Sunday, John returned to trail work on the Lost River Trail. The crew was Lisa, Rebecca, and John. We introduced Rebecca in the blog for Saturday, May 5th.
Interestingly, they learned Lisa once worked in a bookstore with a hubby named John. Both bookstores, in Idaho, sold the “country living” manuals written by Rebecca’s mom, Carla.
John and Rebecca teamed up on removing big rocks from, and forming a new tread, on the trail.
Here are photos:
Photos by Blue hat, Lisa Black
Left photo shows how the trail looked on Sunday Morning. A small rock and a large hidden one are at ‘B’, behind the person’s legs. Rock ‘A’ has two parts. In right photo they become ‘C’ & ‘B’.
In the right picture, Rebecca has uncovered ‘new A’ – a 90% buried rock where we want the trail to go. Blue dots under and to the right show about where this rock rested. Having been there for a thousand years – it was evicted.
A new trail magically appeared – with a little help from Grub Hoe Rebecca, and Shovel John.
Compare with left side photo, above.
One of the rocks had a space under it, home to a cute 6 inch long Salamander; Sally. When John moved that rock, Sally Salamander took refuge under Lisa’s boot.
We had to find it a new home, and took it off the trail a dozen feet. Still, it wasn’t very happy with us.
We did not get a photo of the salamander, so found something similar on the web.
Raccoon returned tonight, after Czar came for an evening snack. I was sitting at John’s computer reviewing the blog for final submission, heard some noise, of Czar leaving abruptly, and looked right into the eyes of the raccoon coming up the ladder by the window. John went out, shooed him off, and cleaned up the spilled food. Never a dull moment in the rural area with wildlife.
Monday, May 7
We published the blog for last week at 12:05 a.m.
We took the Ford truck to pick up 5 pallets from a gal in Ellensburg, and if there are any flowers left after the storm, we’ll carry her a bouquet (there were, and she was happy). We got there at 1:00 p.m., loaded up, and continued to SAIL exercise, where John sat and read the Wall St. Journals that have accumulated. I drove my car so we could travel (leaving the truck w/ pallets there to pick up on the way home) so we were able to go to Costco, Big Five, and Bi-Mart. I returned shoes to Big Five which were not to my liking, but I was wearing the other pair I like and bought the same day. Costco we got some gasoline for my car and a few things we needed at Costco, but the best part of the trip was meeting our friends, Suzy & Bob West there, and we had a nice visit over cold mocha for Bob, piece of pizza for John, (Nancy took two bites), and John and I shared a Very Berry Sundae (made with Frozen Yogurt). We were very late returning home.
Write a note for Meadows today to get a count for those coming Thursday, knowing we will have a conflict with several of our players who are down in the Yakima River canyon this week at a bluegrass jam session at Big Pines campground. They are likely having a chilly and windy time this week.
On a day without photos, I am going to add some from my longtime friend since 6th grade, Maude Buzcek, whom I grew up with as Nancy J. It’s hard for me to revert, but she is such a wonderful photographer, I will publish her real name so you can someday recognize it hanging on a wall in a public building.
The first photos this week are from her trip to Florida, where she resided for many years. Now she lives in Michigan. Last week you saw and adult Tri-color heron in a drainage ditch. Below are three more of the species.
My favorite above is a newborn. Then are 3 babies with mom. A Tri-heron taking off. Photos by Maude Buzcek, included with permission. Please do not share or copy any part or the whole.
Tuesday, May 8
8:00 a.m. I called RCI to confirm a possible Hawaii vacation that “hit” for a resort on Kauai for a friend. Indeed, it had come through, but the dates could not be used by the family. While on, I explained that to the agent, and she said, “Well, there is an availability the week before,” so I put a hold on that, until I could reach the family. They got back to me in time to cinch the week in September. So I’m happy we don’t lose the banked time share, and they are happy they get to use it for 4 people in their family. That makes me very happy too. They are paying all the costs that I have to establish on our end to release the use to them through a Guest Certificate. If any of our friends are planning a trip anywhere in the world, give us as much notice as possible (a year is nice for finding exactly what you want), but our trading power goes out for 2 years from March 2018.
Called and ordered my Entresto.
A few places in WA are having water issues. EBRG too, but less so. There was lots of water over the road and people’s driveways on my trip in today. We are okay. Unusual to see water on the road on Thomas, Alford, Sanders, and at Mercer Creek over B Street, I heard Dollarway had some, and then saw more on University Way and Brooklane Drive on my way home. This is not unusual with snowmelt and especially in the hills (to 5,000 feet) north of our valley, rain on snow events. In years past it has been high enough that I have old photos of John standing on University Way at Chestnut St. with water almost to the top of his high irrigation boots.
Some of the small streams through EBRG have been channeled and even run in tunnels under entire blocks. What could go wrong?
These are a few from today: 
Mercer Cr. is the culprit here, B St is north of 15th, and the right photo is taken north of Mercer Creek Church.
I was at Nancy Hoffman’s house over the noon hour (her lunch hour) to pick up a crate and paperwork for Czar. I went by Bi-Mart and picked up 4 of the Friskies Party Mix that our cats like so much for treats and by Super One for a couple items.
A little before 2:00 p.m., I went to the Senior Center for our “Just Dance” class led by Nicole, our AmeriCorps staff member.
While there, I took a few videos including Zombie Dance with Michael Jackson’s Thriller, the Korean Dance (Gangnam Style by Psy), and a review of last’s weeks class on the Cupid Shuffle. Only 6 people were present, with an audience of 2, and 5 people participating in the dances I videoed, with Nicole too, as our instructor.
VIDEOS at JUST DANCE – see below mine, for an explanation from the web, mostly on Korean Gangnam Style. I got involved last night reading about Michael Jackson and Thriller and his death in the summer of 2009, and realized why I was not really familiar with it. That summer was the start of my downfall with 9 weeks of IVs daily to get rid of the bacteria in my blood that invaded my heart and ate on my heart valves, causing a major change in my life at the end of 2009.
First, here are the videos I captured in class Tuesday, May 8 with Nicole leading our learning the dance steps.
(1) Lesson Zombie Dance, Nicole AAC, May 8, 2018 in Just Dance Lesson Zombie Dance
(2) Lesson Zombie/Thriller (Starting 2.5 mins)
Lesson Zombie/Thriller (start 2.5 min)
(3) Group with Zombie/Thriller
Group Zombie/Thriller
(4) Korean Dance (Gangnam Style by Psy)
Korean Dance (Gangnam Style by Psy)
(5) Cupid Shuffle – Review Nicole AAC, May 8, 2018 in Just Dance
Review Last Week’s Cupid Shuffle
For more background to Korean Pop Culture and Dance, here are some links for those interested to check out. The introduction to the first dance is long, but interesting and probably worth your time, especially for those of us in the class.
Background: Korean Gangnam Style by Psy
Has the actual pronunciation at the beginning of the video. (sounds like condom, almost )
Gangnam Style on Good Morning America, ABC News 09-12-2012 Korean Dance, Good Morning America, ABC News
This one is totally hilarious: GANGNAM STYLE on Australia’s Got Talent (watch the large lady judge change her demeanor through the video).
Korean Dance, Australia’s Got Talent
On an academic note, you will enjoy this one (at least I did).
2013 Harvard University Korean History Professor & Psy
It’s a very long video, over an hour. Please start watching at 20 minutes to hear Psy’s story. His talk is completely without a script and full of surprises. The funniest is about 10 minutes into his talk about his 2nd day in the U.S., in Boston, not speaking English, but needing help from a pharmacist for his diarrhea.
Harvard Univ. Historical Culture with Psy’s Story Korean Dance Style
Story–article in the Harvard Gazette about his visit:
Harvard Gazette about his visit
And the list goes on, amazingly… in Paris May 11, 2012 near the Eiffel Tower with a large crowd
Korean Dance 2012 Crowd @ Eiffel Tower, Paris
A very interesting interview with Psy by a BBC News reporter (How does an artist follow a world-wide mega-hit? The Korean singer Psy produced and starred in the video Gangnam Style in 2012 and it has now been viewed 2.47 billion times. The BBC’s Steve Evans went to meet him.)
BBC News Interview with Psy
If you want, here is the original Nicole sent me of the Korean video seen around the world and the one on Michael Jackson and Thriller:
Gangnam Style
Original 2012 video Gangnam Style with Psy
Thriller
Michael Jackson’s Thriller Video
Here are Nicole’s comments about Michael Jackson’s: Thriller was the second one that we spent most of our time on. Thriller is the name of the song by Michael Jackson. The zombie part was because in his video and such there are zombies. It is the iconic part of thriller as during the dance we are the zombies that do the dance with him.
Viewing all these will take up much time, but you may learn a lot you previously did not know. I surely learned a lot about the Korean Dance style. I’ll let someone else follow the Michael Jackson Thriller / Zombie connection.
Wednesday, May 9
Last night I got my salad ready to take to the noon lunch for after our music, but need to add Bleu cheese dressing to the lettuce this morning, and add other ingredients, except croutons I’ll take along separately and add once I’m ready to eat.
SAIL was taught by Evelyn (who is our banjo player at the Food Bank lunch music). Jessi, our AmeriCorps teacher was in a two day workshop for the senior center.
