Current status of the McKinney fire is 99% contained and burned more than 30K acres.
A civil suit has been filed naming Pacific Corp defendant/defendants as the source of the McKinney fire. PacifiCorp is the parent company of Pacific Power which is the source of electric bills in this area.
It had been previously thought the source was human caused rather than a lightning strike. Speculation was a campfire or something similar but final determination was the source was something with a newly installed transformer.
Climate change fire situation is building a case for putting all lines underground, a move which has been strongly resisted by power providers as being just too expensive.
Learned that Mark spent several days last week at the McKinney fire, not as a firefighter but as a volunteer helping where needed and representing his job as Emergency Response (coordinator? I don’t know the accurate job title) for the Episocopal Church Northern Diocese.
~~~
The first of the Krim tomatoes has gone past the initial reddish blush around the blossom end and is moving into the black mature stage. Krim tomatoes are a heritage variety. They are beautiful as well as tasty.
The second one is entering the blush stage. Neither is any great size yet, but will soon be slicing edible.
All the smaller tomato sets are progressing nicely.
~~~
The Climate Change that was being passed off a few months ago as no big deal and no more than alarmist thinking would appear to be coming home to roost.
There are massive rains in areas not used to seeing not much rain at all now causing flooding bringing with it property damage, roads being destroyed, and deaths. Yosemite is closed due to flood damage and fears.
There have even been floods in Death Valley, which hasn’t seen rain in who can remember when, causing road damage and closures.
California’s Central Valley floods are causing damage to fields ready for harvest. There are records of some flooding in the past and warnings of more and worse in the future due partially to the subsidence of the land as a result of the drawing down of the subsurface water table by agriculture thereby causing a place for water to pool. In fact, the worst case scenario is the possibility of a rather large inland sea in the central valley.
And these are only the areas about which I hear news here in California.
I am sure each of you readers have similar stories concerning your areas.
It’s all normal earth cycles and has nothing to do with human actions causing all this disruption. Don’t believe the fear mongers. We corporate stockholders are still making lots of money.
I think not.
~~~
I have been hearing the “discussions” on both the radio and tv centered around the division of church and state.
I was reminded of one of the surprise finds made during my genealogical research. One of my found surprises was a declaration called “The Ten Thousand Name Petition”, written by Thomas Jefferson, comprised of 125 pages including (on page217) the signature of one of my Lawhorn grandfathers. The petition was presented by the “Dissenters” requesting that the Virginia State governing body end the “Established Church” and institute “Religious Equality”, i.e. the separation of church and state.
The petition was published 16 October 1776.
Never heard of it?
~~~
Another event about of which you may have never heard is the Ramona Pageant … It is held yearly (except during Covid) just outside a little town in southern California called Hemet in a natural amphitheater. It is based on a book written by Helen Hunt Jackson.
Then:
1946 & 47 were the years George, just ‘46 and I both years, were in the pageant. In those days everyone except the leads were local people.
George sheep shearer That meant he was one of the Indians who worked on the Ranch not one of those who hid behind big rocks on the hillside of the bowl, who stayed out of sight until someone (I can’t recall which character) yelled ah eee ta and the hillside was suddenly covered with braves, nearly bare except for loin cloths and moccasins and feathers in their hair, in a pose with one knee bent and a hand sheltering their eyes. It always called for a communal exhale and applause.
I was a dancer.
I had to be a male dancer because I was taller than my partner (and most of the other dancers as well).
I still have my castanets and can hum the music but can’t recall its title. The musicians were Jose Arias and family.
Theresa Silva, who was my classmate in the class of ‘47, was a member of the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians, and played a Ranch working staff member with George, me, Skip Acosta (I still believe he could dance rings around the hoop dancers today) who was another Soboba, and other school mates. I used to have a photo of Theresa but sent it to her a while ago and failed to keep a copy.
At the beginning of the show all the locals and the main characters paraded in from various places around the center stage and the seating area and disappeared to hiding places.
We dancers had a hiding place in a stand of small trees and bushes to the left of the central action stage. When I was in the Pageant the late Spring was often pretty warm and so sitting quiet and without moving during the entire first act was a bit uncomfortable. Especially in those costumes.
I told my Dad (complained really) about the situation and for the rest of that season, as well as the following season in which I participated, Daddy saw that a cooler filled with iced cold drinks was waiting for us under those trees/bushes.
and Now:
It’s been 75 since I was a dancer in the pageant. George, my dancing partner, and my best friend (who was also a ranch denizen in those play days) and many if not all of those involved in the Pageant in those days are all dead with only one exception of which I am aware. Theresa Silva is still a member of the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians now living on the res and currently playing the speaking role of the tribal elder named Mara.
Fond memories.
~~~
I started watching “Sandman” on Netflix and lasted for only 6 episodes. Was not able to establish connections between me and only a couple of the characters to keep me interested.
The androgyny of Sandman was a good touch but I didn’t understand why he kept his genital area covered with his hand in the one naked scene. Don’t know why it was necessary.
Oh well…
~~~
Now to end the week …
Everyone has a happy ending.
If you’re not happy, it isn’t the end
- From a Dove chocolate bite
Here is a test to find whether your mission on earth is finished.
If you’re alive
It isn’t.
- Illusions, pg 121, Richard Bach
So, ‘til next week …