Category: Weekly report by day

Monday, Jun 22

Starting this week with photos of the trusses over the walkway to the house (lasted all week and still in progress).

Sent out the CWU Geology Field Trip news to the Nick Zentner study group. Plan readings for Bailey Willis and Oregon Geology.

This is Nick Zentner’s last week of this series of lectures from home, livestreaming on YouTube. We made it through this week to Sunday’s Craters of the Moon presentation. Nick’s trying to tell us the cherry crop is doing fine.

Tuesday, Jun 23

Up at 7:30 and took my Alendronate on an empty stomach. Plugged in my 5Tb external backup drive for its Noon backup.
Here is some progress on the remodeling of the new room, with laying, grouting, and gluing the tile blocks.
Left view through an opening that will have a swinging door to enter the utility room. Water tanks are there but the refrigerator, freezer, and shelving are yet to go there. The tile has not been cleaned yet, but you can see in the foreground and along the right side the “backer board” on top of the subfloor. Right view, with water units of the right, and 2 panels of wildlife (deer, geese, turkey, rabbits) and a few other historic farm scenes. These panels are sort of “busy” and are only on one 8 ft. wall and the one behind the camera. This wall has a door to the outside, and the electrical box – so it is only about 60% paneled.

John drove me to town 10:30, first to the AAC to deliver a donation of books to their library and to give away older ones in theirs to neighborhood street libraries of which we have quite a few. Our downtown library is closed for COVID-19 reasons and so is the AAC (Senior Center), so their donation box is in the front of their building in the parking lot. We dropped off several books, and visited a bit, on our way to more shopping.

I received a phone call regarding my 2020 Census form we supposedly received several weeks ago in our mail. We never received it. So the fellow on the line, working for the Census, but living in Roslyn, WA told me I could fill it out on line and he would help me through the process. It’s not as straightforward as it should be. However, it is an alternative to having them deliver a person to get the information, and I had a computer to access the site: My2020census.gov. I started the questionnaire and he helped me complete the procedure, which took 24 minutes!! (I put my confirmation # assigned through email for submission in my pictures to add to my Tax 2020 folder.

We lost our electricity at 3:54 PM – system wide for PUD customers, with no prediction of time to regain it. Great! I’ll likely miss tonight’s Livestreaming, at least part of it. I’m sure the pre-show stuff has already begun. Outage lasted 3 hours !! [John says they almost always fix it in under 4 hours.] and I missed all but the last 20 minutes of the live lecture. At least it is available for replay.

‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #71 – 6-23-20 CWU Geology Field Trip

Wednesday, Jun 24

‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #72 – 6-24-20 Bailey Willis

Entered new people into the study group data base. Need to finish the readings for tomorrow night’s lecture and send to the study group.
Go to bed asap to get up and leave by 7:40; driving my car.

Thursday, Jun 25

Leaving for White Heron at 7:40, take computer laptop and power supply. I dropped John off and then I went to East Wenatchee COSTCO, another 22 miles.

When I got back to the winery, I took a few photos & some videos of the process. I’ll just put in a couple of photos now. I don’t have time up check the videos and see if they are worth uploading. So, if they’re good, I’ll share in a future blog.Erik, Ray, John, Tanja, Cameron. Very left Erik upends boxes of new bottles and sets them under the fillers. Ray takes full bottles off the line and places them one at a time in the corker. John snags them from the corker and places them on the table to his right. Tanja places heat-shrink caps, then passes the bottles to Cameron who is running the label(s) applicator. Wine, in clear bottles, is Rose’ of Syrah.

I came back and worked on my laptop for about an hour until they finished. Then we went outside to enjoy lunch. We didn’t get away and back home until 4:00 p.m. Returning, we talked with Ethel (102) from the car, for about 20 minutes, until we had multiple basalt cliffs around us.

The evening presentation, actually the early commenters, was about to start.

‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #73 – 6-25-20 – Oregon Geology? (with 3 guests: Marli Miller, Carrie Gordon, and Ellen Bishop)

A long tiring day.

Friday, Jun 26

Started suggested reading for Cinder Cones to send study group.

Tonight was a musical tribute to Weber by our friend from Australia in the Nick Zentner study group, who gives a presentation on Nick’s nights off. She’s going to continue the musical interludes on the same days, in Nick’s absence. (Mondays and Fridays).

Kathy Williams-DeVries from Brisbane, Australia
Tonight’s was Weber Music, via her previously playing on her clarinet, which she no longer plays much, because she now plays her recorders.

Tonight’s sunset was striking and we missed it because of all the trees on our west side of the house. These photographs were taken by a former graduate student for whom I served on her Thesis Committee (after I retired). Her thesis documentation: Evans, Jennifer. 2012 (Spring). Incorporating LiDAR and GIS to Model the Presence of Gullies at Yakima Training Center, Washington. (Huckabay). She works at the place where she completed her research. YTC – US Army
She lives across the street from our local hospital, and it is viewable beneath the skyscape. She took these with her phone!!Photos by Jen Evans Yenter, ~9:15 p.m. (bottom is a panorama)

Saturday, Jun 27

I was up earlier than wished with cats, first at 2:45 a.m., instead of coming in the doggy door, Czar went to the window and meowed, loudly enough to awake me. Back to bed. At 4:00, outside cat Sue started meowing loudly and had brought a mouse to the front door to offer me. I didn’t want to be awakened for that, so went back to bed. Finally, awoke at 7:15 a.m. Began the ritual for taking notes of the pre-show comments that start 2 hrs before the program. We knew the program would start early tonight, to allow Nick time to thank people for gifts from around the world. Farthest this morning came from Japan. Some unique & artistic gifts. Tomorrow is going to be a very special morning, and probably a tear jerker. Watched Nick’s penultimate livestream for this session.

‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #74 – Cinder Cones

I had things from COSTCO for neighbor Louaine. Her place was the first stop and then on to town for several things needed at Bi-Mart, Mid-State Coop, and Safeway. We went to Safeway primarily for sales of PowerAde for me and their brand of Colas for John. Also on sale, we got bananas, cherry, and peach pies. We went to Safeway primarily for PowerAde for me and Colas for John, both on sale. Grain for the horses at Mid-State, dog food at Bi-Mart. Bi-Mart clerks and shoppers were 90+% into the face mask thing. At mid-state Co-op it was more of a some-had thing. Some customers had masks and none of the clerks did. No plexiglass in sight either. It’s sort of an open-airy place with much happening outside. Our governor wants us to pay $100 if we don’t wear a mask in public settings.

I am working on the suggested links to send for tomorrow morning’s Nick talk on Craters of the Moon.
We had a nice conversation with our sister Peggy who is 3 time zones earlier. We kept her up late tonight.

Sunday, June 28

There appears to be only one person in the area with a traveling milling machine (band saw). Jason Ireland, and co-worker came late morning and stayed to about 5:30. They cut our pile of logs into 8 ft. sections and stacked them for tomorrow’s make-lumber session. John also had them take out the 3 Tamarack trees that remained – close to the future car-park. Note that the closest tree is dead and cut off, and not in the way.
.
.

The final Nick presentation for this series ended with the highest I saw of 1,584 people watching. There will be a hiatus of unknown duration.
To say thanks to Nick, one of the presents the group constructed was a world map with icons at the location of all viewers to watch his livestreams. Also there is a map of the United States with better resolution.This final program lasted 2 hours. Longest and most attended lecture since March 17, 2020, when Nick started this series.
You can skip through a lot of it and enjoy many different things about the Craters of the Moon National Monument on the Eastern Snake River Plain of Idaho. Be sure to watch the videos in the “cozy fort”.
‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #75 – 6-21-20, Craters of the Moon
Most importantly, look at 1:52 minutes in near the end to see the whole gift book of pictures from a bunch of his viewers.Top is Nick Zentner with the front cover, a painting by Patrick Swan, a 6 yr. old student who was always at the front of the class with his questions of Nick at the end of the lecture. His mom is Theresa Swan, who with the help of 9 others, put this book together in a very short time, and a lot of work. They constructed the maps above too. The bottom photo has friends from Sedro Woolley, WA (Steve, the crafter of the Cozy Fort), John and I at White Heron Cellars Mariposa Vineyard overlooking West Bar, where the Giant Current Ripples are that we had a livestream field trip to a week ago, and in the bottom right is Elizabeth and her pet rat, Zeke. She was raised in Eastern WA but now lives in Cardiff, Wales.

Supper: (John’s creative delicacy: leftover chicken and veggie stir-fry covered by pineapple crisp, with scalloped potatoes, and crumbles-topped cherry pie for dessert.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

Monday, Jun 15 John took me outside to see a baby deer in our garden. I got two pix before it jumped and scurried off. I wish I’d reacted fast enough to start a movie of the exit. Another deer has been hanging around, who was a twin born here in our barn. It was late in the season, and we thought the female twin was not going to make it through the winter, so we started feeding her and her brother. We named the twins, and Dawn is still hanging around, but she’s never had a baby. We wonder if she is the mom. A couple days later we saw them together, so now we know.

Here’s a beautiful scene from the Kittitas Valley, our nice agricultural irrigated valley in the shrub steppe semi desert:Lovely farm near Kittitas, WA photographed by Evie Mae Schuetz

I’ve been emailing catching up on two days away from my computer (my life-line)!
Supper. Lasagna, pears, and cauliflower.Sunset by Tonieka Kokjer in Kittitas County Visual Delights FB

Tuesday, Jun 16

Nick Zentner’s entering the penultimate week of this series of lectures from home, livestreaming on YouTube, with the first tonight. We made it through this week to Sunday’s Yellowstone Geology lecture.I took my Alendronate on an empty stomach and ate a half hour later. Started checking with CWU library looking for access to Library Archived Faculty documents. I figured out the location of the research on debris flows in the Teanaway that Marty Kaatz did research on, but am unable to gain access because the library is closed. I talked to my friend in the Reference Department and he gave me the email to write to request a scanned copy, from the Archives, but no one there got back to me by phone, or email. Eventually she did. And sent me much information.
I forgot to connect my 5Tb external back up drive for its Noon backup.

Rascal just brought in a Douglas squirrel and took it under the bed. Not too happy about that, but actually would like to get rid of the critters because they get into our shed’s insulation to store their walnut harvest, and make a terrible mess. The walls were not all covered so the stashed nuts have caused some of the batts of fiberglass to break loose. Maybe next year John can clean out this building and make it useful.

Tonight’s livestream is on Landslides of WA and I got my suggested links out at 10:00 a.m. and then realized shortly after that I left out all links to the Oso Landslide in 2014. So, I finished that research and entering the links & description and mailed it at noon to our study group members.

Tonight, Nick will be joined by Karl Lillquist, a physical geographer whom I taught with from the time he arrived on campus in 1995); one of his concentrations is mass wasting issues (debris flows and landslides).

‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #66 – 6-16-20 Landslides in Washington, guest Karl Lillquist

Wednesday, Jun 17

Morning work included John and Walter bringing in the water softening unit and holding (pressurized) tank. We were supposed to have water back today around noon, tried at 12:30 p.m. and it was wired wrong. Sparks flew when the circuit was switched. The pressure switch is comprised of an internal spring mechanism which is connected directly to electrical contacts. Walter is a builder, not trained as an electrician or plumber. When the sparks flew, the contacts fused so a new pressure switch was needed. A “smart phone” photo sent to the real electrician, Todd, allowing him to bring the proper switch. He was able to come at 2:30 and we had water by 3 PM. I was very thankful. Six days without running water has been miserable. We always have filtered water in 2 L. bottles, and John carried irrigation water for flushes. Just above the level of wilderness camping. Well, we have had electricity.

Worked on emails, adding 3 new study group members from last night. At 10:00 a.m., I sent out the 6-17-20 General letter to 6 new members.

‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #67 – 6-17-20 Thomas W. Symons

Thursday, Jun 18

Things got changed this morning for tonight’s lecture, so I had to create a new list of materials to send for a different lecture. I had material for a trip to the Geology Department at CWU, but Nick changed it and went instead to the Thorp Prairie on a field trip. I worked until 2:00 to find background material.

