Author: admin

Sunday, Jun 2
We’ll start this week, by going back to photos taken May 18, when John participated in two days of WTA Crew Leader College in North Bend, WA.Crew Leader College, Hats on and Hats off, Mount Si
From the North Bend High School

More WTA Information on Mount Si Trail

Still finishing some follow-up reports and videos from last week:
This is a compilation of materials to set the stage for the field trip to the central Columbia River area (just east of us), conducted by Nick Zentner. [John says: In geologic terms this part of Washington is young. The rocks seen on this trip are all under 16 Million years old. By comparison, we were raised in a landscape of over 300 My, with the rocks much older. The mid-Washington landscape has been shaped by the Ice Age Floods, all less than 20,000 years old. The ice sheet stopped about 40 miles north of the sites along this field trip.]

Nancy: I’m adding information at the beginning of this report that will catch people up to speed to have all the graphics, photos, diagrams, and maps that were in the Field Trip Guide for people on the trip.  I never did hear how many people participated, but I think we had ~30 vehicles after we added joiners at the first two stops.
First, is from Nick Zentner’s own website, which is certainly worth a visit, if you have not seen it before.  The base entry point is at www.nickzentner.com 

More about the Wenatchee June 2, 2019 Geology Field Trip, at another place on his site with the detailed notes and images from all his field trips.
Obtain Field Trip Guide for June 2, 2019 Wenatchee Geology

Click on the image of Wenatchee June 2019 (with locations of the 4 stops) to get the complete field trip guide, downloaded as a PDF.
Folks on the trip studied the pages throughout the stops.  It will help to have them handy to view as you watch the videos at all 4 stops. Below is the second page of the booklet, which outlines the itinerary of the day.
We have videos of something at all the 4 stops.
Stop 1: Crescent Bar – Wenatchee Geology 2019

Stop 2: Sunrise Lane – Wenatchee Geology 2019

Stop 3: Colockum Road, Plat Lot 5 – Wenatchee Geology 2019

Stop 4a: Saddle Rock Trailhead – Wenatchee Geology 2019

Stop 4b: Saddle Rock Questions & Answers

Our view walking to the shelter that was uphill on our left.
Drone view of Saddle Rock from Motojw Photography; this site is just 22 miles from home, but takes about 2 hours to reach by car.

Here’s a follow-up comment about Stemilt/Malaga Landslide, which we talked about but never had a good view of, because of the number of people needing a place to park the many vehicles. You may find this of interest:

Another’s Report of the Stemilt/Malaga Landslide

First, we all want to thank Nick Zentner organizing and conducting this field trip.  Thanks to Karl Lillquist for filling in information on landslides and info in several other instances. Thanks as well to all the participants who offered good questions and food for thought. 

I want to thank my newly found friend from this trip, Debbie Doran, from the west side (all the way from Gig Harbor, with her husband, Mike).  They are avid followers of Nick’s lectures, field trips, and other presentations (such as the Premiere Showing of this year’s Nick on the Rocks programs). I met them at Stop 2, after walking in about half way, and deciding I was not able to make it, so I stopped Debbie on my way out, handed her my camera, and she took it with her to film the lecture at Stop 2.

Sorry it’s taken me so long to process all this for people along on the trip.  I hope you have some use for checking back on something you might want to remember.  I also apologize for not being as close up at Stop 3, and I explain in the description what happened.  

From the above, I am able to show John the Field Trip experience which he normally would be participating in, but today was the final day of WTA’s re-route on the Manastash Ridge Trail. {Fall work? Maybe.} My picks from the photos of the trail reroute are below.
Hats off Work Crew June 1st. Youngest worker: front, in blue.
Oldest worker: back, in orange. Beth Macinko (CL), back-left with blue hat.
In crew leader Beth’s words to those on the crew this Sunday, she said:   

“This year, 4 days of WTA work on Manastash Ridge completed the lower Westberg Trail reroute.  You built 200ft of new tread and did the finish work on 600+ feet to open the reroute for use.  This reroute will avoid the steep grade sections on the original trail that are causing erosion and vegetation loss.  Your work makes the trail more sustainable to support generations of future use as well as the health of the ecosystem.  As we saw, many people are already using and enjoying the trail you built.”

Thaddeus, youngest Green Hat, Saw & Throw – carving new trail

6/1-2/19 Photos WTA Manastash Ridge New Trail work

Monday, Jun 3

Last week’s blog wasn’t published until 1:09 a.m. this morning. WordPress issues with a link was the reason. Consequently, I slept in this morning, and have canceled all normal Monday activities to work on getting tasks completed that use my laptop. Its on/off switch is failing, so I have changed the settings this morning after pressing it 15 times to start, to have it never to sleep the screen or the system. That will buy me time to use it before I need to take it in for a diagnosis and arrange for purchasing a new Dell part for my computer, ordering, and installing it. I’m doing it locally with Computability LLC and saving the time and money to send it to Dell Support in Texas. I have spoken with Savannah there and I know the owner Matt. They can handle it, decide if my diagnosis is correct, and fix it. I will still have use of the computer until the part arrives.

I need to request my consultation report from Dr. Matsen be sent over to “Doc” Chelsea Newman; I thought it was requested at the time, but it was not in their records. I started that process, today, and still have no idea if it generated anything. I was never answered by email or phone and I left requests in both places.

Tuesday, Jun 4

We did various chores this morning, and after brunch, I left for a round-trip of a mile to my neighbor, Celia, who has cut my hair since 1988.

I stopped by the USPS for Forever postcards, and bought 10 at $.39 each. Everything has a story. Here’s the Azulillo flower story about a Forever stamp produced for 2017 postcard for the pretty blue Chilean crocus-type flower.The stamp image is a Chilean blue crocus (Tacophilaea cyanocrocus) from pre-existing artwork by illustrator, Dugald Sterner (1936-2011). His penciled calligraphy under the flower indicates one of its common names – Azulillo loosely translated from Spanish means “little blue thing” – with its botanical name above. The letters on the card are nearly impossible to read, so John found information on the web.

The Chilean blue crocus is native to a small, mountainous area around Santiago, Chile. Though it has survived in cultivation as a landscape and greenhouse plant in the U.S. and other countries, it was believed to be extinct in the wild in its native Chile by overgrazing, habitat destruction, and an unsustainable export industry. However, a thriving wild population was discovered near Santiago in 2001.

Despite its name, the Chilean blue crocus is not related to true crocuses from the iris family. It is one of only two species in the genus Tecophilaea. A low-growing plant, its stalk reaches a height between 3-5” with linear leaves. There are a number of varieties of this species, including the flower featured in the stamp art, var. leichtlinii, with its cobalt blue flowers and white centers. The plant is hardy in U.S. zones 7 to 9.
Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamped card.

While on the subject of flowers, here is a tour of our Iris (we got from Celia).These were all in bloom today, but other varieties (yellow and bronze) are yet to bloom in the same area. While we were looking at the nearby Iris, I walked over to our old 1977 Pace Arrow RV, where Czar demonstrated the exit procedure for the outside female cats winter bedroom.
First, these photos will show the entrance, with John for scale.John and Czar with the entrance to 2 outside cats’ winter home with a light and beds – no heat.

Czar demos exit from winter bedroom for outside cats

I mentioned above the problem with the on-off switch on my laptop and about changing the setting. When I go to sleep, I lay it out, and turn the “light” intensity down to zero, but leave it running and plugged in. That way I do not have to use the switch, which I think is worn out and ready to fail. That’s my diagnosis that came from multiple times of the past few weeks, of having to press the button up to 15 times to turn it on. That was making me nervous.

Wednesday, Jun 5

I did go to the FISH Food Bank Lunch for music playing and got food today to accompany the salad I took.

I had called Brad & Burke to pay our AC bill, and now in today’s mail, I received a receipt for payment for the broken part and the upgrade to make our heat pump provide “cool” when needed and heat with compressors, rather than the resistant heaters. That set us back almost $800.

I believe I’m having an issue with the “injury” caused by wearing the ill-fitting boots for 2 hours last Saturday and compressing something in my feet (maybe tendons or muscles).  I should have taken a picture of the impressions left on both feet when I removed the boots.  At least I took my socks off and showed John, so someone else saw it and can verify this.  Unfortunately, I am the one suffering.

Today, I could not wear any of my NORMAL shoes I wear, without severe pain.  The tops of my feet (above my toes on the foot) are swollen.  I have been taking my diuretic and my blood pressure (it’s fine). When I went to town, I wore different shoes, more like loafers without laces tied down or Velcro straps pulled across the top of my foot. That seemed to help, but still left a small “dent” impression on the very top of the foot from the shoe because of the swelling.

Thursday, Jun 6

I called to make an appointment this Monday with Dr. Cardon in Ellensburg for the foot swelling, but his schedule was filled until June 18th, so I made an appointment in Yakima at 10:15 a.m. I figure if it still is bad tomorrow, I will call in for my PCP’s advice. She is in Cle Elum on Fridays and I’m sure would fit me into her schedule.

Washed clothes, especially for John’s dusty trail work things and also a bunch of underwear for us both.

We are on for music at Rehab. We had 11 people show up and about as many in the audience. A good time was had by all. Cool today and very windy. I don’t mind that at all.

I made it by the P.O. to send a form in by certified mail.

​​I got home and tried on a few blouses Joanie gave me. Most were too large, and she is losing weight too, so they are too big for her. A few fit loosely, but had too low necklines, so I’m sharing them with another of our friends, Amy. A couple I’m passing along do fit but the low neckline in the front exposes my defibrillator scar and it is not a pretty picture. Looks like a big dent with a bump from the metal, the size of a pack of cigarettes, and casts a shadow. I don’t mind exposing the top of my open heart surgery scar, but the other turns me off. Amy wears lots of nice necklace jewelry, so the large open neckline will be perfect for her.

I received some photos today from Elise in New Jersey, and I am including my favorite, an amazing photo of Canada Geese swimming with their goslings. I have seen them in fields or on walkways in a park, while they were begging for food. The sunset over the lake is beautiful. Taken in Sussex County, NJ in Kittatinny Valley State Park 

Friday, Jun 7

Just before 7am, John was off to Gold Creek Trail, just this side of Snoqualmie Pass. Except for the 4 days at Manastash, Gold Creek is the closest to home that is regularly visited by WTA volunteers.

