Month: June 2021

First I’ll apologize for the late posting of this weeks’ blog.  Things went a bit haywire yesterday and we were all (except Paul) awake for a lot of last night.

Second I also apologize for the spelling and grammar errors in monday evening’s report … but … Fire season is here.

All local CDF (CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND FIRE PROTECTION) stations are on high alert and US Forest Service speciality units are also here as is the state Incident Command unit.  On monday there were already 16 HotShot crews on the Lava fire and they were able to make night water drops because the winds died down a bit.

The report yesterday morning was “Due to strong, erratic winds overnight and dry fuels the #LavaFire grew to an estimated 13,330 acres yesterday afternoon into overnight. It is 20% contained.”

Then late yesterday afternoon the winds shifted again and the Lava Fire took off south around the Mountain toward the USFS plantation area and the Mt Shasta City dump.  

This morning’s report was “#LavaFire grew to an estimated 17,591 acres yesterday afternoon into overnight. It is 19% contained.” and here’s what it looked like at 0520 this morning from our direction.  The wind has now shifted to coming from the south again. The glow to the far right is the arm reaching for the dump and the city of Mt Shasta is behind the ridge and trees.

And the Lava isn’t the only dangerous fire in the area.  The other is the Tennant Fire which is further north and no danger to us (since to get to us it would have to go through where the Lava has already burned) but is threatening the cities of MacDoel (which has been evacuated) and Dorris up close to the Oregon border.

A post on a local “info” site asked “Why don’t they control the fire?”. 

A Captain (?) in charge of one of the local units (a friend of Mark’s) whose men had been fighting all day for control in dust and 100+ degree temperatures responded “Why didn’t we think of that?”

Sad thing is the one who posted the original inanity either didn’t or wouldn’t read the response or is incapable of understanding it.  Like the local woman whose response to every post involving an accident or some other danger/tragedy is “Praying”.  

 ~~~

On to more “normal” stuff …

Last week there were separate FB posts urging that dental care, eye care, and a couple of other health care concerns be added to MediCare coverage.  The list included foot care.

I am no longer flexible enough to do the job on my toenails and my experience with that problem has been that a good pedicurist trims and smoothes nails, manages cuticles, exfoliates feet and lower legs, then finishes with a foot and calf massage during which skin tone is assessed for circulation and other clues to overall well-being.  

Price?  $35/40.

Cost to customer? $40.00  Cost to government?  $0.00

While a podiatrist (DPM) did nothing, the one time I went to one, other than slash nails with a tool which resembles that used to sever links in a metal chain (or to cut open vehicles involved in an accident with someone trapped inside) and then rasp off the rough edges.  

Price?  ~ $200.

Cost to patient?  ~$40.00  Cost to government?  ~$160.00

I do hope whoever writes the bill for the suggested additions to MediCare is aware of this difference.

~~~

Plant report …

The catalpa has made a move toward spring/summer.   Her leaves are still small in size and not as prolific as in the past.  However, she has begun to share some blossoms.  They too are smaller and fewer than in the past but are more than welcome.

My Daddy had a green rose of which he had been fond when I was growing up.  I don’t remember any special story in relationship to it, but he had a cousin in Upland who was a flower gardener and I suppose Daddy’s rose had come from Isabel.

Quite some time ago I found a nursery which offered green roses like the one Daddy had, and I bought one.  

They specialize in “Heirloom” roses and indicated the provenance of their green rose as China by way of the American midwest and southern California … so I thought it was a good chance it was the same.

One day last week, Mark asked me about my green rose but when I went out to show it to him I found that due to weather and animals and who knows what else, it was dead.  Sad …

I went back to the place I had gotten the first bush and they are still growing them.  I resisted buying another (and an additional one for Mark) since neither of us is in a position to give it a place and proper care right now.  But it is on my list for as-soon-as.

Mine will go into a pot for my new patio.  

~~~

 I thought I would never find food too HOT for me … but I did.  

I buy and store single-serving prepared meals which I fix when I am eating alone.  I had gotten one from Stouffer’s FITKITCHEN series which was called Spicy Chicken Chorizo (a protein bowl) whose ingredients were listed as “chicken chorizo, turmeric riced cauliflower, yellow and red bell peppers, black beans and onions over brown rice with spicy smoked tomato sauce”.  The only peppers listed by name other than bell were poblano and ancho, neither of which I had ever encountered as hot.  No chili pepper was listed and there were no separate ingredient listings for the chorizo or the smoked tomato sauce.

Additional notes on the carton advised it was “Protein that leaves you satisfied” and “Remember to hydrate”.

I can usually taste the flavor of different peppers in seasoning … but this was so incendiary I couldn’t finish the bowl nor could I taste the flavors … only the heat.  I was able to eat about half before my esophagus rebelled.  I plan to cut the remaining with additional rice and make sure I have a nice, cool salad as well.

You have been warned.

~~~

The move to my new digs is coming closer and I have been thinking about whether or not to continue blogging.  Current thought is probably “yes” since I’m an egoist and like to share my thoughts.  But the blog will need a new name since I will no longer be a denizen of Cold Comfort Farm.

The address for the blog has always been ccf.dibelka.us (because it is part of the family domain) and I don’t want the complication of having to change that.

Soooooooooooooo … I am trying to think of a new name retaining those initials … “ccf” rather than meaning Cold Comfort Farm would become C ? C ? F ? and the blog would change from “Thoughts from the farm …” to become “Thoughts from …”.

Put on your thinking caps.  All suggestions will be considered.

~~~

In anticipation of my move, I am making my farewells one at a time.  I’m not sure I could handle saying goodbye to people and involvements all at the same time.  I am a bit of an introvert (maybe more than a bit) so a party is out of the question.

I have even started on the list of “involvements”.  I am no longer a volunteer for the food activities of the local Great Northern group, i.e. no more Tailgate produce parties or free lunch preparation sessions.  I will miss the people and the productive feeling of those days.

I had also become a regular at the monday senior lunch program at the community center.  It had been curtailed by COVID but had resumed shared meals, for all those vaccinated, a month and a half ago and after a slow start is almost back to full capacity.  

I met a lot of locals at those meals and made some friends, rather than just acquaintances, including a couple of women with whom I shared working the free lunch preparations, a great young man who had gone to school with one of my sons (he is in his 50s and is a member of the servers), and a couple who were helping me remember what little Spanish I retained from my time in New Mexico.  Those goodbyes will be separate.

I did a group goodbye last monday (probably more for me than for them).  I got a bag of fruit snacks (the kind you put in kids’ lunches) and passed them out while saying how much I had enjoyed the shared lunch times.  I received gentle applause.

At least no one cheered.

Because of the fires, there were fewer folks at lunch so the leftovers were sent across the hall, where the Incident Command post for the Lava Fire had been set up, to be shared by the firefighters.

It was a good day.

~~~

Last week I received a gift from a friend with whom I share widowhood (her husband died just a month before George).  

It was a memoir of the loss of her husband.  It is extraordinary!  However, it is a bit long to add to the blog. And in addition, I do not have permission to share it … yet.  But here is a summary …

Sometimes you have to let go of the picture of what you thought life would be like and learn to find joy in the story you’re living.

Good advice for all of us regardless of our situation.

So ‘til next week …

28 June …

Fire season is here and I know some of you will be concerned about us.  So here’s a current report.  I’ll try to indicate wind direction, fire spread direction, and distance from us.  These will be quistemates from Forest Service reports as well as local re[poprts.

All local CDF (CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND FIRE PROTECTION) stations are on high alert.

Last week we had a series of rather strong storm fronts come through complete with heat and thunderstorms.  Most of our storms come from the west and then up the canyon, but these went from northeast to southwest which felt strange.  

There were several lightning caused fires around us, but none nearer than thirty miles and all headed away from us.   

The closest fire is the Lavafire.  

Sunday night it was at 220 acres.  By noon today it was over 1,400 acres but headed northwest away from us toward the Lake Shastina subdivision which is under evacuation orders.  It started with a downstrike which smoldered.  If we were in the picture, we’d be way out of the frame on the right.

For those who don’t know, when a juniper or other tree gets hit by lightning (or fire), the tree can smolder above and below ground for days before rising above ground and becoming visible.

As of 8 this evening it has jumped Hwy 97 which is closed from Weed north to the Oregon border where they have fire concerns of their own.

This is in Hornbrook which is waaaaaay north of us, almost to the Oregon border, and in an area which burned over last year and so is not a high priority.

This is the Tennant fire also way north of us on the northwest side of the Mountain.  It isn’t in a populated area however it was thought to be caused by a vehicle fire.  It had jumped 97 going north west and so is waaaaaaay to the north of us.

A recent addition is way south down to the west of I-5 in the Crags … not near any residences and not vigorous.

This is just an example of a controlled burn that you have undoubtedly heard about.  The firefighters purposely set the duff on fire while monitoring it closely.  It is a way of constructing a fire break and very beneficial.

This is the kind of thing that really scares us.  This is the remnants of a campfire constructed by someone probably from  out of the area and left before it was completely out.  You can see where it escaped from the fire circle.Fortunately it was found by a local and contained.

And this is an impression of the Paradise Fire which destroyed the entire town of Paradise last year (painted by one of my kids).

But we are okay.  Thanks for your concerns and protective affirmations.

Further report in the weekly blog.

So ‘til then …

In the category of how-time-does-fly … Paul McCartney turned 79 last friday.

Congratulations to all of us who made it past 64 and are still being fed.

~~~

Comfortable, early summer weather returned last thursday with temperatures in the 70s and no wind.  It lasted not quite two days.

Friday made it into the 80s.

Saturday, sunday, and monday it was in the low to mid 90s with night lows in the mid 60s. 

Yesterday was comfortable. 

Today we are supposed to return to record breaking high temperatures.

Oh well …

~~~

Remember coincidences?

First coincidence … The Librarians centered around Shakespeare followed by Midsummer Night’s Dream overture on Sirius.

Second coincidence … Russell, Holmes and Hammett in San Francisco following thoughts of Sam Spade.

Third coincidence … Shakespeare … Again!  Last wednesday,  during family tv time, Doctor Who was back in time to 1599 after the death of Hamnet.  The episode centered around Shakespeare but this time with a touch of the Marx Brothers (the Doctor’s companion was introduced as coming from Freedonia) and also Lewis Carroll (Elizabeth I was the Red Queen).

Shakespeare and Mendelssohn – – Hammett and Spade – – Librarians and Doctor Who.

Coincidence cycle complete.

~~~

While thinning out the accumulation of forty plus years, I found two peacoats.  One was past saving.  The other was well worth the effort to restore it to use.  I have passed it on to our elder grandson since he will be here next winter where they still have winters while I will be in southern California.  

I got curious about the history of the coats.  I knew that when my Dad and my husband were in the Navy (Daddy in WW I, Yangtse Patrols after the Boxer Rebellion and George in WW II, and Korea) peacoats were regulation issue although it seems the Navy has since decided they are no longer useful. Too bad.

Daddy had told me that the Navy uniform (bell bottoms etc.) started in the sailing days when a sailor was apt to find himself in the “drink” and needed help to survive.  

Bell bottoms, made of dense fabric (canvas from the sails), could be knotted or tied off and used as floats.  The kerchief had many uses such as sun protector, tourniquet, and small tool holder.  The white hat, referred to as Dixie cups, was sun protector and easily identified on land or sea.  

Contrary to popular myth, the thirteen buttons are not representative of the original colonies.  They came about when the drawstring holding up pants was replaced by a waist button and a “crotch” flap.  Over the years side buttons were added to the original top seven on the crotch flap for ease of access.  The use of buttons was never changed because they are easier to replace than a zipper would be, and besides zippers once rusted in salt air.

Cracker Jacks have a long history.

But I wondered why “pea”coat?  Easy answer … original version was worn by harbor “pilots” hence a “p”coat  which became peacoat.  

“pee”coat is not only incorrect, but a bit insulting.

A recent Google search shows 1940’s era peacoats selling for as much as eight hundred dollars … Wow!

You now have more answers for your next game of Trivia.

TMI ???

Oh well …

~~~

A week or so ago, a Blast from the Past arrived.  A couple George and I had first met back in the days when we were new to this land … Jon and Alice … dropped by to say hello. I wasn’t here, and so they left a note.

They own land just down the road from us, but never developed it.  Yet, every time they came to spend some time on their land, one or both would come visit.

The last time I saw Jon was a couple of years before George died.  Jon was here for dinner and I couldn’t remember whether Europeans (Swiss) eat salad before or after the main course.  It made for laughs and fun together.

But when I saw their note I couldn’t remember who they were.  I knew I knew them because the combination of names was niggling at the edges of memory.  And it was addressed to George and Wilma so I knew it had been more than three years since I’d seen them (so Alzheimer loss of short term memory didn’t apply).

Outcome?  I finally remembered and made contact.

~~~

Oh, by the way, another series of coincidences seems to have started. 

Sometime last week I had a conversation during which I learned the local small airport in Montague had been used by the Air Force during WW II as a bomber base during the defense of Alaska and the Aleutians.  Doesn’t sound very exciting.  Nothing like the Bulge or Iwo Jima or Anzio or Omaha Beach or any of the other battles which filled the news in those days.

Then the new issue of Archaeology magazine (July-August 2021) arrived.

One of the articles was titled “LETTER FROM ALASKA  The Cold Winds of War” … seven pages, complete with pictures, about the invasion of Kiska island by the Japanese, its occupation, and the eventual recovery of Kiska out on the far west end of the Aleutians.

I was a teen during those years and thought I knew most everything about the US Navy during that war.  But I had never heard of Kiska.  I knew a Japanese sub had once come close enough to the Oregon coast to fire onto US soil and about the fire balloons meant to spread panic by setting northwestern forests on  fire. But I never knew the Japanese had occupied US soil from June of 1942 until August of 1943, or that there is a spot off the west coast of Kiska where a stern portion of the destroyer USS Abner Read (DD-526)

including at least seventy of those who went down with her, has been declared by the U.S. Navy’s Naval History and Heritage Command a “fitting resting place for those who perished at sea”, a “war grave”, and “a hallowed site” 

          … not unlike the USS Arizona.

Seems you’re never too old to learn something new.

That’s the first coincidence in a new series.  Stay tuned.

P.S. DD-526 was repaired, returned to service, and went down during the largest naval battle of WW II, Leyte Gulf. 

~~~

Another find among the boxes of genealogical stuff … a tightly rolled photo, in very fragile condition.  I tried to unroll it and opened about an inch and a half before the paper began to turn to dust.  I saw enough to see that it is a panorama of a military-style bivouac which would indicate it is most likely either my grandfather Curtzwiler with the California National Guard during the San Francisco earthquake in 1906, or George’s father with the Illinois 33nd during the final 100 days of WW I.  

It is obviously something of historical value and, if it is to be identified and survive, it needs an expert.

A friend, who is a photographer, put me in contact with a man who works salvaging photos and documents for museums, etc. I will be mailing the photo off tomorrow for an estimate.

I’ll let you know what happens.

~~~

There is someone out there who has nothing to do with their time other than make up silly omens.  

At 9:21 last monday it was “the 21st minute of the 21st hour of the 21st day and the 21st week of the 21st year of the 21st century”.  

Did anyone notice s/he wasn’t able to fit in the month?

Oh well …

The chief beauty about time is that you cannot waste it in advance.

      — Arnold Bennett

So ‘til next week …

16 June …

We were back to cold, wet weather for a few days.  I even began using a lap robe again while on the net.

Redding and the area at the foot of the Mountain to the south was in  for heat, but no sign of it here … yet.  Prediction is the high 80s today.  At 0700 it’s still a bit chilly.

~~~

Climate Change is doing strange things to the flora around here.

Oak trees are still dressed in leaves from three seasons … there are dry, brown leaves from 2019 alongside semi-dry dark green leftover leaves from 2020 now joined by rust-brown budding leaves from this year.

The lilacs near the house have not yet lost their blooms.  The blossom clusters are still in place but they are a dry orange brown.  

I can’t imagine what is making plants hold on to “dead” blossoms and leaves.  It doesn’t seem to have anything to do with seeds.  Any suggestions?

Some of the iris are in bloom.  Others are not even showing buds.

~~~

We all know of Churches with adjacent grave yards.   We know them mostly as leftovers from the past or as actually being in the past.  The one I remember most clearly is at St Clether’s in Cornwall where I found the grave of a woman who died on the day I was born … exact day, month, and year.  

Here in south Siskiyou County, “cemeteries” in current use are Mt Shasta Memorial Park in Mt Shasta, Winema Cemetery (white) and Lincoln Heights Cemetery (black) in Weed, Foulk family grave area and Gazelle Cemetery in Gazelle, and the McCloud Cemetery in (where else) McCloud.  There are also several very small family plots on some old-time ranches in this area.

In addition, there is a small area adjacent to St Barnabas Episcopal Church in Mt Shasta where ashes of parishioners are honored.  I guess it is not rightly a grave yard since there are no graves.  But it is listed on the genealogical web site called “Find a Grave”.   

https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2548913/saint-barnabas-sacred-grounds

The latest addition there was last friday.

There is a building across the road from the Memorial Park in Mt Shasta which was built as a Lutheran Church (my friend Elizabeth Ramey was one of the original members there). It is now a theatre and acting/dancing school.  And there is the Cabaret Theatre (the Old Pink Church) in Ashland, across the state line in Oregon, which has been a dinner theatre for several years.

That can never happen to St Barnabas because of the sacred “memorial” area.  I wonder if that was in the minds of those who originated the use of the space, or if it was just a fortunate side effect?

~~~

Mornings outdoors are reminding me of seasonal change (even if it is unusual change times).  Woodpeckers are busy clearing trees of the larvae hatching under the bark.  We have red headed peckers here and their Rat-ta-tat is nearly as good as a snare drum street beat.

Another bird reminder of past times is that I am hearing chickadees.  Not as many as we used to hear when the children called them one’-two-three birds because their call sounded like waltz time.

~~~

And speaking of birds …

The chicken flock is in decline.  With the family life changes in store over the next few months, keeping chickens is not a priority.

Two more of the hens are gone.  They are all getting old and laying has dropped off.  The flock hasn’t been renewed for two years.  We are now down to eleven hens … four blacks, three browns, one barred rock, and three whites.

An interesting sidelight is that we are still getting the average six eggs a day.

One of the latest to die was Picasso, she of the malformed beak.  I never understood how she was able to eat enough to stay healthy and productive with that twisted beak, but she did okay for quite a long time.  

Lesson there?  Never discount someone as “disabled”.

After in depth research, Mark found they likely died from worms which probably came from the wild birds which forage in the chicken yard.  It is an infestation of a parasite which lodges in the trachea and suffocates the host.  The flock is now being treated with an anti-parasite medication and we are unable to use eggs while they are on the medication.  Probably more than you wanted to know.

Oh well …

~~~

Once a week I talk with a cousin back east and last week, while sharing memories, I remembered the times (when I was young and child-sitting, at their vacation house on Balboa Island, for one of the wealthy families in my small town) when I would go out after the kids were asleep, wend my way through the back thoroughfares to the inner bay, and take a private swim.  What made the memory indelible was that often the water glowed.  

There are several places (and times) when and where ocean waters light up, usually a shade of blue or blue-green.

  

Watching waves break when the sea is phosphorescent is spectacular.  

Swimming in glowing water is magical. (Both pictures from the web)

Just one of my Pacific memories … along with grunion hunting.

~~~

I seem to be attracting coincidences lately.  The last episode we watched of “the Librarians” was built around Shakespeare’s plays (with a lot of recognizable quotes if you know any Shakespeare).  When I came up to get ready for bed, I turned on Sirius and Mendelssohn’s Overture to “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” was playing.

Then a couple of days later I was reading one of Laurie King’s Russell books set in San Francisco during the 30s and found Dashiell Hammett was one of the characters.  I had just decided a couple of days before that maybe it was time to become reacquainted with Sam Spade.

Since events etc. come in threes … I wonder what coincidence will come next. 

~~~

I was recently reminded that (to paraphrase Dickens) “It is the worst of times.  It is the best of times.” and on that note I will borrow from Mary Anne Perrone …

I no longer wait for a special occasion; I burn the best candles and eat cake on ordinary days.

I no longer wait for the house to be clean; I understand that even dust is sacred.

I no longer wait for everyone to understand me; that’s not their task.

I no longer wait for the other shoe to drop; it already has, and I survived.

I am no longer waiting for the time to be right; the time is now. 

So ‘til next week …

Well … so much for Summer.

Temperatures have cooled off a little more than a bit.

Last friday, as the heat spell began to break, Mark was sitting at the table downstairs gazing out the window to the north just after the sun came up and before the temperature began to rise.  The north windows were open, as were the upstairs windows, and he noted that although there was no breeze blowing there was cool air flowing in via the north windows and most likely out the upstairs windows.  

His observation made me smile.  That was part of the heating/cooling system built into this house.  Too bad the “envelope” house never seems to have caught on and been further developed.  

I recall seeing pictures of a house somewhere in Scandinavia where the idea was taken to the extreme by actually building a house inside a greenhouse.

It is still a good idea.  The concept worked for us for over forty years, although not perfectly … partially due to our lack of architectural training.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_envelope_house

But back to current weather.

~~~ 

The volunteer rambling rose just outside the backdoor is coming into bloom.  Small blossoms but such a vivid red.

I also have a two-toned bronze iris in bloom which came to me (by way of my friend Carole’s family’s gardens) from Red Bluff through Redding and finally from Carole’s place here on Hammond Ranch.  Mark plans to take a few corms from those iris, as well as some of the “Michael” iris, to add to the iris bed at the church.  I’m hoping to locate the black iris John gave me so it too can find a new home.  Somehow the iris which was white with bright blue, thin “blanket” stitch edging which had been given to me by my Daddy’s cousin Isabel too many years ago to count, disappeared during the move north.  

Oh well …

And so far no blossoms on the catalpa.  Maybe it is deciding not to bloom this year.

~~~

Last friday, after an unproductive day, I began watching a tv series titled “The Haunting of Bly Manor”.  First episode was really scary.  

Who has read Henry James’ “Turn of the Screw”?  I found a way to read it on line … free, and am finding it difficult reading.  

The lesson with the printed word may be to stop expecting today’s speakers and writers of “English” to write and speak by the rules of grammar which I learned in school more than seventy years ago because Henry James, who wrote in the late 1800s, wasn’t writing by those rules either.  

Story evaluation will have to wait until I finish reading and watching this latest telly version.

~~~

Last week I had an “Iris” adventure in addition to, or maybe because of, the previously mentioned involvement of Mark in expanding the iris collection at his church.  Quite by accident I saw a photo of an iris, ostensibly taken in a garden somewhere west of Baltimore.  It was striking!  Shades of teal highlighted by shades of pink.  Most of the time I am hyper-aware of PhotoShopped colours … but I know teal is one of Mark’s favorite colours.  Naturally, I thought a start of that particular iris would make a nice gift for him and so started searching the web for access.

I researched all the iris corm retailers I could find … without success.  As a last resort I turned to Facebook.  There are “friends” I follow on Facebook who live on different continents in differing weather zones.  Thinking the iris I was seeking might be specific to a certain area, I put out a broad ranging request asking if anyone had seen or knew of it.  I used the snip and sketch feature to copy and post the picture I had seen.  

I received several responses.  Many people were intrigued.  Many suggested I try some of the retailers I had already tried.  But no one had a solid lead.

However, one of my contacts in the UK suggested a mail order source for which the address was in  Nevada.  They had the picture of the iris in their online “buymore” ad.  It seemed a bit strange since they advertised “seeds” and I had never heard of raising iris from seeds.  But I decided to give it a look (reminding myself to not give out personal information, especially not financial information). 

When I called the phone number given, a recording said the number was either busy or out of order.  I should try again later.

Another part of their online presence advertised “Cape Jasmine” seeds using a picture of what was obviously a gardenia bush.

Something was out of whack.

So I called a reliable iris garden in Oregon and was told they had never seen or heard of that colour in iris.  Many hues and mixes of blues, purples, greens, yellow, reds, whites, etc. but nary a blue-green such as teal.  

By then it was obvious I was on a wild goose chase but I was intrigued.  

It turned out the Nevada site had copied the same PhotoShopped picture I had seen and added it to their scam site.  

Final information … someone in China is running a fairly successful scam (judging from the negative comments from folks who invested hundreds of dollars in their “rare” seeds).  They are using a legal mail forwarding site for their sales.

Oh well … it was an interesting way to spend an afternoon.

And by the way … iris can be grown from seeds.  It is a complicated, tedious, and lengthy process employed mostly by dedicated hybridizers so there is the wild card chance that someday there will be a teal and pink iris. 

~~~

It seems last week was stuffed with adventures. 

Have you ever heard of  the Trocks, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo? They are an all male ballet company, all of whom are excellent dancers.  They dance all the classic roles, i.e. both male and female roles (the ballerina roles are danced en pointe).

In addition, they are fun jokesters.  They honor classical choreography but with tongue in cheek.  Check out the high point of Swan Lake here …

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcHxW82Eeik&ab_channel=LesBalletsTrockaderodeMonteCarlo

Well … (to quote a cousin)“long story short” as I head around the back forty to tell you this story … 

The end of last week I discovered the Trocks will be doing a one-nighter in Palm Desert (near Palm Springs) next 31 January.  

I have cousins who live in Palm Desert.

I was sure they’d be willing to get tickets for me (I’ll be living in southern California by then) so I emailed asking that when tickets go on sale …

Within minutes I got a reply … “We were just in time.  Only six tickets now still available.  We’re second row balcony.”

Seems a lot of folks know, or know of, the Trocks.  Tickets sold out the first few days in June for a performance not until the end of January !

Reference here is EXCITEMENT.

~~~

As you see, I have added pictures.  I still need to learn how to size them.

It rained last night.

The new season of Miss Fisher’s Mysteries began monday on Acorn telly.  

I may currently be in a manic phase, a mild manic phase.

However, as an excuse I offer …

The calendar recently said I am 91 … that’s not true.  I am actually 19 with 72 years experience.

So ‘til next week …

Week started with surprises … high 70s and low 80s in Tampa and Chicago while it was high 30s and low 40s here.

Midweek … sunny and warmer, 60s and 70s here with HOT predicted for the weekend.

Weekend and end of the week … stationary high pressure area over the western end of the California-Oregon border causing HIGH temperatures (100s down in the valley and up in Medford, high 80s to low 90s here) Today’s high was 97.  

Mikayla arrived for a visit from her home in Mesa, Arizona and called our temperature “not too bad”. It was such a treat to see her. A bit sad as well. She and Tyler used to spend summers here, so this was her last time here. She picked up a fresh pine cone to take with her.

~~~ 

The sun now rises north of the mountain and is in my window a bit before 0540.

Morning sounds this time of year include crowing roosters (we  don’t have one but neighbors to the east do and he is a proud one), northbound freight train at the North Old Stage crossing (two longs, a short, and another long), sand cranes’ raucous announcement of their morning trip down to the reservoir, surf-like wind sound in the trees … hard to decide which is most pleasant.  

~~~

Last week, during the lead-in to Memorial Day, I learned that the meaning of the poppy is Life, Death, Sleep, and Beauty.  I’d never heard that interpretation.  I thought the poppy was merely a reminder.  But NPR gave the multiple meaning as part of an introduction to a musical section for the day.  Sounds a bit like resurrection thinking.

I also saw a post, written by a veteran, reminding folks that Memorial Day is for those who died in service and not for vets in general.  We were also reminded that Veterans’ Day in November started out as Armistice Day commemorating the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month when the War to End All Wars ended.

It is interesting how holidays change as the needs of the culture change.  And how often people just assume that the way it is now is the way it has always been.

~~~

Our area of California is now cited as high drought area meaning at high risk for fire.  Already this year thousands of acres of California have been lost to fire.  More than at this time last year, and the traditional fire season hasn’t yet begun. 

As I was driving to town recently, I saw an area full of wire grass, the spikey kind with reddish brown tips.  

When we moved here, that grass meant water less than a couple of feet below the surface.  There used to be patches of that straight, tall wire grass in the high meadow.  Now the only place I see it is down near Old Stage Road in what used to be swamp and is now a meadow.  

Trees are dying all around.  Mostly evergreens.  Does that indicate that eventually temperate, deciduous forests will replace the evergreen forests?  And what will be replacing the temperate forests … grassland followed by farmland followed by desert?

 ~~~

I have been doing more sorting.  Found some of the small toy cars (Hot Wheels) with which the boys used to play … a lot.  Hadn’t yet decided what to do with them until this late evening when Paul knocked on my door about 2145. He was having trouble getting to sleep and came to talk.

We turned on the Beatles and discussed the new home he and his parents will be moving into and what it will be like to live in town, or at least near to town, rather than out here in the forest … although with all the new building around here it isn’t the forest it used to be. He described what he thinks my new apartment will be like and what we will do when he and his Dad come to visit.

When he left to go back to bed, we shared a hug and were both feeling better.

Paul doesn’t play with that kind of car toy.  He is more into MineCraft video play or Legos.  I showed him the cars I’d found and he said I should take them with me to remind me of when my boys were little and they would be there for him to play with when he visits. So that has been decided.

~~~

I started watching “Doc Martin” again.  I had watched a few months ago but stopped after 5 or 6 seasons.  His constant frown and rudeness got to me.  But the people of Portwenn called and I am back watching.  Who knows how long I’ll last this time.

It is filmed in and around Port Issac south of Tintagel on the west coast of Cornwall.  In fact, a few scenes in the current series were shot in Tintagel, at the seaside hotel.  It was called the King Arthur Hotel when I stayed there.  I remember the toilet and the shower were in our room, but the tub was in the bath room down the hall and was long enough for a 6’+ person to get a good soak.  That reminded me a bit of the bathtub scene in “Diabolique”.

It was the end of the season, and we were the only guests before they shuttered for the season that year. 

It was a lovely interlude.  The food was good (as English cooking goes) and I found a way to get out (and back in) a door in the seaside greenhouse for a late walkabout on the cliffs.  

Other memories of that stay were an adventure in Merlin’s cave as the tide turned and began to come in.  And a visit to St Materiana’s just south of the fort site where the baptismal font is Norman in style and probably dates to the 11th century.  I left my dime there as well as lighted a candle. 

The hotel is now called “Camelot”.  I wonder if business is still so seasonal.

~~~

Short post this week … and early.  I have the car tomorrow and, because of the three day weekend, there is a lot to do.  I have “vintage” clothes to take to the local little theatre group for their costume closet, the library wasn’t open monday for the drive-thru pick ups so that’s on the list (I have five or six books waiting), and there is shopping to do.  It promises to be a rather long day which will  begin at 0745 … as a result, early is the word.  Sorry if things sound a bit disjointed.  

Just because the blog is posted early doesn’t mean you have to read early.  

~~~

Most everyone around here seems to be in an unsettled state.  That’s not an easy place to live.

Not all storms come to disrupt your life.  Some come to clear your path.

… and …

Heed your inner voice of hope. It happens to be right.  Your future’s looking very bright indeed.  Whatever trials you might endure, faith in a brighter future is well-founded.

So ‘til next week …