More bird photos from my friend from her trip to Florida. We’ll start with white Egrets:
Two of Great White Egret preening; a Snowy Egret; a Cattle Egret carrying a twig for nesting material; young Egrets Sky Gazing. All photos by Maude Buzcek, with permission.
Some babies for follow-up:
Baby Egrets and the two right photos are of Wood Storks
Thurs, May 10
Kittitas Valley Storm, night before last, Mikka Jameson photo (permission to use). Photographer says, “This was taken from the Currier Creek Development off Old Hwy 10 west of Ellensburg, WA.”
Yesterday evening I started to cut John’s hair because he was looking too much like Einstein. It was LONG overdue. He needed gasoline for his trip tomorrow, so he drove me in, where we parked in the shade, and he carried all my stuff into Meadows where we were playing music. He helped move tables and set up chairs, and went into the side room where he read more in his book on the discovery of the ‘Elements’ of the periodic table and about the odd characters associated with the stories of their research. He greeted and talked to various people he knew (mainly Katie Eberhart, our visiting accordionist from Bend, OR), and also helped with the chair and table reset process.
Then we both left for other chores. The cost of gasoline has risen again. He’d warned me of that, because of the Venezuelan and Mid East turmoil’s political problems raising the price of a barrel of oil.
We just have to pay the price because we need the gas to fuel our activities – he travels 2 days / weekend to the mountains on WTA trail maintenance trips. But, he enjoys the work. I have to run to town on many trips over a week, sometimes all 5 days, and an occasional Saturday.
We didn’t get home until late, and Woody was here. Our feral tom cat Czar didn’t show until 5:10, so we fed him dry and canned food while I stood near him. John brought the crate up to the porch and I opened the door. John took some boxes to the shed and returned when I told him he was done eating. Czar lay down and rolled over on the concrete driveway wanting to be petted. John petted him and then scooped him up and brought him over, putting him in backwards into the crate.
I went on back in to get the paperwork and write a check for the fees while John went back to do one more thing in the garden. We were able to leave right after 5:30. I drove and we called through our Bluetooth to tell them we were on our way. It’s only about 8.5 miles away. We visited and left for home. He is there to wait for a Sunday morning 5:00 a.m. leave to Lynnwood, WA to a Spay-neuter Clinic with 19 other cats going along with Nancy Hoffman and Noella Wyatt for “fixing” and treatments – through their efforts with Kittitas Valley Community Cats, for which they are the leaders. It’s an incredible community service project they manage.
We’ll pick him up early Monday to bring him home – all neutered, clipped ear, and a rabies & FVRCD shost. (There are 5 viral diseases that cats are commonly vaccinated for: herpes (rhinotracheitis) – the ‘R’ in FVRCP; calici – the ‘C’ in FVRCP; panleukopenia (“feline distemper”) – the ‘P’ in FVRCP. I assume the FV at the front is for Feline Vaccine. He’ll also have a tapeworm treatment all at a much reduced price, boarding (no charge) before trip, and the transportation (no charge) over to Lynnwood, WA, but I donated extra for all the help they provided for us.
John had put a casserole in the oven when we originally got home after 4:00 p.m. with chicken breast chunks, asparagus, mushrooms, onions, chicken noodle soup, small pasta shells, topped with grated mozzarella cheese and rolled Cheez-It® crackers.
More animal photos from Maude … how about some red birds ? 
Roseate Spoonbill landing, two flybys, and one with babies in nest near Rockledge, FL. Photos by Maude Buzcek.
Friday, May 11
John off to WTA at 6:00 a.m. I have had a crazy couple of days and done nothing on weekly chores that need done. I stayed home to recover from lack of sleep, and work on projects needing attention.
Called Mike at Habitat for Humanity, left a message, and he returned my call later. They do have a Wilson, more recent tennis racket for $5 and another for $4. They do not get wooden ones (as mine are) any more. I wonder if those can still be restrung. Need to contact Holly Beard in Kittitas to offer my 60 yr. old tennis rackets. And tell her about the buys at Habitat. She asked for several for her family on the Buy Nothing site, but has not had any offers. I have not yet offered until I check mine out. I know I’m not going to be playing any more tennis in my lifetime.
Today is a Mother’s Day tea, at AAC, but I am not going in, regardless of being the volunteer photographer for events.
I was available with gasoline prices for John to call me from I-90, Exit 34; truck stop and restaurant place just east of North Bend. The price had gone up in Cle Elum, so he came on the extra 30 miles to have that much more gasoline for his weekend trip. He stopped at a place called JRs which was selling considerably less than anyone else in town, at $3.12/gal. He only needed 5 gallons. Today their price went up to $3.20, and they are likely the lowest in town.
His Forest Service Rd trip into and out of the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie today was on a new 11 mile road. 15 years ago the trip was over a sorry excuse for a road. Some of the workers shared horror stories of past problems with the road causing $500 repair to one guy’s car.
I changed my nancyh@cwu.edu password today, finally. Every 6 months it’s required and is a pain to do.
Ate a good lunch – sausage patty, many orange slices, two eggs over easy, and Rosemary olive toast with apricot jam made by my neighbor.
Back to washing dishes, taking meds. Worked a little on the jobslist and had some email waiting.
While waiting for my Earth Science Weekly to arrive from Michigan, and our geographer friend, Mark Francek, I checked email one more time before stepping away from my computer for another chore in the kitchen, and this week’s send had arrived. I opened only one of the offerings and enjoyed it so much, I thought I would share below for your enjoyment too.
Polarized Light Microscopy Reveals Hidden Beauty
Call from John at 3:45 – 1-1/2 hours away. John made it home at 5:35 p.m. and it is starting to sprinkle a little with big dark clouds looming.
I’ll end Friday with some alligator photos from Maude Buzcek:
Reptilian Tussle _^^^^^_ ^^^^^_ Big Boy (standing is knee high on a person)_^^^^_ Gator in late afternoon, Viera Wetlands. Photos by Maude Buzcek.
Saturday, May 12
Here’s a true heart-warming story from Karen Douglas Barrows, Brittany breeder and friend in Glide, OR via Facebook. Starting with her picture:
North Umpqua’s Born To Tri MH (call name, Trina) Photo by Karen Barrows.
“ Trina was born May 24, 2012. She was one of nine in the litter. Trina was born with a full cleft palate (soft and hard palate). Pups with CP are unable to suck. For the first three days of her life I fed her with an eye dropper. She was losing weight and was down to 4 oz. On the third she went to the vet. He gave us a ferret nipple and told me to take her home and feed her; I am sure he didn’t think she was going to make it. I feed her every 2 hours around the clock and by the third day she learned to swallow as I squeezed the bottle. Team work … I would warm her milk and put her in my shirt when I had to go out somewhere; she had to go everywhere with me. She started gaining weight and was eagerly eating. She spent her time with her mama and littermates. Never a peep out of her — no crying, very content. At 2 weeks she was able to consume enough milk to last for 4 hours at a time. The main concern for a pup with a cleft palate is aspiration pneumonia; well, at a week and a half she aspirated in the middle of the night and refused to eat. So early Saturday morning we headed for the vet. She was put on amoxicillin, responded very well, and started eating again. When she was three weeks old she started eating puppy kibble and was weaned off her milk. She was a nice fat little pup. At 6 weeks she went to OHSU to be evaluated to see if she would be able to have surgery. They said definitely they could fix her mouth. She was whisked away and we were bombarded with things they wanted us to do: one being a feeding tube. They said she needed it to get ready for surgery. As we weren’t sure what was happening, we agreed … even though she was healthy happy and eating well. We took her home and that was the scariest night for us. She developed much mucus and was having trouble breathing. I held her all night making sure she could breath. With the feeding tube in place she could no longer eat kibble as there wasn’t enough room in her throat to swallow the kibble. So we were back on milk. She had to wear doll clothes to keep the tube covered so her littermates didn’t pull it out. Had to change the dressing twice a day. It was a nightmare. She wasn’t doing well with the tube at all. On the 4th of July the stitches came out and her tube came out. (Which ended up being a blessing). On July 5th went to my vet. Said he could put another back in. But after discussing it, we couldn’t come up with any advantages to putting it back in. So we left it out put her back on kibble and she was healthy and happy. When she was 4 months we took her to Medford and she had surgery and they closed her CP. After a few weeks she had 2 places reopen and they had to do another surgery. Which in the end was another blessing. The vet barely split the incision the entire length and brought it back together making a much stronger incision. If you look now at the roof of her mouth, you would never know she had a CP. The time leading up to her surgery she had sticks, grass, rocks, you name it — in her cleft palate. My husband was really worried about her nasal passages and if she would be able to scent birds. The vet said there shouldn’t be a problem. She had to wear a muzzle for 2 months so she wouldn’t chew on bones or hard objects. I had 2 families waiting for her to see if surgery was successful, but when the time came, I could not let her go . So she stayed with us. I told her that she couldn’t be a show champion so she had to prove herself in the field.
She has kept up her end of the deal . Karen ”
Here’s her website: North Umpqua Brittanys
Sunday, May 13
At 6:00 a.m., John takes off for Goat Creek, off Hwy 410, almost to Bumping Lake for a WTA trail work party (the last for now, with Lisa Black). She emailed him about bringing his 24” crosscut saw. There is one small log and they would like to not have to carry a longer saw a mile up a steep grade.
John called from outside Yakima at Gleed, at 4:17.
Hope your week was fine.
Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan