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.
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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.
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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.
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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?
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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 …