I called Dee & Barb about the Emeriti meeting tentatively planned for next Wednesday. I think I will write another note mentioning at least 4 people have conflicts, and we are swamped too, so maybe we should wait until July 10. (Subsequently, we cancelled the meeting this coming week).

Swollen feet likely started from a pair of hiking boots

Here are photos of the culprits:Today, I began pursuing the problem with my feet that began last Saturday night, the night before the Wenatchee Geology Field Trip with Nick Zentner. I decided there would be uneven ground and I needed to wear my hiking boots. I couldn’t find my old tried and true work boots I have worn in the past on all Nick’s field trips, so I resorted to another pair I found in the house (origin unknown).
I honestly don’t know where they came from. They are black and look like my work boots. I figured they had just been moved to the end of the hallway (but they had their shoestrings tied, and I never do that with boots, or pairs of shoes). The make is Harley Davidson. I truly have no idea how they got into our house. I did not buy them at a yard sale or at Big Five or any local store. And, they were not given to me on any of the Free Facebook sites. The size is larger than I would normally wear, Size 11, but they fit okay (so I thought when putting my feet in and lacing them up), but they pressured the back of my calf, and both feet on the top, particularly, and up the leg above my ankle.
I wore them around the house for two hours and decided I didn’t think I should wear them (they are also heavy), which I guess makes sense if you were riding them on a Harley Davidson and took a spill from a motorcycle into gravel or onto pavement. I switched to my old Brooks Addiction Walkers for the trip Sunday.

When I took the boots off, my feet, ankles, and up my leg ~5 inches was compressed and red looking. I called John over to look, so I had another person seeing what had happened. I SHOULD have taken a photo.

The next day (Sunday), I went on the trip, and clocked on my Fit Bit almost 2 miles, but it was done in my walkers. By Monday morning my feet were hurting, on top, and on my ankles around to the back of my sole. The top of my feet (each foot, above the toes) was swollen. I had continued taking my diuretic and I believed the swelling was unrelated to my heart issues and my blood pressure was normal. I skipped my Silver Sneakers class in order to stay home and rest and not walk much.

The next day (Tuesday), I put on my Velcro fastened shoes and wore them to town for stops I needed to make. I stopped by the AAC and told Roxanne (exercise physiology knowledgeable) and she thought (as I) that I might have caused something with the hiking boots). Wednesday, I could not stand the pain from the Velcro fastened shoes or the walkers (with lace up enclosure on top), and I had to wear more loafer-like shoes. That has continued, although I have tried the others on, and the pain is down now that the swelling is down.

I asked a nurse in our music group and she was concerned it was heart related. I never figured that (although I took my blood pressure as normal). I did figure it was related to wearing the boots Saturday night before leaving Sunday. I was some better by Thursday, but still wore the loafer type shoes and by then the swelling had mostly gone down. Friday, it was still somewhat sensitive, but I was able to put all my shoes on without much pain. I continued when out driving and walking to use the loafers. The first time I wore them on Wednesday, the swelling was still enough to show a mark from the top of the shoe across my foot. It didn’t hurt though. At home I always switched to bedroom shoes that do not have hard top support or I sit with only socks on and no shoes. I always sleep with my feet elevated. The top foot swelling was down completely the next day.

Meanwhile, yesterday I called and made an appointment with my foot doctor. I could not get in right away, (not until the 18th), so now next week, as it continues to heal, I will cancel the appointment. If it had not gotten better yesterday, I would have gone to my PCP today.

Meanwhile, I looked up different things on line, including typing in this question: What causes pain and swelling on the top of the foot.

Found this on line—must be what happened to me. “The shoe fits perfectly” with what I experienced.

What causes pain on the top of the foot?

Conditions caused by overuse include: Extensor tendonitis: This is caused by overuse or tight-fitting shoes. The tendons that run along the top of the foot and pull the foot upwards become inflamed and painful. … This condition causes pain in the top of the foot and outside the ankle.

That is an accurate description of what I suffered.

4:00 – 7:00 Lawyer Jeff Winters had a retirement party to provide an opportunity to meet his replacement, Attorney Ann Reidel-Thomas, and her assistant, Jennifer Stewart. We had a good conversation with all three. Jen works only on Mondays & Tuesdays. She lives in Zillah. We had a lot of common interests to share.
We both were happy to meet Ann. She will be great to work with on following up with the work we did previously with Jeff on our estate planning, to make it official. Jeff will be moving to Tampa, FL so I got his personal email address so I can introduce him to my cousin and her husband in Tampa.

Evening sunset was lovely pastels, but I didn’t get out quite soon enough; however, this will give you a clue through the trees. As I was taking it, I was enjoying the sound of the creek rushing in front of me (and on the other side of the hill beneath the ground you see at the center photo). Much rain in the hills has caused higher flows into the valley. Several of the trees pictured are across the stream, one of the many crossing, and forming, our Naneum Fan. Academics call them distributaries.

Alluvial Fan

Late sunset from our patio – getting too dark to see the sky well.

Saturday, Jun 8

John off to WTA and Gold Creek Trail, 6:55 a.m.

Today is CWU’s graduation and I’m no longer walking in my academic regalia, as I did for 20 years here. I also “hooded” graduate students in the Resource Management program. Now the new name for the program is Cultural & Environmental Resource Management, which more properly applies to the material covered in Natural and Cultural resource management, which we have been doing all along.

Late Friday night, I sent a request for personal email addresses to students at their cwu.edu addresses who won awards (scholarships & GIS Certificates) at the 5/21 end-of-year CWU ceremony and food fest provided by the Geography Department and the Cultural & Environmental Resource Management graduate program.
Five of the emails bounced. All but one were caused by spelling errors, but one is left unknown. I found him on Facebook and private messaged him with the problem and asking for the correct CWU account’s spelling of his first and last name and also for his personal email address. I heard from him and now know his first name. He goes by his middle name, so that was confusing my email creation from the list of recipients.

Sunday, June 9

John left by 6:50 a.m. to WTA work at Gold Creek again up the valley. This is to finish the trail tread fix-up. They will have a good bunch of before and after photos of all the work for 3 days this weekend, but we won’t be able to report them until next week’s blog. LeeAnne is the Blue Hat (with camera and candy) leader in this section of WA, and is now in her 5th year with WTA. She loves what she does with WTA, or she would move on, and up the pay scale.

Wow, this is a terrifying date in my past, 6-9-2009, when I was diagnosed with bacteria in my blood that would alter my life and almost take it. Before John went to bed last night, he showed me the way to a Wall Street Journal article he had read and wanted me to read. I put it on my computer, and finally made time to read it midday today.

It’s a powerful reminder of the advances of medical technology. Here’s a link to a story which is much worse than mine, but has similarities, mostly the support of a loving husband who acted as a translator to the medical staff after I emerged from an 8-day episode on life support after all my systems shut down, and was unable to communicate (be totally understood) with anyone but John.

The WSJ journal story follows from a woman in Denmark (it’s an inspirational read):

Rikke Schmidt Kjaergaard: Surviving a Coma

The WSJ is a fee site, so unless this is available elsewhere, you will only see the beginning. I have the text in a PDF I can send you if you wish, but you will have to request it.

My mom was in a coma in 1977 for a month after undergoing brain surgery to remove a subdural hematoma. The first words she spoke were to our liver Brittany who flew with me from Idaho to Atlanta. She came out of the comma in a nursing home in Marietta, GA. I took him into the home and they wheeled her into the visiting room. She saw him, smiled, and said, “Choc Baby.” He put his head in her lap to be petted.

John managed to get home at 4:40 p.m. I-90 gets overloaded on Sundays with folks headed back to the Puget Sound area. With him heading east, there are normal 70+ speeds. Westbound the traffic is slow and sometimes stops. Today, about 17 miles west of EBRG, there was an accident on the lanes going west. On his side, drivers slowed as they approached the scene, and both lanes slowed to “stop & go” for about 7 miles. This phenomenon is inexplicable to the average person, but multi-mile long backups created by the “lookie-loos” (technical term?) are common.

He was very tired, napped a little, fixed pizza for supper, and went to bed early.

This will be published Monday morning.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

Sunday, May 26

John went back out while I was proofing his additions to the blog, to set up hoses from the irrigation ditch up along the driveway. Fruit trees, evergreens, and veggies will all need water this week.
I finished and returned to putting dishes in the dishwasher. Now, I’m back checking on a few more computer chores before I tackle accumulating paperwork.

John’s back and putting the text and pictures into WordPress.
We may get this published a lot earlier this Sunday than in recent months. Just published it at 5:38 p.m., but I need to go back on YouTube and tidy up all the ones I listed this week.

Monday, May 27 Memorial Day

On the Naneum Fan, several of us and neighbors display the Nation’s flag on certain days. Ours is out. On the right is the family cemetery of the Nason Band of the Yakama Nation, on Allen Aronica’s land. Ida Nason was his mother. The burial plots are just 1 mile north of us.

I just took a video from here. Cottonwood trees are background for the flag. We have one taller tree on our property, probably over 100 years old, and during the movie, you will see much cottonwood fluff, swirling in the background. It piles up in places all over the area.

Movie from the end of our driveway:

Memorial Day – Naneum Fan 5-27-19

John and I went for a walk up the driveway and Companion Czar (cat), and Annie (dog) walked along.

I’m back to filing receipts.

Tuesday, May 28

Award for our Brittany (Daisy) and her mom (Ginny) in California

I reached TurboTax and found I need an extra home & business app ($10) to include a 1099-PATR form. I have the Premier edition and I should not have to add that to report income from a Co-op (Midstate), where we buy fence equipment, bird feed, and occasionally salt blocks. So, I changed the way I reported it, using a 1099-DIV. It will be included in my form because it has been reported to the IRS, and we will be covered as reporting the income. Actually the check we received with the report was only $13, and the reported dividend was $40 (70% is deferred; that means – we think – we have an additional $40 worth of stock in the Co-op. We need an explanation of this).

Medical: I changed to a 10:45 a.m. check-in to see Chelsea on Friday. She is our “doctor” of the certified physician’s assistant type.

Today I had my gold tooth crown put on. It took over an hour, but ½ hour was waiting for another patient’s dental work to be completed. My noon appointment didn’t start until 12:35, and Sheryl (receptionist, also a previous dental assistant), removed my temporary cap. John went to Bi-Mart (for weed spray) and Super 1 for oranges and got back about the time I should have been finished. From there we went to the KVH hospital lab for my standing order to have my blood drawn. From there on to one more stop and home.

