The last few days have had smoky skies thanks to winds from the southeast – eastern and central Oregon – where wildland fires (mostly grasses) have been burning. The direction just shifted to more out of the SW (Sunday afternoon) but it will be another hour or so (6:00 pm) before we get to NW and strengthening. Then the smoke goes away during the night.
While working on landscaping near the back of the house I can listen to the radio. An ad by Root’s Nursery, Yakima, came on saying they were having a sale, especially on fruit trees. I had called the two EBRG Nurseries and got recorded messages. One was obviously 2 weeks obsolete. The other said “leave a message” – I did – and got no response.
I called Root’s and a fellow answered my questions about Plum trees and assured me the sale was on and that $50 trees could be had for $25. On the Web, such trees are $65 to $100, and a place in Winnipeg wanted $150 Canadian, or about $111. Too far in distance and too much money.
Add gasoline ($14) and tax ($8.30) for a total of just over $30 per tree.
At home, I placed them behind a 6 ft fence and watered them. I have to finish digging big holes. These are large enough they should have fruit next summer.
I would like “cling-free pits” but not a blue-Italian type, so at least one of these I bought is said to be semi-free. Hmm?
I got 2 Pembina, 1 Satsuma, and 1 Beauty. The Beauty is a good pollinator, ripens early, and is claimed to have many pink blossoms. Another site disagrees. All are red on the outside. Pembina has yellow flesh, Satsuma red, and Beauty has “amber” color inside, and “ribbons of red” [What?].
The trip to Yakima was not without thought-provoking occurrences. I entered I-82 south of EBRG and was immediately passed by a State Patrol SUV. About 3 miles later that car was at the side of the road and a female officer was standing with her back to the road and talking to a man sitting on the rocky side hill – in full sun, about 90°F.
After picking up my Plum trees, I returned to I-82 through downtown Yakima on East Yakima Avenue. Approaching the interchange there are four main lanes and another, on the south, separated by concrete construction barriers. Two men 
and a dog were crossing – left to right – at this point and drivers stopped to allow their passage. One fellow was bent in the middle such as shown. At the concrete barrier the other fellow lifted the dog to the top – and I was moving again and missed the remainder of the proceedings. I need a report from Paul Harvey.
Keeping Track
on the Naneum Fan
John