I had to plan to be ready to take photos of the raising of wood beams (trusses will sit on these) over the future walkway. Because the structure is angled, actual measurements could not be done until the roof over the “header” was removed. The initial estimate was about 9 inches off and the beam that much too short. A new one will be cut (in EBRG) and ready in the morning. [The just-a-bit short one will be used over the back patio.]
Meanwhile, look below in John’s Friday column, Not So Nasty News, and see the photo of the beginning of the walkway. Note his “nasty” comment about me and the dog. She’s really the one avoiding it because she fell off the original version into the hole mentioned. I was walking the plank fine.

‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #68 – 6-18-20 – Thorp Prairie field trip

Filled up my meds for the week.
We had pizza for supper.6-18-20, Noctiluscent cloud by Theresa Vandenberg, ~10:00 p.m., looking toward NW, from S. Ruby St, Ellensburg, WA

I really got into this, and found these videos below to entertain yourselves as they did me, all the while learning.

Noctilucent Clouds Explained • Aug 16, 2016 (3.5 mins)

What are Noctilucent Clouds? • Jul 2, 2018 (1 min)

Saved the best for last, with true moving videos in action of the progress of the “night clouds”:
The Noctilucent Clouds (NLC) 4K – UHD • Jul 8, 2016 (5 mins)

Friday, Jun 19

Recovering from a sleepless interrupted night (with cat demands, mostly), after being up late working on projects. So I slept in until 9:00 a.m. (except for normal 5:00 a.m. issues).
Now working on more unfinished projects. John’s outside.
I went out to take videos of lifting the first beam for the walkway cover.

Tonight was a musical tribute to Mozart by my friend from Australia in the Nick Zentner group, who makes a presentation on Nick’s nights off. She is a clarinet player for the longest part of her life, and included that at the beginning tonight, but mostly we have heard her music on her collection of recorders.

Tonight’s was Mozart music, with her explanation of the instruments played at the time, combining a performance by a large group of men on the instruments of the time period—actually she provides the complete playlist with titles & links in the descriptive part of the video below.

Kathy Williams-DeVries from Brisbane, Australia

I left this music after about an hour to have a phone conversation with a University of Idaho friend since the 1970s. John and I met Bill Rember (Paleogeologist) almost as soon as we arrived at the University. He now lives on his own fossil site near Clarkia, Idaho, 40 miles NE of Moscow.

I cannot get access to the video of his talk (48 mins), except through a web page in the archives at the University of Idaho that has a link to the video. His presentation is on the history and description of fossils in lake bed sediments from about 16 million years ago. Once you get to the link, you can watch the video on a full screen and see it a little better.

Bill Rember

Description: Paleobotany & Stratigraphy of Lake Clarkia Presented by Bill Rember, Department of Geological Sciences. Univ of Idaho, 48 minutes to Malcolm M. Renfred Interdisciplinary Colloquium, 2015

Supper: Shrimp, Butternut squash & beans, pears, and Fruit Tart for dessert.

Saturday, Jun 20

This morning’s field trip to view the Giant Current Ripples at West Bar, began with a thank-you acknowledgment of a gift Nick received from two viewers and admirers (who are wood crafts people). Here is their unique gift.Representative memory of Lost Rock Hammer incident at Drumheller Channels Columnar BasaltsNick on top with his rock hammer

Blooper on camera

LiDAR image of field area reported on this morning

‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #69 – Giant Current Ripples

Lunch: Soup for me.

I am working on the suggested links to send for tomorrow morning’s Nick talk on Yellowstone Geology. Sent late afternoon.
Walter came over and laid a bunch of tile in the new room. Need to check it out, tomorrow. Have a few pictures for later viewing.

Sunday, June 21 FATHER’S DAY

This morning’s video had the highest number of world-wide watchers that we have seen (1,434). This one went 115 mins., which is the longest.

‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #70 – 6-21-20, Yellowstone Geology

After it was over, I finished adding dishes I’d started last night, and turned on the dishwasher. It was still running, when John left for town to get some groceries at sale prices, and to pick up steel washers needed for a garden gate.

When John got home, I had my lunch of Top Ramen soup with chicken & Cheez-Its added. Now to work on the blog. I started working early afternoon, and now it’s late afternoon, with little accomplishment. My Chrome keeps hanging up and crashing – very stressing.

Supper: Roast, potatoes, and gravy (mushroom, corn, onion).

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

Monday, Jun 8

Today, we had an unexpected visitor..John’s photo. Particulars of size, age, gender unknown. It is not little. Neighbor Allen has seen one recently and it compares with a large one killed (2019) up on the hill north of him (and us).
A couple of days earlier, our small-bird-enclosure was scrunched by a heavy object that left black hairs on the top fence cover of the feeder. We have a square of 4 chain-link panels, 6’ high, and inside that there is a small enclosure for small birds. It is made of wire fencing with 2″x4″ spacing. John figured there must have been a bear involved.

Our neighbor, Allen Aronica, a mile up the road, has seen two – one big, one small. The big one is estimated at about 500 pounds. With no experience on such matters, John thought this one was about 200 pounds. Oh well.

Morning started earlier than desired. One worker arrived at 7:10 and the other followed shortly, only to turn around and leave again until 8:00 a.m. Now they are back and arranging what will happen today. Construction continues. Walter just arrived with concrete to unload and he’s leaving for a west side medical appointment. They have 5 (?) projects they alternate on. Paint takes a day to dry. Concrete about 3 days of curing. Here there are both inside and outside projects, and no rush, and that helps them. Today the skylights are being finished in the living room and the den. Gives the rooms a different look and feel.

It is a bit noisy, but I’m working on Spokane Geology suggested background for Tuesday night lecture. I just finished sending the invite letter and stuff to the new folks on the Zentnerds list.

Soak dishes. Just spent a lot of time, loaded the dishwasher and started it. John’s been dealing with the contractor and worker about the walkway out front and plans for putting up the rock wall siding, and now I’m back to alternate working on stack of receipts on table left of my chair. All to be cleaned off to access the patio door that John installed (Nov., 2015), and walls on either side. We have 2.5 sheets of wood paneling still unused. That and a bit of knotty pine will finish the inside of the door project. That’s a long time between concept and completion. Soon, though.

I washed clothes at some point, and move paperwork from the left table beside recliner. I then called the public health department with question about the Ensure mess analysis.

Lunch break: Beef chili for me (with our crockpot beef from a couple days ago), and hamburger with his chili for John, with fries.

We made it through all the livestreaming lectures planned for this week.

Images from Nick Zentner livestream 58, Wenatchee Geology, Jun 6, 2020 combined effort by Kathy Williams-DeVries (music) and LethaLee Fox (visuals)- 6 mins

A second and different highlights video:

Nick Zentner livestream from Wenatchee with Jason and Julie, Jun 4, 2020 (3 mins)

Strange supper. Baked potato with cheese & blue cheese dressing, corn on the cob, and I never got my peaches and banana or chicken.

Photo by Kyle Olson, in Kittitas County Visual Delights

Tuesday, Jun 9

Heron & Moon, North Beach, Maryland, photo by George Hall, Getty Images

Speaking of Herons (symbol of the wines from the Mariposa Vineyard), the next photo is from White Heron Cellars, of our loaned piece of equipment to work in the Ice Age Floods sands. Locals know of the deposits in places where the massive flow of water backed up. Names here are the Moses Coulee, Trinidad – the hill of land-scam fame – and the West Bar on the Columbia River. The view, looking south, is backed by the Columbia River, and top right over the backhoe is the sandy West Bar with Giant Current Ripples.

Watch the 3-minute video explanation of the Ripples:

Giant Current Ripples Created by the Ice Age Floods, June 2013

I took my Alendronate on an empty stomach, and was awaiting eating a half hour later, when Walter drove in the driveway to check on the last skylight above my head in the den. It needs some re-adjustment. That visit took a lot of time, so I was late eating.

Worked some on the Jobslist follow-up sends today which I have ignored a few days, until last night, which generated some more work to do as the administrator of the Google Group (since the early days of Bitnet)! I send out job announcements covering many disciplines to >800 people in about current worldwide jobs or internships. (The list is called NW Geography Jobs, but covered are Geology, Anthropology, Biology, Meteorology, Conservation, Environmental Studies, Political Science, Urban Planning, Government jobs, Outreaches, and more). Contact me for an application if you are interested.

Wednesday, Jun 10

Started early. Jesse came to work on rock siding.
Morning crazy and lasted all day.

Tonight is a field trip to the Ginkgo Petrified Forest to talk about the founder of the State Park, 30 miles east of us at Vantage, WA, and 20 miles south of the previous photo. ‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #62 – 6-9-20 George Beck

Bill Rember, one of our early friends when we arrived in Idaho in 1974, is a fossil geologist and interested in this material.
I will call Bill afterwards and send the background links readings for Nick’s presentation on Israel Russell.

Thursday, Jun 11

I went to ComputeAbility at 10:00 for David to fix my broken computer. I was supposed to pick it up at 1:00 p.m., but it took until Friday evening to get it home and set up to use it. I’ve chased John away so I can use that computer – tower, Intel Core i7, and 2 nice screens. Decent speakers. Only problem Nancy had was the software is totally different from what’s on her laptop.

Tonight’s livestreaming lecture by Nick:

‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #63 – 6-11-20 – Israel Russell (early geologist)

Friday, Jun 12

Sunrise after the storm–5:04 a.m. east of Kittitas by Evie Schuetz

Started out the busy day with interrupted sleep every 2 hours. Thunder and lightning, again 2 hours later, with more rain hitting on the skylights and metal roof outside the window, waking me, then cats wanting something to eat at 5:00 a.m. I went back to bed for 2 more hours and got up, tired.

Tomorrow we will start the part of the remodel that has us without running water for a few (4 ?) days. All the water cleansing pieces have to be moved so the wall can be patched and painted. The stone-faced tile of the floor gets glued on, with a 24-hour curing time. The grout goes in between the tiles – and that needs 2.5 to 3 days of curing. So preparing for that was a large part of activities for today. Over the past month, John has been filling 2 L. bottles with filtered water.

I washed clothes and dishes. I had a nutrition drink early to tide me over, until lunch, which we never really had. Just 2 Reece Peanut Butter Cups.

I had originally planned to be at ComputeAbility around 10:30 to pick up my computer that had run all night cleaning off the disk, and backing up our information from both laptops – the current one I got in 2016 and the prior one (backup of the prior one was already on the current one). Unfortunately, it still had at least 4 hours to complete the clean-up and back-up onto our new 5 Terrabyte external drive. Yet, I did not get a phone call until 6 hours later (4:00 p.m.) to drive in to get it.

I squeezed in a haircut around our rural block with Celia (who has cut my hair since I arrived in town in 1988). She is my neighbor and retired from the Band Box Beauty Salon, quite a few years ago, but she has continued to cut my hair at her house. I was quite shaggy today.

I’m very pleased with the results of the computer, just very sad it took 2 days. The charge was only $84 plus some cents. The business gives a 10% senior discount on the first hour of labor, and David the technician, did some fancy planning and also set it up to transfer each week (at Noon) a backup on the external drive (5 Tb) of anything added since the last image was created. That will protect my contents better than they have ever been previously. I couldn’t be happier. I now have 179 gigs of space on my C drive, and I am going to pare down a bunch of extra stuff in my documents I know I can get rid of, and change my procedure on creating weekly blogs, not to duplicate materials from the previous week that remain the same.

I worked hard last night on John’s computer to watch Nick’s live streaming and make captures of most of the pre-show comments, plus get suggested readings ready for tomorrow morning’s broadcast on the topic, Kittitas Valley Geology. I was able to send those last night. Good thing, because of all I had to do today, and no computer.
I also had other errands to run in town when I went for the computer.

Kathy Williams-DeVries from Brisbane, Australia:

Tonight’s was Renaissance Relaxation, with her explanation of the instruments, and a created (and shared playlist) for all the music of the evening.

Supper was a cheese burger with fried onions, baked potato, peach & pear slices, and I suspect ice cream for dessert to settle my stomach.

Saturday, Jun 13

Get on my new computer for capturing comments and conversation around the world at 8:00 a.m. Maybe I’m not back. High winds all night continuing to take away Internet—I may not have connection this morning for livestreaming. I made it through but lost the comments for the live chat streaming. Got knocked off several times before the actual Nick talk started.

‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #64 – Yakima Valley Geology

Lunch will be a grilled ham & cheese sandwich with PowerAdeZero on the side, and maybe chips?

I am working on the suggested links to send for tomorrow morning’s Nick talk on Paleomagnetism. Sent at 2:30 p.m.
Took some photos of the utility room walls set up for painting yellow. Now coated with texture and the primer.
Existing with no running water in the house is not a lot of fun, but we’re managing and should be okay for the next week. We are eating meals off heavy-duty toss able paper plates.

Sunday, May 14

‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #65 – 6-14-20, Paleomagnetism

Below is a nice musical melody by a group from Atlanta, GA which was played at the end of the livestream above, and which was enjoyed by many of the >1,000 worldwide viewers this morning.

Love is the Answer by Todd Rundgren – Foxes and Fossils, 6-10-2020

Lunch: I had chicken noodle soup with Cheez-its.

Supper: Fried breaded shrimp, onion rings, and corn-on-the-cob.

This is not a happy story about COVID-19:

Rebekah Jones’ Dashboard

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

Monday, Jun 1

Snipped from after weekend storm 3-D photo published on Visual Delight’s Kittitas County Facebook site, taken by Tamie Schaut.

Blog published before 11:00 last night, but was still up at 11:30.
I awoke not feeling well and am slow starting, but just loaded a sink full of dishes to soak for the dishwasher. Now to address other concerns. Diuretic day, I’m not ready for running up and down the hall to the back of the house.

I asked Kaylein (my PCP’s nurse) to ask Chelsea about my Vitamin D intake, being very high, and affecting bone mass.
She reported back later, and ordered a Vitamin D blood test.

House: Walter arrived before 8:00 with another part, the swinging door for our new room. Allen Aronica will soon be here to dig post holes.Left image: Opening for swinging door (SD) into utility area, white pine left, animal paneling behind, hickory panels beyond stepladder. Right side image: SD frame not quite finished, using knotty pine and select white pine.

Allen came down with his track excavator at 9:00 a.m. The guys discussed the need, location, and depth details. Below: Top left has a wood frame on the ground to show locations. Top two, discussing the plans, and looking at the last two holes in very rocky ground (alluvial fan), very different from the first holes, mostly dirt. Bottom photo was the first hole dug. A video of that follows below:

First Hole Dug for Posts to Hold Covered WalkwayTrusses

Now I can rest, maybe and drink my nutrition drink, which I feel I badly need. Then Allen went out to our old barn and dug more holes for posts. A RR-cross tie holding a gate rotted after 25 years. Three new holes out there.

Below are pictures of one of the new windows, I had ready to go in last week’s blog and left it out in the rush of finalizing. Top- progress on 2 new front windows; the room shown has Hickory panels with knotty white pine above and below the windows. Molding is not completed. Floor is not down – boxes of flooring tile on the left side covered with plastic. The wall on the right is a new wall, behind which is the utility room to house Culligan water treatment, freezer, and refrigerator.

That wall will get white pine panels you’ll see above in that photo. A different paneling will be inside the utility room – on the 2 small ends, rest will be painted a pale yellow. John has a couple of panels called “Hunter’s Forest” that have a scene with deer and trees; just enough to do the two small ends of the room. Actually, you can see one panel above through a hole in the wall for a swinging door.
John bought the panels in November, 2015 thinking he’d cover about half the interior walls of the house – dining area and living room. That project stalled when he seriously contemplated moving all the furniture around.
Five years ago each panel was $35. Now they are $70. John wonders what the cost was when his Dad did the walls of his home in Clarion, PA.

Action is also moving to the outside. Some of the material is already here – posts and beams for the covered walkway. Trusses (the A shaped frame of a roof) should be ready (pre-built) – photo after they get here. They are 6 feet across; the walkway will be 4 feet across.

We made it through all the livestreaming lectures planned for this week.

Tuesday, Jun 2

Forgot to take my Alendronate !! Take tomorrow.
Call from Kaylein with PCP Chelsea’s decision about my consumption of Vitamin D3. Lower (because of bone density issues by 1000 units, so I will only take 4000/day).

Tuesday, picked up several pairs of 38×30 pants from Laura & Johnny’s place, plus had a nice visit looking at her flower gardens. Some cool purple flowers I know nothing about; their leaves are prettier than their flowers (which are quite small). Coral Bells, I think.

Laura’s shade plants?

Picked up my Atorvastatin from Safeway and John two medications from Fred Meyer Pharmacy, while in for the 10% off Senior discount, (1st Tues each month), for his 10 2-liter bottles of diet and regular cola. While there we also bought a bunch of Reece’s Peanut Butter cups for .33/each (a very good deal).

Finally, back again for my blood draw (for an INR and Vitamin D test), which I went for first, but there were 10 people ahead of me, so left and went back as our last stop.

We were away from home for almost 4 hours. Actually, our last stop was the Yellow Church Café for a late lunch, using our $25 gift certificate, my last “win” in the COVID Bingo 3 challenge. The prices are quite high there, but we don’t eat out much, so guess they are high everywhere. John’s ½ pound hamburger cost $15, within a house ciabatta (bread bun), Tillamook white cheddar, garlic aioli, lettuce, tomato, onion and a pickle spear. Also, came with a choice of potato salad or clam chowder. I picked the chowder, then he didn’t want it so I enjoyed it (he’d have preferred French fries). I got a Cobb salad ($17) made with Iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, chicken, avocado, purple onions, hard-boiled egg, bacon bits (homemade), and blue cheese dressing. I got three meals from it, and John got 2 meals from his burger.

I didn’t get my INR report (2.1) until Thursday, because of a miscommunication at the doctor’s office.

This morning the latest highlights of Episodes of Nick from Home arrived from Kathy Williams-DeVries in Australia: this is really only going to be appreciated by regular viewers of his livestreams. We’re sort of an “in group” with known repetitions and instances that happen during the talks.

This has the background recorder music (up to 40 recorders in concert) playing music behind the highlights. Kathy explains this merging creation of the sound tracks in the video Friday night this week.

Nick from Home Highlights Livestreams 41-50, 6-2-20 (4 mins)

Tonight is a talk by Nick on a topic north of us:

‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #56 – 6-2-20 British Columbia Geology? starts 5:20 minutes in

Wednesday, Jun 3

Took my Alendronate at 7:30 a.m. Couldn’t eat until after 30 minutes passed, but took me so long to clean up dirty dishes & pans that I was almost an hour having my French Toast breakfast, with maple syrup. I haven’t fixed that in many years.

Then I finished the PDF for suggested background materials regarding tonight’s livestream (Geologic Mapping), and it didn’t get it sent until 10:30, because of interruptions with the house remodeling project going on. It’s going to get worse because the insulation contractor was here this morning, and they determined the skylights must be finished (opened through the ceiling into the attic) in our living room and den before the insulation in the attic can occur. The den is where I am setup with my laptop. So, today, I must finish those suggestions to send out early morning to the study group.

John is going to move all things out of the room into the pickup with canopy until they are done opening up the area for the Skylights, which were installed in the roof in 2010 without any shaft work.

Just had to break to consider the remodeling project and hear the plans of proceeding inside the house.  This may really mess up my morning tomorrow for accessing my computer.  Guess I have to get readings ready today to suggest for the next lecture, tomorrow.  I’m running out of steam and time, and computer time on my laptop.  This is nuts.  They are going to move me totally out of the den, so today, I have to figure what I need in here for the next 3 days, as it will be moved out to cut holes in the ceiling, to go through to the roof.

Tonight is a presentation with Nick and his guest speaker, Andrew Sadowski, Washington Geological Survey (WGS) Statemap Geologist: (Geologic field mapping, structural geology, neotectonics), who is a staff member of the CWU geological sciences department, out of (WGS).

‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #57 – 6-3-20 Geologic Mapping Today starts 4 minutes in

Supper: 3rd part of Cobb Salad from Tuesday’s purchase at the Yellow Church Café. John had something else.

Thursday, Jun 4

Wild day today. Much cleaning up and sorting very early this morning, then visits from contractor’s crew, and request to take photos of the cementing of footers for the walkway poles. Then people in the house to cut out the ceiling to reveal the skylights. I took photos and a video of the living room too, but still cleaning up the den to allow access to cut that one tomorrow. Other work is occurring in the new room (old garage) simultaneously.

Need to work on loading the dishwasher that got waylaid early morning. John has watered onions, tomatoes, and more.
I had to have a nutrition drink early to tide me over. Then, later we had a bowl of chicken soup with added chicken, wild rice, carrots, and tomatoes (Progresso).

Biggest time sink for me today was calling 8 places, to check if they were registered through the bad credit card account, or through the routing number of our bank’s checking account.

Tonight’s livestreaming lecture by Nick:

‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #58 – 6-4-20 – Wenatchee Geology (field trip)

Tonight’s supper after Nick’s virtual field trip is a beef stew which cooked a long time since yesterday (in a crockpot). Dessert: Chocolate ice cream with strawberries.

Spent the rest of the evening sorting through receipts and checking for payments to warn people about on Citi Bank statement that come out automatically. Thought of two more tonight, and still need to check through more statements.

Friday, Jun 5

Concentrate on trash under the table in the den, for skylight opening; alternate with dishwasher loading, and fixing the fraudulent VISA card payment notification.

As you all know, we are in the process of a major house remodeling project and spending much time cleaning out contents of rooms. After 40 years, the house insulation needs rejuvenated, and there never was any above the garage ceiling.

I’m continuing to work on receipt organization and filing, and now 2 days ago added the problem with a stolen ID (fraudulent payment) on a credit card, which I’ve been busy notifying places about the newly changed number.
They replaced my card only a couple days ago, with a totally new number. Contacting the businesses has been a big chore. No easy way, except for a few places. Even my medical health insurance through the Public Employees E Board, took 2 days. I went through a telephone robot (after a long wait) to a series of buttons to push to finally get to billing, only to be told to call back later because they were busy with their workload. So I wrote an email letter to the Board of directors, and receive an acknowledgment last night I would be contacted in person. Finally, this morning, a person called and helped fix the issue. I’ve been this morning on the waiting for the WSJ (for now 33 minutes, waiting for an agent).  This is driving me bonkers.
They just answered and said they were having communication issues and couldn’t help people and to call back in a couple hours. Jeez.. what a waste of MY TIME. I’m to ask for billing (print edition). I just logged on to my online account looking for a solution and found that I can go to the customer care center and change my credit card information. Phew. So, I did.

No livestreaming video lecture from Nick Zentner tonight; his day off (along with Monday). So in the time slot at 6:00 p.m. PST, we’re going to enjoy music virtually, with our study group member, Kathy from Australia.

Kathy Williams-DeVries from Brisbane, Australia: Her Recorder music background creation for Nick Z video starts with volume better at 7 minutes in

Supper was a bowl of chili.

Saturday, Jun 6

On for capturing comments and conversation around the world at 8:00 a.m. John left shortly for grocery shopping today.

Guest this morning: Colville Confederated Tribal member Randy Lewis (K’ayaxan) – a descendant of the Wenatchi/P’squosa, Methow, and Okanagon bands – joins Nick for a very special live broadcast. Excellent presentation. Preceded by a video produced a couple years ago by both men.
It covers the legends of the local Native Americans, and anyone will enjoy it. So many of us have ties to Native Americans in our background (mine is Cherokee), that it’s a moving experience for many of the viewers. This was a virtual field trip to Wenatchee where many of the Indian legends are revealed in the geology of the area, particularly the rocks.

Check this for sure, before watching the next.

(You may need to enter the password ‘Spexman’ (with no apostrophes).

The Winter’s Tale; Dragon Spexman

‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #59 – Native American Geology
The morning was busy with John assisting and my videotaping some and photographing the opening to the attic for the one skylight in our most used room. I had to move to the back of the house to our old computer table to set up my laptop.

Walter came to finish the skylight in the den. John helped by capturing dust from cutting the sheet-rock ceiling. He used Walter’s shop vacuum. Photos next week.

We each broke for our own lunches, and John spent time helping Walter and alternating with working in the yard on various projects. (One major project is building a taller fence and gate to keep the deer out of the garden).
It was cool and windy today. I managed to load and wash most all of the dishes we’d dirtied. Most of my time was spent on planning for the livestreaming geology for tomorrow, when the subject is the San Andreas Fault of CA.

