More thoughts in the time of COVID-19
Wednesday, Day 34 …
I spent quite a bit of time this afternoon trying to learn how to put photos in the blog. I know (loud sigh here) … to some folks it’s a snap. But I found myself wading through jargon which had not a bit of meaning to me. I refuse to give up. I’ll keep trying and someday I will once again be able to share pictures with my words.
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Thursday, Day 35 …
Every morning I read the online Dictionary “Word of the Day”, and one day last week the word was daffydowndilly. Did anyone else recognize it? I did from an old, old song. So I followed the link to learn its meaning and found out it is a Brit term (of course) for a spring-time daffodil, used in fun, and most likely with at least some roots in Londontown’s East End Cockney rhyming slang. Go ahead, do your own rhymes … pass some time with hurdy gurdy wordy fun.
Each morning, when the sky is clear, looking out my south facing window I can watch the sunlight come down the side of Mt Eddy as the sun rises. Where I live may not be unique, but it sure is interesting. Sunrise is tracked in a downward direction looking south. A creek across the west side of the meadow runs uphill. Sunset colours are best seen looking east. The houses situated lower in altitude than mine have colder temperatures. Unique? Interesting?
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Friday, Day 36 …
Made a short trip to town this morning … chickens needed straw and scratch, and chicken breasts were on sale. Wore my mask. Stopped by a neighbor’s and said “Hi” from a distance. Got the Landowners’ Association stuff done. Got in some knitting time. Spent time on courtyard planning and checking dates for planting. Next wednesday and thursday look good for that.
Full day.
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Saturday, Day 37 …
The (so far) standoff with the Watermaster District has resurfaced. We have contacted an attorney who gave us an hour and a half of free consultation, but wants $6,000-$7,000 as a retainer. We have $2,000 in hand. I’ll put in another $1,000 when my government booster comes in. That leaves us ~$4,000 short. Now if I can only convince forty people to send me $100 each, I’d have it made. Aaaaaahhhhhhhhh … dream on. But we’re not giving up. Somehow we’ll find the way to get our water and our hydro-electric power back. I have hope and faith.
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Sunday, Day 38 …
Music hit me a bit hard last evening. I had the radio on and was listening to classical music while I read. As I read, I was enjoying the Bolero. It had been one of George’s favorites (he had a DVD of Maya Plisetskaya dancing it, with a full male chorus line, which he enjoyed watching). As I said , I was enjoying. Bolero was followed by the tenor-baritone duet from Act I of The Pearl Fishers. Another of George’s favorites. I thought that was an interesting juxtaposition, but nice. Next came Brahms’ 3rd Symphony followed by the Chopin Dirge Sonata. More favorites. By then I was no longer concentrating on reading and was wondering who had put together that play list. Forty-five minutes later it was time for me to turn out the light and go to sleep and I was still listening to George’s music. First thing this morning ??? Rusalka !!! The Met’s translation of her song to the Moon goes … Moon in the heavens, your light shines on everyone, near and far. Moon, tell me where is my beloved? Tell him, silver Moon, that I am holding him in my arms. Wherever he is, he should dream of me. Tell him to wait for me.
Somehow I think that even in isolation I am not alone.
Two more 6+ earthquakes on the Ring (these both off Japan) and a small one in the LA area.. Plates are slip slidin’ …
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Monday, Day 39 …
Found this on Facebook and thought it was worth repeating.
“My grandmother once gave me a tip: In difficult times, you move forward in small steps. Do what you have to do, but little by little. Don’t think about the future, or what may happen tomorrow. Wash the dishes. Remove the dust. Write a letter. Make a pot of soup. You see? You are advancing step by step. Take a step and stop. Rest a little. Praise yourself. Take another step. Then another. You won’t notice, but your steps will grow more and more. And the time will come when you can think about the future without crying.” ~ Elena Mikhalkova
I went out for a walk around the property and made a series of discoveries. Blooms on manzanita, lots of bulbs, and a second bloom on the plum tree. It had already bloomed once and that bloom was knocked off by snow and ice. With this second bloom a good crop of plums may be a miracle in the making.
In my room, the cutting from the fig tree has sent out a leaf. I was about to give up and toss the stick. Now a friend says she’d like to give raising it a try. She wants some of the pussy willow starts as well.
Last week I heard about a couple of innovative challenges to being housebound. A bit south of us on Old Stage, neighbors in a set of four houses set up chairs and six-packs at the end of each driveway and stationed themselves with signs saying “You honk. We drink.” And over in Shastina an extended family celebrated a birthday by forming a group of family cars decorated with signs and flowers and parading around the appropriate circle drive singing the Happy Birthday song out the car windows.
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Tuesday, Day 40 …
The early morning trip out to the chicken house has been a pleasure this week. The sounds of the morning (geese, sand cranes, an owl, breezes) has been accompanied by train whistles. I treasure the sound of train whistles.
This morning another interesting word for the day … Taradiddle (lots of diddling lately) … by definition a petty lie, a little falsehood or trifling told often to amuse or embellish a story. Worth filing away for use later.
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Wednesday (early), Day 41 …
This is being posted early today because I have to leave the house early. The truck’s wheels need rebalancing and although the shop is open (“we’re essential” one repairman told me) they aren’t making appointments … first come first served. Since I don’t like to drive in and out, and have to be in town at noon, I will stay out until everything is done. I am not anticipating a good day. I had thought to plant some potatoes this morning. Maybe there will be time when I get home.
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However, no sense brooding and so … Ending the week with some sage advice …
The Icelandic forestry service is encouraging people to hug trees while social distancing measures prevent them from hugging other people.
So … ‘til next week …