We had quite a thunderstorm this afternoon in the hills. People in Ellensburg experienced hail. Fortunately, we had none or much of the gardens would have been hurt badly.

I spent the afternoon trying to work out problems I was having with TurboTax.

Late call from my PCP, Chelsea regarding my needing update of a standing order. Potassium will go on quarterly standing order, and not with the INR (monthly). Lacey never called, so I don’t know the potassium reading today. INR was 2.0; I’ll be checked again in 2 weeks to see if the antibiotic affected it, and we changed my dosage a little on Saturdays.

I fixed my iceberg lettuce tonight remove the bad leaves and cut out the center with a plastic knife. Then put it in a bowl that John kindly helped me cover. It will be all ready and crisp in the morning to make my salad to take to the FISH food bank to eat after we provide music.

John always helps me by cubing the smoked turkey, apple, and I might have him cut up some yellow, orange, or red peppers. I add the rest to take with me.

Dinner tonight was a nice large bowl of soup: base was Progresso’s Chicken & vegetables with Wild Rice, and John added more carrots, smoked turkey cubes, and colored bell pepper pieces. I added Cheezits to mine. He had a couple of slices of Rosemary Olive bread toasted and some home fries.

I have continued filing and sorting receipts, and he has napped.
He was quite busy in the yard most of the day, plus late afternoon, he loaded rocks in his backpack and walked up and down our driveway several times, getting ready for his weekend of trail work on the new trail at Manastash Ridge. He plans to add carrying tools in each hand in preparation for the steep climb in on Saturday. They will then work on Sunday and carry out the tools. The predicted temperatures are not promising in the high 80s. Sunday I will be going on a Nick Zentner field trip to Wenatchee, driving myself and my friend Roberta Buum. We will have very hot temperatures too.

Tonight we had a scammer call from someone claiming to be our relative. He started by saying, Hi Grandma, this is your oldest grandson.” I said, you have the wrong number, I don’t have any grandchildren. He said, “Oh, I was just joking, I’m your oldest nephew – and asked how I was doing.” I said I was fine and how was he? He said he was not well, and needed to talk to us about something serious. I asked who it was and then mentioned the name Rod. He said yes, and he asked me to get John on the phone. (I had not said John’s name.) Once John got on, he said we had to promise not to tell anyone – that it was just our secret between us. John got on, and he proceeded with the story, but neither one of it thought it sounded like Rod and his story was quite strange. We started asking him questions, such as where are you calling from? From Seattle was the answer. I said what are you doing there? Our Rod lives back east.) John asked where he flew in from and when?
After realizing that we were not believing him, he hung up. Too bad we didn’t talk long enough to see how much money he was going to ask us to send him. The story was he was with a friend in a car, stopped by a policeman, who gave the driver a ticket for talking on his cell phone, held up to his ear; but then the policeman asked the driver to step out and open the trunk. Found it was full of drugs. All were taken to the police station. The call said Private Caller (no number) on our Caller ID. The only Private Caller calls I have ever had are from my PCP’s office.
I did a search on “private caller scam taxi trunk drugs I’m in police station” and this link was first to come up:
Try this Link

Check that out – it’s very familiar to what we just heard. I’m going to tell my doctor’s office to start talking and leave a message, because if I’m home, I will no longer answer a “Private Caller” call, until I hear it is someone with whom I want to talk.
My dentist office sometimes comes through that way as well. So I have to remember to tell them.

See Saturday below for a Letter to the Editor John wrote to our local paper, the Daily Record.

Wednesday, May 29

I’ll be making some phone calls in the morning before going to set up and play music at the food bank lunch.

Must get all my stuff together better than last week, when I forgot to pack significant stuff. I did, and John helped as usual with cubing parts for me – smoked turkey, cheese, and apples. I added all the rest and packed it along. We played music and checked in for all the things, and I set up the chairs and music stands. Then we ate. I had a little spaghetti & meatballs, a large container of applesauce with pieces of apple in it, and brought home a piece of apple cake. Ate ¾ of my salad, so will have it, adding some pistachios, tonight with supper.

From there I went to the Adult Activity Center for an exercise class (SAIL). While there, I picked up a lemon jelly roll that was being given away. After class, I went to Super 1 for dry cat food, but I had been quoted the wrong price for the 16 lbs. I needed it, so I left there and went to Bi-Mart, where I paid $11.99. The cats all eat it, and it saves us the mess and expense of canned food.

Thursday, May 30

I took care of things in the back of the house. Am loading dishwasher. Finished the music to take today – turned out to have problems, once there and we started to play it. The chorus was missing on The Three Bells, and the Ring of Fire needs to be rewritten. Neither were in our software, where we can add lyrics, notes, and change keys.

Cle Elum music and gas trip: We were scheduled to meet at 1:00 p.m. I checked with Storey’s about cost of gasoline with credit card and how to do it (at the pump). I can use Discover. Yes, it will be 10 cents more, $3.27 (still below anything in Ellensburg by 10 cents). Using my Discover gets me 5% off. 12 gals at $3.27 is $39.24 – 5% ($1.96) = $37.28 / 12 = $3.11/gal. Convincing evidence.

Packed cameras for use tonight at Science Hall geology talk.

Going to a jam session today in Cle Elum. We were inside (good thing). The temperature in Cle Elum was 86. We had 9 folks of our normal Thursday group there, plus a guest, a musician friend of two of our members. What a surprise; it turns out he knew me from our days of field trialing. He had German Shorthair Pointers, not Brittanys as we; he was a judge at many Brittany trials.

I picked up some fast food in Cle Elum on my way home, because we needed to be at the university for a lecture at the local chapter of the Ice Age Floods Institute meeting, where I normally film the evening lecture (unfortunately the only one filming). Tonight we will hear about Washington before the Cascade Mountains formed.Jeff Tepper presented, “The Eocene Transformation of Washington Geology:  From the Accretion of the Olympics to the Birth of the Cascades.” Eocene was 56 to 33.9 million years ago. Jeff is a geology prof at Tacoma’s University of Puget Sound.

Sad story with my filming tonight. (1) I lost the first 45 minutes (camera malfunction while recording—leaving a file behind with 0 bytes) ending at 7:45; (2) part is 16 minutes of the rest of the lecture, and then (3) is the Questions & Answers, for 22 minutes.

Next video only of the last part of the hour’s lecture.

(2) Jeff Tepper: The Eocene Transformation of Washington Geology

The next video is of Jeff Tepper, answering questions from the audience.

(3) Jeff Tepper: Q & A 5-30-19 Eocene Transformation of WA Geology

Our late sunset view – – – almost home

I started working on the cameras and was sincerely disappointed in the results and failure to capture the fascinating presentation.

Evening dessert: Vanilla ice cream over pecan pie and lemon jelly roll piece with coconut on top. We were taking care of left-overs.

Late night for Nancy working on images/videos.

Friday, May 31

We made it to our friend Kristin’s house to pick her up to go to Cle Elum for lunch, but first stop was my PCP’s office, to visit Chelsea.

Leave at 9:40 for Kristin. We got there a bit earlier than planned and had plenty of time to be at the Cle Elum Clinic in time for my check in. First, I spoke with the medical assistant, which is common for a visit. I didn’t see the doc until ~ 11:00 and spent ½ hr with her. It was a useful visit. We caught up on some of my medical history not in the records (because of the switch of record provider), and she wanted to know more about my heart issues, as she is having to control the refills for heart related issues. She also asked questions about my shoulder arthritis problem with range of motion.

I need to request my consultation report from Dr. Matsen be sent over to Chelsea Newman; I thought it was requested at the time, but it was not in their records.

From there the three of us went to lunch at the Cottage Cafe. John and Kristin had $10 coupons for their birthdays. We probably spent 1-1/2 hrs in there because so many people (more than we have ever seen) were having lunch. We had a chance to have a nice visit while waiting for our food.

Saturday, Jun 1

At 7:40 a.m., John left for a WTA work party at Manastash Ridge. Today and tomorrow will conclude WTA’s 4 days of work on this reroute of an old trail. I stayed home to work on things getting ready for going tomorrow and this afternoon.

John’s Letter to the Editor in Daily Record was published in today’s weekend edition (You were already introduced to this above in this blog on Tuesday, when the phone call arrived):

Old, well-known scam still being tried
To the Editor:
Early last evening (Tuesday) we answered a phone, and the caller told my wife he was our oldest grandson. Having no children, we don’t have grandsons either. He then said he was just kidding and was a nephew, that he was in trouble because of being in a car, stopped by Seattle Police, that had drugs in the trunk. Oddly, his voice was not the voice of anyone in our family.
We have no relatives in the state of Washington, and none within 1,000 miles, so the next question was where did he fly from to get to Seattle. With that, he hung up. Too bad. We never learned how much money he needed to solve whatever his problem was.
This sort of scam is old and well known. Apparently it works often enough that it continues. We live in rural Kittitas County.
John F. Hultquist, Ellensburg

~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~

This afternoon at 3:00 p.m., I’m going to a lecture, by Jack Nisbet, pictured above (from his website).
The long title of the talk is: “I Can Hardly Sit Down to Write”: Imagining the Geography of the Columbia Plateau.

In the wake of Lewis and Clark’s brief visit to the Columbia River drainage, it took a wide range of approaches to flesh out a portrait of the region’s geography. This slide presentation will focus on how fur agent David Thompson, horticultural collector David Douglas, and prospector John Leiberg tapped into long-held local knowledge to make their own touchstone contributions.

I am taking both cameras and my tripod, in hopes the old camera continues working after the problem it suffered Thursday night this week.

John Bowen comments before introducing our speaker

Jack Nisbet Geography of the Columbia Plateau

Jack Nisbet: Q & A, 6-1-19_Columbia Plateau Geography

Sunday, June 2

John will leave at 7:30 and return about 3:30 from the WTA trail work. I leave an hour later for the field trip about Wenatchee area, Columbia River, and Ice Age Floods – with Nick Zentner.

I stopped by S. Maple for Roberta, my sidekick for the trip, early and it gave us time to use her hose and a large squeegee pad on a pole to wash off an amazing amount of bugs. She also had fluid for the tank of wind shield washer. The yellow blinking warning light the fluid was low would have bothered us the whole trip, 223 miles. That was about 9:35 and we had lots of time to get up to the CWU parking lot.

We were on the road promptly from Hebeler behind the lead van at 10:01. We had people to meet at the first stop who were coming in from other locations.

I only have one video transcribed, but this will have you coming back for the rest next week, I hope. We had 4 stops on an all-day (very hot, temperatures 89°). It was very informative and worth taking.

Crescent Bar – Stop 1

John and others with WTA finished the new section of trail, about 2,000 feet total. On Saturday, Anna Roth (an orange hat, like John) came over from Seattle, both to work and to take photos. There is a “National Trails Day” and WTA will have about 20 crews working. Each crew had a photographer and Anna took bunches of photos. We’ll post a link later. The idea, though, is to have a good photo from each location to be printed in the next WTA Newsletter.
In 2018, the many events across the USA involved almost 4,000 miles of trails.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

Photo below was posted by WTA on the web, from Crew Leader College last weekend:John is standing up at the end of the group with his orange hat and his plaid blue/white shirt, in a class at “Million $ Viewpoint” where trees need to be trimmed so people can enjoy the view better. I wonder what the speaker was talking about and looking at on the grass.
{John: We are one group of about 20 doing “learning” type things at WTA’s Crew Leader College. Kaci Darsow is looking at notes regarding issues that we as crew leaders might encounter. Things happened in 2018 on trail work events – what to do, what might work best?
The view is from Cougar Mountain, underlain with old coal mine tunnels (now a park), looking north toward Canada and across the eastern Puget Sound Lowland. Lake Sammamish is just down the hill behind the low brush. I’ve written to the land manager and suggested they cut it down.}

Monday, May 20

Last night, we published the blog at 11:40 p.m. and went to bed.

I notified my Silver Sneakers teacher I would not be able to be in class today because John and I have to both visit a doctor to hear the results of a Vascular Test done two weeks ago. It is a test for checking circulation to a person’s legs, ankle, feet, and toes. Seriously poor circulation can result in amputation. Web entries can be found under Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD).
We had a good discussion, and found out we both passed the test, and we will not have to retake it next year.

From there to Super 1, where they kindly gave me the rest of my Entresto prescription that was incorrectly sent by the PCP’s office for a refill. The dosage has not changed since I began taking it. I also called and spoke with the Kaiser Permanente customer service rep about all my meds they cover, and asked about co-pays on each. Except for Entresto, the rest are “One Tier” drugs and the co-pays are all $20 per month, but if you buy 2 months, you will receive a 3-month supply. I shall change the Entresto to come from there, after I am sure Super 1 has another person to buy it. Otherwise, I will get one more month for $40, so as not to leave them with a very expensive drug on their shelf they cannot sell. It is a “Two Tier” drug at twice the cost/month of a “One Tier” drug. However, if you look at the cash only price, you’ll see why: to get 90 pills (for a month), I would have to pay a cash price (no insurance) of $798.73. I just talked with my pharmacist and found I am the only one in town using the drug, and they have a bottle of 30 (left over from the 30 they added for the last prescription refill). So, they will order 60 more, and June 10 I will pick up 90 tablets on my insurance co-pay.

I did check on a recent purchase for my Amiodarone, for 90 pills, from Super 1, and the price was $17.85, actually better than mail order’s $20/mo. So I will check all the others before switching, and I will keep this one at Super 1. However, I do need to leave a message for Lacey about the change to 100 mg and then halving them to get the 50 dosage, twice a day. The quartering of a 200mg was no fun.

I found out that all WA residents on Kaiser Permanente get the 3-month (one free) benefit on all drugs bought through their Renton mail order facility. I’ll just have to watch which ones are a better monetary expenditure and save us money. Thankfully, I’m not on a lot of expensive drugs as many folks I know.

We walked around Super 1 but only bought a few carrots and some lotto tickets (for those that flunked statistics). Oh, Mega Millions, and we have to buy one before this coming Tuesday night! That won’t be hard as I have to be in town at Noon Tuesday to have my new crown installed (set on its base). We came on home via dropping off a piece of clothing for Amy on her front porch.

Tonight’s supper: leftover chicken, butternut casserole, baked beans, panko shrimp, with chocolate tuxedo cake for dessert, under ice cream.

Tuesday, May 21

Took my shower and called the Kaiser Permanente Mail Order Prescription line after receiving a call from nurse regarding PCP Chelsea’s sending in the Entresto prescription for a 3-month supply.

I have been working on arranging an appointment for my PCP May 31 and it has just been made; we arrive at 3:30 check-in for 3:45 that will lengthen the time at KVH. They should have everything on hand and not need me sitting there for 15 minutes. We are combining trips to Cle Elum with a friend, Kristin, to celebrate birthdays at the Cottage Café. Monday I need to call and see if we can push it up earlier on Friday. Then we can get our friend back to town in time to go to a special event at 6:00 p.m.

Scholarship awards at end-of-year Geography party followed by our own CWURA award and banquet:

Presentation of the Geography, and Cultural, Environmental and Resource Management (CERM; graduate degree) awards:
Matt, Nancy, McKenzie before award – Megan Walsh & John Bowen

Monica E-O-Y & Hultquist Distinguished Service Award 2019
Awardees: Matthew Johnston-GEOG; Mackenzie Hughes-CERM

Explanation of the next photos. John and I got to the celebration early because we had to leave shortly after the presentations. Heather found me to introduce herself and put a name with my face, because she had joined the Jobslist I run. I just mailed out an internship possibility in the City of Camas for the summer. She lives in Vancouver, WA (12 miles west) so this was perfect for her. She has applied, and we have our fingers crossed she will get the job. While we were talking she said she was getting a scholarship but wasn’t sure which one. I told her to go ask Megan, because I could introduce her to the donor if they were there. At that point, we had two other women donors, with another coming. I pointed out Lillian Brooks and Carla Kaatz, stopped to talk with someone else, and when I returned to my seat, Heather was visiting with Lillian Brooks.

Nancy & Heather ^. ^. ^. Heather Stewart & Lillian Brooks

Brooks-Shaw Award
Awardees: Meng Yang Chen, Andrew McDonald, Heather Stewart,
Joshua Warwick (absent)

Stoltman Award
Awardees: Jennifer Smith, Demetria Martinez, Amanda Moody

Kaatz Award
Awardee: Ryan Waldbillig (absent)

Macinko Award
Awardee: Andrew (AJ) Fangman

We didn’t stay around for the GIS certificate presentations, because we needed to be at Lombard Hall for the Central Washington University Retirement Association (CWURA) annual meeting, preceded by a banquet, and we needed to be there before 5:30 p.m.

A buffet dinner was served first, consisting of Caesar Salad, baked chicken breast, mashed red potatoes with skins, baked beans, roll. Wine.

After dinner Marilyn Mason (outgoing President) started the program with welcoming remarks, special thanks and appreciation to the CWURA Board of Directors, and election of the officers for 2019-2020.

Next was the presentation of the 2019 awards: the CWURA Graduate Scholarship and CWURA Distinguished Retiree Award.

I took the only video we have of the awards:

Weston Morrow, CWURA Graduate Award & Thanks

Outgoing President Marilyn Mason, Weston Morrow, Nancy with glass plaque for us, Marilyn, and John.

John captured a unique photo of our joint retiree award, which we’ll have to explain below: The engraved glass plaque describes the honor well; the one on the right shows the difficulty of capturing an image because of the mirroring effect the glass presents. That one has the colorful reflection of John in his orange winter cap, holding his camera to make the photograph. Of multiple photos taken, with various problems, clouds in the sky, and himself, I thought this one was so neat I wanted to include it.

The main speaker for the evening was Dennis Francois, Director of Athletics. At CWU since 2013, he has accomplished much. (Link) He was raised in Iowa about the time we were in Iowa City, so John and he talked after his remarks.

I’m sorry no one videotaped our acceptance speeches of thanks. I should have given my camera to someone to film our several minutes of comments relating to things not presented on the full page of the program, but which pointed to our past connections with CWURA members that affected our lives positively.

Below is a full page about us in the 4-page program for the evening, and in addition to the plaque, we were treated to the banquet meal. Many nice congratulatory remarks before the program and afterward made it especially enjoyable for us. Wednesday, May 22

I slept in this morning, but still am tired.

Thanks to John for cutting the smoked turkey, apple, and Jarlsberg cheese cubes for my salad. I used the last of the iceberg lettuce to make a nice salad for lunch. I set up my usual red bag with things in it I needed, but then forgot to take it, so I had no croutons for my salad or pills to take. Luckily, I did pack my salad. They have salad there, but it is full of dark greens I cannot have, while on a blood thinner. Once there Lyndsey checked me in for volunteering music hours and for the Senior Nutrition lunch program, where I had yogurt with multiple fruits, a piece of cake, and apple juice with my salad.

When I arrived, I had to arrange to set up the chairs and move our music stands down to the other end of the building where we play. We had 9 or 10 people there today. I did not go to SAIL today, because I had to come home and get my cameras ready to take to Yakima.

Today John was home when the Brad & Burke heat pump man returned with the circuit board needed to allow us to have A/C. Ours is a Trane, manufactured in March of 2002, and this is the first thing to go wrong. Now, being ready for warm weather, we are running the heater instead.

We left early to be able to fill John’s car with gasoline at Costco (where the price was 20₵/gal cheaper than in Ellensburg.

That put us at the venue for the concert early, so we could visit with people there we knew and get a front row seat. One of my former students, Amy Kurant Matthews is now on the board of the Cowiche Canyon Conservancy and she was there and came over when she recognized me. What a nice surprise. I think she said she was my student in 1998-2000. She now has two children, the oldest being 16. We still keep in touch on email. We also met the “new” executive director, Celisa Hopkins, of the Cowiche Canyon Conservancy. John and I know her predecessor, Betsy Bloomfield, also there this evening, and she was my student at CWU in the graduate program. She and John teamed up on a WTA trail maintenance work party there a few years ago.

Tonight was the Ken Bevis concert at the Seasons Performance Hall, Yakima. POLLINATORS – A HERO’S LIFE {Hear Nature Sing: The Voices of Bees, Bears, & Butterflies}

This was a fundraiser (but with free admission) for the Cowiche Canyon Conservancy, with assistance from Yakima Symphony Orchestra members (Denise Dillenbeck, violin; Mika Hood, cello).The photo above shows the stained glass windows on the west and east of the old church now used for the Seasons Performance Hall; the top photo is from the Flight of the Bumblebee and the bottom from the combined group with Ken Bevis.

