Author: admin

There was the annual August picnic of the local chapter of the Audubon society. I support the local group by going to the talks that sound interesting. Members here take the national organization’s stance on human caused climate change – extreme – I don’t support the actions.
At the time of the picnic it was 100°F at the airport. The city park had lots of trees, wet grass, and shade. It was bearable.
There was an over abundance of food. Probably only half was eaten. I took commercial frozen pies (Key Lime & Chocolate), thinking folks would appreciate the “cool” factor.
Not so. I brought most of it home. Likewise, with other desserts, such as brownies and an apple pie. Those went home with the bringers, too.
A thought: most of the members are age 65 or above, and perhaps are not much interested in sweet things. There were 6 or 8 types of salads.
Next year {!?!} I think I will just donate some $$ to the area food bank.

Another observation: I mentioned that almost everyone was over 65. Many are older, and some of the original members have died in the past five years. Some look like they are also about to check out. I questions whether or not these aging groups can rejuvenate themselves. I’ll bet not.

I’ve done some mowing and cleanup pasture work this week. Not much because of the heat.
I have hundreds of old (20-year-old) soda and beer cans that we brought home from field trials – doing the clubs a favor. Originally I put many of these in the white plastic garbage sacks. Bad choice. They say biodegradable and compostable trash bags break down up to 1,000 times faster than regular garbage bags in the right environments. In practice they just fall apart sitting in a shed. Oops! I can clean up and re-bag some of these a few times a week – a big pain I try to avoid. Part of the problem is that a few years ago the cost of returning the cans was more than I was getting for them (8¢ pound). I didn’t bother. I think the price is now over 40¢/pound.

In the “Did You Know” department:
I stopped by the Sheriff’s Office to complete a form and be fingerprinted to get a permit for carrying a pistol.
The permit is for “concealed carry” because we don’t need a permit for “open carry.” The problem is that just by putting on a long coat or not tucking in a long shirt you can go from “open” to “concealed” without thinking about it.
The interesting thing was the finger printing. Ink is not used – they are scanned. That was problematic because I have very smooth skin where the ridges are supposed to be.
There are various reasons why this happens but in my case it seems to be a consequence of work with shovels, picks, rakes, and related tools used here at home and on trail building and repair. Who knew?
The standard wait time for the permit is 30 days. The cost was $50.25.
Randy, the greeter and technician, scrounged the office for the 25¢ because it was going to cost $2 to use a credit card. I told him I’d bring him a few quarters to help out the next unlucky soul that needs one.

That’s all the news that’s fit to print.
Keeping track on the Naneum Fan

John

The heliacal rising of a star occurs annually when it first becomes visible above the eastern horizon at dawn just before sunrise (thus becoming “the morning star”). Historically, the most important such rising is that of Sirius, which was an important feature of the Egyptian calendar and astronomical development. Sirius is prominent in the constellation Canis Major, (the Greater Dog). It became known as the precursor of the unpleasantly hot phase of the summer. Greek poets even recorded the belief that the return of the bright star was responsible for bringing heat, fever, and sudden thunderstorms. [Nancy named a puppy Sirius Sashay, and Shay became her favorite Brittany.]

On the left is the major stars of the constellation as they reside in the sky. With tilting and artistic interpretation, we get the view on the right.

The 24 hour period ending at 1 AM Thursday of this week is an example of dog day storms. The red dots on the map are lightning spotted from satellites. There were clouds to my north and northwest but I neither heard not saw storm activity.
To my south, the sky was picturesque.

This view is from 150 yards east of the house. I was there looking for rocks, branches, twine, or anything else that might be in the way of mowing down through the grass and weeds.
Why?, you ask.
Way down, near the center, a tree along the irrigation ditch tipped over. I wanted to get it out of the way, and it was still rooted and green. After mowing a lane wide enough for the truck, and a turn-a-round at the tree, I was able to pull it – including roots – out of the way of the water.
This also brought the still green leaves down where the deer can get to them and the recycling of elements can begin. Further, the leaves won’t be drying, falling, and becoming additional fuel. Win- win, as they say. The work of converting it into firewood is yet to be done. I t won’t be ready until fall of 2023.
I left a gate open, and the doe led her two little ones through, around the house, and bedded down under the covered area near the (west) back door. That sliding patio door has a plastic flap for a doggy/cat entrance. So, I went out a different door and came around and carefully herded them back out the gate. They settled under the walnut trees on the east side.
She was lying beside the one seen under her belly but popped up when I said “Oh shist!”

Just as an observation, in recent days I have sent six emails to folks that I very much want to contact. The responses are either slow, none, or partial.
Does “Dog Days of Summer” justify this?

Photo source unknown.

Keeping Track
on the Naneum Fan

John

With the riding mower working I have been out morning and evening cutting the massive growth – grass and weeds – in the pasture. It is a slow process because of the thickness of the material and the roughness of the surface. The color now is mostly beige, except for the Curly Dock.

This is an interesting plant that some people eat, but not me. Click the name in the box:

Curly Dock

Animals won’t eat it, either recognizing its toxicity or not liking the taste and smell. If you care for more info about that, see the following:
https://wagwalking.com/condition/oxalates-soluble-poisoning

I cut a few strips, strategically to slow a fire if one should get started (There is a fire 20 miles to the east.), and to allow me to walk, cut, and bag the weed. In the photo below, the rust-colored Dock is seen on the left.

I intended to spend a bit of time cleaning up some things in the shed. It was occupied by a family of deer. I decided to do something else.

I had to have a truck tire replaced. There is a local tree called Washington Hawthorn, emphasis on thorn. One of the thorns pierced the sidewall of a tire; only 15,000 miles on it. $360. Ouch!
Here’s the rub. In trying to save money heating the house with home-grown wood, I ruined a tire. Years ago I had the tires of the garden cart filled with foam because the thorns punctured the tires repeatedly. They don’t go through the tread of auto tires, but the sidewall is not as tough.

I will mention that the tree doesn’t grow large, has pretty blossoms, and fruit. It is also one of the hardest woods I have encountered.

Keeping track on the Naneum Fan

John H.

Here is the best color on the Naneum Fan this last week of July.

Often called “Yellow slime mold”, but it is not a mold nor a fungus.
Named Fuligo septica.
Interesting Scandinavian folklore
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuligo_septica

Great photo here:
https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/slime-molds.htm

Mine is on the top surface of a butt of a cottonwood that was too hard to split. This does not fit with the habitat description usually given, but it looks like the second link photo from Mt. Rainier.
A sometimes name is “dog vomit”. A couple of days after the bright yellow look the stuff has coalesced into a smooth brown and yellow that does resemble dried vomit.

This image gives me a chuckle. I can’t find the original source. It appeared on an Ohio police site in 2019 and has been seen in a dozen other places since then. No offense to poodle lovers.

And writing of guns: I carried most of mine over to the winery. Phyllis fixed supper and we were joined by another couple, he a part time dealer in guns.
The plan is for him to sell those old ones and then I’ll buy a semi-auto pistol. The cash will be more than enough. The extra will be available to pay for the high-priced gasoline now being sold. Make and caliber not yet decided.

Today, Sunday, is the last of our “heat wave” – also called summer.
I’m 180 miles from the Pacific Ocean and have a mountain range in between. This makes for a hot and dry July and August.
The graphic here shows the daily highs in yellow and the lows in green.
Last year June was the hottest. The last 2 weeks of July, this year show almost an exact fit. We are expected to cool starting Monday and be down to 78° on Thursday. Beyond that, they are not sure.

Other happenings.
The 1983 Fleetwood travel trailer is gone – to Megan and Kevin’s place. She is the CWU geographer and head of the scholarship committee. Their place is about 5 miles away. Kevin is a handy type and can fix the couple of injuries the outside has. Inside is 99% great.
Over at the vineyard, the well/pump is failing. A new well was drilled this week with a 10” diameter. It will take a few days to reconnect. Cameron has the small backhoe to dig the trench. That’s good. Meanwhile the vines haven’t gotten there full need of water, each block getting 3 hours rather than 4 hours. Still they look good.
About 9 miles down river is “The Gorge at George” – a major musical festival venue. The place was visible last evening with the stage and lights. Something called “Watershed Festival” was in progress with Sunday be “country” day. I recognize Miranda Lambert’s name and can put a face to the name, the others are not known or not as well known to me.
It is a nice setting and Cameron was the wine maker there for awhile.
Google Earth will take you there: Search for “Gorge Amphitheatre”

All for now
Keeping Track on the Naneum Fan
John H.

Keeping Track July 24 2022

The area is about to have a week of hot weather. Here, perhaps, it might get to 100°F. Or it may not. This time next week the answer will be known.

My garden, such as it was, now has only yellow beans, and three sunflowers. The snow (sugar pod) peas are in the freezer and the onions are in the shed. Drying and cutting the roots and tops will get done as needed. The ones that “bolted” I intend to cut and freeze. The good ones will last to Christmas time.
The plumb trees still need watered even though only one has fruit. Spring was too cold, too wet, and too windy. There is always next year. I will get a few raspberries. Also, I’ve been promised a box of Italian Plumbs by Megan Walsh, a CWU geographer. She lives 5 miles to the SE.

I went to EBRG with four or five stops planned. Safeway advertised a couple of things I wanted but were out of one. I got a rain check, even though rain had nothing to do with it. Two loaves of bread {why loaves and not loafs?} rang up for $1 more than advertised. That required dealing with a salesperson and using my same credit cart, adding back $2 to my number. I then went across the street for a haircut.
At the next stop, 45 minutes later, that credit card was not in my wallet. Back to Safeway, I went. Their security cameras showed me using the card and then starting out toward the door with the card.
I went through the first set of doors, took my 3 items, left the cart. So where did the card go?
I used my trusty iPhone and found a number for Visa/Citi/COSTCO.
Using a voice-automatic system, I was able to place a “lock” on the card and hear the latest transaction. It was my purchase from the hour before.
I have to do a thorough search of the truck with a passenger side filled with stuff. I was running late, and the temperature and sun caused me to not do more than that. I looked some at home in the shade of the shed but did not find it.
With the “Visa Quick Lock” in place I could go about my tasks and get to the neighbors for an early supper. Thanks Kathy & Dale.

The phone and Visa system allowed me to place a “lock” without knowing the card number. I think I had to give my name and social security number, and maybe my zip code. I did, unnecessarily, end up talking with a person and it might have been him that asked for the zip code. Because of the system, I did not have to rush home to use the computer or home phone to accomplish making the card useless – assuming I dropped it and it was found by someone that might try.

Visa uses the term “Quick Lock”,
Discover uses “Freeze It”
Other companies have similar things, but there may be variations. Locking or freezing your card does not necessarily lock all transactions from being processed. The action is primarily on point-of-sale or one-time uses of the card. If you have charges that are classified as recurring, those will continue to be processed.
Anyway, there is more work to do. I was also asked a security question – the one about first pet or something. Over the years, Nancy and I have used 4 or 5 of these. At one time she used “peep-peep” – a pet chicken from childhood. Mostly we used dogs and horses. Yesterday, I answered with our (together) first dog; the correct answer was a more recent horse.
When I said the dog’s name (wrong), he gave me the first letter of the horse’s name. That worked.

Next post, I’ll show a weed or two. For this week my photos are of deer.

One morning there were 3 little ones under the shed-roof with the truck. That photo is from a bedroom window. The velvet-antlered one was walking just outside the fence two mornings later.

Keeping track,
from the Naneum Fan
John

A little work got done on landscaping this week. I was expecting some painting but most of that would have been on tall ladders and the wind was blowing hard. So, the folks stayed on the ground and did some digging and stone moving.
The pile of rounded river rock is almost gone – distributed being a better term. Because of the heat, the crew starts early and leaves at 1:30. The boss would have to pay overtime if they stayed longer – even if the heat is less than expected.
In looking for the image of the pile of rocks, I’m told by WordPress that I have 4,352 images stored on the site. I guess I should look through them sometime. If I go back and look at an old post, those photos come up, so I can’t delete them.

The Mariposa Lilies bloomed this week – – about 8 days later than average. The cool spring caused that. They are a shrub/steppe (dry land) plant. My photo is on the cell phone and I can’t seem to get it onto the computer. Go to the following link to see what these pretty flowers look like.

https://www.pnwflowers.com/flower/calochortus-macrocarpus

Use the “more photos” link to see the sort of landscape where they are found. The locations are south of me, 60 to 100 miles.

I got the push mower back this week – walk behind and push type. I need a cooler day. I’ve been working in the shade, sifting the rocks out of dirt and moving each to its intended place. I haven’t been doing much of that either.

Early this morning I harvested the sugar pod peas (or edible snow peas). I need to clean and freeze them. I did have some with supper, a chicken thigh and fried onions. I’ll have close to 10 pounds. That should be enough for about 40 servings.
The onion was one of the “bolted” ones. It had a hard core as tough as a carrot, so I used only about half of the volume. I still have 3 store-bought red onions that I assume were in storage since last summer. I’ll use those before taking any more from the garden.

For long term storage they need to be dug, cleaned some, and laid out to dry, out of intense sun. When the green tops are dry, I’ll cut them back to about an inch above the bulb. Some of these should keep until about next March. Two-thirds should last until Christmas. In 2 to 3 weeks, I’ll have a harvested weight, when they are ready for storage.

Gila Bend AZ is 100°F at 9 AM. Forecast is for a high of 113°F. Much the same for the past couple of days, and for the coming week. The lows are minus or plus about 85°F. Europe, this week is not quite as hot, but they struggle to deal with it.
When we were living in Idaho the Spokane TV station had a weather presenter that liked the sound of “Gila Bend” and would frequently mention the temperature there. One summer, we were headed west on I-8 that passes just to the south of the town. We detoured and took a photo of the welcome sign (I think it was not this one) and sent it to the TV station. He mentioned us and used the photo on the air.

I talked with Gina (Houston TX) for nearly ½ hour until someone showed up with a reptile critter for her to care for. She has large tortoises outside and it was 97° today. They are coping. School starts for her in 2 ½ weeks. EBRG schools won’t start until after the Rodeo and County Fair – so Sept. 6th, a month later.

That’s it for the Ides of July

Keeping Track
John

Knowing there would be a few unwanted blooms** on what I consider weeds, I took the camera and went for a walk.

**Copy and paste this link to see —
http://www.swcoloradowildflowers.com/Yellow%20Enlarged%20Photos/5trdu.jpg

Lupine (these are about done), Chicory (just starting), Showy Milkweed with the big-eared doe.
The “snow peas” [Oregon Sugar Pod] are ready to harvest. Onions had a tough time this year. About 10% started to bolt – prematurely sends up a flower stalk. This year the issue was cold weather. The plants sense the cold, anticipated fall and the need to reproduce. As the flower heads developed, I cut them off. I don’t need the flowers or the seeds. Another grower, Becky, in Washington also got starts from Dixiondale and, with many others, had the same problem. Here is what she says:

I’ll pull all the ones that bolted, chop them up, and freeze them in ½ pound packets for later use.
The doe, in front of the Milkweed was alone. There are several such and a couple of antlered ones around. Two babies, still with spots, are traveling together and another small one is around. They all bound away when they see me, unlike the older ones.

I used the truck to pull previously cut trees nearer to where I want to make firewood. When I started to put the chain on one of those, there in the dirt was a handset for the house phone. I cut those trees last fall and pulled them out of the initial resting place in March. When doing that the phone came out of my shirt pocket and has been there for about 4 months. The cracks in the glass are from a previous event.

Kathy and Francisco came from Puyallup on Wednesday afternoon. We loaded the F350 (once mine) with recovered lumber from the remodeling of the big shed and 3 thick posts milled from the load of logs had. I had 2 sheets of corrugated sheeting – top and bottom protectors on a roofing delivery.
They brought several food gifts, including home grown bacon I had for breakfast today. Kathy has raised everything from bees to bacon, so this was a treat.
After the truck was loaded we went to EBRG and they bought supper at The Red Pickle, a relatively new eatery that began as a food truck. It is a nice place with good food and friendly staff.

This coming week is going to be our summer, but still about 20°F cooler than our experience last year.

With the clear night sky, I can get the core house temperature down to about 68° by morning. Likely, I won’t need to turn the AC on. The Weather Service folks think there is potential for a thunder storm Tuesday evening and that would change the temperatures. That thinking isn’t in the forecast as of Sunday Noon.

Keeping Track
on the Naneum Fan

John

– $118.39 later.

The riding lawn mower has a new carburetor – –
and still won’t run.
Other suggestions to look at include bad fuel lines and safety switches.

There is a 70% chance of rain this weekend so I pushed the machine into the reconfigured shed, and I can work in there, and watch videos about possible fixes.

The work crew did a lot of painting this week and put the bird net up. There are spaces still open between some of the studs. I have to rip plywood to about 10 inches and tack that up to complete the bird-proofing. I have a dozen of used sheets, so there is no expense – just the work.

I have a new wild flower blooming this week but have forgotten the name. It is cute but not a stand-out in the mass of shrub-steppe vegetation. Initial searches failed to find it. Some of the bunch grass is 7 feet tall. If it is not raining in in the morning, I’ll get photos of both things and add them. Otherwise – next week.
The tall and showy Wild Mock Orange (Philadelphus lewisii) is also blooming.

UPDATE
I used Google image search but did not find the flower.
I switched to Bing image search and that found an image almost identical to the one I took today. First my composite:

Here a link to Large-flowered Collomia on the Washington Native Plant Society (WNPS) site:
https://www.wnps.org/blog/plant-profile-collomia-grandiflora?highlight=WyJjb2xsb21pYSIsImdyYW5kaWZsb3JhIiwiY29sbG9taWEgZ3JhbmRpZmxvcmEiXQ==
OR:
Search with ” wnps Large-flowered Collomia ” and you will get there.

Keeping track on the Naneum Fan
John

The work crew did some painting on the house this week. Also built the landings (forms) at the doors that were added last year.
Large screws were added inside the shed, going up into the trusses. Netting was delivered – to keep birds out of the space. There won’t be a “ceiling” – the net will handle that function.
The landings at the two doors need covered and the net needs to go up.
None of this is exciting or picturesque.

Ill-cared-for domestic Iris bloomed this week. The onions want to bolt. It has been too cool for them. Those that bolt won’t store well. It is a good thing I didn’t plant tomatoes. Night-time temperature hasn’t stayed above 55° – but will next week. Those that planted tomatoes will be way behind.

There is always something:
Four years ago we had the riding lawn more reconditioned. I used it a couple of times and then a rear tire went flat. So it sat until this week. I’ve got grass so high a couple of fawns wandered through and only their heads stuck above the mess of weeds and pasture grass.
I had trouble getting the tire off, but did. A tube was needed – $35.00; and a new battery – $77.00.
It took me a day to find the key – ’cause just about everything in the house has been moved several times. It started right up – after I added gas. The gas that was there evaporated and apparently nearly killed the carburetor. Thus, while the engine started it stalled with asking it to do anything – like move.
I’ve ordered a new carburetor: $109.52 + tax of $8.87. It is to arrive Monday late afternoon. I’m busy Tuesday, so – if the machine then works – I won’t get started cutting grass until next Wednesday.
A recent, partially completed, project is a sundial in the native flowers. It is called an analemmatic dial and is a favorite of young folks because the person needs to cast the shadow that points to the approximate time. In the drawing the shadow points to 2 pm. This is not meant to tell actual clock time. Rather, it should make a person think of the height of the sun. The girl is standing on April and her shadow reaches the hour point.
She would move forward in June and her shadow will get shorter. For January she would have to back up, but her shadow would get longer. As the sun’s declination changes the shadow maker has to move to compensate.
Often the signs of the Zodiac are near the center line and it is called the Zodiac. They would be positioned near the dates under the drawings that could be simply symbols. The designer may skip the historic aspect and use whatever one wants. I’m likely to go with simple.

Keeping track from the Naneum Fan
John

The June solstice is the moment the Sun is directly above the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere. That is about 25 miles north of Havana, Cuba. For the Naneum Fan this will happen on Tuesday, June 21, 2022 at 2:13 o’clock – in the middle of the night. I’ll miss it. But the Weather Service thinks my temperature will get to 76°F, almost a real summer-like day.

Onions

After a difficult start, the onion sets from Texas are growing, although wind damage is evident. The native onions didn’t emerge until recently and are now blooming. As the ones from TX tried to bloom I’ve clipped them. I hope that stops the process because the bulbs of those will not store well. I can eat them now as “green onions” – and that might be the better solution.
I took photos Friday – – Onion, left / Phacelia, right
The cool and wet weather is great for the native shrub-steppe plants. Crowding encourages them to grow taller to get better exposure to the elusive sun. I’ve mowed and sprayed near the buildings in anticipation of a dry and hot “fire season.” There will be lots of fuel in Kittitas County.
“Haying” has started. I noticed one field that had been cut. Rain seems unlikely during the next week and strong winds will be good. Temperatures will remain below average for late June.

I put signs, using “duck” as a verb, on the gate with the low clearance. I put red paint on the top crossbar; not shown. I don’t know if there are standards for such things but even I (now reduced to 5 ft. 10 in.) can bang my head when not being careful. Entry ways (doors) built to modern codes will be no less than 6 ½ feet, while head clearance on stairs is set at 80 inches (6.67 feet; some say 6′ 8”) – Walter (contractor) says 7 feet for my entrance ramp.
Warmth: If the night time temperature is above 55° and the wind is negligible the house will keep above a decent temperature – 68 to 70.
Mostly, so far, one or the other of those things, or both, fail to happen. This is mostly the cool wind, often in the mid-20s mph or into the 30s. With lots of wood of not good quality, I light a fire in the wood stove almost every night. Mostly I have been burning old tree limbs I cut 15 years ago. Better stuff I am stacking for next season.

I am late to battery powered tools. A local store hypes Milwaukee Tools just before Father’s Day; Wednesday of this week. A company agent is there to answer questions and there is a hot-dog-wagon. Buy something and get lunch for free. Last year I got the drill and impact driver (lower image) and this year I got the saw. The batteries I bought last year will power the saw, but I did have to buy blades.
I used the drill in reverse mode to remove hundreds of screws from the old camper I demolished last year. I started with one the contractor (Walter) loaned to me. That convinced me to buy one. I also had him cut an old pipe from the well with a saw. I didn’t buy one then, but I have now. I figure I will use it when I demolish the Pace Arrow motor home. There is also a blade for pruning trees. I tested my purchase with that.

The workers came (Monday & Tuesday) and placed concrete (4” wide x 6” deep) around the pole-shed where it meets the ground. I’ve had dogs, skunks, mice, and maybe a few other things dig under the slab. I suggest this ought to be done when the floor is being placed.
I took the forms off so the guys did not have to come back.

Keeping Track
from the Naneum Fan

John