Supper: Baked chicken breast, with red potatoes. John hit the hay, and I’m not far behind. I had to take care of the last two cats out front and bring in the food that might attract raccoons.

Sunday, May 7

‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #60 – 6-7-20 San Andreas Fault

I was working this morning multitasking several projects, all with time deadlines. We had 1,292 watchers at 9:55 a.m. this morning from around the world. I think that’s the most I have seen.

Unannounced, Walter brought 48 stone panels (2 per package; heavy) that John helped unload. They had arrived late Saturday at the local dealer who wanted them off their inventory. Still packed, so no picture.
Supper: for me chicken breast and fried onion rings.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

. . . and other pretty things

Monday, May 25

Up early and back to bed. Still tired.
Walter came after 7:00 a.m. and painted the ceiling with a textured paint (in the remodeled room), to be followed by John choosing a color to paint – intended to complement and contrast with the floor tiles. John and Walter looked at the samples at Knudson Lumber & supplies store. John says the indoor lighting fooled him some. He wanted pale lavender or violet, less pink.

Textured ceiling & painted shots:
Top photo shows the textured ceiling, the bucket and can of paint that looks rather pink, and then once applied is more lavender (maybe). The bottom photo (left) shows panels leaning against the wall. Ceiling electrical openings are there – without the actual LED part. On the right is a panel with adhesive (on the wall too). Small nails hold the panel up while the glue sets.

I’ve been working on suggested background materials to send to the study group for Nick’s Livestreaming Geology lecture tomorrow on Ice Cores. Finally, finished it late after 5:00 p.m.
Set up getting Susan Leiberman the detailed notes for Karl’s Steamboat Rock field trip (and Northrup Canyon) for her planned hike. She’s driving down from Gifford, WA on the Columbia River.

Tuesday, May 26

Morning to take my special pill on an empty stomach and not allowed to eat until ½ hour afterwards. No morning coffee even. Really a PITA.

John left early to meet Walter at Knudson’s at 8:30 a.m. to pick out a special color paint for the textured ceiling in the newly remodeled room. Will be interesting what John chooses: I thought he said he chose light purple, but in the daylight he says it looks more like a light pink. You’ve seen the results above on Monday. When all wall panels are up and the floor is down we are sure the result will be spectacular.

Last night my phone in my back bathroom (one of 5 Panasonics we have in our house started talking that it had no battery. It has 2 rechargeable batteries – AAA. We expect either this phone needs replaced or the rechargeable batteries have died completely and need replaced. Either way, it doesn’t work, so I’m carrying another phone with me to the bathroom, when I leave the den.

Called Bi-Mart asking questions about rechargeable AAA batteries. Our Panasonic one in handheld phone cannot be recharged, on the phone mount or with a unit. Does that mean the battery needs replaced? Wrong question. Turns out 3 of our sockets were not working at all. I finally figured out my cell phone was not able to recharged in a socket in a different bathroom. We threw all the breaker switches that had lights or plugs noted, and couldn’t get power. This took a couple of days to realize the entire story. Follow it below on Thursday.
I have been sorting tax receipts for 2019 and 2020. And still have a lot to go. I washed a load of dishes, and need to put them in the cupboards.

Found a card to send to Peter Schuetz for his graduation from Kittitas High School. Because COVID-19 cancelled all graduation activities sadly, the graduates are going to stand 6’ apart in the driveway of the school, hold a basket, and people will be able to drive by and throw cards in a bucket.

Our contractor’s wife, Lynn, came along this afternoon to paint primer on the textured ceiling. Walter had to drive to near Bremerton (3 hr. trip) to have his painful back worked on.

Tonight is a talk on Ice Cores by Nick and he had a special guest, join him, Susan Kaspari, an expert on Ice Cores, and his colleague in Geology at CWU.

‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #51 – 5-26-20 Ice Cores starts 15 minutes in

We had a supper after the show – shrimp, fish, some leftover fried breaded cauliflower. No dessert.
I sent out a note to 5 new Zentnerds who joined our study group tonight.

Wednesday, May 20

Sent the PDF for suggested background materials for Frenchman Coulee (virtual field trip) with Nick on site and a good cell tower nearby.

Now trying to make progress on taxes and cleanup. Need to put all my medications for the week in container. Need to order something via Amazon for my severe dry eye problem. GenTeal Gel for Severe dry eyes may have returned. It was discontinued by Alcon, but I’m 99% sure I found it. Delivery is tomorrow and very much needed. It did come USPS delivery, and it is perfect.

John moved my car from its normal parking shed so he had a protected place to cache the package of wood paneling. It’s been in our hay barn for several years, and needed to be closer. My car was moved to the place where our new carport will be located.

Talked to Todd the electrician about our non-working sockets. He’ll stop by in the morning. Got his number from Walter (it’s long distance, but stored in our landline phone as Electric Todd).Climbing area, The Feathers, at Frenchman Coulee, about 45 minutes from Ellensburg.

Tonight was a virtual field trip with Nick there. You may enjoy watching parts of the trip in the link below.

‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #52 – 5-27-20 Frenchman Coulee (Virtual Field Trip)

Thursday, May 28

Here’s the rest of the faulty phone and socket story. We were up early, for Todd the electrician. The outlets that did not work are on the same line as a couple of outside outlets. Therefore there is a Ground Fault Interrupter (GFI) for this inside/outside line. Who knew?
Well Todd did, and John knew the fix, but Nancy went with Todd to see what this meant. To fix the GFI outlets trip the red button that has TEST (in white). The paper label just has ‘GFI’ and does not indicate in-house outlets. So although the lights worked, the outlets below them did not. Now all do: 3 sockets inside the house (bathrooms), back bedroom, and two outside the house. They are now working, so our phones are not faulty. They are again working with their rechargeable batteries. I can charge my cell phone again in John’s bathroom and run my hair dryer in my bathroom.

Got the suggested Saddle Mountain background materials mailed about 10:00 a.m.

Walter arrived this morning, and his wife Lynn will be back later. He is adhering our paneling to the walls of the new room.

I dealt with a phone call this morning from one of the 4 pharmacies I frequent about my Atorvastatin. I’ll pick it up next Tuesday when we are in town. I buy it cheaper through GoodRx, and the cost is better to by an 80mg pill and halve it to get the dosage of 40mg I need every day.

I had to have a nutrition drink early to tide me over. Then for a late brunch, I had a Top Ramen soup without adding chicken breast meat as I usually do.

Now, however after a visit from a Labor & Industries inspector from Yakima, this morning, I have to search my pictures for all electrical wiring photos to email him. This should have been done back at the time the wiring was done and not after the fact when the walls and ceiling are covering it, and the circuit breaker box is no longer exposed with wires coming to it.

It’s taken me over an hour, but I have found a few stills and two excellent videos to share with the inspector, via email. I’m currently uploading the videos (one much longer than the other) to YouTube to be able to send a link to a 449 Mb file of information. (see below)

Todd our Electrician Explaining Wiring, Part I (5 mins)

Todd our Electrician Explaining Wiring, Part II (shorter)

Thank goodness I have been documenting the remodeling job, or they may have had to cut into the wall boards to show the work had been done to code. Within a half hour of sending my email to the Inspector, he got back to me to thank me, and said that was sufficient information he needed to approve the permit. Phew. [John learned the inspector was a Brittany person. The family got a puppy when he was 2 and it died when he was 18. 16 years for a Brittany! Anyway, he and John had a nice chat.]
I documented some more of the paneling work today, some of which you have seen above.

Tonight’s livestreaming lecture by Nick:
‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #53 – 5-28-20 – Saddle Mountains starts 4:30 minutes in

Before hitting the hay, I searched for connections on the Internet to information about our talk Saturday morning on George Otis Smith, a geologist from early in the past century. Ending tonight with beautiful sunset photo by photographer, Krissy Yarnell. She posted this on a Facebook site I’m involved with, called Kittitas County Visual Delights. South of us on Naneum Rd, 7 miles.

Friday, May 29

I was wiped out and slept in way too long still not ready for the day. I doctored my severe dry eye syndrome (right eye the worst) with newly arrived medication.

Started with compiling the suggested background materials to send to the 65+ members of our Nick Zentner study group, adding a link sent by one of the group last night.
Then worry about the other stuff. Load dishes.

Lunch was blueberry/pecan pancakes, peaches & banana, and crisp bacon.

One of the saddest emails I have had to construct occurred today to notify our music group, the Kittitas Valley Fiddlers & Friends, about the deaths of two former long-term members of our group. We lost Dr. Dave Perkins (Double Bass player) and Jeanne Gordon (previously accordion player since the 1950s, and then the tambourine), after she could no longer hold the weight of the accordion. Janet lost David in April this year, and Gerald lost Jeanne yesterday.
Dave is suspected to have had walking pneumonia, and went downhill very fast, while only a few days before continuing to help carry residents their meals and needs. Janet received a call to come be with him. She was able to stay with him, and share their memories.
Gerald saw Jeanne in the morning, visited with her, and went home. He received a call that she was not doing well and the family should all come to the Rehab, but she passed before they got there.

Worked some looking for links to put on the suggested George Otis Smith background to send tomorrow.

No livestreaming video lecture from Nick Zentner tonight; his day off (along with Monday). So in the time slot at 6:00 p.m. PST, we’re going to enjoy music virtually, with our study group member, Kathy from Australia.

Kathy Williams-DeVries from Brisbane, Australia: Baroque Music

Supper was salmon, fried breaded cauliflower, and cake w/ strawberries & ice cream for dessert.

Saturday, May 30

On for capturing comments and conversation around the world at 8:00 a.m.
‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #54 – George Otis Smith

Wow… good we had no backyard Nick tonight, as it would have been during a storm.Here’s a better summary of the weather for the Pacific Northwest Region with great videos and maps, of our stormy weather today. We were missed by the lightening and thunder, but got rain and wind. Rain stopped, but not the wind.
Cliff Mass is an Atmospheric Scientist at UW), in his mid-60s. Here is the link – well worth following:
The Main Act is About to Begin, But Lack of Radar Coverage is a Problem

Sunday, May 31

‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #55 – 5-31-20 Pacific Northwest Tectonics starts 8:00 minutes in

John left at 8:50 for White Heron. Yesterday he loaded a heavy dirt mover and a less heavy snow plow (attachments to a backhoe/front-end loader) we own, but don’t use. The local John Deere center just tuned it for us, and we are loaning it to Cameron for the vineyard. Our soil is mostly compacted rocks while the vineyard is almost all sand. The Ice Age Floods deposited the sand. John cannot go tomorrow because he must be here for Allen Aronica to come down and dig 4 holes for the walkway posts. Sonotubes will be used (more later). Allen has a digging machine (more next week).
John returned at 12:40 and then we had chicken/veggie soup for lunch. He found a chore out of the wind for some afternoon work.

Among other things, I have almost completed the writing of the blog for this week. Interrupted by supper.

Supper was a bowl of chili and an ear of sweet corn.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

Monday, May 18 day in 1980 of Mount St. Helens Eruption

Tonight, I watched the programs mentioned yesterday in last week’s blog, so will not repeat them here. If you are interested, scroll down to May 17, below for the links. They are in replay mode now, but well worth watching if you missed seeing them.

Early morning visit from our remodeling contractor, Walter, about our flood plain development permit we received last night at 9:50 from the county. He will take care of the necessary footwork with officials. We do have the signed paperwork to proceed.

My next try is to enter a song sung by Patrick (age 6) that his mom was taught in elementary school. She was only 5 when it erupted, but remembers singing it every May during elementary school. She taught it to him, and he sang it for us, with the sign off, I love you! in the same tone as Professor Nick signs off all his geology livestreams. This song is appropriate for the 40th anniversary of Mount St. Helens eruption today. All the listeners to Nick Zentner’s Livestreams have gotten use to appreciating and looking forward to Patrick’s excellent questions about the topic of the lecture.

You will have to click on the link below, and it will likely download to your computer an mp4 file, which you may have to “Open File”.