As an intro to the evening, we heard from our Symphony members, Denise & Mika playing, “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Rimsky-Korsakov.

Flight of the Bumblebee

They were followed by the opening singing duo of Sally Rose & Julie Conley with several songs. I was truly impressed with their fantastic harmonies imparted to their music. Videos to follow of their combination with the whole group, but here is a short one just with them, a story about The Mountain – wildlife environment.

Duo Singers with Violinist – The Mountain Song

Ken Bevis’s interpretative program revolved around his personal connections with wildlife in our shrub-steppe environment.

Some of the evening’s entertainment are below. Note, please, all the links given in this document are “unlisted” (not public) on YouTube, so please share the links sparingly with your friends.
I received Ken’s okay to film the evening to put in our weekly blog. These below are about the “talking” animals Ken met on his journey.

The Woodpecker Song and the Bear Song

The Coyote Song

The Raven Song

The Beetle & Hummingbirds songs

The Salmon Song (I made it home)

Field of Flowers Song

We didn’t make it home until after 9:00 p.m. The cats and our dog were very happy to greet us.

While checking emails, late in the week, I thought I’d best open Facebook as I haven’t been on it in the past couple of days, and I found this published on Friday. I have been waiting to see the final product, as I knew she was planning to do a special slideshow. I have decided to put it at the end of the Ken Bevis show Wednesday night, because of the wildlife from Louisiana that’s in it. Don’t miss the first part with the swamp wildlife, and get some other beautiful urban scenery in New Orleans, LA and Houston, TX as well. Flowers and birds are included with reptiles, insects, food, history, scenery, and street life of the culture.
It’s from Evie Schuetz about her trip south, which some of you heard about in last week’s blog. Hers and Pete’s 20th anniversary was last Wednesday. They spent it in New Orleans and Houston. She has combined a few of her favorite photos from the trip, using the software PowerDirector to put it on YouTube.

Evie & Pete Schuetz’s Anniversary Trip Slideshow

Thursday, May 23

Today is the Kittitas Valley Fiddlers & Friends time to play at an assisted-living home, for the enjoyment of residents. I got there early and visited with residents Gloria, Shirli, Clare, Lillian, and Tom at Hearthstone. We had a crowd of players there: Anne, Charlotte, Sharon, Amy, Dean, me, Charlie, Evie, Gerald, Maury, and Marilyn. Then, I went by Fred Meyer afterward and bought some items on a special sale.

I spent lots of time transferring videos from camera to external drive and then to YouTube as “unlisted” (to view, a person must have the link).
Tonight’s sunset was full of pastels surrounded by stormy-looking clouds. This is just part of the view from our patio. Friday, May 24

John left at 7:35 a.m. for White Heron Cellars for a morning bottling effort – Rose’ of Syrah, 2018. It’s one of my favorite wines from White Heron Cellars, after Arvine and Roussanne.

Good they are inside, because the winds here are very high. It did not affect his driving over, but the wine and snacks after had to be inside.
Our gust of 30mph didn’t occur here until he should have been inside the winery. At 9:53 we experienced 35mph. John had no wind on his trip. It all remained in our valley and blew over much; empty garbage cans/lids are always subject to moving.

A little after 8:00 a.m. I had a call from my neighbor Louaine about one of our Tobiano horses that looked distressed in our lower pasture. Her handy man walked to the fence to check on him, as he had seen the horse swaying back and forth a few steps as if he was about to fall over. The horse moved over away from the fence and seemed okay. I called John and when he gets home, he will check on him. All seems to be well now and continued through the weekend. We are appreciative for extra eyes on our animals in the lower pasture out of our immediate view. They particularly hang out down there during windy days.

I have had 3 robocalls this morning, and after nothing was left on the message recorder, I blocked them. Nice feature of our new telephone system.

I’m spending time sending videos to YouTube (unlisted) for this week’s activities.

While I work, I have added putting dirty dishes into the dishwasher, so we have some utensils to use for this weekend. Also, need to make some phone calls about recurring charges needing changed. My day is full. I made the call to Office Depot technical support to cease our $15/month computer contract. It is going to take them until next week to sort out the problem as I’m not listed in the proper place in their system, even though I have an account number and have been paying since June 4, 2018. I finally found a manager named Christian, who will take care of finalizing my request.

Saturday, May 25

We went to the Ellensburg Community Clothing Center (ECCC) – and it was worth the time and effort. We primarily went to donate a large bag of clothes and decided to look around while there. I had no intention of bringing any more clothes home, because I don’t have time or places to hang what I have, and I’m still sorting through older larger clothes to get rid of.

The big find of the day was on the men’s side. There I found a pair of Brooks Addiction Walker shoes (black), which were in new condition. Size 8 (fits me because I wear women’s size 9.5). On the web or in a retail store, these cost $120. Also, saw a pair of size 16 dark purple jeans, and decided to get them because my size 18 lighter purple ones now need a belt to hold them up. These are Jordache and claim to be “super skinny.”
They fit but are so skinny at the ankle that I probably cannot turn them up to make a cuff, and so will get dog/cat hair off the rugs in our house, after dressing and making my way to the car.
I found out another problem when trying to take them off. I will need to have John handy to pull them down from the bottom at my ankle, while I hold my feet up. I’m still happy with my two free finds today at the clothing store. John found cute shoes for a baby, but the helper said ‘No could take’, because we don’t have a baby. I’ll alert someone.
Thrilled with my shoes and skinny jeans.

While in town, we went by Fred Meyer to take advantage of their lowered prices on pies and 2 liter colas. It was a mad house, because they had stacked the lanes with food that was to be put on shelves. We found a 6 ft. stack of ice cream that was going soft. Someone lost focus. I went and told a manager. We found what we needed and came on home. Maybe we should have offered to put it in the freezers for them.

Brunch was good, with eggs, home fries, cantaloupe, and sausage patties. I have been working on the blog and other pesky chores. Stopped to fix eggs.

John is out trying to photograph our CWURA award. It’s a difficult challenge, with the glass mirroring clouds, trees, and sky, and as you saw above, his own image while photographing.

Dinner was good tonight, including Lentil/vegetable soup, meat loaf, yellow & orange bell pepper slices, and one of John’s good “dessert-like” butternut squash with miniature marshmallows on top, roasted. The squash was from our garden. Pecan pie with vanilla ice cream ended our evening.

Sunday, May 26

It’s quite overcast today. Rained a little early on, but never as much as predicted. That seems to be the case across the entire State. 58°F seems to be the high for today. Wednesday we are expecting 20 degrees warmer. Hmmm?

John took the dog and cat out for a walk, and he weeded onions. He came back in and got things together for our brunch .

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

John’s favorite place to work on trails is Mt. Rainier. This photo was taken out of a commercial airplane last week by Evie Schuetz on her trip south. Mt. Rainier by Evie
Taken from the northwest, looking toward Salt Lake City. The small lake (low, center) is named Mowich Lake with the South Mowich River on the right.

Sunday, May 12

We published the blog at 11:27 p.m. and went to bed ASAP.

Monday, May 13

I sent out the KV F&F note about scheduling for this week, for BOTH venues with a link to the blog last week on the wedding of two of our players.

John has to leave 9:50 a.m. for an appointment at Subaru for his Crosstrek at 11:00 and I have to be at the AAC by 10 minutes before 11:00 with the toaster to give to Calli Ristine. We met up just fine. I was there for a Silver Sneakers exercise class, followed by a 20-minute meditation / yoga session by Karen Johnson.

From there I went to the FISH Food bank, where we were fed sliced pork roast, cheesy sliced potatoes, and a nice salad with yellow & red pepper chunks, with a fruit punch, and dessert.

Several stops in town kept me busy. I went by and picked up my repaired button on the silk blouse they dry cleaned and lost the button. I drove by Landons for some bags and caught up visiting about family. Then I went by The Gym and climbed 2 steep flights of stairs to buy a new bottle of Klaire Probiotic. On down Capitol Ave to pick a bag of clothes from Pam, but most of these I will be passing along to others—many are size 8, too small for me. A nice white denim jacket marked L is not large enough to fit me and I will pass it along to a friend to whom I pass all tops I cannot button, and they fit her perfectly. It must have shrunk.
I dropped off one of the bags (a backpack for a toddler) for my 2-year old neighbor, Sophia. I stopped at Safeway for a chicken special, and when I got home, John had a leg of the fried chicken for a late lunch. We had fried chicken, butternut squash casserole, yellow pepper slices, apple slices, and cocktail tomatoes, for supper.

I filed more stuff.
John mowed near the road.
We cleaned 4 pounds of strawberries John bought at Costco from Salinas, CA.

Tuesday, May 14

Nothing special on tap today. Stayed home, skipping checking Bi-Mart today, and hoping I don’t win a big prize. Rained on John as he planted the 3 tomato plants. I’ve been sorting through things needed completed, and one awaits to fill in my medicines for the week, plus reordering those I’m out of. Already did Entresto, and need to finish before calling in Amiodarone I also need. That’s finally done, and took my first pills of the day, plus loaded some dishes in the washer. Now to go back to filing receipts into dated order. Then will need to sort by day within the month. So much of this needed to be done in a timely fashion.

I received an email planning for Friday’s scholarship luncheon and realized two members were not on the email recipient list, so I went to work notifying them and the hostesses about the planned lunch.

John came in and fixed us a pancake, summer sausage, and we had strawberries on top that we fixed last night.

He has settled down for an hour’s nap. I’m continuing to work on going through stacks of things, and just spent 2 hours off the computer sorting and recycling. I’m afraid there’s one more stack to attack before putting them in order by day of the month.

Staying home today was a good choice. I wish I could do that more often. Unfortunately, it’s only going to get worse in the next few weeks, not having the time to use for things that must be done.

I just found some more receipts to add to the correct filing folders, in a storage place for another year. And, some checks found under my stack where my weekly medicine box resides, with some receipts for medications (just in case I don’t take the standard deduction). I have three more hanging folders to go through to be sure all the things in the folder are for the correct year. Yeah – I know, keep up to date, and this year I am filing as they arrive, not just stacking them up on a table or shelf.

John made a nice soup for our dinner with beef, onions, mushrooms, asparagus, green beans, carrots, yellow pepper, and stuff, served with crouton like baguette chips, infused with butter, spices, and toasted. It was quite tasty. I ate a big bowl full, and plan to have a piece of fruitcake for dessert.

Renewed our IAFI membership. That’s the Ice Age Floods Institute; we are members of the local Ellensburg Chapter.

Wednesday, May 15

This morning I called the Yakima office and paid via VISA, a doctor’s bill for $46.63 for John, as his Medicare deductible had not yet been reached. John tells me they are considering increasing co-pays on such, so our costs continue to rise. A receipt is being snail-mailed to us. Seems like email would save money.

Thanks to John for cutting the smoked turkey and apple cubes for my salad today. I am leaving for music at the FISH music bunch, at the Liberty Theater to set up stands, which thankfully we have left there in a back room container.

I will come home afterwards to cut John’s hair – we were supposed to do yesterday. Should have done it during the rain. I managed to cut it in only ½ hour.

Got the attendance finalized for KV F&F tomorrow at Pacifica. We ended up needing 11 arm-less chairs and one with arms.

Thursday, May 16

John goes to the dentist very early, being there at 8:30 a.m. Was done faster than expected, and he’s going by Super 1 Pharmacy to pick up my medications. Today’s music is at Pacifica. We had a dozen players present and a large involved audience. Got my mic battery charged and am taking some clothes to a few folks. I washed a load of dishes.

Need to drop off a package on my way home from music, and we need to eat to be at the KAS meeting tonight at Hal Holmes for a lecture on Birding in the islands of Trinidad and Tobago.

From The Hooter Newsletter, May 2019

Home to 482 species of birds, not forgetting 68 different bats, 45 snakes, 50 spiders, 30 frogs and toads, 120 Dragonflies, 765 butterflies and close to 3,500 moths—the islands really are an introduction to the natural history of South America. Get a great taste of tropical birding in Trinidad’s high mountain rain forests, sandy beaches with nesting turtles, and mangroves with Scarlet Ibis evening roosts, as well as on Tobago’s seabird nesting islands and huge protected preserves.

The Asa Wright Nature Centre is a jumping off spot for most field trips, itself set in 200 acres of forest and home to more than 170 bird species. Renowned for great access to specialties including Bearded Bellbird, Tufted Coquette and Oilbirds on site, more than 40 species can be observed from the verandah before breakfast! The Centre is a not-for-profit trust, and eco-tourism funds the conservation and education programmes. For nearly 40 years of the Centre’s 50 plus year existence, Caligo Ventures has been the booking agent for North America. Fully committed to the conservation and education mission of the Centre, Caligo is pleased to sponsor Martyn’s visit to celebrate and highlight this bucket-list birding destination.

Our speaker and the front row tonight at the presentation.Locator map of Trinidad & Tobago (TT), in Lesser Antilles Islands

Videos of the evening’s presentation:

Martyn Kenefick, KAS 5-16-19, Birding Trinidad & Tobago

Martyn Kenefick KAS final Q & A

Friday, May 17

John took Annie to the vet at 8:15 am. Dr. Fuller (Mike) did not find anything wrong with Annie, but she has a slight give in her back so he gave us a sample bottle of Rimadyl Chewables to try to see if it helped. She hasn’t yelped since returning from the vet, and I haven’t yet read the instructions or given her one.
Mike came to EBRG about the same time we did, and we likely met about 1990 or ’91.

I called Laura at the Cle Elum Physician’s KVH office, where our PCP is located; and went through the new system phones. Dial 0 and then 8 to get to an operator. To get to the doctor’s nurse is another number. Listen – might be 3. Laura says most people are upset by the new system. I’m okay with it once I know which numbers give me what. Unfortunately, it includes no way to get to a Triage nurse – except through the operator. Most of my communication is from a Triage nurse, with monthly blood draws.

8:20 a.m. Darren arrived for heat pump. He replaced the 20×20 filter I handed him (we must check more often).

He cleaned (blew dust out) of two very dirty small metal filters, which are supposed to be checked monthly. He did not have a pressure hose for cleaning the dishwasher ones, so he hooked a regular hose to the back faucet and cleaned them at my special request. They need to be checked monthly too. I told him about the clicking sound, and he said it might be the defrost control. Then he went out to the heat pump and found the reverse control wasn’t working. That part changes the heat to a/c at the water pump. It is what the warning clicking I was hearing was telling me. Now the power to the heat pump is disabled and we are on Emergency/Auxiliary heat (only) until the part is put in. “Emergency” is misleading. This just means the heat is coming off the hot coil normally only used when the outside temperature gets down about 20°F. This week our lows have been in the mid-40s.
The part has to be ordered from Trane and might be in by Monday. Darren will call us and come back to finish the job so we will have access to a/c, when needed, in a month or 6 weeks.

I called Cle Elum to report the refill Entresto problem. Now need to call Kaiser Permanente. Did, and am out of the 30 pills without paying extra for them. I haven’t asked the cost of only 30 pills using insurance, but the cash price is outlandish, at $500. I was supposed to get 90, but only got 60. Tough; but, it won’t happen again.

An alternative is to switch to Kaiser Permanente, Renton, WA mail order, which I have decided to do. I can request a 3-month supply for the cost for 2 months here. So, $80 vs $120. Weird.

Scholarship luncheon is today at the main CWU services building, Jongeward (door keys and vehicles; for us in our past). I picked up Amy Davison at Gallery One, after her art class ended, and took her to campus where I can park for free; she cannot.

We had a nice Oriental Chicken Salad made by Christine Tufts, served with a Mandarin orange, roll if wanted, an incredibly good Lemon Cheesecake made by Peggy Eaton, and 2 fruit punches.

Here’s the cheesecake (photo by Amy Davison) along with photos of today’s efforts with 7 students, 10-11:00 art class for 3 to 5 yr. olds, at Gallery One, where the students made an egg carton based caterpillar. Class is an hour, drop in, for $5; parents stay.Student Charlotte’s caterpillar, eyes on another, & cheesecake

Saturday, May 18

John left at 5:40 a.m. for Crew Leader College, a WTA education event for the Crew Leaders and Assistant Crew Leaders. After a photo of everyone in attendance, John drove another 20 minutes to Cougar Mountain Park, once a source of underground coal and timber for the folks trying to get rich in the young Seattle area.
Tomorrow he will be returning for another session on First Aid, but that will be in North Bend at the Forest Service compound.

I was working with emails this morning, and saw a photo come through at 7:48 from a WTA “leader” I know, Rick Zitzmann. He sent a photo taken last year of John near a huge tree along the trail at the West Fork of the Foss River. Taken in 2018 on West Fork of the Foss River trail by Rick Zitzmann.

Here is a valuable link to information provided by the Washington Trails Association (WTA):
WTA Trip Reports
To see a recent report (5-1-2019) on this trail mentioned above, check below, especially for a photo of the same tree with 3 WTA workers & Crosscut saws standing in front.Three WTA workers – Crosscut saws
John says: About 6 years ago, I spent about an hour cutting Devil’s Club from this favorite stopping point. The photo on the right shows the reason for its name – Oplopanax horridus. The ‘oplo’ part means armored and the ‘pan’ part means all. It is very well armored and hikers (especially small children) can ruin a hike if they happen to touch it. Note the large leaves of this plant in the upper right of the photo with me in front of the tree.
Wikipedia has info and photos of the flowers and bright red fruit:
Devil’s Club

Nancy back: I left for town early and went by the Driver License Tabs place at the Meridian Theater, to update my Car Registration, to remove the Lien by Chase Bank, that had never been done 2 years ago when I paid off the loan. They had not sent me the correct paperwork. Now I have received it. Cost me $31.00; I paid in cash rather than put on a credit card, which would cost me 3% more.
While in the same parking lot, I went to Bi-Mart and bought 6 boxes of Fisherman Friends, because I was down to one. From there, I went with all my stuff to Briarwood.

We started the day by welcoming Evie Schuetz back to the fold. She hasn’t been able to play her violin with us since January, so this was an epic moment. She is a chocoholic, so we welcomed her back with a Chocolate bunny. We were all so very happy to have her return, able to lead us with her violin again. She’s still in pain, but it is going to be better with time.We played until about 3:00 and had desserts: several kinds of cookies and a piece of cheesecake with cherries, homemade by Connie. Betty made her chocolate chip cookies and sent 3 left on the plate home to John. She always does.

Before coming home, I dropped by Windy Chevrolet; 10 minutes there and walked out with $5 gift card to Fred Meyer. I’d received a flyer because they are collecting names for future needs of vehicles. The salesman talking to me was rather impressed we still are using our 1980 Chevrolet pickup truck.

John called from Issaquah and I was not yet home. Then from North Bend. So I reached him nearing the Snoqualmie summit. I tried calling him after 4:00 but only got my message that meant he didn’t have his phone turned on. I tried calling later on my way home, but the reception wouldn’t connect.
He told me to put the chicken breasts (all seasoned) in the oven, and I did. By the time he gets home, we will have the main part of dinner cooked.

We ate after 7:00 after we added cut cocktail tomatoes, John made a butternut squash casserole with mini-marshmallows, and we just finished a great meal. That was my first real solid food of the day (except for the desserts I ate at Briarwood, after music).

Sunday, May 19

John left this morning at 6:00 a.m. to be at Bill Weir’s house by 6:20 to carpool to CLC today using Bill’s truck. John’s involved with a First Aid course that includes CPR & AED (automated external defibrillator).

I’m staying home to work on the blog and on bill paying, and filing. Will likely do some more clean-up chores, as clothes and dish washing and sorting through things, recycling paperwork.

This arrived today in email from a longtime friend through Brittanys, Bob Showalter. The introduction follows here ahead of the link to watch below:

This is from within the TED series of presentations, this is a fabulous work of art concerning Birds, Bees, Bats, and Butterflies!

• Take a look and enjoy Mother Nature at her best!  
• Check out the Monarchs toward the end.
• Be sure to watch this on the largest computer screen you have and have your sound turned on.
• Don’t miss the hummingbird doing rolls chasing a bee
• Check out the baby bat under its mother.
• If you never knew what goes on in the garden when you aren’t paying attention, watch this fine photography.

Birds, Bees, Bats, and Butterflies!

John just arrived from his all day trip to North Bend, WA, and had not taken his cell phone, so he didn’t call me on his way home. He arrived at 5:45 p.m.

It’s now 8:15 p.m. and we still haven’t eaten supper. Just finished at 9:00 p.m.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

Tulips, between strawberries, onions, and asparagus. You’ve previously seen the purples that bloomed ahead of the shorter ones. Happy they hadn’t been windblown away.

Sunday, May 5

We published the blog at 9:02 p.m. and went to bed at 10:30! You’ve already heard about that day, in our last week’s post, but this one has some photos from John’s WTA trail work here in the valley, shown on Tuesday, when the final report arrived, including photos for the whole past weekend, with additions from workers.

Monday, May 6

I sent out the KV F&F note about scheduling for this week, and tried requesting feedback for the whole month again. Got a few more added.

John worked outside a lot today. Sprayed weeds and watered strawberries, onion, flowers, and trees.

I went to town for a Silver Sneakers exercise class and was extra cautious about taking it easy, after how hurtful I was last week. I opened up the “hatch” back of my car for a gal to leave a bunch of feed bags. She’s done that before, when she is in town and I’m at the AAC. Easy transfer that saves me a long drive to Badger Pocket in the SE part of our valley. They filled the back of my car. We use them for various trash bags to take to the transfer station and once John used to bag noxious weeks to remove from a local trail.

From there I drove to the new location of the FISH Food Bank lunches, now being held at the Liberty Theater in the back room, accessible from Pine St. We were vacated from the back of the Mercer Creek Church facility on 14th and B streets, for our lunches, but the food distribution for community members remains there, until new facilities are built with a kitchen and room for serving. We are not privy to future plans.

The Food Bank Senior Nutrition lunch menu was especially good today. Dan was the cook and it was in the new location I needed to check out for going on Wednesday to volunteer playing music and setup a place to keep our own music stands. Today’s meal was Pulled Pork (nice & tender), served on rice, with Cole slaw, and a bowl of peaches and pears. I didn’t take a dessert. Once home, I finished the Chocolate Chip cookies John brought home from the trail work yesterday.

On the way home, I went by our bank, and deposited 2 checks: another returned one of $127 from a procedure I was charged for after my deductible had been met. I realized that at the time, but didn’t have any choice except to pay it. Luckily, the Yakima Memorial Hospital’s account department is honest and refunded the money. The second check was from the local Co-Op and is part of a reported PATR for income taxes, so I had to deposit the $5.12 for the record to put in my tax file. Then I stopped at Safeway for their Monday Fried Chicken special. In the checkout line I was visiting with a gentleman in front of me in, and when I looked at his face, I realized I recognized him, and asked his name, because I couldn’t remember from where. He told me, and I returned mine, and said I think I know you from the university. He said he is a retired geologist. Of course, I said, well I am a retired geographer, and we shared the same building.
We enjoyed visiting further after realizing our past connection.

John just returned from putting the license tab on my Forester. He realized the paper showed the car still had a lien on it from the original purchase. (It has long since been paid off). I called Chase Bank and found out I had to go by in person, with my registration and social security number to request the lien transfer, and then I will have to go to the Department of Vehicle licensing to have it re-titled. I asked if there was a charge and he didn’t think so. If there is, I will request Chase Bank pay for it. It should not be on my tab, in my opinion.

We are having fried chicken for dinner, with butternut squash casserole by John, and I will finish the rest of the salad I carried along today and didn’t need to eat at the food bank.

Well, I suppose I should tell another bank story; this one is my current bank. February in 2017 we paid off our 30-year mortgage loan on our house. That meant we had to start arranging for our property taxes and insurance. I went to my Umpqua bank and set up a recurring payment for every 6 months for the value of taxes owed. This year, the Kittitas Treasurer’s Office notified me that I could have my taxes automatically paid through my bank at their office. I didn’t realize that the taxes had changed (gone up), nor did I realize the recurring payment did not apply.

After I had deposited my checks and got home, John said, did you have them tell you the balance in the account. I had not requested it, so I got on line and looked at the past month’s figures. There were two withdrawals marked to the Kittitas County Treasurer’s office for similar amounts in the same month. The one for $892.65 had been 4/16/19, but there was another deduction of $913.99 drawn on 4/30/19. A call to the KC Treasurer’s office alerted me to what had happened – the bank was acting as though they still had to pay but took the money from the checking account rather than an escrow account that had vanished. I called my bank, and asked how to alter it. Brandy helped me through the cancellation process, and now all is well. Come October, when the $913.99 is due, I will only pay the difference, $21.34. That was simpler than being refunded the $$ by the county. I have cancelled the reoccurring one for last year’s taxes, and all should be well. I’m glad I reviewed the activity and found the problem.

Started the washer with clothes and my red bag with blue cheese dressing spilled inside it. That was from a leaky container of salad I carried for lunch. It all made it through just fine.

Tuesday, May 7

Had my morning shower, drank a protein drink, so that I had something in my stomach, took my Amoxicillin at 10:00 a.m., and left ~ 10:15 for a stop at the Dry Cleaner. I arrived around a couple of blocks to the dentist before 11:00 and was invited back to start the process. Meant to go by the bank, but forgot, and will save for tomorrow.

My dentist visit went the entire time. I am happy with the results, but have to hope the temporary stays in until I return May 28 for the crown. The crown will be gold, rather than porcelain, because gold is sturdier, and the impression for the new crown it is rather thin from being taken on the old tooth that had worn down significantly. I do not know how long that one has been in my mouth.

I finished too late at the dentist to eat at the Senior Nutrition program, where they were having Chicken with gravy today.

Therefore, I went directly by the Chase bank office in Fred Meyer with my Forester Registration to speak with banker, John. He was off at lunch and when he returned, had 2 people waiting, so the manager listened to my story when I said I wouldn’t wait until 2:15 and he gave me a 1-800 number to call to process the information I needed to remove the lien on my Subaru Forester, that was never returned to us after the loan was paid off 2 years ago (in May). Now the paperwork is in the mail, and when it arrives, I will need to take it and my registration by to the correct office.

While at Fred Meyer’s building, I was next door to Goodwill, where on Tuesdays Seniors get 10% off purchases. I went to the head guy, Jay, and told him the reason I was in search for music stands. An employee standing with him heard our conversation, and she said she would go check in the back. He walked with me to the place any would be on the sales floor. Sure enough, there was a sturdy fold-up metal one, for $4.99, & with my senior discount, it was $4.49. After figuring out how it worked, I bought it, and he pulled out his little notepad and took my name and phone number, saying he would call me when one came in. Nice service. Now I’m busy printing my name to attach to the stand and to the case of another smaller one I have. I’m taking the two of them in a wheeled carrier to collect others from people in the group, so that we can leave them in a backroom standing collected in a corner, and not have to cart them maybe a block from a parking space downtown.

These Nick-Links arrived today from Nick Zentner, the last one of this season is here for the first time; I will put all in here for anyone who might have missed it. The first three have been out for a while.

Nick thanked us all for attending and reminded us the “downtown” series will continue next April at Morgan Performing Arts Center, our new location. Below are the locations and each is followed by a brief description of content.

1-Supercontinents and the Pacific Northwest

Montana’s Belt Series featured.  Tales of supercontinents Rodinia and Columbia.  Glacier National Park.

2-Plant Fossils in the Pacific Northwest

Palm Fossils at Blewett Pass and Petrified Tree Trunks at Vantage featured.  Includes excitement of finding George Beck’s original journals from the 1930s.

3-Supervolcanoes in the Pacific Northwest

Water moved ashfall into a 30 foot deposit (now lifted and exposed) near Mattawa; southeast of us. This is now known to have come from a significant explosion of a volcanic hot-spot. This ash is tied to Bruneau-Jarbidge Caldera in Idaho.  The video includes a visit to Nebraska (ash went that far), and central Oregon.  

This is the latest you have not yet been told about from me (the professional copy) – you have already received my personal front-row videos of Nick in a previous blog.

4-Hells Canyon and the Ringold Formation

Connection between Ringold sediments and Hells Canyon development.  Includes fish fossil work by Jerry Smith. Also, new zircon work by Lydia Staisch.

Change of subject: to WTA trail work in our Kittitas Valley.

Here’s a great report from Beth Macinko on the WTA work on the Manastash Trail that happened this past weekend.

Thank you everyone for coming out to work on Manastash Ridge on Sunday. You built 400 ft of new tread and did the finish work on 200+ more feet for the Westberg Trail reroute – this reroute will avoid the steep grade sections on the original trail that are causing erosion and vegetation loss. Thanks for working hard to move all that dirt from the steeper side slope to make a nice level tread. Your work will make the trail more sustainable to support generations of hikers and the health of the ecosystem. 

Congrats to Jennifer for earning her hard hat today with five work days! Many thanks to Elizabeth for 100 days of trail work with WTA, thanks for bringing your enthusiasm to work parties all over the state! Special thanks to Leighton, Henry, and David for making this your first WTA work party. Thanks to Craig, John S. and Mark for gaining more experience with new tread construction. And thank you to George, Jennifer, Elizabeth, John H., Tim, Jill, and Alan for coming out both days, 1100 feet of trail was built over the weekend, over half of this reroute section.

As Alan mentioned, this work party earned you 8 hours towards a Discover Pass. Volunteering on state lands for 24 hours (3 WTA work parties) earns you a free Discover Pass. Once you have completed 24 hours, you can email volunteer@wta.org, and let them know which work parties you’ve been on. Attached is a link to a shared album with photos from both Saturday and Sunday this week, you can see the trail progress and feel free to add your own photos. Happy trails, Beth

Link to the photos from the weekend:
WTA work May 4 & 5, Manastash Trail, 2019

From that are some favorites, with 3 flower ones below on Saturday’s post.

Here are a few of interest to me from Beth Macinko on May 5th, Sunday.These and one below shows the fantabulous Kittitas Valley from the new trail on Manastash Ridge. Right side, orange hat is Jill – a CWU grad that had friend Ken Hammond as an adviser in 1986, before I arrived. John has orange hat and orange shirt.The photo on the right, taken on the hike IN, carrying all the work tools – by Elizabeth DeVos. Note, John’s orange hat is hooked to his backpack. Two tools are the maximum for carrying and gloves are a must. When actually working, a hard hat is also required, as are boots and long pants. New volunteers get a new green hat on their 5th day; with name or nickname.

