Monday, Oct 12
It rained most of the night.
Starting this morning with an October image from the Super 1 grocery store entrance by my friend in Kittitas, WA:
Captured the fall scene on a nice cold morning, from photographer EvieMae Schuetz.
At 9:00 a.m. it’s cold (50°) and breezy (38 mph gusts), but sunny. The horses are way down in the 7-acre-pasture at the south end, standing in the lee of the trees to cut the wind. John drove his pickup with hay down to them to feed there.
Here’s the morning view from the GOES West Satellite:
The visible brown area is dry central Washington.
I have several projects to complete and then, I’m switching entirely to filing and organizing tax receipts. Never made it until late night, and now need to change folders. I did the rest of the ordering, but had two things from a different month I have to refile.
Brunch: I had leftover chicken soup and also a milkshake with Chocolate Ensure and blueberry yogurt earlier this morning.
Supper: John fixed a stir-fry of chicken breast meat, with gravy, onions (our own), mashed potatoes, corn, and carrots.
Ending with a photo I just saw today, that was taken Sunday in the hills NE of our home on Colockum Ridge, south of Wenatchee,
Photographed by Kevin Dwight (my friend & former student)- Larches (Tamaracks) turning yellow, 4600′ Colockum Ridge, 14 mi. NNE, 10-11-20
That ridge on the south side is NE of our home and would be the way Kevin drove to where he took his photos.
If you like helicopter rides, you may enjoy the following video by Wenatchee woman named Maria, who lives on the north side of the ridge, and who pilots a helicopter we’ve been along on trips with, with her sidekick Nick Zentner describing the geology seen below. This one is a survey of the fire damage from an arsonist set fire that swooped up the canyons of Colockum Ridge in July 2020, and you will see its proximity to her home she’ll point out as well. And, there are more comments below her video. You can stop the video and read about before or after you watch it.
Wildfire Damage, Helicopter Survey (12 mins)
Tuesday, Oct 13
Miles and miles of clouds. Raining again here this morning. Cats never appeared for their Monday a.m. feeding, and now their dinner table is inaccessible until later this afternoon, probably.
Early a.m. arrival of contractors to put the rock face siding on the bottom of the house along the new concrete at the front door.
Our trip to town has been delayed in its intended starting time. No problem, as John cannot work in the rain, anyway. Will give me time to start loading dirty dishes to soak and to unload the dishwasher’s clean load.
I took my weekly medication tablet on an empty stomach and hooked up the Backup Plus drive for its noon backup.
We did not win anything on our Bi-Mart numbers today. John drove and took extra set of his keys for me to go back to the car at different stops, and make phone calls from his car in the parking lot. Stops are separated below by ∞∫∞. He drove me by the Senior Center (AAC) to drop off materials from the game day last week.
∞∫∞ Then, we were off the KVC Medical Arts Building, south of AAC, across from Super 1 Grocery. There I received a blood draw for my INR (monthly) and also my Potassium (quarterly). ∞∫∞ From there we continued to Super 1 Pharmacy for our Flu Shots. The paperwork required was very involved and time-consuming, but we got our shots from our favorite Pharmacist. She’s given us our shots for many years, and I have known her as a fiddle player with our group, earlier until she started working full-time. ∞∫∞. After that, John went shopping for groceries, and I went to customer service with a receipt from last Tuesday, for Reese’s peanut butter cups for which I was overcharged higher than the on-sale price of $.78 for some of them. The cashier was surprised, but agreed, and handed me a $2.20 cash refund. Normally, I check my receipt while still in the store, but I didn’t last week. Then I went back to John’s car to complete some telephone contacts. He bought some boneless sirloin tip roasts at a great price/pound. All he bought were at a sale saving prices. ∞∫∞ From there, John drove us to Midstate Coop and bought a bag of Senior Horse Complete grain and a 40# bag of Black-Oiled Sunflower Seeds for our birds. ∞∫∞ To Safeway, for Just for U bargain coupons that end today, and got some other on sale items. We got 2 dozen large eggs @ 99₵ ea., Bananas for 56₵/#, Red Seedless Grapes for $1.70/#, and PowerAde at 49₵ ea., by buying 5 bottles.
