying a lot of attention.

Oh well …

~~~

I have a question for you men out there …

When a woman notes that a man friend’s fly is undone, should she tell him, or ignore it?

~~~

And there are no pictures this week.  I have some I want to share, but Photoshop is acting up. 

All I have left for now is …

 

Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.

 

So … ‘til next week …

20 June …

 

I found someone to go to the opera with me next October !!!

The Met shows some of their productions live in High Definition at local movie theatres.  George and I had gone to see one of them a few years ago.  This year I will see “Samson and Delilah”.  I wish George could be with me.  The female lead is being sung by mezzo Elena Garanca and will be the opening production at the Met this season which is very unusual.  Mostly the opening gala features a coloratura.

Garanca was a favorite of George’s.  He thought she was better than Horne. 

I will listen closely as if there is still a connection between us.  Maybe he can enjoy too.

~~~

Weather has been moving toward summer. I’ve opened the window in my room full and am sleeping with just a sheet.  Nice.

And as we expected … the sun is up before me and still light out when I go to bed.  But Solstice is tomorrow and so days will begin to shorten soon.

Oh well …

~~~

Tonight will be radio club meeting.  Several things are happening.  There is trouble with a member who is nowhere to be found until this month each year who then shows up expecting to be in charge of one of our events.

The first of our summer events will be next Saturday and so planning is in full swing.  Report next week.

The question of the treasury is still pending.  A real pain …

Oh for the simple life.

~~~

Yesterday was the monthly Tailgate Party in Weed.  It is part of the “Feed the People” program here in California.  Once a month a semi filled with fresh produce arrives and all that fresh stuff is supplied to whomever shows up.  No requirements to prove anything.  Just come and get it.  First come, first given.                                      

I have volunteered to help with the “giving” and also take part in the receiving.

In May we gave away lettuce, yoghurt (not produce but donated by a central valley company), cabbage (both whole and shredded), eggs, tomatoes, eggplants, onions, potatoes (entire sacks to some folks), broccoli, and hand toys for the children (I don’t know where the toys came from). 

Have I told you all that before?  If so, chalk it up to age.

Yesterday it was strawberries, red potatoes, strawberries, zucchini, strawberries, leaf lettuce, strawberries, vitamin drinks, strawberries, chocolate chip cookies, and strawberries.  I came home with a flat and a half of berries.  I had bought a flat last month to make jam not knowing this was in store.  Next year I’ll wait a month and see what is available.

We’re having berries for breakfast, for snacks, and tomorrow I’ll do a strawberry pie.

~~~

Since last November, I don’t watch near as much television as I did before.  But I do claim some special times.  Masterpiece Theatre is one of those times.  And Great Performances is another. 

Last Friday Great Performances showed the current Met production of “Tosca” which had been filmed last January.  It was interesting.

A couple of things (in addition to the music) caught my attention. 

Both the first and second acts ended with just two points of light on stage … both times from a pair of candles.  The first pair was in the nave of the church where Scarpia was “praying”, and the second pair had been set beside his body after Tosca stabbed him.

The other attention grabber was the way Tosca was costumed.  In the first act she was in flowing white.  In the second she was in seductive jeweled black.  And in the last she was in modest bluish grey.       Three stages of a woman’s life.

~~~

 One of the projects last week was work on the chicken environs.  The coop is secure and was painted.  The run is ready temporarily (it will be enlarged later).  When the “chicks” were let out for the first time it was fun watching them explore.

 

 

First out were the brave ones.

 

 

Now they look for the open door.

 

Next project is naming the coop.  Current lead suggestion is “Poltrygeist Palace”.

~~~

That seems to be all for now, so here’s a reminder … 

Although it may not always be obvious, when we do a good turn, something positive comes back to us. It might not bring the outcome we think, but somehow our good deeds create a cosmic response that brings help and support just when we’re most in need. As you look at a stressful scenario in your world, think about how you can reach out and help someone. There’s no guarantee that you’ll feel the effect of your generosity immediately but you might. Compassion and kindness always feels good.

 ‘til next week …

13 June …

 

More excitement off to the north of us. 

There was a rather large fire near the Lake Shastina subdivision.  Several families were evacuated.  That’s something we are used to hearing about in southern California.  Not so usual here where houses are more rural.

And a week ago I read it has been determined that several of last year’s biggest fires were started by downed power lines.  A rather strong argument for each home providing its own power … no?

~~~

School is out for the summer. 

First thing noticed … we can all sleep an hour longer.  No one has to be out the door by 0630 until next fall.  The sun is up by the time I go downstairs.  Big difference from the days when we’re still dark when school starts.

Second big thing is Paul being signed up for swimming lessons … the next two weeks every weekday morning at 1030.  You can expect pictures.

~~~

A recent effort to clear out photos from Kamille’s cell phone delivered some pictures from last year’s county fair.

A boy and his Papa …

Three generations and a dinosaur … 

Two “kids” on a carnival ride …  The pictures arrived at a very good time.  I had been having trouble seeing George before the last couple of weeks last November and had been on the verge of tears a lot.  These are happy pictures and now I am calmer.

~~~

I went to see “Book Club” with a friend last Saturday.  There were only women in the audience … seven of us.  So the laughter at the rather ribald dialogue was more evident that it would have been had the audience been mixed.

It is a funny movie with a good message … “we all have a right to be happy”. 

My problem with the movie is that the ending, where all the women are happy, is based on all of them establishing relationships with men.  Not that establishing relationships with men is bad.  Just that it is not the only way to be happy.

The friend with whom I went to see the movie had already read “Fifty Shades of Grey”.  I haven’t.  She keeps telling me I need to read it … and the two sequels.  For some reason, I don’t think I do.  I didn’t read “Fear of Flying” either.

Maybe I’m a prude.  Maybe I’m just too old.

But we plan to go see the follow-up to “Mamma Mia” together.

~~~

Summer Solstice is coming up next week.  In the past I’ve gone out into the labyrinth before dawn to watch the Solstice sunrise.  I’m not sure whether I’ll do that this year or not. 

Last evening Mark said he was a bit sad to see the Solstice arrive since it means days will start getting shorter again.

Oh well …

~~~  

 

 

The peonies have come into bloom.

 

 

I hope to plant some more next fall … all across the front of the house.

~~~

And finally a reminder for me …  

We do not see things as they are, we see them as we are.
—  A. Culmell

So … ‘til next week.

 

 

 

6 June …

 

Fire season is starting with a roar this year.  Our local volunteers have been toned out too many times in just the last two weeks. 

The latest was last evening for a situation less than three miles away.  Someone (named Van Doren) had lit several slash fires and then left them unattended.  Fortunately the wind (really just a breeze) was from us toward the fire so we were in no immediate danger.

When Mark was toned out Paul was already in bed and I was doing a final check on the computer.  Paul came out to me saying “I’m a little afraid.  Are you afraid?  Can we be sort of afraid together?”  So he crawled up into my lap and we went searching for pictures of the 4449 on the internet.

Mark was home by 2200 and all is well.

The fire just before that was over on A12 which it to the northwest.  It is a dry, trashy area full of pot farms.  It is still burning.  Mark was on that one more than sixteen hours.

And before that a fire near Lake Shastina (also to the north) had prompted 300 people to evacuate. Several structures were threatened and some were damaged or destroyed.

Please keep us in your thoughts.

~~~

On a more pleasant subject …

Last week I had to make a trip to Yreka and on the way I enjoyed the season.  So much is blooming or passing into summer green.  It occurred to me that those who go straight through this area on I-5 miss all that.

The dogwoods have lost their bright white and the oaks have traded their red buds for full leaf.  The high meadow has gone from the pink of the shooting stars through the blue of the creeping charlie and into the white of the teeny belly flowers.

The lilac bushes near the front door have been outdoing themselves.  George would have been hesitating as he came into the house, just to inhale.   I’ve cut a couple of branches to bring into the house.    And the iris are coming into bloom.

I recently found another Van Gogh which gobsmacked me. 

It is titled “Lilac Bush (with Iris)” and was painted in May one hundred twenty-nine years ago.

 

The wisteria is outperforming my highest desires.

                                     And the poppies are coming into bloom.

This is a nice time of year.

~~~

The chicks are almost pullet size.  They will soon be big enough that they won’t be able to get through the fencing and so will be out in their yard.

~~~

As a surprise last Monday, Mark took Paul and me to see “Solo”, the newest Star Wars film.

I enjoyed it.  A bit more violence than I would have chosen, but a good story and I was really impressed with Woody Harrelson channeling George C. Scott as the character “Beckett”.

Next Saturday I go see “Book Club” with a support group friend.

I’ve been to a theatre more in the last couple of months than I had been in years.  And I plan to go see the Met’s production of “Samson and Delila” in HD at Tinseltown in Medford later this year.

~~~

 

Here is the picture of the pages in the book I told you about last week. 

Can you see the difference in the paper used?

 

Light coloured was current time and dark was flashbacks.

~~~

And to finish this week, the latest picture of the Mountain (taken by friend Stephen) …

              followed by lessons … 

 

At some point you have to let go of what you thought would happen and deal with what is happening.  Stop complaining about how alone you are when you’re surrounded by people who actually care about you.  Start being happy.

 

So … ‘til next week …