Rat Tales – tw’nsnn

Many years ago I was a participant in a writers group. I did not write the great American novel, but we had a lot of nice people and some did get material published.
In one sense, we all did. One of the group knew a publisher and that got us the task of writing tales involving rats. I did not have a good story to tell, so I converted a standard chicken casserole dish to a rat casserole recipe. Yum!

Item #1: Will, Ahu, Wai – dogs all

The three dogs listed helped rid South Georgia Island of rats.
Two of these can be seen in this LINK.

More story and photos here:
LINK 2
I’ve had to refresh that one to get the photos.

Here is a photo of one of the birds in the story:

South Georgia pipit

I recall reading about this project about 4 or 5 years ago.
Nothing since, until this week.

Item #2: They work for peanuts

A Belgian nonprofit has found African giant pouched rats are much better at detecting old buried landmines than people or dogs.

Big rats

Item #3: Just a photo
Place: Hawaii.
I hope you do not have relatives or friends living in the area where magma is flowing. These housing sites should never have been allowed where they are, and it is going to cost a lot of tax dollars before the residents are resettled. Nevertheless, I thought the photo with the gate was priceless!

Item #4: A captioned photo
The Russians have been in the news quite a bit. If you are aware of them being blamed for many things – and now you are – you will get a chuckle:
And that, for this week, is the not so nasty news.
John

Rocking and rolling with the flow

. . . … Pretty Flowers on the Naneum Fan …

Here are some photos from this past weekend on John’s WTA trip to Boulder Cave and Edgar Rocks.John & Will at Boulder Cave Trail, whole crew at Edgar Rocks, and large rock tipped out of the trail. About 10% was sticking up in the center of the trail, like a little pyramid. Green Hats have it balanced on end, ready to help it off the trail.

Monday, Apr 30

John has been planting bulbs of various types of flowers. Dahlias have yet to appear, and gladioli bulbs are still hiding in the garage. Here are some pictures I took this week.At end of our driveway, the mixed view from Naneum Rd.; orange/yellow tulip; and yellow/orange daffodil.

Closer to the house are other flowers, some tulips, but mostly daffodils, and several flowers not yet in bloom.Unique setting for these daffodils; the ones in the background are seen in the right photo. Main daffodils near house: yellow, white, and white with orange center.

We published the blog for last week at 12:55 a.m., making the deadline before sunrise.

Our farrier came to trim Myst this morning.

I scheduled our annual eye appointments on the same day for June 5, Tuesday morning. This is at a clinic on the west end of EBRG.

I stayed home today from SAIL to work on music.

Our cherry trees are blooming. If not much rain, wind, or freezes – we’ll get cherries this year. The Shiro (yellow, round) plum is blooming with others showing signs.

Tuesday, May 1

I will not go to the 2:00 p.m. “Just dance” class today; too much left to do on music prep.

John has captured a couple of yellow jackets on the inside window where the cat and dog have their door to the outside. Parts are a little warped there and a space allows the insects to get in. Another thing needing to be done. Ate brunch, and

John went to help move a couple of trees that fell at our neighbor’s. He got his chainsaw gear together, but he didn’t have to use that because the water is going beneath the trees. We are in the midst of spring melt and there is too much water. The irrigator (with cattle there) needs to minimize the flow from the diversion on Naneum Creek.

John continued with inside and outside tasks, and I worked mostly on music for 3 players and 19 audience copies. I have to replace 5 new songs at the end of the packet and replace the cover. John was a huge help removing staples tonight, and re-stapling after I made the changes.

Wednesday, Apr 25

Busy day mid-week: I got my salad ready to take to the noon lunch at the Food Bank where we play music. On my way to SAIL, I took Roberta Clark’s music book she left behind at Briarwood, and put it on her front porch.

From SAIL, I picked up my prescription from Super 1. Then on my way home, I picked up two glasses and a glass butter dish (freely given), as well as a double camping chair with a place for drinks on a tray between. We can use it for the upcoming potluck Geography end-of-year awards dinner on the lawn at CWU.We received 2 of the wide mouth matching clear tall glasses and the butter dish; right, the double camping chair. On my way there, I also stopped by another house to pick up some empty plastic flower pots, mostly small.

Thurs, May 3

John left for bottling Amigne at White Heron. He brought home two bottles of that and two of Malbec (the previously bottled variety). Amigne is a very rare grape, most is in the Valais region of Switzerland, and a little is at White Heron.

I’m going to Rehab for music and afterwards by the Food Bank with egg cartons they need for a shipment of a pallet of boxes of flats of eggs (now in their walk-in cooler). Dozen-size egg cartons are preferred, but 18-ones taken as well.

John bought some tomato plants at Bi-Mart today and some yellow crookneck squash.

We had a raccoon figure the way across the structure to get over the fence and come to our front door. It was set up for the 3 outside cats. We’ve had dry food for them under the overhang of the porch. The spot is accessible by a sloping pallet with a ledge. We thought they had been going through a lot recently. So, we will not leave out food after dark. John heard a noise out front, looked out the window tonight, and saw the raccoon. [We’ve seen her/him/it just twice. About 15 years ago we saw a couple of them here, but none until today].

Earlier I had looked out the front door window and thought I saw a strange cat earlier, but it was dark in the yard and I couldn’t really tell. I don’t think it was the raccoon, but I suppose it could have been. We have now brought all the hard food inside. The cats are usually only there during the day, so we will only put it out then, but also pick it up before we leave the house late, not to return until after dark.
On a related note, Sue (orange) has brought dead mice to the front door on a couple of mornings. Perhaps she thinks we are trading with her because we pick them up and carry them away.

Friday, May 4

John stayed home to do yard and garden chores. I went to AAC for the Cinco de Mayo celebration. I was the volunteer designated photographer so I arrived early for a good seat and set out my stuff I had brought along for my lunch (a great chef salad).

At the party, before and after lunch were two opportunities to participate in crepe paper flower making or tossing a ball into cups.Two groups of Crepe Paper Flower Makers before and after lunch.

Flower Making (Beginning)
LINK

Demo with Explanation of Crepe Paper Flower Making by Jessi
LINK

Jacquie tosses ball one direction and Shirley tosses in the other, with Nicole supervising.

Lunch was an Enchilada casserole with Jell-O on the side. Many activities inside. Outside was a Piñata experience conducted by Nicole with 2 piñatas she hand-crafted STURDILY.

A number of people went out to the parking lot for the “breaking” of the two Piñatas. They were tough enough to give everyone who wanted a chance to make a mighty swing.

First Attempt by Victoria LINK

Joe Gets First Piñata Down
LINK

Then Ed passes out the candy from the first, and others keep trying for the second reward.Shirley grabs a few pieces from Ed, and Curtis tries his hand at knocking open the 2nd Piñata.My setup, first hit, and follow through. Very short video below. I handed my camera set already on video to David Douglas and he recorded the first few seconds of mine.

Nancy’s First Try (13 secs) – Penultimate Event!
LINK

In between that event and returning for SAIL exercise class, I drove to Kathryn Carlson’s to pick up egg cartons and shopping plastic bags for her donation to the FISH Food Bank.

At the end of SAIL exercise class I asked Jessi to take this photo of me in my shirt from the material my student, Clement Otu-Tei bought for me from his home country, Ghana, Africa and gave to me. He used to call me “mom” so I thought this was appropriate to send as a thank you. My friend Ellen Fischer sewed it into a shirt for me. It is a heavy smooth cotton material.I made a stopover at a large yard sale on Mt. View Rd, where I found an incredible deal on jeans for John. They are brand new still in the package—priced at $59.50, but I paid $2.00 each for two pairs. The find of the century! Back by way of BiMart for Party Mix for all the cats, but I had to get a rain check as they were out. The price was right, but the date of their next shipment is unknown. The sale goes through 5/13, but I’m covered.

Came home after SAIL by way of 3rd avenue and saw another Garage sale sign with directions to Grasslands, an east side subdivision of EBRG. Donations to go to people going to Brazil to build a community center. I got a few free things there, and paid $3.00 for several others. Most of it I’m giving away. One free thing is a clock with a marble base for John, but we will have to hunt for a short 1.5 v battery. We have only longer ones.

We left a little later than we wished for the concert, but it was late starting. Folks started in formed lines, but soon there was just a milling about and the lines dissolved. We visited with friends we knew and with those we didn’t. The room was not full, so getting in early made little difference.

It was an interesting presentation.You can read his story on his website, LINK
He can only use two fingers on his left hand, and the little finger and ring finger curve downward.

Billy McLaughlin’s Unique Guitar Recovery from Dystonia
LINK

It was dark when we came back from the music building, and the cats were waiting to be fed again (Woody & Czar). They all ate before we left, but we left out hard food for them. The raccoon returned after we were home, but John chased it off, and it never got to the food.