Patrick’s Mount St. Helens song

Need to send a message to the Zentnerds with the Slow Earthquake suggested readings & videos for tomorrow night.
John visited Washington Tractor today to deliver paperwork to Matt, the technician, and stopped by Safeway for our lunch today and for the freezer. He bought two bags of Monday specially priced fried chicken (thighs and legs).

Here are some photos of the new tile flooring (still boxed up) for the new room.You can see this if you go into the EBRG Umpqua Bank and look at their floor tiles.

Let’s take you along on our trip around the property to enjoy flowers, wild and planted.

First set:
Cold-desert Phlox, Pink Phlox (best guess), or similar;
Phacelia;
Lupine, white;
Bitterbrush (yellow blossoms) (often called Antelope bitterbrush)Arrowleaf Balsamroot and insect on flower on our way to the old red barn.

Top: a photo of a Siberian Pea Shrub, of which we have several adjacent to our old barn. Getting close-ups of the Orange-belted bumblebees [Bombus ternarius] was an impossible task with them flitting around a lot and the wind blowing. The noise was amazing, but I could not capture it on my camera (in the video below). Still I encourage you to turn up the sound and see if you can hear them.

Bees Humming in Siberian Pea Shrub
John has watched them with no wind and claims they are fun to see. They get loaded with pollen and nectar and will tumble over backward, right themselves, and head to another blossom. They don’t seem to mind being watched. The plants, however, have tiny thorns and do mind if you reach in. Not recommended.

Ended with a walk to John’s tulip garden (inside a chain-link fence to protect from resident deer). Those on the left (cream and pink) are the last to bloom, about a week after the purple ones – the penultimate bloomers.This bridge goes across an irrigation ditch (gravity flow) that allows us to water trees, shrubs, flowers, and vegetables. Pasture too, if John gets energetic, from the ditch.

The Livestreaming lectures this week by Nick Zentner, came off successfully as planned:

Tuesday, May 19

Up early for Walter arriving with drywall filling the back of his truck. He got it in just before rain.

I was up early to take my special weekly pill on an empty stomach, and then eat a meal 30 minutes after swallowing. John helped me fix my breakfast — scrambled eggs with cheese, also peeled me an orange, and cut two small slices of the round loaf of sourdough break I could toast. I also fixed my coffee, which I normally have first thing when I awake. But, taking the pill on an empty stomach, doesn’t allow any coffee, tea, or milk, but requires 6-8oz clear water. I had all that with Apricot preserves on my toast, for my breakfast. Didn’t need much at all for lunch. I’m used to having only a brunch.

John Ebenal sent this on Facebook taken of a well-camouflaged butterfly in the Reecer Creek hills a few miles west of us. Desert Marble butterfly blends in well, photo by John Ebenal

There is much on Caitlin LaBar’s site about these: Desert Marbles! – 2016 and the wildflowers that were blooming.

I’ve spent time editing a session from Sunday a.m. to send to the group watching the Nick from Home lecture tonight. It’s comments I collect from the pre-show live chat, an hour before the actual lecture starts, because those comments never are seen until he starts his camera about 12 minutes before the start. I like to let him know what was said prior because often people log on and address something to him, which he won’t otherwise see.

Alternately, I’ve unloaded the dishwasher, planned to soak and reload it, take photos of the construction in progress. Now the rain stopped, and the sun is shining. John’s outside again working on various yard projects. I’m multitasking and staying home.

‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #46 – 5-19-20 Slow Earthquakes starts 11 minutes in

We had a late supper after the show – mostly leftovers. Fried chicken, watermelon salad, orange slices, Rose of Syrah wine, and a fudge hot chocolate sundae with sauce over strawberries onto Neapolitan ice cream.

Wednesday, May 20

Sent the PDF for suggested readings to Zentnerds.
Wind gusting to 55 mph
‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #47 – 5-20-20 Lahars in Washington starts 6:30 minutes in

Thursday, May 21

Didn’t get the suggested readings out until 10:30 a.m. for tonight.
I had a nutrition drink to tide me over.
I videotaped John and 2 workers (Willie & Tristan) loading the refrigerator on the back of the old Chev ’80 pickup, to carry around back to the patio, until it can be loaded into the newly remodeled room.From front yard porch to backyard patio

The videos of the loading procedure out front and the unloading out back are below.

1-From front porch to ’80 Chev truck

2-Moving fridge to back patio

3-Unloading fridge to back patio

Tonight’s livestreaming lecture by Nick:

‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #48 – 5-21-20 – Tieton Andesite starts 0:00 for the second time; 1st one bombed & he restarted

Friday, May 22

I sent out Hot Spot Volcanism suggested background material to prepare for tomorrow morning’s Nick from Home lecture.
I need to finish editing the comments from the Slow Earthquake lecture to get to Nick and others, because for some unknown reason, the live chat comments were not available on replay. They were there during the presentation.

I try to capture the pre-show comments and the first part of the after it starts ones, but unfortunately that day, I did not get them all. They come in fast and furiously. On a replay, one can pause to read, so not being there caused problems for Nick to review afterwards.

Brunch: John had leftover Lasagna (it was too spicy for me last night), and I had a grilled cheese and ham sandwich.

No livestreaming video lecture from Nick Zentner tonight; his day off (along with Monday). So in the time slot at 6:00 p.m. PST, we’re going to enjoy music virtually, with our study group member, Kathy from Australia.

Kathy Williams-DeVries from Brisbane, Australia, introduces us to her Recorders & music

Supper was chicken patties, shrimp, fried onion rings, and ice cream.

Saturday, May 23

On for capturing comments and conversation around the world at 8:00 a.m.

‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #49 – 5-23-20 Hot Spot Volcanism starts 4:20 minutes in

Supper: Spaghetti, corn on the cob, & ice cream

Sunday, May 17

Started late on pre-show viewing comments

‘Nick From Home’ Livestream #50 – 5-24-20 Bing Crosby Geology starts 3:00 minutes in

Bing was from Spokane and crossed the State on his way to Hollywood (1925) and fame. Al Rinker (piano) was his companion. Washington did not have good cross-State roads because of the State’s complex geology, rivers, and mountains.

Brunch: Bratwurst and scrambled eggs mixed with cheese, with two pieces of English Muffin toasting bread covered with Apricot preserves, small bowl of peaches, with beverage, orange juice mixed with orange PowerAde.

The contractor and his wife showed up mid-afternoon. He wants to apply textured paint on the ceiling. It is old sheet rock and he thinks it needs a primer. They did the 500+ square feet in about 2 hours.

Supper: Banana and grilled cheese & ham sandwich. John added an ear of corn and salted roasted almonds.
Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

Item #1: Did you know?

“Not every quote you read on the internet attributed to me is true.” Confucius

Did you know not to place a lot of faith in the tallies of cases and deaths reported during Panic2020?
In Washington State “health officials have identified 3,000 deaths dating back to Jan. 1 that involved symptoms like pneumonia or acute respiratory syndrome, which are commonly associated with COVID-19, said Katie Hutchinson, health statistics manager.”
Katie H. added “They’ve also identified about 100 deaths that are not linked to a positive case, but “we can’t rule them in or out,” Hutchinson said. About five cases involved COVID-positive people whose deaths involved gunshot wounds**, she said.”

[**my bold]

“It’s going to be extremely hard to figure out if any of these [3,000] were COVID-related …” Hutchinson said.

No kidding.

Item #2: Rhinaria*

(*naked and often moist skin on the nose-tip of mammals such as deer, horses, and dogs) Two links about this issue:
More technically difficult
Easier for average brains = me
Put your hand on a dog’s belly and it will feel warm. Touch the nose and it will feel cool and moist. [Asleep, the dogs nose will warm, then cool again after it has been awake about 10-15 minutes.]
A dog can sense a warm object from 5 feet away. Say you have a 4 inch object (mouse ?) with body temperature and an exact replica at room temperature. The dog can tell there is a warm object nearby. You, Good Golly Miss Molly*, will have to touch them to tell the difference.
Ain’t that neat?

*Richard Wayne Penniman, known as Little Richard died – May 9, 2020.

Item #3: Holy Hail!
On Thursday there was a 45 minute hail fall in Belfair, WA. Right, I’d no idea where Belfair is either, but it is just 115 miles west of us.The hail was pea size, and if the photo is a good indication there was not much damage. It has been reported that the young folks thought it was neat, and tried to sled. A report on how that worked would be interesting. I’ll guess not too well.

Item #4: Graphs redux

Back on May 8th I posted an item about “peak graphs.”

This week, out of Nancy’s Great Peach State, there is this news item about a now missing graph:
“Upon first glance, the bars, which were color-coded to represent each county, show a steady downward slope. But local GPB News radio reporter Stephen Fowler pointed out a “couple big things wrong/not readable” on the graph, including that the dates on the X-axis were not listed in chronological order and the counties weren’t displayed in the same position each day.”
Surprise! They took the graph down.
The image of the peach is from the site of a writer from Savannah. Kenda Williams
The site appears to have started in 2009 and the peach one is from July 2011 – – near the last of her posts. A local EBRG restaurant uses the old fruit crates as decoration. You and see all sorts using an ‘images’ search and a string of words, such as “vintage fruit boxes peaches apples”. Added because we need a few bright spots in our cool and windy week.

Item #5: Mysteries

And that, for this week, is the not so nasty news.
John

Monday, May 11

John weeded the last-blooming tulips, watered plum trees, mowed rapidly growing grass, and took down a bit of fence.

I soaked and cleaned a bunch of dishes and silverware for the dishwasher and ran it. Now will let it sit to warm the water in the hot water tank, and then will wash some dark clothes. We are not yet ready to run any white stuff through.

Currently, working on the blog that wasn’t published Sunday night.
Pat Jenkins is helping with various excavation projects, but this one was fascinating to me. Movie of the removal of a Tamarack stump.

Tamarack Stump Removal (2 minutes)

Walter & Lynn arrived with tile flooring all the way from Italy. His truck sagged from the weight. He handed boxes (26 pounds, 6 tiles) to John who handed to Lynn inside the house.

John and I took a walk to look at flowers and a few other things. I need the exercise.

The Livestreaming lectures this week by Nick Zentner, came off successfully as planned: Tuesday, May 12

Our lilacs are just starting to blossom, but these are farther down valley from us. We are about 1,000 feet higher. Lilacs photographed by Lise McGowan

I plan to change the way I’ve been adding Nick’s livestreaming into the blog – Instead, I’ll send all my suggested readings only to the Zentnerd’s study group. I’ll continue to post his livestream, and occasionally will add some interesting content photos of his lecture. If anyone is watching the geology livestreaming and wants the suggested background materials, write me a note and I’ll share with you.

However, I want to add a link to highlights created by Kathy Williams-DeVries, in Brisbane, Australia. This link is to Episodes 31-40, showing the gifts being sent to Nick. He has been reticent but very appreciative. Some folks are locked in more so than others and so the geology and stories provide new and unique viewing.

Nick from Home Highlights Episodes 31-40

I consumed my morning Alendronate, and 30 minutes later, I enjoyed eating my breakfast: Fried eggs, sausage links, and English Muffin toasting bread with Apricot preserves, made by my neighbor Ken.

I realized I was out of pills for this morning and for the rest of the week, so starting loading the containers. Found I was within a week of running out of Amiodarone (for Atrial Fibrillation). I called in the refill request, and Doug said they could have it this morning, because they were not very busy. John had already left for town, so I called him and asked him to detour to the pharmacy. He was going to Super 1 anyway.

John left for town a little after 9:00 a.m. and did many errands. He checked our numbers at Bi-Mart, and our last digit won us a nice Lindt Dark Chocolate candy bar. While there, he also picked up two Faucet Areators and TP. While in town, he bought 3 types of sliced meat (salami, peppered beef, ham) to take with Aged smoked cheese to add to the lunch after bottling at White Heron on Thursday this week.

I received my Yellow Church Café $25 gift card, and now they have ceased playing the COVID BINGO. Not as many people were participating as expected. They’re changing to a ZOOM meeting with your favorite pet. I won’t get involved with that.

‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #41 – 5-12-20 Minerals starts 7:43 minutes in

Wednesday, May 13

Starting this day off with a scary shot, taken by my neighbor ½ mile down Naneum from us. Cougar (Mt. Lion) photo taken by Joanie Lee

We know we have them in the riparian land along our property, and our neighbor has seen them in our lower pasture. We have noticed a decrease in coyotes, probably because of the cougars. Thankfully, all our cats showed up for breakfast today. I had been worried about Sue because we’d not seen her in 2 days; unusual, but not unprecedented. But, she has been back around now.

I slept in this morning after another late night.

Sent off the suggested readings to the study group for tonight’s lecture on Igneous Rocks.

We started receiving 2 issues of Discover Magazine and it took me several phone calls to finally get it reported and corrected.

John’s been working where the concrete and humped soil was removed. He is moving rocks, soil, and gravel. This last was taken off the driveway (where there was a hump), and piled separately.

‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #42 – 5-13-20 Igneous Rocks starts 4:50 minutes in

Thursday, May 14

John tried to leave too early for White Heron. His mind apparently was on his working for WTA and needing to be up at Snoqualmie Pass by 8:00 a.m.

About 9:30, Pat’s son brought him so he could drive his backhoe/loader home. John wanted just a bit more of a trench, and that only took a few minutes.

I made contact with Washington Tractor Service for John, and got Jeff, the service manager’s cell phone to call him when John gets home, so he can talk with the technician, Matt. There are issues with fixing the hydraulic lines and he needs the manual which is over at the White Heron Cellars. John was there today, but did not realize in time he should have brought it back with him. Too bad they did not return our call last week, so he’d have known. However, it had a nice ending. We decided to drive over for it on Saturday, and were invited by Phyllis and Cameron to have lunch with them on Saturday. We had a wonderful 3 hr. visit, starting at noon. Story below.

I emailed the Grand Coulee Cartoon Maps from Carl to the study group (for the years 1937 & 1940).
Soaked some dishes, and finally, got them washed. I had a nutrition drink and a bowl of soup? Put up my popcorn for use later tonight.

I hand wrote a letter to FISH to take tomorrow to Kittitas that they will use to acquire future funding. They asked all volunteers at the food bank to tell about what the experience meant to them. Currently, we cannot do it, with the COVID-19 shutdown, but as you probably have heard, I with about 8 others play and sing music every Wednesday during Noon lunches. I play my fiddle and sing. We are missing that interaction with the clients.

Here’s our last livestreaming geology lecture until the weekend.

‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #43 – 5-14-20 – Sedimentary & Metamorphic Rocks starts 3:40 minutes in

Notice at 6:40, the wine used in Kathy Williams-DeVries gift of two wine glasses with engraved, “Nick from Home”, sent by Kathy from a place in the U.S., but she is from Brisbane, Australia. So as to see the engraving better, Nick put in some of our donated wine from White Heron Cellars. What a double treat!

Friday, May 15

I sent out Milanovitch cycles (info about the cause of Ice Ages) suggested background reading today for tomorrow morning’s lecture.

We fixed a brunch of pancake with fresh strawberries and maple syrup, bacon, and fresh orange slices the color of pink grapefruit!

Called Pat Jenkins about bill for his to-date landscaping and excavation service. We put the check in the mail Saturday morning. I got on line to my bank, and transferred funds to the account for which I have checks.

Below is a very picturesque view of the rural ditches I see so often driving back and forth to town. Wild Teasel in Kittitas Valley by Amanda Ross

She took this looking SW at the corner of Bowers Rd and Bowers business loop on the NW side of Ellensburg. Another name for the plant is Fuller’s teasel (Dipsacus Strivus). The spiny dry fruiting heads have been used since Roman times to raise the nap of woolen fabric in a process known as fulling.

While speaking of wool sweaters, let me thank Lynne Snyder for knitting and repairing holes in a wool sweater John wears at Christmas. We have had it a long time, and it had problems. Last time we visited at the Raclette for the pruners at White Heron’s Mariposa vineyard, I gave it to her, and requested her expert repair work. Luckily, they were mostly in the black part of the sweater. She returned it via her hubby Tom, when he came to help with the bottling. John brought it home to me to put in our Christmas sweater drawer. I used to wear this, but the 2X size swallows me now, so that’s why John wears it.
No livestreaming video lecture from Nick Zentner tonight; his day off (along with Monday).

Saturday, May 16

‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #44 – 5-16-20 Milankovitch Cycles starts 4:20 minutes in

Go to White Heron for noon lunch visit and pick up the instruction reference manual for the backhoe.

Prior to lunch I took photos of a few of the plants. Some of the cacti were blooming. Our lunch with Phyllis & Cameron Fries in their Mariposa Vineyard at White Heron Cellars includes a great overlooking of the Columbia River. Woody Guthrie wrote a song (1941), “Roll on, Columbia, Roll on.”

We carried along some meat to add to the watermelon, pine nuts, and Feta cheese salad Phyllis made, and they had four different chocolate candies for dessert. We enjoyed eating and visiting with them and their wine: Roussanne & Amigne, both white Swiss grapes. John’s last Not So Nasty News shows the Amigne with messed up labels.

Sunday, May 17

This morning started early with my monitoring Nick’s waiting crowd (which built to 1,060 people over the hour). It might have been more. It’s tough to watch all the information and concentrate on what Nick’s saying, while also trying to read the live comments. At the end of the lecture, is a walking field trip to see layers of volcanic ash within the hillside of loess in Ellensburg, on Craig’s Hill.

‘Nick From Home’ Livestream #45 – 5-17-20 Mt St Helens 40th Anniversary starts 6:10 minutes in

Here is important information to follow listening to the Nick lecture above. You’ll be prepared to watch an excellent virtual event on the real 40th anniversary date, tomorrow. Details follow.

Seismologists are Hosting a Virtual Event-40th Anniv Mt St Helens Eruption, May 18, 1980, this Monday at 6:30-8:00 p.m. You may wish to be involved on Nick’s day off, and you will have his excellent and unique background information from his Nick from Home talk this morning. If you did not listen above, go back and watch it now, before Monday evening. It will give you an amazing historical lead-in I guarantee you will not receive from anyone on the panel of experts.

I received a tip from a friend that a special program was being aired about the explosion of our nearby volcano just 40 years ago.

Mount St. Helens 40th The Virtual Event will take place from 6:30 to 8 p.m., Monday, May 18, on the PNSN’s YouTube channel — exactly 40 years after the blast. The group will stream prerecorded talks from four speakers and then host live questions on the PNSN network’s Facebook Page. The Moderator and Director of the PNSN, Harold Tobin, a Univ. of Wash. professor of Earth and space sciences, will select audience questions.
Virtual Event
Facebook Page (for Q&A)
If you are interested, subscribe, and set the reminder on the link for Monday night’s presentation:

Mine looks like this.When I grabbed this above, there were already 5 waiting.

Finally, the last:
Harold Tobin (Moderator) and Director of PNSN

Brunch: Pecan pancake with fresh strawberries and Maple Syrup, scrambled eggs mixed with cheese, and a piece of ham.

Supper: Meatloaf & rice, with meat sauce, watermelon salad (w/ pine nuts & Feta cheese)-leftover soup bowl of salad sent home with us by Phyllis when we left yesterday. We had their Rose’ of Syrah to accompany our meal.

We had a small amount of rain over night, and a few sprinkles during the day that interrupted John’s outside jobs. We heard some thunder but not close. The rest of the week looks to repeat this cool and moist weather.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

Monday, May 4

Beginning this week with a unique rainbow photographed by Evie Schuetz in our agricultural Kittitas Valley:Wheel line creating a rainbow by EvieMae Schuetz

I’ve got a to-do this morning with a bank transfer for our house remodeling project. At 8:55 a.m., I sent Brandy at our bank, an email requesting a “Certified Check” (virtual) be issued and to arrange for transferring funds from our account to our contractor’s account at the same bank. The stone-tile floor in our new room is patterned after that in the bank.

I plan to start my new medication tomorrow morning, it’s being recommended by my PCP because of the results of the bone density scan I had last week the same day as my mammogram imagery. The mammogram results were fine; no cancer. The bone density has me one-point score away from Osteoporosis, with Osteopenia. I need to begin the medication to prevent bone fracture which can occur with osteoporosis only by walking (a weight bearing situation). The medication is Alendronate. I only take it once a week on an empty stomach, so first thing before having any liquid at all. I must stand to take it and I cannot lie down afterwards, but I must eat something 30 minutes after taking the tablet.

I called Gerald and found out some good news. They are allowing family of the Rehab (nursing home) residents to enter the building to visit. They only allow 2 folks in at a time. Temperature is taken, masks required (and given if they don’t have one), and one person only is allowed in the room. Gerald went this morning with Gene (their son) to see his wife, Jeanne. What a fantastic decision for the families. Poor Gerald has been going bonkers, although they were allowing him to call in and talk to Jeanne over the phone. She always recognized his voice and the caregiver would tell him she was smiling. One day, she even said a few words.

This week’s COVID Bingo card had a special request in the Free Space in the middle: to make up your own random Act (of kindness) & Share it with us. Mine was allowed, so I could X it in, and submit my entry as a .jpg. I completed my Bingo across horizontally through the “Free choice space” for emailing before 7:00 p.m. Wednesday.

I need to walk up the driveway for exercise when Lynn and Walter leave. They have been putting in the floor insulation and he also helped again with the water softener and filters.

I have talked with Culligan folks about changing to the VISA card. Done at 2:55 p.m. and will be deducted tomorrow.

I created a beginning Word Document to collect information for Nick’s groupies (study group) about buying tee shirts to bounce off Kathy—the designer and group member from Brisbane, Australia. I included images of the T-shirts she sent me. This effort lasted over a couple of days and she put all the visuals of the shirts, the sizing chart instructions, and the monetary Australian dollars to USD in the last 3 pages of a 4-pg PDF that I created to mail to the group. The first page was my introduction to Kathy and the shirts and the process for ordering from Kathy.

The Livestreaming lectures this week by Nick Zentner, came off successfully as planned:

Tuesday, May 5

My next rainbow picture is from a friend in Cle Elum who lives on Lookout Mountain overlooking the Teanaway Valley. This is a beautiful double rainbow, which presents some knowledge about optics of which I was totally unaware.Double rainbow by Katie Kallio

She explains: In a double rainbow, a second arc is seen outside the primary arc, and has the order of its colors reversed, with red on the inner side of the arc. This is caused by the light being reflected twice on the inside of the droplet before leaving it.

Nick was brought a fancy cake, and a young admirer Patrick could not come to EBRG for a bite. Nick and I made a plan. Checked with the Post Office about details. I went by Kittitas, WA Post Office with a piece of Carrot Cake that had been frozen in a plastic container. Patrick received it Thursday and sent a thank you note with pictures of the reception at the mailbox and his eating cake later in the house. I was most impressed by this 6-year old classmate’s description of the geological meaning of the use of the carrot cake by Nick as a prop to explain part of his lecture.
Patrick’s words were: The white frosting layers are layers of ash and the brown stuff are slackwater sediment layers in Ice Age Lake deposits. Nick’s photo of Touchet Beds, with cake, & layers of Carrot Cake

The cake weighed 15 pounds and was brought from the Tri-Cities by the owners (Joanna & Neal) of two restaurants there in Kennewick, WA and Richland, WA, named Foodies Brick & Mortar. Joanna and Neal have been viewers of the Livestreaming YouTube Geology videos with Nick from Home since Mar. 17, this year.

While in town, I got John’s colas for the month at Fred Meyer with 10% off Senior Discount, and bought a bunch of special sale priced of our favorites, Reece’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups at 67₵ each.
Took a $400 check by Umpqua Bank’s night deposit in the parking lot, to save driving through the backed-up drive through window.
I went for my INR blood draw and was out in 12 minutes (much better than last month).
Went by Safeway for my refund from John’s shopping trip for 79₵ drinks they charged him 99₵ for. The 80₵ return had 2 old quarters in it.

Drove by Nick’s home with Greg’s honey jar gift, and Nick came out to his mudroom, where I was going to put it, and we had a nice conversation. It was a gift from a member of the audience, Greg from Ten Mile, TN. He and his dad raise bees. Gift for Nick and one for me. Nick tasted the honey on his finger for his toast at the end of his lecture and thanked Greg for the gift.

I submitted my BINGO COVID 3 solution via email to Jodi, the City Recreation & Parks person.

Took my medications list by Super 1 Pharmacy for the Pharmacist Leslie to check for contraindications with my meds of the new pill my doctor ordered for Osteoporosis.

Came home and toured the developing remodeled room. The floor is all in, one door, and another on the way. I have been photographing the process inside and outside as best I can. I’ll occasionally share a few things of interest.

Nick’s evening lecture:

‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #36 – 5-5-20 Glacial Lake Missoula starts 4:40 minutes in

Wednesday, May 6

Here’s some reading relating to our last lecture I just found this morning,

Nat’l Park Service: Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail Long-range Interpretive Plan (June 2016)

Dating of late Pleistocene megafloods (multiple floods from drainage of glacial Lake Missoula)

Here’s background viewing for tonight’s lecture Ice Age Erratics.
NOTE: almost at the end of the lecture about 9 minutes, an ad interrupts the flow. Stick with it until you can Skip Ad, and you’ll see the rest.

Vantage Erratics – Roadside Geology, Feb 8, 2012 (10 minutes)

Definitely, check this out from 20 minutes into the visuals:

Wenatchee Ice Age Floods Oct 2, 2013

Also, check out this website of appropriate information:

Glacial erratic boulders of the Puget Sound region

I made this wind report from information on the NOAA Pendleton site and sent to Nick, wind for planning the location of his lecture tonight. I thought it would be too windy for his backyard and perhaps his porch inside the house would be better.Next are some things developing around the outside of our house during the remodeling project mostly affecting the front of our house where the attached 2-car garage is being re-purposed as a livable room (including a utility room for the water treatment instruments, a refrigerator freezer, and a chest freezer.

Just beyond our front door is a Mountain Ash tree. They have clusters of white blossoms and the fruit is bright orange. That hangs on the tree during winter, and after freeze and thaw in spring, birds will eat them. The deer love them. We have others nearby and this one is in the way.

Below is a video of John cutting down the tree. The stump will be pulled later by backhoe guy Pat Jenkins.

John Sawing Down Mt Ash Tree Front Yard
{On John’s computer the focus is fuzzy until 25 seconds. – on Nancy’s it’s perfect throughout}

Nick’s lecture tonight:

‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #37 – 5-6-20 Ice Age Erratics start 4:30 minutes in

Thursday, May 7

Created the Tee Shirt Order form, okayed with Kathy Down Under, and sent to Kathy! Now once approved, I’ll put it all into a PDF to send to the study group for ordering from Kathy in Brisbane, Australia.

I sent the background materials for Columbia River Gorge lecture to all members of the study group.

Received the good news that I won another gift card from playing COVID Bingo 3, this week. I chose to receive the $25 to use at the Yellow Church Café. Last time we ate there was with our Australian friends, visiting us after spending time with their family and grandchildren.

More suggested readings for different lectures this week.

Erratic Boulders – Rafted in Icebergs by the Ice Age Floods 2-min Geology, Jun 4, 2013

and, check out the erratics atop Steamboat rock in the Grand Coulee:

Steamboat in the Desert | Nick on the Rocks • Feb 25, 2019

One more left over from our Missoula Floods lecture:
Giant Ripples in the Scablands | Nick on the Rocks • Feb 25, 2019

Suggestion background for Columbia River Gorge lecture tonight:
Columbia River Gorge Apr 5, 2015

Next is in the Columbia River Gorge, and was a downtown lecture John and I attended; I videotaped Nick from the front row and put in our weekly blog. By looking at the end of the green boards lecture, you’ll see some awesome visuals of the Bonneville Landslide into the Columbia River (including actual footage 100 years ago of building the Bridge of the Gods across the Columbia River) – watching the visuals below is a must do!!

Bridge of the Gods Landslide Apr 4, 2018 (start at 30 mins)

Nick from his porch because of the painters covering his lecturing black board space with ladders, while painting his house until the last minute before livestreaming time beginning at 12 minutes to 6:00. Please start below at 6:33 mins to be able to enjoy the thank you thanks for gifts that arrived in the mail today.

‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #38 – 5-7-20 Columbia River Gorge starts 6:33 minutes in

We finally received our replacement VISA card today canceled 4-25-20. It was sent regular mail on 4-30-20.

Friday, May 8

Called Cle Elum clinic about Alendronate and aspirin & too much Calcium, and also about my INR from Tuesday (Lacey). Check the portal KVH found INR=2.4. After 1:30 p.m. I talked to Lacey about both items and I need to mark my calendar 4 weeks out for June 2. Also she was going to consult with my PCP (Chelsea) to tell her my concerns about aspirin and calcium supplements along with the Alendronate (because of my pharmacist’s findings on possible contraindications with the tablets).

No livestreaming video lecture from Nick Zentner tonight; his day off (along with Monday).

Here is the background reading for tomorrow’s lecture on Mima Mounds.

This morning I checked the pronunciation of Mima (but it was for names and not specifically for the Mima Mounds). Mima was heard as “ME”ma. I sent the link to Nick and then a couple hours later, I read the Wikipedia article on Mima Mounds, which I shall start with below, and the pronunciation is different with the phonetic given as “MY”ma. The phonetics suggest Mima, with the lowercase letter, I, being pronounced as is in tide. I think I’ll go with that as the better choice, and believe me I have heard it both ways over the years.
As Nick has said, there are many theories but no one really knows the real story of the origin. However, many to choose from below.

Wikipedia: Mima Mounds

My second choice is the Washington Trails Association Hiking site, because WTA is near and dear to our family. John volunteers as an Assistant Crew Leader, working on maintenance of WA trails. Right now they are closed off many of the lands, but I just noted that Seattle Parks have opened their lands, and also this Mima Mound Preserve in WA was also opened May 5 to public use (with social distancing).

Mima Mounds, Hike Info (south of Olympia)

Atlas Obscura – Mima Mounds

This is nice article appearing in the Seattle Times on the MMs:

Mima Mounds: Mystery hides in vast prairie

Great Pyramids of the Gophers: Mima Mound Mystery Solved (2013)

Another “Science” Dec 2013 about computer modeling claim that gophers are the solution

Finally, the following January 2020 article summarizes all the research on the origins as being unexplained by science:

The Mima Mounds in Washington Are a Phenomenon Unexplained by Science

Supper: Meatloaf, pears, French fries, and more.

Hoping to go to bed earlier than usual to be up to watch the early morning geology lecture on Mima Mounds.

Saturday, May 9

This morning from Nick’s backyard: START 5-9-20 at 10:40 to catch a story before the lecture starts officially.

‘Nick From Home’ Livestream #39 – 5-9-20 Mima Mounds starts 10:40 minutes in

I got on again early for the “waiting group” to catch the conversation, because I do not believe that part makes it to the Live Chat that starts the show when Nick arrives.
I checked and nothing appears until Nick checks in.

After our morning Livestreaming Geology with Nick was successfully done, John drove to town to get grain for our 4 horses, and he is stopping by the Bi-Mart store to check for filters for our faucets. With all the remodeling we’ve disturbed our water tank storing well water, which is full of oxidation from the well, and all the water in the house is coming out orange/red. We have cleaned filters and John changed more this morning, to get the water clearer before we wash dishes or certainly white clothes. We are running out of both. He also bought 5 yellow straight neck squash plants and 5 different tomato plants.

I plan to send out a few thoughts on suggestions for background reading for tomorrow’s lecture on West Coast Tsunami possibilities. Here they are with help from a couple members of Zentnerd study group email bunch.

Seattle Tsunami background viewing:

There is a lot of viewing time with these, but if you spend your time on the first 4 you’ll be well set for Nick’s lecture.

Personally, I think everyone should watch this video, now to precede the following ones:

Pacific Northwest Earthquakes—3 Types • Jul 19, 2015 (8 mins)

Note the next one below is the New Yorker article which drew a lot of attention to this Tsunami issue:

The New Yorker article: The Really Big One – An earthquake will destroy a sizable portion of the coastal Northwest. The question is when – by Kathryn Schulz-July 13, 2015

Best of the bunch is by our leader, Nick Zentner! responding to The New Yorker article: (however, it’s hard to see the small screen in some shots, so combining closed captioning might help and turn up the volume because the CC doesn’t translate all his words correctly, but you can hear what he’s saying.

Nick Zentner- Earthquakes: Will Everything West of I-5 Really Be Toast? • Dec 7, 2015 (48 mins)

Followed by another LethaLeeFox pointed me to (and the above was found by Kathy Williams-DeVries. Thanks for the help today.

Tsunami in our future (May 1, 2013) go to 43:28 min in because the green board part of the lecture is not visually well seen

DON’T MISS this Playlist of animations (as we saw a couple of in the cozy fort during Nick’s lecture this morning) – which was created by Theresa Swan, from Mt. Vernon, WA, mother of Patrick, age 6, one of our favorite classmates. Patrick asks the best questions of the whole bunch of us during the Q&A at the end of each lecture:

Tsunami Simulations created by the WA Geological Survey (no sound on most)

The rest I found:

Another very important one narrated by Professor Nick:

The Cascadia Subduction Zone—What can the landscape tell us? • Jan 25, 2020 (2:40 minutes)

and, our friend, Goldfinger (great video):

Toast, tsunamis and the really big one | Chris Goldfinger | TEDxMtHood • Jul 5, 2016 (14 mins)

TV KGW News talking on What you need to know about the Cascadia Subduction Zone | Earthquake Ready or Not • Oct 10, 2019 (1:45 minutes)

Simulations show tsunami threat in Washington State • 8-16-19 (2 minutes)

Tsunami wave simulation for Bellingham, WA • 8-26-19 (2 minutes, no sound)

What can GPS tell us about future earthquakes in Cascadia? (UNAVCO collaboration) • May 8, 2013 (4 mins)

Finally, an interesting presentation of Earthquakes in PNW:

Earthquakes of Cascadia: 1979 – 2019 • Sep 3, 2019 (3 mins)

The last one is just being added now after the lecture. It’s a downloadable PDF brochure from the WA Geological Survey, with good descriptive information on the definition, causes, and responses and precautions needing to be taken, such as evacuation planning:

Tsunami Hazards in Washington State

Finally finished doing the first load of dishes. Very time-consuming project to get all the buildup of oxidation from the red water off to put in the dishwasher, and the filter will likely need to be changed again soon. The water is still red. Even coming from the hot water tank. I still have a kitchen of dirty dishes to do another load when this is through. It takes 58 minutes to go through its wash cycle and we do not put it through the dry, but turn over the cups and let it air dry. At least two more loads to process from over a week ago.

Now Rascal cat is in my lap, so I will set up birthday’s for tomorrow, and I’ll send a Mother’s day card to a few moms I know.

Supper: Meat loaf, pear slices, French fries, cheddar cheese on Broccoli & Cauliflower (sadly because of the Coumadin I’m taking, I cannot have my favorite broccoli). All with a nice Rose’ of Syrah.

Sunday, May 10 Happy Mother’s Day

The photo of us below appeared on a Happy Mother’s Day wish from Sara Brazeau Lorig, to me, on Facebook – with the message: It wouldn’t be a proper Mother’s Day without a shout out to my two phenomenal “Adopted Moms.” I am so fortunate to have had these brilliant and strong teachers in my life just when I needed them most. Their support and advice has played a pivotal role in who I am today. I am so fortunate to have met them and am in grateful awe of the effortless love that they share with me, all of their lucky students, their families, and their many friends. I love you, Nancy B. Hultquist and Betsi Kurzawski! This was one photo she posted and I’m putting it here, because John was also her teacher for Physical Geography at CWU. I don’t remember the year taken, but it was taken at White Heron Cellars winery west of Quincy. This Thursday, John is taking a break in the morning from assisting contractors here and will go over there to help 5 others on bottling wine – a white Swiss grape named Amigne.

Our morning lecture began an hour earlier than the actual startup time, with a bunch of us visiting on line from all over the world in the waiting mode to have Nick arrive and start. It was an exciting topic on problem tsunamis hitting our west coast and affecting people in coastal areas. Viewers from Japan, Alaska where Tsunamis have occurred in our lifetime were watching this morning.

During the morning “waiting session” I began having serious problems with my mouse for navigating the screen on my computer. I also had an enlarged full screen image, which did not allow me to read the Live Chat comments by viewers (to the right of the lecture). Finally, I figured out that problem into the program, but my mouse continued messing up throughout the evening trying to create the final draft of this blog. Finally, John put out the delayed notice, and it won’t be published until Monday night (because from early all day to 5:00, John has to work with two different contractors on our home remodeling project). John is my manager for editing my comments and entering them into the WordPress jargon to create this.

Okay, back to the lecture this morning.
A neighbor of Nick’s rode by on her bike, and she researches this topic of past tsunami deposits of sand in tidal flats. She is a professor of Geology at CWU as well, and has past, present, and future students she is advising on their research for graduate theses. Nick invited her to share her knowledge with us during the livestreaming lecture. She fielded questions from the audience and taught us a lot. We all are grateful for her time spent with us. Her name is Bre MacInnes. You can find her information on line by searching on CWU Geology Faculty.

‘Nick From Home’ Livestream #40 – 5-10-20 Seattle Tsunami ? starts 2:30 minutes in

Here is one of the ones Nick showed this morning in the Cozy Fort.

I wasn’t thinking and should have put that in the suggested reading. I need to ask Nick if there isn’t an outtake somewhere of some of the crew pulling him out of sinking in the mud. I don’t think I dreamed seeing that in my past.
Ghost Forests | Nick on the Rocks • Feb 25, 2019 (5 min)

We called our cousin Ethel (102 yrs young) in PA to wish her a happy Mother’s Day and had a nice long conversation. Found out her father was born 2 years before mine in May of 1895! My dad was born August 3, 1897, and died when I was 14. My mom was born August 27, 1914, and died in 1981 when I was 38.

Supper: Our asparagus from the garden, cauliflower, fish, chicken, fries, and wine.

This weekly blog is not going to be published tonight as usual because John must go to bed. He will be on & off busy helping with the remodeling project. One is working on the inside of the house and the other is working with a construction & roadbuilding backhoe/front-end loader, moving dirt and rocks (we’re on an alluvial fan) / digging holes for posts / pulling out tree stumps / breaking up concrete and hauling off, to create drainage downslope away from the house roof. The house was built in 1981 by a shoddy contractor. We have been correcting things since moving in, in 1989.

Coming out Monday night at 11:15 p.m.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

Monday, Apr 27

My part in the house remodeling project is to handle paying the contractor. Found out how to do that electronically. We are converting our attached 2-car garage into another room of our home. First, it must be repaired and brought up to code. It’s ceiling is falling, having been nailed with small nails meant to hold cedar shakes down, not meant to hold heavy dry-wall up. Screws are the appropriate fastener. The walls, attic, and floor need to be insulated. Electrical outlets, lighting, and ceiling fan will be added. One window needs removed as it only views an adjacent shed put in 8 years after the house was built, by another owner (not us). We moved in, in 1989. I am in charge of moving things we no longer need out of our home, and into the free giver community in our region (various free sites on Facebook) to be redistributed to folks in need. I like to do this when possible.

So, with respect to $, I called Brandy at our bank and arranged to transfer funds to the contractor. His bank account is there as well, so she could arrange a transfer directly to his business account from our checking account.

I also found the owner of the home with the unique tree (a willow) pictured in our previous blog last week (go look if you missed it, and tell me what animal figures you see in the branches). DO THAT BEFORE you read the description below the photo. I got his name from our contractor (who’s his neighbor). I found their phone number and requested an email address to send the family the photo. We had a nice conversation about the tree. It has been in a “dead” condition for a couple of years, but is still standing for people to admire and photograph.

Meals today: Lunch: Roast beef, beans, carrots.
Supper: Meatloaf and scalloped potatoes.

The Livestreaming lectures this week by Nick Zentner, came off successfully as planned:Let me use this location to print corrections from links related to Nick Zentner’s information that wouldn’t work last week. First, are links related to Lydia Staisch on the Ringold Formation research with Zircons.
The two of our weekly blogs over 2 yrs (2018 & 2019) to connections to Lydia Staisch & Nick Zentner:

See both people below in these weeks on the dates suggested.

Look for Nick & Lydia in several places Wednesday, April 24

Look for Lydia Staisch on Thursday, May 31 & Fri. June 1

Tuesday, Apr 28

I saved myself a trip to town today by calling a friend, Connie, and she checked my numbers at Bi-Mart. We won nothing.

I was scheduled to participate in a 10:30 Zoom presentation with members of the AAC (our local Senior Center), which is closed. I participated. It was a meet your friends for a coffee break.

Palouse Falls

I sent my background viewing suggestions to the group for tonight’s lecture on the Palouse Hills.

Palouse Falls and Dry Falls, 6-12-13 

Goldilocks Miracle of the Palouse|Nick on the Rocks, 2-25-19

Palouse Falls & the Palouse River Canyon, 2-min Geology, 6-4-13

Before starting tonight, let me switch you back to Nick’s #23 on April 16, where you need to add this to your background viewing for the ‘Nick from Home’ Livestream on the Yakima River Canyon. This is a 2-Minute Geology video with Nick singing, strumming, and educating viewers about geology.

Entrenched Meanders, Yakima River (near Ellensburg, WA)

And, Nick’s evening lecture:

‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #31 – 4-28-20 Palouse Hills starts 13 minutes in

Wednesday, Apr 29

Sent to the study group for Nick from Home lecture, this for background viewing tonight on Ice Age Lakes.

First—just this morning I found a new video for me and I imagine for most of you, but you may want to put this on your bucket list, after you have followed the ones below on Ice Age Lakes. I have not viewed this video past the first 19 minutes, but I’m hooked. (NOTE: I viewed some of the public comments below it, and was thrilled to see several names of people I have met on the ‘Nick from Home’ Livestreaming). I knew he had a following and now I’m convinced after attending all the Nick from Home presentations since 3/17/20 how worldwide it is.

Nick Zentner in 2015: Speaking to an audience of Pacific Northwest agriculturalists in the 3 Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick, WA attending the PNW Oilseed & Direct Seed Conference.

Ice Age Geology: A Common Thread for Pacific Northwest Agriculture – Jun 12, 2015 (57 minutes)

Ice Age Floods, Lake Missoula, Bonneville Flood and the Columbia River Basalts – Dec 8, 2014 (16 minutes)

Glacial Lake Missoula-Jun 14, 2015 (19 minutes)

Ice Age Mystery of Lake Lewis | Nick on the Rocks – Feb 25, 2019 (4 minutes)

Lake Chelan — Battle of the Ice Sheets | Nick on the Rocks – Dec 28, 2017 (4 minutes)

Lake Chelan Geology – Feb 19, 2017 (67 minutes)

Ice Age Lakes between Seattle and the Cascade Range May 11, 2015 (18 minutes)

Checked into this Zoom class, but did not stay very long because of too much noise (air compressor and nail gun) from the garage and many other things on my agenda.

Topic: Get Moving Exercise Class
Time: Apr 29, 2020 10:30 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Worked on sending past stuff to the new Zentnerds in the group.

Last week I listed two of the videos a watcher from Brisbane, Australia has created of Highlights of Nick Zentners’ livestreams in 10 episode segments. This week she made her third, and developed a playlist to which you can subscribe.
Here’s the link to the playlist:

Kathy Williams-DeVries, Nick Zentner’s Episode Highlights Playlist

Nick’s lecture tonight:

‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #32 – 4-29-20 Ice Age Lakes starts 12:50 minutes in

Thursday, Apr 30

I participated this morning in a Zoom presentation from the Ellensburg Senior Center. We visited 3 neighborhood libraries. Katrina Douglas lead the tour (during cold winds) on her bike.

Topic: Virtual Walk: Little Free Libraries – Part 1
Time: Apr 30, 2020 09:00 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

I managed to add the newbies to the list from yesterday, so my address list was ready to use. Finally, after several interruptions this morning. I sent out the background viewing suggestions for tonight’s geology lecture on Ice Age Waterfalls. I was rather pleased with what I found and provided, especially when Nick ended up showing 3 of them in the cozy fort.

Background viewing suggestions for tonight’s lecture: Ice Age Waterfalls:

Dry Falls – Roadside Geology August 29, 2012 (14 minutes)

Palouse Falls and Dry Falls June 12, 2013 (44 minutes)

Palouse Falls & the Palouse River Canyon – Ice Age Floods Features-2 min Geology Jun 4, 2013 (5 minutes)

Making our Dry Falls animation Dec 31, 2019 (4 minutes)

Ending with this after numerous mentions of his books:
Link to Central Rocks for Bruce Bjornstad interview on Nick’s site
and go to Central Rocks link below and play Bruce Bjornstad’s
interview (28 minutes).
Once you follow this link, you’ll need to go to Bruce Bjornstad

Nick from his porch because of our strong winds again today:

‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #33 – 4-30-20 Ice Age Waterfalls starts 12 minutes in

Supper: succotash, baked potato, baked chicken

Friday, May 1

No livestreaming video lecture from Nick Zentner tonight; his day off (along with Monday).

Here is the background reading for tomorrows lecture on Ice Age Climate.
Attempting to find this information on Ice Age Climate (Nick’s topic this morning) started Thursday night and continued into Friday, but was a very difficult chore. Here are my results:

For Saturday background on Nick’s Ice Age Climate:
Kathy Williams-DeVries, a friend in Australia reminded me of one of Nick’s Podcasts of the topic that I completely missed,

#8 Ice Age Climate!!

For the counterview to global warming & climate change, check out wattsupwiththat dot com, and note the following link where Nick has been featured there:

Nick Zentner recognized on a major climate discussion site

Climate Change-Past and Future –The Ice Ages

Evidence of Global Warming & The End of the Last Ice Age

2-13-20, There Is No Impending ‘Mini Ice Age’ by NASA Global Climate Change

Global Cooling: Are You Ready for the Real Climate Change?

Pleistocene History of Earth’s Climate

Paleoclimatology: the Oxygen Balance

Supper: Baked ham, mashed potatoes with gravy, cubed cooked apples in cinnamon/brown sugar.

Going to bed to be up early to watch the early morning geology lecture on Ice Age Climate.

Saturday, May 2

Ready for Nick’s livestreaming by 8:00 a.m. People get earlier each week, and we have our own conversation before most of the people check in.

Nick’s morning presentation:

‘Nick from Home’ Livestream #34 – 5-2-20 Ice Age Climate starts early with Nick’s thankyous at 3 minutes in

We were thanked first and then others. You may wish to start watching at 3:00 minutes in.
First is ours: 3 bottles of White Heron Wine-White, Red, & Rose’.Nick holding the wine and talking about us & him. Better to view in the video (above).

2nd gift, a beautiful water color painting from Jonathan in Portland, of Nick’s opening scene at Dry Falls for all his PBS shows, Nick on the Rocks.Other gifts not pictured, so best to watch the couple minutes at the beginning of the video.

But here is a description of one gift, all the way from Germany.
It came in the mail with rock samples from Germany (Bavaria) near Austria, from Thomas a geology teacher there in high school and the university. Now Nick is going to share specimens from here with Thomas.

After our morning Livestreaming Geology with Nick was successfully done, John and I spent an interesting day with the contractor, moving our water treatment stuff out of the way for the raised floor in our new room. We were without running water from after lunch until 5:30 and dealing with rain and moving a Refrigerator freezer to the front porch, John building a ramp for us to exit the porch, and I was trying to work inside with a ton of noise.

Supper: Biscuits with ham gravy and mashed potatoes

Sunday, May 3

I called my first geography professor in Atlanta, GA, to wish him a Happy Birthday, for yesterday. His name is Sandy Bederman, and had a nice visit with him and his wife, Jolayne. They were instrumental in my life starting in 1962, and influencing my choice to continue in graduate school.

Nick’s morning lecture is #35 – Volcanoes & Climate.

Here was the background information for this morning’s lecture I sent out yesterday afternoon.
I don’t really have much in the way of background material to suggest, so will pick a couple ones I found today, more related to past lectures (for the volcano part) where Plate Tectonics play a big part.

Introduction to Plate Tectonics

And this morning from Nick’s backyard:

‘Nick From Home’ Livestream #35 – 5-3-20 Volcanoes & Climate starts 13:08 minutes in

Very interesting presentation.

Supper: Fried chicken, fish, and cheesy cauliflower, and a small piece of corn on its cob.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan