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 …