8 June …
Last week, I forgot to tell you that the radio club’s classes for those who wanted to become hams (or upgrade a level) went well. Only one of those taking the class failed to get their license and that was because she missed part of the training due to a family situation. She’ll make it next time.
We will be welcoming them at the next club meeting and inviting any of them who want to join us in the summer health-and-welfare events to tag along as trainees at the Castle Crags event in a couple of weeks. I think it would be valuable to any of us to be trainers/mentors.
Another radio item has come up.
The Cascadia fault off the coast of northern California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia is getting a LOT of attention. Authorities are doing drills and retrofitting and directional sign posting concerning quakes and tsunamis and are including hams because amateur radio is available and working when “modern” stuff fails.
Lately, California has been gently rocking … no real big ones.
And no clusters around or under our volcano but clusters under Mount St Helens … again.
Stay tuned. Life is interesting.
And still another amateur radio linked item …
For the past several years, the radio club members have done security watch from 2100 to 0600 for the vendors at the Mt Shasta 4th of July event. This year they are asking we do it from 2100 to 0900. Depend on the hams.
There will be a discussion of this situation at the next club meeting. It should be a doozie since I’ve already found myself in a “thing” with one of the members.
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Last thursday was another volunteer day at the Family History Center. I rarely do two weeks in a row, but I had to switch a week last month because of a radio connected meeting. We closed the center early this session since my partner had to be in Yreka at 1400 and we hadn’t had any clients.
The Sister with whom I was working is one of the chatters, so I didn’t get much research of my own done. Oh well …
Next session will be the 16th.
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One evening last week, George and I watched a movie titled “Everything is Illuminated”.
It was not at all what I had expected.
The first part of the film was full of word, cultural, and slapstick jokes. There were a lot of static shots which led you to think about what the character was thinking or doing. It didn’t move very fast. I wasn’t about to turn it off, but it didn’t impress me.
Then … all of a sudden … in just one short scene … it all changed.
By the time it was finished (?) I had been intrigued and challenged and reminded and shocked and confused and surprised and impressed and … and … and … and there were tears in my eyes.
If you don’t want your beliefs or opinions challenged, avoid this film.
Now I want to read the book.
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A big issue on the news and the net last week was the killing of the silverback in the Cincinnati Zoo after a four-year-old managed to make his way into the gorilla’s living area. The child had repeatedly announced he wanted to go in there.
Some reporters equate those who think that killing was ill-advised with anyone who supports inhumane meat “farms” such as beef feed lots and swine dungeons and movement-restricting chicken cages. I’m not sure I get the connection, but I resent the comparison.
After watching the video a couple of times I see no reason to have killed the animal. The child shows no signs of fear or distress. The animal seems to be confused by the uproar overhead and trying to protect the child from the ruckus and the shouting. At one point he tucks the child into a corner and puts himself between the child and the uproar. When he moves the child, he handles him as he would a young gorilla, including putting an arm around the boy … no intent to harm.
Given a better handling of the incident (clearing people away from the area, limiting the employees in the area to those used to interacting with the silverback, etc. as suggested by several people used to dealing with those animals), I believe the silverback would have taken the child to handlers just as the gorilla in Chicago did a few years ago.
Jane Goodall, while not pointing fingers, would seem to concur.
End of rant …
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I heard an interesting comment in a discussion last week. Someone used a paraphrased quote (Twain, I think) which essentially said “When telling someone who you are, never say something like ‘I’m a farmer.’ You are not a farmer. You are someone who does a lot of things one of which is farming.”
Got me to thinking. I often identify myself as a farmer’s daughter when actually I am a wife, mother, nurse, gardener, writer, lover, poet, genealogist, cook, spinner, knitter, grandmother, friend, relative, nature appreciator, philosopher, wannabe photographer, bed-maker, … but you get the idea.
In addition, I am the daughter of an intelligent man who, among other activities, farmed.
Who are you?
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Summer continues to come on.
This is the first year I can remember when the meadow was abloom in white.
It is Wild Garlic. It has always been here, just not is such profusion.
And there are so many of the very small flowers. Mainly they are blue-eyed Charlies and star flowers. This is the best I was able to do in order to share their wonder.
However, I did get pictures of the late iris out front by the bell and the peonies.
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Finally …
a comment on the season …
and a thought for this week …
“We think, ‘I’m not a fool today. I’ve learned my lesson. I was a fool yesterday but not this morning. Then tomorrow we find out that, yes, we were a fool today too.’
“I think the only way we can grow and get on in this world is to accept the fact we’re not perfect and live accordingly.”
–from “The Illustrated Man” (1951) by Ray Bradbury
So … ’til next week …