Saturday, May 5 HAPPY CINCO de MAYO !

John left this morning just before 6:30 a.m. for Naches area, Lost River Trail & Edgar Rocks.

A volunteer, Rebecca Emery, made the startling connection that John had hired her when she was 16 – back in Moscow, Idaho – to work in the bookstore he managed. John knew her mother, Carla, once well known for the Encyclopedia of Country Living. There is an entry for ‘ Carla Emery ‘ on Wikipedia, and the books are still sold.
So, about 33 years later, Rebecca and John got to work (on trail) together for two days.

Today, I worked on a number of projects with deadlines and finished only a few.

We received 4 six-inch white plastic irrigation pipes about 30’ long (quite old, but okay) from our neighbor.

Sunday, May 6

John left just before 6:30 a.m. for the Lost River Trail. He went early to get a head start because Lisa (crew leader) and Rebecca (the only others for the day) hike much faster than he does. It worked well – he got to the tools, got them out of their hiding place, and did about 10 minutes of work before the others arrived.

I arranged to get Czar through the KCFOA (Kittitas County Friends of Animals) to be neutered in Lynnwood. I’m picking up the “crate” and the paperwork from Nancy Hoffman at Tuesday noon. She lives on Strange Rd. We are to take him to the shop behind their house (her husband’s, Paul) accessible from the Vantage Hwy. on Thursday evening. They will keep him until Monday at 5:00 a.m. when they leave for the west side, with several cats to be neutered or spayed.

It started raining this afternoon. Shortly after John started his drive home, rain began on Hwy 410. At Yakima the traffic increased. Things got more sane when he got off I-82, south of EBRG.

The Lost River Trail is noted for ticks. They seem to drop out of the sky. Ones on John’s bright orange shirt were easily spotted and knocked off. I checked when he got home, and found another in his hair.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

TW’NSNN MAY 4

I had a problem with Word Press tonight. So, copy and paste as necessary.

Item #1: A Dolphin with no name

Check. Mate!

Item #2: A bicycle with a name

Most people have never seen a bicycle called a “Penny Farthing” and fewer still have ridden one. The farthing was a British coin, one quarter of a penny. “Farthing” comes from an Old English word for a fourth part. This machine had a big wheel that one peddled directly, and a smaller one following behind. When a bike with a roller-chain mounted on 2 different sized sprockets was invented, the Penny Farthing became nearly extinct.

This story explains that this strange bike is still with us, and apparently fun to ride.
Along the Murray River – Australia

Item #3: Nest boxes south of the Murray

This story is about habitat loss in a part of the Murray River drainage.
About 100 miles north of Melbourne, Victoria, two rivers meet near Shepparton. The Broken River Flows from the east, into the Goulburn, and together the water flows north to the Murray River. This was a mining area when folks cared more for gold than they did for animals and trees.

Right side: Brush tailed phascogale

Because of the loss of big old trees – think food, shelter, and nesting sites – animals have been in need of a friend.
Cue Janice Mentiplay-Smith and the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority.

Copy and paste the following into your address box
www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-04/nest-boxes-provide-hope-for-tiny-vulnerable-animals/9713854

Toward the end of the text is this:
“A young girl in grade five making a nest box was saying, ‘I don’t think that I can do this because I’ve never used a drill before.’”

When WTA crews do trail work, we often encounter people, some not so young, that have never used tools. We do on occasion use an old style brace & bit, or, when not in Wilderness, a gasoline powered drill. We have demonstrations and safety rules, but we do try to get anyone that has no experience to give things a try.
So cheers! – – to the young power-drill queen.

Item #4: An animal familiar

But they get one thing wrong.

The outside cats will follow me when I go to feed the horses, go up the driveway for the mail, and do other chores. Woody, so named because she is well camouflaged, seems to care most about where I am. Sometimes I don’t realize she is with me until she moves, or I make a point of looking for her. We often joke that she is my familiar.

In this story from Canada, a Ruffed Grouse seems to have become a “familiar” to a fellow from Red Rock, Ontario – a small place just north of Lake Superior.

Copy and paste the following into your address box
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/ruffed-grouse-red-rock-1.4646253

The article claims “the males thump on their chests with their wings …”
Geeze! That would knock all the feathers off. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, HERE, provides an explanation and a video.
Scroll down to: OTHER SOUNDS

Item #5: An incomplete story

A Navy chopper crew rescued a pilot from a snow field after the plane crashed in the Olympic Mountains:
LINK

Officials reported that a search and rescue team from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island hoisted the pilot of a Cessna 172 N from the side of Klahhane Ridge in the Olympic Mountains. This ridge runs east/west and faces north toward the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
A death was not reported, so I’m going with a good rescue.
I can’t find any more information. After the initial report, there is a blank where news ought to be. Go figure.

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

News from the Naneum Fan

Sunday, Apr 22 Earthquake ! on Earth Day morning near us

John found out from people on the field trip that we had a small earthquake (M 2.7) at 5:00 a.m. north of us in the Naneum (actually in the Wilson Creek drainage). He looked up the details Monday and found he had been within 0.2 mi of the epicenter years ago while exploring the region. The closest I have been is on horseback at Walter Flat, ~5 mi E. in the Naneum drainage.

John was gone all day on the field trip, mentioned in last week’s blog, but here is a photo taken by Nick Zentner on the trip, with John present. Most photos he’s not in because he was taking his own of the landscape. The other 3 pictures are diagrams from the trip that were presented in their field notes, and were stops on the trip.In the field (5 stops), Lookout Mt landslide, Yakima River Hwy 10 near EBRG, and current Rattlesnake Ridge, Union Gap.

Monday, Apr 23

I scheduled our annual physicals on the same day (in Cle Elum) for Nov 20.

John took the old ’80 Chevy truck to town today to pick up the new tires (filled with foam) for his garden cart. Maybe this will end our repeating need to repair flats.

I made my own trip to town for stops, to take the plastic-foam packing peanuts by to the Bee Lady, to the pharmacy for two prescriptions (amused at the low cost of one – 45 pills for 82¢) and at other stops, on my way to and from SAIL exercise class.

Tuesday, Apr 24

Morning chores and ate with John before taking off around our long rural block for my haircut at 12:30 with Celia. I did not go to the 2:00 p.m. swing dancing class today.
We both completed many chores (John in the yard; me in the house and on the computer).

Since today (until Saturday) I was unable to access a Google Group (Northwest Geography Jobs) I have co-managed (since 2010). It’s not letting me access the command link, “manage” underneath MY GROUPS. I have tried restarting, logging out of all Gmail accounts, but I cannot get the normal way in by going through googlegroups.com. Therefore I could do nothing with my membership database: add, delete, check to see who’s on the list, or change delivery options. I use this group daily, so this failure was a real problem. I tried GMAIL HELP Forms on line to no avail.

I received a cute photo of our dog in CA with Jeri Conklin:
Daisy an alien flower

Wednesday, Apr 25

John packed asparagus for me to take by two older friends who share their cooking creations with us. We don’t have enough asparagus to share with others, because we have been eating a good serving every evening with our meal and it is usually available for 1 pound of picking every other day. John saw some commercially cut and sold in the Naches area. These usually have a lot of stem that is not edible. He only picks the nice young tender heads. That is the only produce from garden right now.

I got my salad ready to take to the noon lunch at the Food Bank where we play music for ½ hour. I prefer my healthy salad over the pasta.

On my way to SAIL, I stopped off at our insurance office to drop of the paperwork for our payment of our property’s house and buildings insurance, which we now have to cover because the escrow is no longer making the payments from our checking account after we paid off the 30-yr loan in February.

After exercising, I came home to get out the “final” call for count for chairs for tomorrow’s music and sent PDFs of information some can print, and print for those who cannot.

I had a bunch of stuff to attend to with music and with Emeriti meeting plans, chores, emails, and the problems with my jobs list access on Google Groups. That was not resolved until Saturday, 4/28 !!

Thursday, Apr 26

I sent the count to Hearthstone via email for a dozen chairs and printed some songs to take for those without computer printers.

Worked much of the night on the challenging song, Leaving on a Jet Plane. It was not written correctly in the book I had the score from (from the 60s). I had to compare it to my own memory and to different people singing it on YouTube, and get some help from Evie on transcribing the ending which was not in the book.

To cheer myself up, and to get your attention, I grabbed the following pictures off Facebook sent by my friend since the 6th grade in Atlanta, GA. She is a photographer, now living in Michigan. I have posted her photographs in previous blogs over the years, with her permission. Her name is Maude Buszek, but I grew up knowing her as Nancy Johnson, and I was Nancy Brannen, so our nicknames for others were Nancy J and Nancy B. We visited places around town singing duets and playing guitars. Her dad worked for the Southern Bell telephone company, where we were regular entertainers at their luncheons, meetings, or conferences.Viera Wetlands, FL on her trip there this week —- an alligator, taken from 10’ away with her handheld camera.
She took other wetland wildlife too, as viewed in the collage below:Tricolor Heron, in ditch drain; Black Bellied Whistling Duck making a precarious landing; Great Egret & Glossy Ibis flyby; Cattle Egret getting twig for nest.

Friday, Apr 27

I go today to a scholarship luncheon at CWU on the 3rd floor boardroom of the SURC (Student Union Recreation Center). I took my container for a sandwich makings, and also took along Mary’s soup ladle to return to her, from last month’s scholarship luncheon. I had to park 3 long blocks away because all the parking spaces in the CWU lots were taken with a large convocation of music students from all over the state there and also for a rally for first amendment rights. Outside and inside, people were assembling everywhere. “the right to peaceably assemble” – seems fitting.

I carried in some daffodils and tulips for the table. I stayed only until shortly after Noon, said hi to the hostesses and two early arrivals, and took my sandwich insides (described below) on to the Senior Center (AAC) for the Talent Show. I had my fiddle, music to hand out, lunch, and my home purified drinking water.

I was unable to use my CWU parking sticker as well. They sell parking for $5/day and spaces were all taken in three large parking lots. I got there with a few daffodils and a tulip, left my violin wrapped up in the car, and took in my empty carrier for food. I put together sandwich makings (piece of turkey, salami, ham, tomato slice, and cherry tomato, Swiss cheese, and potato chips, no bread, and took with me. I drove on down to the Senior Center and was about 15 minutes late arriving. I was the last person on the program at 1:00 p.m. I took some pictures, and was able to view the ending talent acts.Shari is behind Jessi and shows the woven sashes by Shari, who demonstrated her talent. I knew Shari at CWU when we both were teaching and served on a university-wide committee together about Service Learning Activities for students. She was an Art Education professor and I was in Geography Dept. & the Resource Management program. I later met her dad at a local assisted living home, there with his cat, when our Fiddlers & Friends group went to play songs. He has since passed on. It was later that I met her when she joined our SAIL exercise class at the AAC.I led the audience (& gave them lyrics) singing Jambalaya, and You are My Sunshine. About 36 people participated.

After it was over, I stayed to eat my lunch (described above), which I had brought from CWU and then I stayed for our SAIL exercise class. We didn’t have a lot of people there today, but we had fun. At the end I took a video of 2 people of a trio doing an exercise to Y.M.C.A. music, for their talent which they executed before I arrived. The two I took were Connie and Nicole, and the 3rd (Jessi) left for a late lunch after leading our SAIL class. From there I went to Briarwood to deliver the rest of the daffodils and tulips. They are in the office for people to enjoy, and two friends there (Lee and Betty) each will take a few for their apartments.

I captured two videos during the actual program.

Katrina with her Jazzercise Talent

Judith & Peter Singing & Dancing

After SAIL class I videoed another – Redo by two of the Trio’s Talent
Connie & Nicole Exercise Routine to Y.M.C.A. music after Talent Show, this one without Jessi

I came home and am resting. I’m tired. Probably need to have a snack of mixed nuts, after I get out of these clothes and then I need to remove the photos & videos from my camera.

I removed them, but didn’t process them all yet.

Saturday, Apr 28

John, for a WTA trip, left at 6:35 for Boulder Cave with Lisa Black as the Blue Hat (Crew Leader) and John the orange hat (Assistant Crew Leader). They each had their own teams who worked apart on the projects, finishing at 3:30. John made it home just before 5:00. Boulder cave is noted for its interesting geology, and wintering population of Pacific western big-eared bats. Once there were more and they stayed through the year. They do not tolerate human activity, so the trail is closed during the winter. It is a very popular place for day use picnics, playing in the Naches River, and the short and easy hikes.

Our postal mail was not delivered until 4:33 p.m. I had been expecting him (after Noon) to drive down the driveway with a package too big for our large post box. He was supposed to honk his horn, but didn’t, and luckily, I put Annie in the front yard, figuring she would announce his coming, and that she did.

We each worked on different projects tonight and now I know last night we did as well. This morning, I read John’s column this week, which he wrote last night: (be sure to read it)
This week’s not so nasty news April 27th . . . LINK
It has so many interesting animal stories, I decided to go back and add the wildlife photographs (taken by my friend) to the blog entry on Thursday.

I received a nice 10-minute phone call from John on his way home. He should be here just before 5:00. The mailman has not yet come down the drive with a package (large ‘whole house’ water filters). If he took it back to town, I’m reporting him. Annie and I were here waiting all day for him. He’s safe, it was delivered late.

John got the ingredients together for his mom’s pecan pie I have to deliver tomorrow to the special recognition for Ruth Harrington’s scholarship fund. I have been a lunch-time member of the 4th Friday group for 30 years. I helped him assemble some parts of the pecan pie, and it is cooked and ready to go to the Pie Social tomorrow.

Now John went for some shut eye, as he leaves in the morning by 7:10 a.m. for Edger Rocks Trail work.The area is 25 miles west of EBRG, but 37 miles from Yakima; the dog-leg route John has to travel.

Sunday, Apr 29

The rest of the WTA crew had been directed to Boulder Cave, but the work there was completed on Saturday. John went directly to Edger Rocks trailhead (leaving later) and still had a few minutes before the others arrived at 9 AM. The day was used for trail maintenance, that is grub hoe and shovel work. Not much to see. Next weekend, the crew will go higher. The physical aspects are more interesting and the views better.

I’m home to get ready to leave for the celebration of Ruth Harrington’s pie social commemorating a Million Dollars raised since 1973. The social was for all past participants of the breakfast, lunch, and dinner groups. That was written up in a previous blog. She also requested pies from folks there (including one from John, a pecan pie from his mom’s recipe). I will carry it in before the 2:00 starting time, so it can be cut into “small” pieces. Those that come can have a variety of “small” tastes, from the many pies. Our first Pecan pie contribution was in 1988, when I joined one of her groups my first year here. So, I have been an active member for 30 years! John was still in Troy, Idaho, so it was a long distance delivery via my weekend trip.

I’m including a few comments on the day, with a few pictures. I’m going to send ones I took to the Alumni Office and the Foundation, so they can use them to round out their own photographer’s shots. I talked with two photographers, and one said she was having trouble taking pictures in the darkened room. I had no problem with my camera (and did not have to use a flash).

Here are some of me, pies, and Ruth.They gave everyone a name tag and a nice CWU neck lanyard strap. I tried to wear CWU colors. The pie (bottom right) is ours. I got these photos before people starting coming in that Ruth had to greet. There were 17 tables of 8 each, and some folks sitting on the side. Must have been 150+ pies brought in for the celebration.

I left early so will have to find out what all happened.
There were still people waiting in line for pie and many pies still in the back ready to be brought out. After the eating was completed there was going to be a pie auction with money proceeds to benefit the Scholarship fund.
Here are 3 photos with some of the contributions. There were many more. I saw many people there I have known through the years at CWU. It was a lot of fun. So many pies and many I never have tasted. I made home about 3:30.

John called again from near Yakima to tell me he was an hour away. He arrived home just after 5:00 p.m. Annie was certainly ready for him. I finished loading the dishes, and started them, so now I’m back working on finishing up the blog draft to give him to review and edit, so we can get it published before Monday’s sunrise.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

This week’s not so nasty news April 27th

Item #1: A horse named Alfred
My father was named Alfred, was called Al, and used A. F. in his signature.
Many years ago, after mom died, father Alfred escaped Pennsylvania to a nondescript place SW of West Palm Beach. Official name was Greenacres. This isn’t far from Lake Okeechobee and the towns of Pahokee (considered Mel Tillis’ hometown – we drove there for a look at the Lake) and Clewiston. No one cared about Clewiston until the pony got loose.

A local police officer, named Buffie McLeod, {Buffie? } and partner Jennifer Diaz got the call. A tiny horse was on the run. All of maybe 3 feet tall, the brown miniature pony, its hairy mane flopping around, was spotted running on historic highway #27.

Run Alfred, run!

More about Alfred

Item #2: A beaver named Justin
In this case the missing was a beaver named Justin, a beloved taxidermied one. I would call it “stuffed” but am told that word is for pork chops and Chicken Cordon Bleu {and how did that get started?}.
So Justin Beaver went missing, and now is back.
All’s well

This reminds me of a story about a train derailment
See: Off again, on again …

Item #3: A devil named Tasmanian
I know you have been as worried as I have been about the Tasmanian Devil, the carnivorous marsupial of the land down under.
Here using a cute photo, but they are noted for their ferocity when feeding. One doesn’t want to get between one and its next meal.

The Wikipedia entry explains: devil facial tumour disease (DFTD)

So along comes a study that says somewhat like Mark Twain, “the reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.”
Healthy Tasmanian devils found

Interestingly, the photo of the region in this link was supplied by the Toledo Zoo, but whether Spain or Ohio is not mentioned. Geographers want to know.

Item #4: Truckers unite!
I’m going to call this a good outcome. In the long run, the man involved needs help. Hope he gets it.
However, from the photo, there seems to be space between the trailers. So, I guess, there is not enough information.
There are photos, but I haven’t included one.
semis help prevent suicide

Item #5: Odd twist to a bacon eating contest
They know him as Zack.
Zack rode into town, ate bacon faster than the locals, and left.

This reminds me of a western (novel & ) movie with Alan Ladd playing Shane.
Shane, the film

Organizers of the Air Capitol Bacon & Beer Festival put out a call in the hopes of identifying this bacon champion of the midwest.
So far, Zack, remains the mysterious stranger. Like Shane.
Legend in his own time

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

sound of music

Sunday, Apr 15

We published last week’s blog at 12:25 p.m. I spent hours on inside house chores and John on outside chores, normal feeding ones, but mostly his were in the garden. He got his strawberries planted in their new raised beds with a mixture of soil, sand, silt, and sun-bleached horse processed dead grass.

Monday, Apr 16

John doesn’t have to leave for pruning; it’s done for this year. Some bottling efforts are yet to come (and sooner than expected, this Wednesday, then Thursday, next week).

I went to my SAIL exercise class and by several other stops for errands.

I dropped off a bag of clothes by Joanie’s and picked up another. I’m quite grateful to her for her super seamstress talents, as she is taking up my larger clothes to make them fit me now (at least the ones that can easily be darted or seamed).

Over the weekend, I found the original box that housed my wrist blood pressure cuff that has been defective for several months, but I couldn’t return until I found the box with the purchase details and paperwork. I took it to Bi-Mart today, and they replaced it. It is now reset to the current time, has its new batteries, and is working well. I like their replacement policy. It is as good as Costco’s and local.

I checked my tracking number for IRS, and it was delivered to Fresno, CA early a.m. 4-15-18; continued working on chores needing completed, especially music and sorting receipts.

Tuesday, Apr 17

Called Stephanie in Medical records but found she was the incorrect hospital contact to send them to my PCP Norman Wood and to my Cardiologist, Antony Kim, at the Yakima Heart Center. Instead, they need to be requested through Health Record Management (Kimberly was my kind helper) to be Faxed down there. I got on the computer and found the phone number and the Fax # there, but she wanted the phone to check with them, because Fax numbers can be different within the same “complex,” and she also helped me realize that my “missing” paperwork could be accessed by the staff getting on their computer system from Cle Elum because they are in the KVH network.

My Thyroid lab results from Dr. Lisa Stone (Wenatchee) arrived with a welcomed note:
“OK, recheck annually.”

I started my events day at 2:00 p.m. in the swing dancing class, mostly as an observer. I had a short dance with Carol Cummings, but I spent the rest of the class filming the participants.

Here are 2 choices of the total of 11 movies I took to share with the entire class as a refresher for steps, basically lessons, and also to display the couples’ form while dancing. Thus far, all the participants have appreciated my effort and sharing.

(5) Swing Dancing 4-17-18 (1-1/2 minutes) with Music

(11) Swing Dancing 4-17-18 (1-1/4 min)

From there I drove to the Volunteer Appreciation Ice Cream and Pie Social at the Armory (Fairgrounds). This was the original invitation:I arrived an hour after it started because of the conflict of time with the Swing Dancing at the senior center, where I needed to be with several others who were in the dancing class.

A few photos of people there late in the day: Greeters Roberta & my friends Linda; Rita, Evelyn; Connie; me; One table of pie, various cookie types, and for two different ice creams, toppings (chocolate mints, Oreos, strawberries, sliced almonds, and chocolate & caramel sauces.

Door prizes were raffled off, and I won the paper flowers at my table. One of the “hosts” came over and demoed (at my request) how they were made. Her name is Lise McGowan; I have known her for several years.Lise explaining (in video) the construction of the paper flower centerpieces from coffee filters.

Lise McGowan about Large Paper Flowers

I left and drove the northern route home, going by the CWU campus.

Here are some still shots to introduce the videos below:Left from Google Earth is the complex for the old chimpanzee building that is being demolished for new student housing. The chimps were moved from there in 2013, after being on campus since 1980. The right is a shot of the eastern end of the roof of the building where people entered the building for Chimposiums to view and share the teaching and living facilities. The chimps communicated by sign language. The program was the Chimpanzee and Human Communications Institute. It still exists, using the Chimpanzee facility in Cle Elum with 7 chimps living there.
The last two housed here in at CWU were transferred to a nice facility in Quebec Canada.

My trip home offered these somewhat sad sights: (if you only watch one, then watch #2)

(1) Demolition Chimp Facility CWU – 55 seconds

(2) Demolition Chimp Facility CWU – 45 seconds

However, if you check out the following newspaper article, you will see a benefit to chimpanzees coming from this demolition, who now reside at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest in Cle Elum. 

Demolished CWU building to help chimps in Pacific Northwest

Once home, I spent a little over an hour sending out 11 notes to the jobs list I monitor/moderate (on Google Groups: NW Geography Jobs). Hopefully, someone will be happy and perhaps find a job they’re looking for.

Wednesday, Apr 18

John left early for bottling Malbec at White Heron. I slept in, after being totally spent from yesterday’s demands and lack of sleep from the early a.m. telemarketer call (6:55 a.m. is too early!!!). The bottlers finished early and shared lunch. He didn’t get home until an hour later than usual, but I was long gone.

I made a little progress (not enough) on things before leaving. I had a late call yesterday afternoon about my doctor’s office having no record of a blood draw I had had on March 15. I gathered information that I knew at the time, and found the actual medical records paperwork I had picked up Monday from the hospital and called to report my findings. They are in the network and I have no clue why they couldn’t access the data. I also had notes on my calendar from a call from the office with my results, so I know they were originally informed and called me the day after. I know they have changed to a new computer system, but the accompanying glitches might be endangering the health of patients if this happens often.

I went to the Food Bank Soup Kitchen for playing music, with my salad for lunch afterwards. We are invited to have lunch there, but I don’t want the pasta main dishes served on Wednesdays, and their mixed green salads are always too filled with dark green lettuce or spinach leaves I cannot have on my low Vitamin K food intake requirements for being on a blood thinner.

Afterwards, I went on to afternoon SAIL exercise class and on home to wash dishes and to get out the “final” call for count for chairs for tomorrow’s music.

Thursday, Apr 19

I called in the count to Pacifica; we’ll probably be using almost all of their arm-less chairs.

After dropping off some Honeycrisp apples by friends (brought for them by John over in Quincy on his trip home yesterday), I went by the Hospital for a standing order for my monthly blood draw. The results came in fine on Friday. I’m good for another month.

I was on my way to Pacifica for music and we had a fairly good turnout presenting to an appreciative audience. We were thrilled to have our harmonica player back from his close brush with death just last week! He was having pain, so took himself to the ER, and they sent him on to Yakima (in an ambulance). There he became the surprised owner of 3 stents. He’s a new person, and was happy to be back with the report that no damage occurred to his heart.

Friday, Apr 20

We didn’t have any early morning commitments or too early telemarketer calls, so we could sleep in until 8:00 a.m.

I stayed home today to take care of many unfinished tasks. John did the normal morning chores and also unloaded the riding mower so that he can mow the backyard’s high grass. I stayed in making phone calls to several different places and working on computer chores.

John came in and fixed a brunch and now about 1:30, the UPS truck just pulled in to deliver 3 climbing rose bushes – all the way from Denver. He mentions this in the not so nasty post that precedes this one. Yesterday, he dug the holes for them so they can be planted very soon after their arrival. We now have a large bag full of packing peanuts to give away. (I actually found a recipient by offering them on The Free Box site, totally surprising John). They will be used by a beekeeper and shared with other such folks in our valley, to put into watering buckets for the bees to light on to drink water. I’m dropping them off Monday near the hospital, where the owner works.

I did all the background work on our scholarship award we fund each year for two students in the graduate Cultural & Environmental Resource Management program, and in the undergraduate Geography program. I also talked with a member of the CWU Foundation about my account and when in the fall they would transfer the $ out of my account, so I had to be sure the balance was sufficient. I have until mid-September. The award certificates will be given at the end-of-year party for the CWU Geography Department. It’s a cookout / potluck on the lawn east of Dean Hall (where Geography and Anthropology are housed), May 22 at 4:30.

I also managed to talk to my PCP’s office in Cle Elum, and get information on my lab work completed yesterday, learned about another bit of information regarding my standing order at the local hospital lab, and managed to get a message sent to my PCP to write a new prescription for a controlled substance that has to be sent hard copy through the USPS to be filled. It’s for 10mg + 325mg Acetaminophen, for when I’m going to be dancing for an hour or fiddling for over an hour to protect me from pain in my left shoulder. That actually won’t happen until Monday, when my PCP returns to the office.

I ignored two telemarketers today. Thank goodness for caller ID. It’s worth the price, but I still wish I could block calls.

I watched John mowing the backyard and videotaped two swipes for your enjoyment:
John 1st swipe mowing – 4-20-18

John 2nd swipe mowing – 4-20-18

He didn’t do much because the mower ran out of gasoline. He should have taken the trip to town for the mower as an opportunity to get the gas. The unit takes gasoline without ethanol, of which we have none. Tomorrow he will take a 5-gallon container in to the Coop. He dumped the remainder of what we had into the old pickup.

Saturday, Apr 21

John did a bunch of things on the home front, fixed a brunch, and set up his truck to go to town for the special non-ethanol gasoline for the lawnmower engine. It was pretty expensive at $4.00/gal.

I took care of last minute music preparations, and took off for town. We were scheduled to be at Briarwood Retirement Commons today, where they feed us. Today was special because they fixed up a special cake for Haley who will be having her 5th birthday on the 26th of April. Everyone there loves her because she’s been coming and dancing, drawing pictures, singing, and visiting residents since she was 3 yrs. old. Today she danced to Irish Washerwoman, sang Cockles and Mussels, and drew pictures for people, plus showed them her dinosaur statues. Haley looking at the stickers on her birthday card, while Connie lights the candle; she grabs a big breath and blows out the candle; then smiles for me with her card & dinosaurs looking on.

As usual, they fed us well. We were given a wonderful homemade bean soup, lemonade, several, salads, and a great choice of desserts.

Sunday, Apr 22 HAPPY EARTH DAY 2018 !

Link to field trip notes and this one today is the first on the current list – Yakima Landslides – April 2018, John is going on.

This link is from Nick Zentner’s new domain, with all the field trips of the Ellensburg Chapter of the Ice Age Floods Institute.

Field Trips of the Local IAF Chapter

We were here in 1998 and knew of this landslide in the Yakima Canyon south of Ellensburg, WA.Landslide over Hwy 821, with the Yakima River on the left. Bottom right shows rocks from another, and in the distance there is a third. Train tracks on the west side of the river were also impacted. Not shown.

I succeeded in a few chores, and the foremost one was finishing this week’s blog draft, which is not quite there yet but I have a little bit of time left before John will have time to edit and put into WordPress.

I did accomplish several other things today in his absence. Washed a load of dishes. Did the paperwork to renew my license tabs for my Forester. I worked on my lab reports for blood draws and various associated items, requested some information from a number of different people about things I needed to know, or they did, and updated videos I took last week for the Swing Dancing class. I need to get those in the mail (email) to the participants.

I fixed my brunch, based on the sausage John cooked very early to make a sandwich to take along with his lunch. With mine, I had two eggs over easy, toast of rosemary/olive bread, and orange slices (and found he had left a bag of the rest of the orange he meant to take along with him in his lunch).

At 4:30, John called from south of Yakima at the Wapato irrigation diversion. They are there to look across the Yakima River at the Rattlesnake Ridge slide. Videos from the air give a better idea of what is going on than the photos from today. Here is a link to a short one taken in mid-January:
Earth’s cracking. We’re doomed.
One of the comments asks “What’s in the rail cars?” – and the answer is concrete. The hope is that they can protect the river with enough mass to stop falling rocks or a full slide. Seen in video at 2:04.

The field-trippers have been spending about ½-hour at every stop, so he may not be home until 6:30. He’ll call from Ellensburg. I guess he got a ride in the van, so that is good. He just called a couple minutes after 6 and was in the car in the parking lot heading home. We talked until he got turned on Look road, and then I let Annie out front to wait for him. She’s been expecting him for a couple hours.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

This Week’s Not So Nasty News
. . . . from John, awaiting Nancy’s draft of her week’s news.

Item #1: A fun science site

The video linked to here is not new, but having just watched it, it is new to me.
Physics Girl is a channel created byDianna Cowern about physics, astronomy and science-related topics. The show features fun DIY demos, unusual and cutting-edge research, space, and expert interviews!

In the video here the topic begins with 2 black spots on the bottom of a swimming pool.

Crazy Pool Vortex

More here

If you want to know about Dianna and science education, go HERE.

Item #2: I don’t quite understand

This is a good story but the dog (a Blue Heeler), Max is 17 years old, deaf and partially blind, and except for this bit – “She found the dog first. Max led her to Aurora,” – ‘She’ seems to be the grandmother and Aurora the 3 year old lost girl.
The searchers had already “heard the little girl faintly.”
The thought is, I think, that Max stayed with the girl rather than returning home on his own. We don’t learn how else Max contributed to this happy outcome, but maybe that’s just because the writers are not very good at their craft.
Oh well. from Queensland’s Southern Downs
[The season ‘down under’ is mid-autumn.]

Item #3: Lost in Newcastle

About 10 years ago I was headed for a trailhead near Newcastle, WA. This is a community 10 miles SE of Seattle.
I left the directions at home.
A “ lady ” about to go on a morning run helped me out. She got into my car and directed me up unbelievably winding and steep roads through a very fancy neighborhood of expensive homes. This was part of her exercise route on some days.
She got me there just as our WTA crew was about to go through a gate. Three minutes later and I would have had to go home.
The lady then began her morning jog.

This is a story from Newcastle. It’s about a mother duck and lost ducklings.
Ducklings
The photos are by Rebecca Duffy. Backgrounds in the images show some of the houses. It has been 10 years, but that all looks familiar.
Could Rebecca be the “the lady ?”
Ten years ago Newcastle had fewer than 10,000 people but just 3,000 or so women of the sort that I might have encountered.
You scoff. Stranger things have happened.

Item #4: A personal first


I’ve wanted to have climbing roses. Ten or so years ago, a horse-riding friend offered me some red/yellow ones. 20 miles over, dug about 10 plants, and back, none lived.
A neighbor had a pretty red one and offered it to me about 3 years ago. She didn’t get much of the root. It started to grow, came back in year two with a sprig, and then died.

A week ago I searched the web for hardy climbers. Seven miles NW of Denver is Arvada, and High Country Roses.
I ordered 3, and they ship small potted plants early in the week so the delivery is on Friday (in our case, shipped from Denver). A person with a regular job then would have Sat/Sun to plant.
I prepared and had holes started. I mixed soil, organic matter, and a bit of fertilizer.
The plants arrived today, and all were tucked into their new homes before supper. Same day planting – that’s a first.
The picture above is of one called “William Baffin.”
Another is “Mr. Nash” – – it is apricot yellow.
The third one is yellow outside and red-copper inside and called “Austrian Copper.” It sometimes produces all yellow flowers. They don’t say why.
Wish them good health, please.

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

Boy’s Toys, or . . .

Garden Gadgets,
Or Nancy’s title . . .
It’s expensive to maintain rural property

Sunday, Apr 8

We published last week’s blog tonight at 11:30 p.m.

Monday, Apr 9

John left for pruning at the Mariposa Vineyard at 7:45 a.m. With average traffic conditions this gives him a 5 minute cushion. Last year because of a highway repair-related detour he need an extra 5 to 10 minutes.

I’m taking care of things about the tiller with Janie and about the Swing Dancing tomorrow at the AAC.

I filled in the IRS 2017 Extension #4868 form today. Now I need to get the stuff that goes with it, a return postcard, a payment check, and take it to the USPS for the certified mailing w/tracking number.

Fixed myself a brunch of bran cereals, banana, and peaches, and I went to SAIL exercise at the AAC.

We think we got the tiller fixed. Recall it would run for about a minute and shut off. Supposedly the oil was low, so it seems obvious that someone screwed up on the setup. Local? We don’t know, but we know it didn’t come from GA with a full tank of gasoline. John had looked at that, but the ‘dip-stick’ is white plastic and the oil, being new, was hard to see. It had oil, but must be quite sensitive to the proper amount in a small engine. Maybe add some blue food color to the oil!

Then there is the mystery of the bolts. One fell out. One did not have a nut. These had very ‘fine’ threads and the dealer, with thousands of bolts and nuts, did not have a matching nut. John’s guess is this was a Honda assembly plant problem – not local. These two bolts are what holds the front wheel mounting-arm to the machine (used in pushing the unit to the garden site).The mounting-arm (appx.=blue in diagram) fits back into a housing under the motor. The wheel is folded up during tilling, and down – as shown – for travel.

Local assembly was required only for the handles, not that wheel. That’s not a good sign, but folks here now know to check.

John showed the sales rep her original notes on the quoted price.  She did not quibble, and gave us $150 refund.
Also, they didn’t charge for anything done today, except for our gasoline costs getting there, and tomorrow he has to go pick up the riding mower they are restoring, unless it is raining. 

Tuesday, Apr 10

After feeding the cats, John left for pruning at the Mariposa Vineyard. I slept in, and had 3 different telemarketer phone calls before 9:00 a.m. I wish I knew how to block them.

Our “new” landline and Internet DSL provider is Consolidated Communication; acquired Fairpoint in July 2017. I submitted a question to come back to our joint email about if one could block incoming certain telephone numbers. They have never answered.

I called the Costco Pharmacy in Union Gap/Yakima to be sure we were set for picking up John’s refill of Tamsulosin and mine of Atorvastatin (both 90 tablets, 3 months worth). We agreed to do it this Friday afternoon. (There is a 10-day shelf limit from when it is filled.)

I stayed home today, working on projects needing attention that have been ignored while I was sick and not feeling up to doing anything but getting well. I made much progress working on things today. Unfortunately, I sadly have much more left to do. I need to take more days off like this.I showed John my problem with the fluoride treatment I have to do on my teeth, last thing before going to bed. It was prescribed by my dentist, requires a prescription, and they sell it there at a lower price ($15) than at any pharmacy. It’s Prevident 5000 toothpaste gel in a 3.4 ounce container.
I have been having difficulty getting the small amount of gel out of the container (which is hard plastic and needs to be pushed on the sides). My hands were not up to the job. John looked at it, and suggested storing it on my bathroom counter, upside down, so all the gel would move “down” to the lid dispenser. That procedure worked fast (so this evening I barely had to squeeze it to get the small amount required on the brush head). Then I must brush for 2 minutes, spitting out during the process (no swallowing allowed). Now I just leave it sitting on its head, rather than the base. Nowhere in the instructions is this suggested, and the dental assistant was also not aware of it. John’s mom, Peg (Marguerite), claimed she raised smart kids. Not exactly how she expressed it, but more politely.

Wednesday, Apr 11

John left for pruning – last row of vines is in sight. He will come home, get the truck, and pick up the riding lawnmower this afternoon.

I was going to call Colgate, to ask about getting a different container of paste, but I called Cheryl, the receptionist, instead and told her John’s finding, so I will just continue buying it from them at the lower price.

I received a call from Mary at Confluence Health (for Dr. Lisa Stone, the endocrinologist who examined my medical issues and suspected thyroid issues last fall) about my recent Thyroid lab tests (just last week). All are fine, and I will follow up in November with my PCP but if I ever want to see her again, I am just to call and request a visit. That beats all the rigmarole of getting a referral through my PCP. She is mailing me my lab results because I was unable to request them to go to my PCP (at the same hospital through which he is registered and uses). I now will have to have them sent to him and to my cardiologist from medical records (at the local hospital where the lab draw was made). This is a glitch in their new computer scheduling system. No longer can they be given to another doctor. That’s not right. We get smarter professionals and dumber systems.

I went to the Food Bank Soup Kitchen for playing music, and took my own crafted salad for lunch. Afterwards, I went on to afternoon SAIL exercise at the AAC with Evelyn leading.

I sent this and a bunch of links to many of our Native American acquaintances and friends. It was in our local newspaper.

Links I sent about Russell Jim are below:

An excellent coverage is in the Yakima Herald at the funeral.  Be sure to watch the ending video, with Dana Miller (my former student) leading off.

Yakama Elder service

The obituary
Russell Jim – Obituary

One more article with a meaningful description.
Russell Jim – Burial Description

Thursday, Apr 12

It rained all night and now is blowing hard.

John left for pruning. Janie, Washington Tractor, is in today and tomorrow expecting John. With the riding mower fixed, we are getting a 15 gallon pull-behind sprayer. This has a 5 foot wide spraying boom and a hose for spot spraying. Weeds are a serious issue on the Naneum Fan.

Called in the count to Meadows Place; we’ll be using almost all of their chairs, but will not need to use the piano bench.

I completed work on Form 4868 Income Tax Extension and sent the check with the form from the USPS certified, after playing music and visiting the AAC to turn in a survey about the use there.

I finished several more chores before leaving after 1:00 for music. Passed John on Naneum Rd on his way home!

John brought 2 bottles of Trinidad Red wine home, which we have to try with dinner this weekend. The “red” in the name is for two reasons. Obviously it is a red wine. Also, while most of the vineyard is yellowish sand (left in the backwater of a gigantic Ice Age flood), this section is the lowest. It is rocky and has a fine red silt among the basalt rocks. Most of this area has no posts or trellis, so plants grow like a small bush. Most pruning is done while kneeling.

The wine is a multi-blend of grapes, and the year he made this was 2014. Cameron only made a small amount, perhaps one barrel with the first year of production, then 5 barrels last year. The vines are young, but this coming year’s harvest will be much larger. Regardless, it is very special. I looked at the back of the bottle to find out the numerous varietals represented in the blend. I was so intrigued by the information on the label, that we shall reproduce it here. We hope it is readable on your screen. Perhaps we won’t have a taste this weekend. We’ll have to wait for the right ambiance and meal ingredients.

John went to pick up the riding lawnmower and the pull-behind sprayer. He’d showed me the sprayer yesterday. They are still in the back of the truck in our hay shed, awaiting John’s planting of the strawberries. Pruning finished at 5 minutes to Noon today. This completed the work, so he will be home a lot more during the day. It’s been a long time pruning, with starting in February this year.

Friday, Apr 13

We were on the way to Yakima, leaving after 12:30 p.m., and dropped a printed copy of the WTA information for trail worker volunteers and upcoming events to Janie at WA Tractor.

We went first by Big Five on Nob Hill with my shoes and receipt from last September. Problem was that my right ankle bone was being severely irritated by the height of the heel piece on my shoestring tied shoes. I checked out models other than Dr. Scholl’s and came away with two new pairs I got today. I turned in a brand new pair of Dr. Scholl’s (black), identical to the old pair from Sept, 2017 for a refund of my purchase price applied to the two new pairs. I got a new pair of walking shoes black with laces, men’s 7.5, brand is Rugged Exposure, and a pair of lighter running shoes black, with good support; brand, Asics Jolt. They gave me the last sale price charged and deducted the refund, leaving me owing $12.96 for the exchange. I feel very satisfied.
John has been buying boots at Big Five for trail work. Along with shovels, picks, Pulaskis, and other tools, boots are one of the most important, as they get used tool-like, and show it.

I also wore my tan walking shoes with 2 Velcro connectors each, and asked about the unraveling that was occurring on the Velcro fasteners, and other seams on the leather shoes. They no longer carry them, and had them only in black. I like having the lighter color, so I kept them. And, they fit me well. Interestingly, they are also the Rugged Exposure brand.

From there we went to Costco. First, stop was for gasoline ($2.899/gal, 10¢ cheaper than EBRG). Once inside the warehouse, I detoured and went to the pharmacy to pick up and pay for John’s prescription and also one for me. I was expecting a reduction in total price from other pharmacies, but his was even better, lower by $6.53 (on the GoodRX price). John proceeded around the store to get stuff we needed and I met up with him later at the meat department. We decided to get a special deli meatloaf dinner with gold Yukon potatoes, to have for supper when we finally got home. John had bought some fresh mushrooms while there, and enhanced our dinner with them, fried.

We arrived for our appointment at Subaru Service for fixing my Bluetooth to allow me to call again on my cell phone (hands free). Until recently, it has worked fine for the entire time I have had the car, and with this particular phone (flip Doro) for almost 2 years. First, when we checked in at 3:30, they had a ton of people needing serviced, but I had carried along my computer, so I went to the waiting room and worked on a few emails. John went to visit with our car guy, Mat in the Hat.

The service happenings become a very involved story, which I’ll try to simplify for this posting. The first thing to determine was if the service was covered on my extended warranty. Yes, it would be, and with no deductible. That was a good sign.
The rest of the visit is not as great. Supposedly, 2014 Foresters only support two phone types over Bluetooth, and these are: LG, Nexus 5X (H790) and Huawei, Nexus 6P (H1511). These are both Smart Phones.

NO ONE at the dealership knows why I have successfully used it previously. The only alternative the service department had was, “You’ll have to change cell phone provider or buy a new “approved” phone through them.” Neither solution is satisfactory to me.

I complained to our sales rep, “Mat in the Hat,” who has sold us 4 vehicles there, 3 Subaru cars over the years and our Ford truck. He decided to get in my car and try his hand at it. He figured out a work-around, by using the voice recognition feature, which I detest, but I can do. The real drawback is I will have to reset the settings every time I turn off the engine. However, for road travel, it is better than nothing at all. I either need a new car – John’s is 2 years newer and works – or a new phone. That’s John, the sales rep, and the service person speaking. I’m perfectly happy with my car, and just spent a ton of money on its 30,000 mile service. Plus, it is paid for!

Saturday, Apr 15

I called Ruth Harrington, about plans for getting the pecan pie to her by April 29th for the ice cream/pie social appreciation to all members of Scholarship luncheon groups, past and present. I have been a member of the 4th Friday group since 1988. I found out she wants me just to bring the pie early (1:45) to Lombard Hall, and in a pan I can leave. I also told her John would not be coming (because he anticipates being on a WTA trip that day). She was disappointed because he has been a supporter since the first. When he was still in Idaho, and I was in Ellensburg, teaching my first year before he moved over with the rest of the family, he made his mom’s pecan pies to share at scholarship luncheons, when I was the hostess, or at the Christmas potluck. She knows all about his volunteer work for WTA on trail maintenance and understands his commitment.

John took me on a tour of his newly created strawberry beds in the newer garden you saw being tilled last week. He finished leveling and supporting them today, and tomorrow, assuming no or light rain, he will have a chance to plant.Part of the fence has been taken down and internal partitions, stakes and so on have been cleaned out. Then this little area was tilled. Photos above and below (left) show the part that will need a fence, several of the beds, filled with the newly tilled material – silt, sand, leaves, horse apples, pine needles, and more. The wood for construction came from a friend (the 2 x 4s); they were her porch – the crosspieces are slats from pallets. Our house and shed are in the background. John is leveling the boxes, and filling with soil and more sand. Tomatoes and squash will also be in this garden that gets full sun, but it is still too cold for those. After I took these photos, he sprayed the weeds there.

I came inside to work on dishes and clothes washing, and John came in before noon to fix brunch. I also continued working on the blog and on music duties for the upcoming May & June play list for our weekly dates.

Meanwhile I was sending off the collared doves and red-winged blackbirds who steal food from the quail, but mostly from the finches, juncos, and other smaller birds.

John came in to tell me the skunk was back, and he had to repair more of the front fence to keep him out. He folds chicken wire on the ground outside the fence about 2’ and secures it up outside the 4” woven wire fence. Now he has returned to the strawberry beds construction.

Sunday, Apr 8

I was awakened too early, before light, with batteries warning beeping in another room on an inside outside digital temperature gauge. Finally, figured out and took it outside, where it still was bothering me. While up, I looked out the kitchen window and saw the horses in part of the yard where we did not want them overnight. John went and moved them back into the pasture, and secured the gate. I tried going back to sleep, but it didn’t work. I will have to have an afternoon nap for sure.

Now John has just returned and will be fixing brunch, before returning to plant strawberries.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

TW’NSNN April 13

Item #1 Weeping Vines
We finished pruning vines on Thursday just before Noon. New cuts now get immediate seeping of the sap. No little green leaves yet.
I’ll go back in the not too distant future to help with bottling.
Meanwhile, I’ve lots to do at home, just as the weather begins to cooperate. The next couple of days look to be cool and damp – good working weather. Cheers.

Item #2: How to start a weekend

South of us 9 miles is the intersection of I-90 and I-82. Not too far south of this and to the east is a large U. S. Army area called the Yakima Training Center (327,000 acres; 511 sq. miles).
National Guard Units and other military traffic use the two interstate highways going to and coming from the YTC. We often see the convoys of soldiers and equipment.
The setting for this story is 75 miles west of us.

whitewhitewhi Pvt. Grace Hilinski

Four soldiers’ actions on April 6, 2018 saved a young girls life near North Bend, Wash. (Washington National Guard Photo)
The group was heading in convoy from Olympia to the Yakima Training Center and had stopped in North Bend to fuel up before heading eastward over Snoqualmie Pass.
They saw a lot of commotion — a young girl about 3-4 years old had stopped breathing and had no pulse.
Medic Gracie took on the staring role.
Army to the rescue

We will not likely learn the specifics or the ending of this story. The privacy of the family kicks in, the press is shut out, and we are left to wonder.
Still, what we do know is good.

Item #3: Kids on tractors
Many years ago, when most family members were still in western Pennsylvania, we held family reunions, usually at the farm of my Uncle Ed. The house was on a slight rise, about 10 feet above the general level of the place, and on the occasion of one such reunion, the farm tractor was parked in front of the house.
I climbed on to the tractor and managed to put in in neutral or disengage the parking brake, or something. What did I know? Nothing!
The tractor rolled down across the lawn and stopped after descending the little hill. This excited all my relatives, likely more than me. They thought I was going to die. I thought it was a slow ride, and not much fun.
That brings us to “Drive tractors to school day” – a more recent tradition promoted by the farm kids of the Future Farmers of America (FFA).

Hat tip to sister Peggy.

LODI, Ohio — Cloverleaf High School

In looking for related material – there is lots – I
found the logo of the FFA and thought is was cool (still an in word??). Pictured is an old walk-behind moldboard plow.
I wonder if any of the FFA students have ever seen one of these?

picture and story here

John Deere

More history here

Item #4: Live longer, be happy

So, we begin and end this week with the wine thing:

Put this phrase. . .
“over 90, alcohol better than exercise”

. . . in to a search box. Click, and you are on your way.
Now we just need to make it to 90!
Cheers.
And that, for this week, is the not so nasty news.
John

Seems we are in EBRG too often

Sunday, Apr 1

We published last week’s blog tonight at 10:31 p.m.
We already covered stuff in the blog about our Easter Sunday.

I heard late about the closure of I-90 Snoqualmie Pass road because of amounts of snowfall dumped in winter storm, closed in both directions all night from Ellensburg to North Bend.
Bad accidents and one fatal.

Monday, Apr 2

We awoke to a snow covered ground day after Easter, but John checked the weather at the vineyard and left for pruning. The wind continues to blow.

I worked on a problem with March/April music, Beautiful Dreamer, and sent it off to members of our music group for Thursday’s playing of the KV F&F at Rehab, needing a count for chairs. I added an announcement about a performance this Saturday in Ellensburg for dancing and music. See the story below on Saturday this week.

Fixed myself a brunch of eggs, ham, toast, zucchini nut bread, and shared leftovers with Annie.

I went to SAIL exercise and at 2:30 by Seth Motors to pick up John from leaving the F-350 for a complicated 60,000 mile fix-up. It is not at that mileage yet, but some vehicles has a tendency to blow spark plugs and cause major damage. Time-wise it was ready for regular service.

Tuesday, Apr 3

John left for pruning at the Mariposa Vineyard, after 7:45.

I called Chad at Seth’s about estimated pick up time of the truck. We hatched a plan.

I had a huge bowl of two bran cereals for breakfast with a lot of peaches. Later I finished with sliced oranges and zucchini-pecan-pineapple bread.

John called and I waited for him to get to a stopping place off the state highway from Quincy to George, so I could give him a phone number at Seth Motors to check on when the truck would be ready for pickup.

I took off for Swing Dancing class at the AAC late but got there in time to sign in and visit with a few folks before the class started.

April 3, ’18 Swing Dancing’s Last Dance

This was the only video of the day. I spent the first part of the class dancing with Evelyn Heflen. We should have demoed our technique in the middle of the circle for the SAIL class the next day, although my muscles were still aching from the workout the day before.

John drove back to Ellensburg, did some other chores in town, before he went to get the truck to drive home. He left his car there so we could get it this afternoon when we drove the truck back to the Washington Tractor dealer to leave our riding lawnmower for maintenance and to pick up our new tiller. John has hauled silt, sand, and horse manure from our place into this older (sunken) garden plot. Then last year we got bags of leaves from a lady, and wood shavings from a stump removal at another place. It needs some high Nitrogen fertilizer and several tillings to make a garden of it. This year will be big Strawberries, Tomatoes, and Butternut Squash. That’s half the space. The rest is in “continuation mode” and all the material is beyond just a shovel and rake. Thus the tiller. See it below.

Here’s John with his Sales Rep, Janie, watching the tiller be loaded into the truck. It had to be tied in place and all we had was an old dog lead. Janie and John

Our trip went well, but we didn’t get home until after 5:00 p.m.

Wednesday, Apr 4

John left for pruning.

I called the staff at Cle Elum to complain about my refill requested from my pharmacy and request checking on the one for John’s that was supposed to have been ordered from Super 1 several days ago. Neither for John were in their system. An urgent refill on both is supposedly is on its way. Later, I checked at the doctor’s and it had been sent down. The pharmacy have the medicines on hand. Nice thing is that if the pills are about to run out, and a refill is required, the pharmacy will give you some to tide you over until it is filled. We didn’t have to test that case. When you are 15 miles away, planning ahead is a better idea.

I also learned that my Atorvastatin prescription had been rewritten for 90 tablets and sent in to Costco Pharmacy. Although I told them that it had to be written for 90 tablets, they sent it through as only 30 on 3-23-18, and I didn’t know until we were 50 miles away that all I could get was 30. I lost $6 on that deal, and obviously, I was not happy. NOW, it should be fixed for my next trip down to Union Gap, WA; however, I will check before I pay.

I went to Food Bank music, taking empty containers for food to bring back for my neighbors any leftovers from the excess food there (donated by the Ellensburg Pasta Co). There was enough for 3+ meals sent back with me, and I delivered it on my way home.

From there I went to SAIL exercise class and sadly, met the daughter of a fellow SAIL class member I have known since 2010, with the very sad news that she is nearing death. Several of us had visited her in the Rehab, where she remembered us and was happy to see us, and planning to be back. She had left there yesterday for home and hospice care. Her daughter was bringing a thank you card to the Senior Center class for all our kind thoughts and prayers, recognized me in the parking lot, and gave me the card for delivery. Her mom had stage 4 Cancer and only a short time to live. Mickey passed the next morning.

I sent Lise McGowan the video of Nick from his museum lecture I took, and I called Sadie at the Kittitas County Historical Museum, to see if I can get the one they taped put on a flash drive, or if they will put it on their museum page, which outsiders could get to. The answer is that it was a live broadcast during the talk, seen on Facebook, and they have no way of giving me the original.
I will give you the link below but it has some problems. The advantage is it is stationary and in the middle of the room in front of the screen. I was sitting behind, having to deal with the windows of the building, and the camera in the way. But, my video, while jumpy at times, follows Nick around the room and zoomed in on many of the slides. You already have that link to mine from last week’s blog on Thursday. Personally, I think it is the better video of the evening.

If, however, you wish to view the stationary one, via Facebook, you will need an account. Suggestion is to jump ahead to around the 7:15 p.m. mark because the museum started the video early and cannot edit out that section.

Facebook Link to Nick Zentner’s talk at the KC Historical Museum last week

Thursday, Apr 5

Morning I spent a lot of time on the phone about bills, and some time on music changes to hand out today. John spent a lot of time outside in the mist with Annie, and then came in and fixed a nice brunch (ham, cheese, mushroom omelet; orange slices; and toast).

John did not go pruning, so he was able to come along and help me get to music at the Rehab, for a huge turnout of players and audience. We started playing 15 minutes early and ended a few minutes after 3:00. Long hard day, and I was happy I had taken a pain pill to get me through. John made a trip to Super 1 picking up needed groceries on a special Thursday (mostly produce) sale, and he was able to get his prescriptions I managed to honcho yesterday.

I drove us to campus because my car has the CWU Emeritus Parking permit. We visited a lot with friends and enjoyed the talk very much. We got our normal front row seat so I could videotape the proceedings. There was a planetarium visit afterwards, but we skipped that.

Here is the program we enjoyed very much.

Intro to IAF future events, & tonight’s speaker, Andrew Fountain, Portland State University Geologist, 4-5-18

Andrew Fountain Ice Dam Failure of Glacial Lake Missoula, 4-5-18, IAF

Check out Andrew’s fantastic web site:

Questions & Answers 4-5-18 IAF Mtg CWU

Friday, Apr 6

John stayed home from pruning because Cameron will be in Seattle at Pike St Market working on plumbing in their new shared place with a couple other businesses.

I took my Nikon camera to attend the AAC’s first Friday of the month event, Spring Fling. Menu: Open face turkey sandwiches, gravy, mashed potatoes, gravy, and mixed veggies. I thought of taking a small salad in case the veggies weren’t appropriate for my need not to have stuff high in Vitamin K. I should have taken it and didn’t. The veggies were mostly green peas and broccoli. So I skipped them and gave them to my neighbor. Here is a link to the photos I took and put on Google photos so those without Facebook accounts could access them:

Spring Fling at the AAC

I took my lab orders for Dr. Lisa Stone (Endocrinologist in Wenatchee) and had those drawn between my lunch and SAIL. I found out the hospital is no longer charging for medical record printouts. I wish I had known that before paying $10 last year for some.
I returned to the AAC for SAIL exercise. Then home by way of Grocery Outlet for ice cream.

Saturday, Apr 7

You all have heard our stories about John pruning wine grapevines every spring for many weeks at Mariposa vineyard west of Quincy, WA on a hill overlooking the Columbia River, where the river makes a 90° turn south at West Bar & Crescent Bar.

We have known the owners Cameron & Phyllis Fries since 1998, where they started their winery in George, WA. Before we started taking field trips to the winery and paring it with food in their amphitheater, Cameron came to our classroom to share his information and provided a wine tasting in the classroom in Ellensburg. We were teaching a summer class, “Wine: A Geographical Appreciation,” at Central WA University. Part of our content was the wine production itself, in conjunction with all the cultural, regional, economic, agricultural, biological, regional, and physical geographic factors involved in the process world-wide. We combined lectures, videos, and local field trips to vineyards and wineries in the Columbia and Yakima River valleys. We taught the class for 10 years, until I was sick in 2009, and we had to cancel the Summer ’09 offering of the class. You have heard follow-up stories of our personal visits to events at the winery and of the field trips with two vans of students.

I want to share White Heron Cellar’s story of a “new” tasting room and distribution center in Seattle at Pike’s Place Market. They are located on the 5th floor. The photos below show part of the story, and the space is shared with two others: a meat market from Cle Elum and a chocolate company from Seattle. Two night photos and a sunny day from the 5th floor, Northwest Tastings

Pike’s Place Market Vendor

On this link above, look under Specialty Foods, and then Wine for Northwest Tastings to see other photos of the tasting room, and a description, which I revised to date: “We are a collaboration space between White Heron Cellars, Soulever Chocolates, Glondo’s Sausage Co., and soon local cheese mongers. Offering wines by the glass and bottle, dairy free and vegan truffles, and cured meats.  Glondo’s is now offering charcuterie boards. Stop by and enjoy the warm atmosphere and the great view!

Websites for those there now are:
White Heron Cellars
Glondo’s Sausage Company
Soulever Chocolates

It had rained all night, and much of the morning, but finally the sun came out, and John and Annie got to do some work before the rain started (sprinkling) again. John’s out for one last time, and then we will grab a bite to eat before driving to town for a performance we both want to experience.
Marte (caller) Sono, Vivian, and Jay

It’s an evening at Hal Holmes with Vivian Williams and her band “Not4Sissies” (Vivian, fiddle; Sono Hashisaki, fiddle; Jay Finkelstein, guitar) playing for a contra dance, 7:30 – 10:30 p.m. Our friend Marte Fallshore is the caller, and her husband, Dale Brubaker, we have known for a long time. Marte is a musician as well (Bass Fiddle) and Dale (Fiddler). We attended from 7:15 to 8:45. John and I visited with friends we knew there, watched the dancing, and listened to the music. With severe arthritis in my left shoulder, there is no way I can do the moves necessary with some of the steps, because I cannot raise my left arm up to my side, or over my shoulder in any direction. I took videos while we were there for your viewing pleasure. Several friends were there dancing, and I have their emails, so I will send them the coverage.

Contra Dance, First Circle Lesson with Additional Steps

2nd lesson with a few additional steps

3rd lesson with a couple more steps

The First Dance with Music

Intro Lesson to Second Dance

The Second Dance with Music

Last Short Lesson with Star & Dosido

The Third Dance with Music

Sunday, Apr 8

Morning start with outside feeding chores (all the cats checked in early for attention and vittles), and they arrived last night when we returned in the dark, from our trip to town. After feeding the horses, John has other required outside projects he has created for himself with his gardening efforts. Annie is his helper, but now back in the house with me, lying at my feet. She gets bored if not out moving around the pasture and yard; as well, it is chilly this morning, cloudy, and is expected to be windy. Rain may happen somewhere in the county, but John hopes not here.

I’m alternating clean-up work and transcribing videos from last night. I have some other chores to tackle today, after finishing the blog draft.

John will be back in for a brunch, late morning. I hope the sun peeks in on the proceedings. My hopes were answered.

We are not scheduled away from home today.
Tried out the tiller – Second Try Tilling Naneum Garden before Stalling

We found we had a stalling problem after a short while tilling.

John thinks he has found the reason.  He was raking the hay where the tiller was parked and found a bolt (new), like others on the tiller. He did not find the nut, but came in to check the user’s manual again. He’s going back to take a photograph. We thought of all sorts of maybes, but we may be on the trail of the cause. John took a picture of the hole that goes through the drive-train. The bolt fell out in the shed, so maybe the nut was never put on. We do not think damage was done, but don’t know. He’s writing a documentary to send to WA Tractor via email, because by the time they arrive tomorrow morning, he will be on his way to pruning vines.
More next week.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan