Item #1: Getting behind
I’ve been busy directing traffic and giving advice to professionals. {smiley face} I used the image of a backhoe because our cattle raising neighbor (4 miles) showed up this week to begin his part of completing my vision of the new approach to our front door.
The construction crew worked hard until Thursday noon, then paused, (moving to another project) and the electrician started. Monday – back to the building activities. Then more inside sheet rock, insulation, painting, and a tile floor. Not real soon.
Siding is yet to come, but some preparation has been done. I’ve removed the ‘battens’ or ‘bats’
– the thin strips in the photo. [The origin of the word seems to be from ship-talk – comes from the noun batten, which denotes, among other things, an iron bar used to secure the covering of a hatchway on a ship.
I’m doing the regular chores, mowing some grass, spaying week killer, and in spare moments watching the delicate wild flowers emerge.
Item #2: New flower
Image here is from the web. These are a bit more colorful than I saw today – and didn’t have a camera with me, only a dog and a cat for a morning stroll.
The scientific name is Phacelia linearis (Pursh) Holz. . I haven’t found a local name, but flower guide books call it Threadleaf phacelia.
Also, our White Lupine is blooming. It is earlier than the blue type. When trying to find out about it, I see it is cultivated in the Mediterranean region and the seeds have “uses” – need to look into that.
Item #3: Got connections?
Us? Not often.
It seems impossible to initiate a cell phone connection from home. We can, however, start down near EBRG and talk through the car’s system and stay connected into our driveway. We’ve driven 2.5 miles farther north (end of the road) and continued a conversation. Technology is a wondrous thing. Makes us wonder, anyway.
Press the “SOS” button and things happen.
Near the small town of Jamieson, Australia, last Sunday, police were notified around mid-afternoon of an “SOS” signal coming from their area. A visitor to the area activated an emergency beacon – which was satellite connected to GEOS Alliance, an emergency response organization headquartered outside of Houston, Texas. The distress signal was then bounced to authorities in Canberra – Australia’s capital city – who beamed the message to Victorian Police.
Could happen to anyone: Five camels, a dog, and a man
Item #4: Peaked yet?
This item is related to Panic 2020. I am sorely tired of the misleading, incomplete, and wrong news reports being tossed at us.
And not a moment too soon.
Item #5: It cost how much?
And it was worth about one sixth of that.
Nancy use a $25 coupon she won via a promotion in EBRG to help local restaurants. She got something that resembled a Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich, two taco like things, and a large amount of fries. These last were okay. We cut the sandwich in half. It was not quite okay. I took a bite of the taco like thing. My scientific self thought a sample of 1 just would not do. I took a second bite. Then I threw the rest in the garbage. The dog Annie might have eaten it and not thrown it up, but why take the chance.
We have some Safeway made chocolate cookies and I have ice cream in the freezer. We’ll warm a couple of cookies in the microwave oven and top with Neapolitan ice cream and a few Cashews. Here’s to that!
And that, for this week, is the not so nasty news.
John