Lunch: Leftover chicken stir fry with onions, gravy, corn, and red seedless grapes.
3:00 p.m. the winds have increased for the past two hours to 40 mph gusts. John is sitting in a chair across the room from me resting, and the winds are hitting our house very noisily. The contractors finished their work and left before they got knocked down putting up our house siding. They accomplished a lot in the time here this morning. Finally, one of our outside cats has made it in for food this afternoon, Woody. Her mom Sue hasn’t shown up yet.
John and I just spent 16 minutes in a frustrating conversation with Citi Bank about our Costco credit card, trying to replace his credit card lost (?) Aug 4, that we’d put a hold on. Now we should get a replacement card in the regular mail in a week or less. After originally telling us that, the card came priority delivery via FedEx in 2 days.
The very same day, later in the afternoon, we got a phone call from our neighbor who works at Fred Meyer that our card had been found Aug 4 at their store. He noticed our name and called us. He doesn’t get them until they’re over a month old. So, we thanked him, and told him to cut it and dispose of it. Interesting.
At 7:15 I took 2 Acetaminophen and have to figure the remainder to take before going to bed of two 2 smaller Mg ones.
Supper: beef stew with biscuits atop, including added chicken meat, carrots, potatoes, with Cheez-its on the side, and red seedless grapes on the plate around the heated stew.
Nice sunset tonight from the west side between storm clouds:
Water is Puget Sound; the land in the background is Fox Island. Photo by Pat Jack, long-time friend at CWU, who now lives in a condo, in Tacoma, from where she took this photo.
Wednesday, Oct 14
Morning call 8:20 a.m. from Haley in the Coumadin clinic KVC-Cle Elum, INR=2.1 (monthly), Potassium=4.3 (quarterly). I asked her to update our immunization record on the Hospital’s Medical portal, to record yesterday’s Flu Shots for each of us on 10-13-20; I checked and our last pneumonia shot was 10-22-18 (it’s the first dose, so we only need the 2nd). That’s ordered for us both, and Tuesday (our pharmacist’s name) will give it to us on Oct 27.
Started first thing this morning, loading dirty dishes in dishwasher.
John’s back out working again. Shorter day length and some not so nice weather has cut into his exertions. He’s starting to cut calories to compensate.
Need to send papers from Jerome to the study group.
Brunch: Bacon, blueberry/pecan pancake.
John worked outside on various projects moving lumber – – sorting out a few of the better discards (side planks and others) and piling the rest for a 5-mile distant neighbor. [Fellow that removed the concrete slab with a big backhoe.]
Supper: Long-roasted boneless sirloin tip roast, onions, and baked potatoes, with a bowl of red seedless grapes.
Thursday, Oct 15
After a late night staying up, I slept in until 9:00 a.m. and then have been doing double time ever since with emails and telephone calls.
Started with setting up my computer for the day, receiving a phone call from a friend about her medical emergency of having congestive heart failure and looking for the cell phone # of a mutual friend to give her, writing an email to another neighbor about coming down today to cart home some firewood. We had a morning visit from FedEx to deliver John’s replacement lost credit card, and a phone call to arrange filling a drug prescription to pick up next Tuesday. I did email the study group the 2 scientific papers from Jerome in BC to prepare for Nick’s Oct 23 lecture on Wrangellia Exotic Terrane.
I sent the next email to the Zentnerds study group, both To_& Bcc_ lists, and to other friends interested in Native American Culture, and especially our Native American storyteller and legend spreader, Randy Lewis.
John reads this link daily (wattsupwiththat) and asked me to send this to Randy to see if he was aware of this: about the Ancient North American cultures and/or the history of the domestication of the dog). It’s probably reflected in your native American storytelling of legends.
Shaggy Dog from Watts Up with That
Finally, here is the link you might want to follow to learn more about Randy Lewis, himself. After reading the “biography,” then visit to the right, the link to his video there, and then follow the icon to get to the other YouTube links of videos by Randy.
Overview of the man Randy Lewis
Once there, you’ll see this:
and to the right, you’ll want to click on the icon to the right of his first video’s name header, the 4 lines with right arrow after the words: Randy Lewis Seattle Civil Right… That will access all 9 videos in the playlist for Randy.
Robocaller blocked again from Colville, WA (we receive so many from that exchange that I know the 509-690 prefix by heart; yet, it always comes from a wireless caller. Blocked another from same prefix as this, 29 min later with another Colville number.
John loaded a month’s worth of firewood into the neighbor’s truck. He was cutting with the chainsaw and she showed up early, so she got less than he had intended. He was also cutting a few pieces with knots to take to one of the bottlers for “turning” pieces. He had some Black Walnut, Carpathian Walnut, Mountain Ash, and Poplar.
He is now fixing lunch. He’s having left over onions and sirloin tip meat from last night’s dinner. Later this afternoon, he’ll be getting our new slicer set up, to slice the roast into thin pieces that I can chew. And, he’ll take a plate for the bottling crew’s lunch after bottling Malbec, next Tuesday. That will work nicely, but had he realized he’d be going there he’d have waited to cook the roast. Now he’ll have to freeze it today to use next week. Will have 2 Reese’s Peanut butter cups for my afternoon snack.
John’s back to the wood culling (the milled wood) as some was left 12 feet long. Some odd pieces he cut for firewood, but most of the rest is being carried off by Pat, who said he fired up his wood stove this week. We anticipate below freezing temperatures next week.
Just had a phone call from Katrina about foot care at the Senior Center. She hopes to have us scheduled for Thursday Oct 22 at 10:15 & 11:00. She will let me know by tomorrow. She’ll send the material we need to bring via email. Yes, both happened, and I’m very grateful for the special treatment.
I’m busy with activating John’s new CitiBank (Costco) credit card that came via FedEx today. Unanticipated, so the driver had to hang it on the fence. I’ve first had to update my records on the computer in a folder under Credit Card-Info. It’s now activated. Apparently, the first time you use it, you have to swipe it, and after that it becomes a contactless chip card (touch and go).
Need to work on proofing Janet’s Word document, then, put time in the kitchen on dishes, and have my snack, and get some tax filing done! Guess what did not get done.
I worked and made good progress on unloading the dishwasher and putting up all the silverware and stainless steel flatware. Time to get my snack for the next round. OK, it was a DARK chocolate one instead of the regular. Interesting.
John just returned inside from his latest chain sawing project, but it is completed now before rain and snow gets it wet. Now he will return to landscaping – rocks, dirt, gravel.
We’re about ready for a heated popcorn feast John is fixing. My second snack of the afternoon.
John set up our new meat slicer and is thin slicing the sirloin tip roast from yesterday’s slow-oven roast. We will have some for supper tonight, and then freeze some for later.
Call at 7:30 p.m. from Walter Davenport that he is delivering the rock wall siding that needs to be attached on the porch house front. He’s coming tonight to deliver it, and John will get on his boots to help unload the sheets. Willie and Jesse will first finish a job in Cle Elum, and then come down here.
Supper: Thin-sliced sirloin tip roast, fried onion rings, cinnamon pears (gifted by our neighbor, Louaine).
Imagery below is from a sagebrush/steppe part of the region 25 miles southwest of us.
These two photos were taken by Jessie Walling (my friend and former student) on her trail running journey this evening. Evidence of the wildfire’s destruction is consistent with the fiery sunset colors.
The Evans Canyon Fire started on the afternoon of Aug 31, 2020. Photos from the week are on the web if you search-up images with – – Evans Canyon Fire. And if you look back to our weekly blog during that time you’ll see our views from our valley.
Friday, Oct 16
Dark and dreary here. Beautiful sunrise elsewhere in the valley.
Published in KC Visual Delights. Gayle McIntosh’s photograph from her back porch looking east from Hwy 97; posted by a son. I neither get up early enough nor have the viewpoint from home to take such gorgeous scenes.
I won the Wheel of Fortune Game Day at the Senior Center. 1600 points, next was 950, and lowest was 650. Sad because the lowest started ahead of us all, and then the wheel spun a bankrupt. We all had a good time, regardless. We played it on Zoom.
No Nick lecture today at 2:00 p.m. He’s back in Wisconsin visiting his mom and sister.
Cheryl Paul’s birthday is today; I called her and sang happy birthday to her voicemail.
Call from Susan Donahoe that my voter ballot was not in her mailbox. I’ll wait a few days to see if it shows from farther down the road. Then report it lost. John’s was delivered fine yesterday. Didn’t have to wait long, as it was included in delivery today with no explanation.
Brunch: Bacon, eggs, Cinnamon Pear (shared with John), eggs over easy with cheddar cheese, and I had a slice of English Muffing Toasting Bread, with Apricot Preserves atop, made as gift by my neighbor Ken.
John’s afternoon on yard projects were affected by the high wind gusts:
Supper: Appetizer, cheddar cheese in Fritos Scoops. Progresso soup with beef added for rest of meal.
Saturday, Oct 17
Up and down a lot through the night, so ended up sleeping late.
Cat fight on front porch; unsure who was involved but Rascal was the aggressor. Likely Woody – she dislikes Rascal which is befuddling. Czar was inside sleeping on his blanket.
Morning greetings from Gerald who is doing fine, and had talked with Maury and learned they were fine as well.
From LethaLee sent the link for Nick’s October 23rd Friday afternoon 2:00 lecture, but that channel is not showing up dated links on mine. Checked out later after a restart of my computer, and it is still not listed. However, I can access the URL.
I finished an email to Jana Goodey and sent it, and then work an hour or a few pages on the thing for Janet Lane on COVID-19.
John’s out working for an hour, and will come back in and cook some pork sausage we don’t know where we got. It is one pound in a “not for sale” wrapper from 2017.
Worked on proofreading Janet Lane’s COVID -19 chapter of a book on the use of GIS and sent her what I have as of today, to be sure it was useful and understandable.
John retrieved the afternoon mail and it included a statement from Costco about my enrollment. It was misleading, but I opened it and found a certificate inside I need to take there to cash for only $33, our next time at Costco. It reflects the excess bonus of 2% on purchases through the year only on Costco goods within the store. We get another much larger check in February, for reward paybacks for using the VISI CitiBank card to buy gasoline at a 4% discount, among other perks such as using it at restaurants. We’re on automatic renewal (Dec 1) for the next year’s business card membership. We haven’t been doing much because of Panic2020, so these perks are reduced.
I read through John’s Not So Nasty News this afternoon and found a nice link to the story of the lemur stolen from the San Francisco Zoo. He re-opened his report and it is there now.
I worked on filing some tax receipts and will do more tonight before going to bed.
Brunch: spicy pork sausage patties someone gave us with a Blueberry/pecan pancake topped with cutup nectarines and maple syrup.
Supper: John created from some leftover Chicken Alfredo, our main dish for tonight. He added red & yellow bell peppers, pepperoni, cheddar cheese, cashews, & I’m not sure what else. I washed and destemmed some red seedless grapes. I also had two different kinds of crackers with my supper.
Sunday, Oct 18
Slept in again, but not soundly. Awakened throughout the night with various interruptions including rain at 3:20 a.m., so I am kind of slow starting, on a dreary overcast day.
Restarted my computer this morning hoping it will correct some of the errors I’ve been having accessing data.
John went to feed the birds, and the horses about 9:35 a.m.
10:23 a.m. a call came from Gerald Gordon, my 90-yr old friend in Thorp, and we had a 10 min conversation. Then at 10:36, he called back and said he had a gift for me, and started singing every word of the song, It’s Just a Little Street Where Old Friends Meet, in his beautiful voice he has not at all lost with age. We had been talking about getting together with our group in a jam session and having him play again with us (as our lead singer). I know that will happen and it will be healing music for us all.
Load my gift cards for Jerrol’s bookstore) in my wallet for Tuesday. I suppose, also, I will take the ones for Winegars’ (local ice cream), although the ice cream one will just be in my wallet for when we run out of the 5 quarts we bought last week.
Fixed a protein drink for this morning. It was one of my Strawberry Ensures mixed with strawberry yogurt.
After restarting my computer this morning, I logged into the KVC medical portal for Nancy’s records and succeeded, but I was unable to find my Immunizations record, as I had found John’s yesterday on his account.
Brunch: Spicy sausage, with two eggs over easy covered with melted cheddar cheese crumbles; John had potatoes and onions (his own little white ones, called Sterling, that will store for 8 months), and I had a cup of coffee.
John went up to the irrigation ditch today in 40mph gusts, to fill the dog & cats watering bucket. There is also a similar pail outside. We’ll soon have to switch to the heated bowl. He had on his bucket hat, and the wind blew it off his head into the ditch!
Hope your week was fine.
Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan
There is current information, and a little history.
This appeared labeled as a cat setting off a nuclear explosion. I guess paying $5 for a cup of coffee is worth the price if it gives one the opportunity to photograph it and find a place on the web to post it.
There is a Subaru Outback pulling an Outback in front of an Outback, in the Outback.
Carey Lake, Irene Rinehart Riverside Park, ~4 pm by Craig Maloney
Great contrast, Lori Waters took in Ellensburg at 7:01 a.m. and 7:52. We missed the 7:01 a.m. time and awoke to the snow that only lasted a while. At 7:00, we would probably only have seen the very top of the sky because of the blocked sunrise view at our place.
A nighttime photo in Thorp by EvieMae Schuetz
Largest flag in Washington State is flying there.
The 16.33 ton load of oversized washed rock; the colors included.
Taken at noon, from south of EBRG on Ringer Loop by Kayla Ferguson
Didn’t get my milkshake until after Nick’s lecture.
I captured the article from the digital edition to give to the family on a PDF, as I know that today early this morning he was out of town.
Gary Paull’s photo of Banded Skagit Gneiss
This is not a nice story, but I do wonder about the word usage.
Incredible sunrise photographed by Keith McGowan, published on his wife, Lise McGowan’s Facebook page. Lise provides the majority of their photos posted, but this is a winner in my book!
Sunrise capture by Lori Waters from Ellensburg at 6:39 a.m.
Peggy Hultquist and brother Richard (30) in 1963 at Jade Cove along the California coast, south of Dick’s location in San Jose. Dick was working as a rocket scientist for Lockheed Missiles and Space Company at Sunnyvale’s Moffett Field.
12:27 pm, Reecer Creek, Irene Rinehart Riverside Park, from the Middle Bridge, photographed by Glenn Engels. 
We played several games, and I won a horizontal Bingo, a vertical Bingo, and two of us won a Full Blackout card game. When done in person at the Senior Center, they have actual raffle tickets to give for winning games, and then prizes donated from town businesses are given and people put their raffle tickets into cups, near the prize. A couple years ago I won an Ellensburg Rodeo Baseball cap I like and a gift certificate somewhere from the chamber of commerce. 
Green rocks photographed by Nick
Sunset by Tom Harbaugh at 5:00 pm from Brickmill Rd 
Tomyhoi Peak is one mile south of the Canada-US border. 
Our view ability today.
Autumn colors in New Jersey – Photos by Elise Schlosser
Lovely sunrise at 7:23 a.m. by Sid Peterson
Moon rising photographed by Lise McGowan, in our valley
Lise McGowan’s Masked Halloween Blue Moon not to happen again on Halloween until 2039. Last time it happened was 1944. The mask is very appropriate for our 2020 pandemic year!
Taken early 11-1 by photographer, Tamie Schaut published on Kittitas County Visual Delights site. 
Counterclockwise sunrise right with Zoe by Lise McGowan, 7am Badger Pocket; 7:15am Hwy 10, by Charles McIntosh; 8:00am No 6 Rd, by Barb Bailey.
A hard frost Wednesday night caused the Carpathian Walnut leaves to fall. On Tuesday I picked the last of the yellow Summer Squash, and brought the onion harvest inside. 