I came home to a bunch of deadlines, after running around town doing errands. Went by the dry cleaners, and have my fingers crossed the shirts will be okay for pick-up on Thursday, after I play music at the Meadows Place.

I had to sort out medical bills not covered by Medicare because the deductible (for John) had not been met. I have been in to see doctors enough already this year, that mine is paid up. Also needed a snack after missing lunch. I had not made it out of the dental office in time to go by the Food Bank for a planned meal.

Printed name tags for music stands and for the container to store them at the new location. Thanks to John for his help in adhering them in the right places.

Wednesday, May 8

Got the attendance finalized for KV F&F tomorrow at Meadows. We ended up with 11, with 3 folks making it up from the Yakima Canyon Bluegrass jam.

On my way to the Food Bank (Liberty Theater), I stopped at Umpqua Bank for 3 colorful Frisbees so we could go some not-too-hot day to one of the Disc Golf city parks in town, with another family. It’s supposed to be a lot of fun, but I need to read up on the rules (on line, with demonstration videos). They were given to me by Brandy. John and I both were Frisbee throwers from the beginning of meeting each other, and we also taught our first Brittany, Wisty, to jump up and catch them. She was good at it. We got her in Iowa in 1971. I wish we had had a video camera then to have captured the actions, but all we have now are neat memories.

Food bank music for the first time at the new venue, at the back of the Liberty Theater, in the room managed by the Calvary Baptist Church, Pastor Stephen. Monday, I got a tour from a church member, Steve, when I went in to see the set-up and asked about a secure place for us to store music stands so we didn’t have to haul them in every time we play. Many of our members are just singers and didn’t have their own music stand, so several of us (Evelyn, Joanie, and I) combined our extra pair to come up with 6. Our harmonica player brought his own stand, as did our guitarist. It worked just fine. We had 9 players. Everyone there in the audience thought the music sounded better than in the old place. It’s probably because the floors are a nice heavy tile and not carpeted to absorb the sound.

I took my camera today to get a photo of me taken by Joanie in the new dining area (with a full kitchen and industrial dishwasher), wearing a shirt she gave me last week. I received many compliments on it, especially the embroidery on the neckline. The collar on my right is not set right, but you can see the new venue, and in the back of the photo, the kitchen and serving line.Fellow in red hat is Bob, one of our singers; and me, after music.

Today’s menu was macaroni and cheese with chicken that all I talked with said was very good. I had my own salad, so I did not get a plate, but I did take a bowl of fruit (peaches, pears, apricot, pineapple, and a maraschino cherry). Dessert I also took, but brought home to share with John. We haven’t tasted it yet, but it is a yellow lemon looking cake, with white frosting topped with almond slivers. All who had it at my table loved it. It was made by a volunteer who always is there on Wednesdays and makes desserts to share. I took a Ziploc bag to bring home whatever was there today for dessert. After we played, put up all the equipment into the “back” room, there wasn’t much time to eat and still make it to my exercise class on time. It doesn’t help that the AAC clocks are set 5-6 minutes ahead of the actual time.

I went to SAIL. The new daily schedule program was finally available, delivered just today during our class. I brought one home, went through it, and hung it on our fridge. It covers activities, events, and trips for three months offered by the AAC.

On my way home I stopped at Bi-Mart for some Progresso soup on sale, our favorite: Chicken with rice (and a whiff of wild rice), and veggies. It was priced nicely at 3 cans for $5.

Thursday, May 9

Today’s music was at Meadows Place. We had a dozen players present and a large involved audience.

I went by the dry cleaners to pick up my silk shirt and John’s WTA orange shirt. His is a cotton shirt with an iron-on patch from a WTA promotion of 2 years ago. We did not want to put this in our washing machine. He has orange polyester shirts to work in and washing is okay for those.

Also went to Super 1 for some smoked turkey (planning ahead for my salads); then to Joanie’s to return a carry bag and offer some clothes to her in exchange for what she gave me earlier in the week. She invited me to stay for dinner, but I had two other stops before coming home, so I declined.

My first stop was going back to the cleaners to ask about a button missing on the bottom of the silk shirt. They do have a catch thing that will retrieve buttons that come loose during the dry cleaning operation. However, the fellow behind the counter didn’t have access to the drawer and wouldn’t until tomorrow morning. So I left my shirt and said I hoped they could locate the matching white pearl button, but if not, then a white one that would fit the buttonhole would be fine.

Friday, May 10

Awoke to an early morning call from the Dry Cleaner’s. They found a button that would work and have sewed it on my yellow silk shirt. Will pick up Monday.

Hot weather is not far off, so it is time for an inspection and tune-up of our heat pump. Darren, from Brad & Burke, will come on Friday the 17th, at 8:30 a.m. John wants to remember to spray the outside unit for wasps, and make it safe for Darren, who has a reaction, if stung.

John went to meet Ric Gearhart on Clerf Rd to pick up 20 wood pallets. The old Chevy truck doesn’t have a canopy, so he took it. I went along to take some photos and meet the fellow who gave us the pallets and thank him. These were under hay, outside. Now he has a shed.
Ric outside with some; more are in the shed in front of the truck. They are in good shape, and a few have clean fresh wood that can be used for a neat project.
The internet has lots of ideas, like a box.

Once home, I took a photo of the load. They did a nice job of putting them into the pickup bed. I counted roughly ~ 23.Different sizes and shapes makes counting not straightforward.

I’m switching back to a message I received this morning on Facebook, which I accidentally saw. I do not have time to see all things that come across my timeline in one day.

Jennifer Lipton, whom I taught with in Geography at CWU, sent it about an award ceremony for the College of the Sciences. Here’s her comment (about two students I know); others were included I do not know.

Awesome evening at the College of the Sciences award ceremony, with my amazing graduate student in our Cultural and Environmental Resource Management graduate program Beth Macinko and fellow co-Director Pat McCutcheon. Geography student Caleb Valko has decided to go to grad school at UNT for his Masters after I connected him to my fantastic UT Austin Geography friend, Dr. Matt Fry!  Pat, Beth, Jen, Dean Tim Englund ^.^.^. ^.^. ^ Caleb with Jen.

I spent a lot of time this afternoon, going back to my old Toshiba computer I hadn’t used in a while. I needed to find backups of a previous year’s tax data to use with the TurboTax program. My Dell had an incomplete background folder that needed to be on here (the Dell) to give the history needed to move forward to the software. That meant I had to find my external CD/DVD drive I had bought to use with the Dell (because they do not have CD options on new laptops). Then I had to install the software to run the drive on the Dell.

The process took a lot longer than expected, using a lot of C drive space. I’ll have to back up and delete some of the unneeded things. I don’t like the time to take to do this. Thankfully, once installed, it returned some space on the disk.

Got that done. Now am installing Turbo Tax. I finished and got started but have gone as far as I could without looking up some receipts to put new numbers into the template.

Saturday, May 11

A wedding of musical friendsHumor at beginning – collaring and the rings shared during vows
Today I planned to drive into the Yakima Canyon to the 1:00 wedding friends, Maury & Marilyn. I made it there in time to get a seat but stood through the ceremony, videotaping it.

Wedding Ceremony–Marilyn & Maury, Big Pines, 5-11-19

After ceremony, Marilyn’s daughter Tammy sings Love Songs

Maury’s grandson Liam sings, ‘Old Man Look at My Life’

If you’d like to hear the songwriter, Neil Young, sing his song, and tell his story of the origins, check out this link. The entire lyrics are posted with the video. Liam might appreciate this. (I don’t have his email to share, if someone in the family can, please.)

Neil Young – Old Man

After the wedding, I drove to Costco (21 miles, r.t.) for filling my car with gasoline (@3.249/gal). Circle K in EBRG is the lowest at 3.399. So, the price went down in EBRG from yesterday, and I only saved 15₵/gal instead of the expected 20₵. Still worth the trip, as I needed Acetaminophen. And the drive was beautiful today, down and back. I traveled back to the Big Pines Campground and visited with the family & friends. I took my fiddle, but they were on a rest break, in the shade, and had already served their wedding cake. I got there in time to get a piece with frosting, and brought some of the second layer of 3 small pieces back to John without frosting, which had been left on the tray. He likes chocolate cake and I think got some of the raspberry layer on the top. Visited for about an hour and had another photo made on my camera, by Tamara, with the newly married couple and me beside the tree which provided the nice shade which kept us cool for the service. The temperature was 89 in the canyon, but thankfully with a light breeze. Marilyn, Maury (changed from his bib overalls), & Nancy without her John Deere wide-brimmed straw hat for the sun we escaped by this wonderful shade tree. Maury & Marilyn met in the canyon here a year ago at this Bluegrass Jam event and chose this as the site of their wedding. Several years ago, John and I met Maury for the first time here as well, inviting him to join our Kittitas Valley Fiddlers & Friends music group. The rest is history.

On my way to and from Costco, via SR 821, Yakima Canyon Road,I passed and missed some great photoshoots on the river, of boats and fishermen (& fisherwomen), but I did take some photos on my return trip from Costco: From my Economic Geography teaching days, I love hops fields and the stories accompanying growing, harvesting, and transporting them to users, in different forms. These vines are new in the Pomona area on State Hwy 821. Right photo is farther upstream on the Yakima River with a boater. Many fishing. It is a catch and release stream through the Canyon.

The green hills were lovely, but most of the Arrowleaf Balsamroot golden flowers were past their prime. They were perfect our last trip down. Here are flowers reserved from earlier this week.Manastash Ridge Trail flowers by Vikram Bisht (member of the WTA work crew); Maryhill vicinity south of Goldendale: Phlox and Arrowleaf Balsamroot near the Columbia River, by Jack Powell.

Arrowleaf Balsamroot Plant Description

Sunday, May 12 Mother’s Day

John’s out working before the temperature rises too high. Mostly, he was watering plants in the garden, primarily strawberries.

He came in for brunch, and we have finished a nice Mother’s Day meal of eggs, summer sausage (fried slices), peaches, orange slices, and English Muffin bread toasted with apricot preserves.

Temps have risen in the house to 74, front porch 79 in shade, 76 at the airport 5 miles south, with 27mph gusts to cool things some. All our windows are closed, with no a/c turned on.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan