Keeping track

Monday:
A member of a family we’ve known for many years is an insurance agent. I learned this while visiting with her sister last spring. Sister #1 said you need to talk to sister #2 (there are 7 girls in that bunch). This had to do with changing the Medicare supplement plan and can be done in Washington State only after Nov 1st.
Things come and go, and one of the things that went a couple of years ago was coverage in my area by Kaiser Permanente, a company that acquired WA’s Group Health in February 2017. Almost immediately relations between the local hospital and clinics and Kaiser deteriorated.
On July 31, 2021 we became “out-of-network” and needed to pick a new provider. I wasn’t paying much attention and the WA Health Care Authority via its Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) made that choice for me. I think they chose “the best” and the most expensive. Much later – conversation with Sister #1 – I became aware that I likely needed to change. After two meetings and a lot of paperwork, 2025 will see me with a different and cheaper provider. I will save just a bit more by having my “meds” sent via mail on a 90 day cycle. I can still get yearly vaccines at the local pharmacy.

Tuesday:
Ownership of the local phone company changed. The new name is Lightcurve. Tuesday evening, they hosted a community get-to-gather with food and prizes. . I got a good meal (brought a little home) and
won 2 items. The company mascot is an Otis the Otter — I won a small stuffed mascot. Next, I won the grand prize of the evening.

Suggested retail price is $359.95. I sat with neighbor Alan. He said if I loan it to him he will bring it back with a salmon in it. He has “indian-fishing-rights” and does come by with a salmon now and then. He plows my driveway snow and occasionally adds a helping hand when needed.

Wednesday
The truck got a service, including an oil change, and no issues were discovered. The specifications call for 8.85 qts of oil but they charge for 9 quarts. I wonder where the other 0.15 goes. The dealership has lots of pricey trucks with many claiming $5,000 off. Still the prices go from $60,000 to $90,000. I’m happy with mine.

Friday
We worked on sparkling wine. I’ve found a short video that shows the steps. White Heron’s equipment is a little different, although the processes are similar. We used an old freezer Nancy purchased at a farm auction many years ago near Troy Idaho. The initial chill from the freezer is completed by a short time in crushed dry ice (solid CO2). This week the dry ice was in short supply at the grocery outlets because folks where buying it to use in their Halloween displays. My position was cleaning the bottles after the wire cage was put on.

When not running and doing the above, I have been preparing for winter by putting mulch on some new trees, putting garden hoses away, and making some firewood. Here is a photo of my companion on Saturday.

Keeping Track
on the Naneum Fan
John

The National Weather Service claims an 80% chance of a little rain during the early hours of Sunday. I’ve had three projects underway and didn’t want rain before I got the Black Walnuts gathered and all the flower bulbs in the ground. I planted in three different locations along the driveway. Two have been done for a couple of days. The last bed got done this afternoon, except I need to cover with more dirt, sand, and mulch. Then I will put leaves and pine needles on top for the winter.
There are different types of Daffodils and Hyacinth, and red Tulips. I’m thinking of adding (annuals) Marigolds and Zinnias next year, starting plants from seed in the house because of our cold springs.

I got a packet of Allium Ostrowskianum (or Pink Lily Leek); a brilliantly colored, short allium (think onion family) which produces quarter-sized, deep magenta flowers which are unparalleled in the allium family! (So someone wrote.) Its short height makes it great for borders or for planting among other spring blooming perennials. The bulbs are small and I got 100. Rather than trying to “plant” them, I roughed up the soil and threw them around the base of a pine tree. Then I covered them with mulch. I’ll add more on top (fine dirt, sand, and mulch). If It doesn’t rain, I’ll have to water. Hoping that works.
A similar plant is native to the area – Douglas’s Onion {Allium douglasii} although the color is light violet/pink. I don’t want to dig them up and put in a bed with the others.

I’ve had fire in the wood stove for most of October. I have lots of wood, it just needs split and some needs cut to the proper length. I’m also burning small pieces from my use of the radial arm saw, collected over the past three years. Also, the remodel of house and shed generated lots of stuff not fit for re-use. Much of that I can cut up to feed the wood stove. Pieces with paint or nails has to go to the landfill, although I can burn stuff in an outside fire when conditions permit. Friends have taken lumber for their projects.
Maybe I’ll build a “greenhouse” and try to grow tomatoes. 😇

Keeping Track
on the Naneum Fan
John

Weeks ago, I ordered a box “Dutch Grown” bulbs for spring flowers. I tried to get types that deer don’t like. Most will be fenced the first year, but the plan is to have some in a “test” bed to see how the deer respond. I got a couple types of Daffodils, Allium, and Hyacinth.
My ground isn’t well suited for such plantings, so I wanted mulch. I’d gotten three bags when I was planting new Plum trees. It seemed expensive for just 1.5 cubic feet. So …
While transferring money to Walter, my contractor, I asked wife Lynn if he or one of the crew could take the flat-bed dump truck to the City’s composting facility and bring me a few cubic yards. Here’s the response I got:

Sorry, I was out of town and then Walter had an accident. Went down a 150’ embankment and flipped the truck. So, I haven’t gotten back to you. I haven’t had a chance to get to everything. I’ll take a look at it next week once the family leaves and I can focus on my work.
Hope you’re doing well , Lynn
Note that she did not say whether Walter survived. I’ll find out this week.
So I ordered 7+ cubic yards of mulch from a local MRM Landscape Supply. That’s 189 cubic feet, or 126 BiMart bags. BiMart would have charged $1,134 while MRM delivered it for half that. No bags.
Sunday, I cleaned one of the three places where I want to plant and watered the ground. Then I carried dirt and sand and mulch to the spot and planted 1/3rd of the bulbs. I used 3 garden carts of the mulch – hardly making a dent in the pile. I’ll add more after getting all the rest of the bulbs in the ground.
Meanwhile, I mowed and bagged (not mulching in-place) the leaves from under the Walnut trees. I’ll water again (unless we get a good rain) and cover the area with the chopped leaves – for the winter.
I have moved the (electric) small log splitter to a shed. The one where it was is gone – too close to the house. “Firewise” folks claim away is better. That area is now gravel. Tested the new set-up. Working. Good.

The Wolverine is named Gulo gulo. On Thursday night I went to the “Zoom” presentation of the film Where’s Gulo, and while the film might be good in a different setting, this was a minor disaster. The person on the other end was Project coordinator Claire (Cal) Waichler. Seemed knowledgeable, but …
It has been 10 years since Zoom launched and the locals (Audubon group meeting in the Library) have never come close to doing one of these in a respectable manner. A 7:00 o’clock start time got going about 20 minutes late because the sound was barely audible. They started anyway. The visual feed was jerky (zoom-lag). About 10 minutes in, the person in charge began holding a microphone against the laptop’s speaker. Audio became better, meaning that noise level in the room had to be near zero to hear the presentation.
When the movie was over there were a few questions that Cal answered nicely. Low sound and jerky feed continued. Very sad. 😢
Might rain tonight – just a little, or not.

Keeping Track
on the Naneum Fan
John

A contractor for my electric supplier has been working on the lines and poles along Naneum Road. Larger lines are replacing the old ones. I should ask the locals how long the existing lines have been there.
The crew is replacing poles where there is a change in direction. One such place is at the entry point for me on to Naneum Road. There is a right angle turn and two new posts have been put in. The old posts are still doing the duty, but I suspect a change this coming week. They might take the old poles out and give them to me. This has not been confirmed.
Anyway, my power was cut at 9:10 am Thursday morning. At 2:00 pm it came back on. That’s the longest outage I’ve had in 35 years. I had time to reset the clocks, and then went to a potluck.
Friday we bottled white wine. There was a pallet and one-half completed – and then lunch. How many bottles that is, I don’t know. Harvest is now happening, but next we will do a red wine of many varieties.

Yesterday, I had cake and ice cream at a birthday party for 7 year-old Natalie, who lives about 6 miles south of me. Mixed cake layers overly decorated and chocolate chip ice cream.
Both parents are Fire & Rescue sorts, he in Yakima and she in EBRG. We met Natalie’s great grandparents in 1975 and their kids when they were teens. Another life-time ago.
Other than that, not much. Working on a few simple projects – and did some laundry today.
Keeping Track
on the Naneum Fan
John H.

I mentioned, last week, that I built a multi-purpose rolling cart and secondary critter door for the large deck on the south side. Here is the photo.

The main material (the blue) is Oriented Strand Board (OSB) left over from one of the house projects. Likewise for the blue paint. OSB is a material with high mechanical properties, built for load-bearing strength, making it a durable product for use on walls, roofing, flooring and roof decking. The rectangular window is from the dismantled truck camper – bought many years ago when we still lived in Troy ID.
The blond vertical wood strips are trims from wall paneling. Front and sides have wood cut to look like mountains (squint).While decorative, they have a purpose. The box sits on a rolling platform. The top lifts off and the front and two sides (a unit) can be lifted off. The wood “mountains” hold the box on the platform. The wheels (swivel-casters) are from a pre-1990 office chair when they had just 4 legs. For various reasons – less danger of tipping being the major one – office chairs now have 5 legs. I had to buy 4 Side Bracket Sockets for 7/16-inch caster stems.
The plastic swinging door is also a purchase. These things have a metal edge on the bottom that is supposed to catch on a magnet. There’s the rub. Too much magnetic attraction and the animal can’t push it open. Too little and the wind blows it open. Commercial ones (almost visible at the back of my box) are not up to the Kittitas Valley wind. Last week there was a gust of 54 mph. Usually not an issue, it becomes one when the temperature drops below, say 20°F; last December was -16 degrees. I bought a box of tiny magnets and glued some to the wood under the flexible door.
Now I have a double-door setup. Since put in place, I haven’t been in the room during strong winds. Thus, proof-of-concept has not been determined.

I’ve been working on a new “station” for feeding wild birds, a sturdy work table, and digging some holes for fence posts. Two days this week involved bottling a white wine, and sparkling Rosé wine at White Heron. Thursday, a spring broke in the corker and that delayed the operation by an hour or so. The weather looks to cooperate for the next 5 days so I can get more done. Friday we will bottle a red wine – about 3 hours, then lunch.
One of the helpers – Audrey usually runs the labeling machine – has been giving me tomatoes this fall. At lunch Thursday we had a discussion of garden fresh tomatoes in contrast to the ones found in grocery stores. My weather is not reliable for growing most vegetables. I was surprised to have a similar text exchange with friend Bruce in Eureka CA, a sort of cold climate for tomatoes. He manages. Photo below:

Bruce says they all taste great.

Keeping Track
on the Naneum Fan
John H

We bottled wine on Thursday – Rosé of Syrah
On the left: 6 bottles waiting to get corks; the blue machine behind Eric. The label machine in front of Cameron wasn’t working well. He was explaining to Bob (right side) what was supposed to happen. Bob is a friend Cameron met when he was a winemaker in the Spokane area. I’ve worked on trails with Bob the few times when I went east with WTA.

The only true glitch happen when I was distracted and let the corker add a second cork to a bottle. This isn’t a big deal, but both have to be taken out, the bottle cleaned off, and a bit of wine and a new cork placed.

I finished a multi-purpose rolling cart and secondary critter door for the large deck on the south side. Photo next time. I have had a wood pallet leaning against the house in front of the commercial critter flap that was built-in when the deck was being constructed. The purpose was to block strong gusts of wind from blowing the flexible plastic. My solution uses a similar flap as part of rolling table or cart that can serve the function of a side-table for gatherings involving snacks.

Another thing completed this week is the 8-ft ramp (50″ wide) off the back concrete. In the photo, several holes are needed (for nails) in the last plank. The cedar hue of the planks is from a double coating of “sun screen” – – a penetrating clear wood finish (CWF) preservative with ultraviolet (UV) protection. I alternated 2x4s and 2x6s; used ones with some issues, but this usage seems better than cutting them for fire wood. Eliminating a step is nice and the wood was here (free; sort of); the finish came from a 2-gallon purchase a couple of years ago during a sale at BiMart.

A large raspberry patch was here – fuel for a wildfire. Now gone.
Finished Sunday after lunch.
“lunch!” There was a scholarship lunch Friday at CWU. I think 8 of us showed up out of a dozen in our group. Classes just started and the academic department folks, such as geography, are busy.

Keeping Track
on the Naneum Fan

John H.

This is apple and grape harvest time in Washington State. So, have an apple and a glass of wine. Estimates for the harvest are that it will be a “normal” volume, after a low amount the prior two years. This means about 124 Million 40 pound boxes, 10 Billion apples.
Below: Flowering and ready for picking.

From the old methods of standing on ladders and a current machine + human means (video below), robots are arriving in the orchards.

Back in “the day”, apples and other fruit were measured in bushels and packed in wooden containers. Such containers and the word peaked in the 1920s and both were dropping rapidly when I was in middle school. Since the year 1995, both have nearly gone away. Visit your local grocery when the shelves are being replenished to see the current standard (USA) of a 40 pound box.
I use one as a carrier for all my grocery purchases. Ask for one of your favorite fresh-food person.

On Tuesday I went with a small group from the Adult Activity Center to visit the Grand Coulee Dam in north central Washington. It is a 2+ hour drive. I noted that these older folks consider snacking and drinking (juice and water) as requirements. At a potty stop at a McDonald’s, just 65 miles, root beer floats were in demand.
The visuals and tour of the facility were interesting. There were lots of old photos, news reels, and items on display. We went through a security check similar to an airport and then rode in small busses they provided. Mid-dam we got out to look at the pool and on the opposite side a drop of about 345 feet. A few of the group experienced a bit of an issue with looking down.
For me, the experience was a bit underwhelming. It is an impressive facility but there is never a since of power such as, say, when visiting Niagara Falls or massive waves on an ocean. Nothing roars or booms. Only a small amount of water is spilling, and it makes almost no sound. The powerful generators make very little sound and moving parts cannot be seen. Summer evenings there is a laser show on the face of the main section. Being day-only travelers, we did not see this. Here is a quick look of what goes on. Much more, if you search.

Keeping Track
on the Naneum Fan
John

Although the daylight is shorter, the heat has also gone. Thus a pleasant week. Our start of fall is still a week away, but the weather is fall-like regardless of how we count such things in the USA. I likely will skip the event because it happens early in the morning and there is nothing to see. Find any place in the USA by going to the site and enter a town name on the right side where it has America in a search box.
https://sunsetsunrisetime.com/equinoxes/america/2024

I’ve been digging holes for plum trees and for a wood ramp off the back concrete slab. Where the Raspberries were there are plants peeking through the gravel. Today I rescued a few and will move them to the garden; later if they survive. When that area gets sunny I move to the shed and work on the frame for the ramp. That is now in place and I need to add the decking (boards). Some of that will get done on Sunday during a “mostly sunny” day. I needed nails for the project and, so, went to the lumber/hardware place on a day they were giving lunch. The cheeseburger was nice but I had to settle for a generic diet cola. They did have water and that might have been a better choice. It just seems not to go with a grilled burger.

Quail and deer are numerous. Here is a photo I took from the end of my driveway late afternoon on Saturday. There were about 17 deer. I’ve counted 23 at times with five nicely antlered ones.

The field was in alfalfa that the deer ate as it grew. Now cut, baled, and hauled off, the deer still find the field the best feed in the neighborhood.
Elevation of the field is 2,250 feet and the slopes going north reach
6,876 feet at Mission Peak about 13 miles away.

The Adult Activity Center (AAC) scheduled (for Friday) a presentation by the main senior care facility in EBRG. About 8 folks signed up and were assembled at 11:30 when the affair was to start. No one showed up! A missed connect between the AAC and the facility. We did get a nice lunch and I went to the grocery after. So, not an entirely wasted trip to town.

Tuesday next a group of 12, plus driver, are headed to Grand Coulee Dam. I’ve been past the facility on the way to work on the Candy Point Trail that leads to an overlook a mile north; see here: 47.971622, -118.986263.
The also accessible by road destination is called Crown Point.
We leave EBRG at 8 am, get a tour and a lunch and return about 4:30.
Report to follow next weekend.

Keeping Track
on the Naneum Fan.
John H.

The last few days have had smoky skies thanks to winds from the southeast – eastern and central Oregon – where wildland fires (mostly grasses) have been burning. The direction just shifted to more out of the SW (Sunday afternoon) but it will be another hour or so (6:00 pm) before we get to NW and strengthening. Then the smoke goes away during the night.

While working on landscaping near the back of the house I can listen to the radio. An ad by Root’s Nursery, Yakima, came on saying they were having a sale, especially on fruit trees. I had called the two EBRG Nurseries and got recorded messages. One was obviously 2 weeks obsolete. The other said “leave a message” – I did – and got no response.
I called Root’s and a fellow answered my questions about Plum trees and assured me the sale was on and that $50 trees could be had for $25. On the Web, such trees are $65 to $100, and a place in Winnipeg wanted $150 Canadian, or about $111. Too far in distance and too much money.
Add gasoline ($14) and tax ($8.30) for a total of just over $30 per tree.
At home, I placed them behind a 6 ft fence and watered them. I have to finish digging big holes. These are large enough they should have fruit next summer.
I would like “cling-free pits” but not a blue-Italian type, so at least one of these I bought is said to be semi-free. Hmm?
I got 2 Pembina, 1 Satsuma, and 1 Beauty. The Beauty is a good pollinator, ripens early, and is claimed to have many pink blossoms. Another site disagrees. All are red on the outside. Pembina has yellow flesh, Satsuma red, and Beauty has “amber” color inside, and “ribbons of red” [What?].

The trip to Yakima was not without thought-provoking occurrences. I entered I-82 south of EBRG and was immediately passed by a State Patrol SUV. About 3 miles later that car was at the side of the road and a female officer was standing with her back to the road and talking to a man sitting on the rocky side hill – in full sun, about 90°F.
After picking up my Plum trees, I returned to I-82 through downtown Yakima on East Yakima Avenue. Approaching the interchange there are four main lanes and another, on the south, separated by concrete construction barriers. Two men and a dog were crossing – left to right – at this point and drivers stopped to allow their passage. One fellow was bent in the middle such as shown. At the concrete barrier the other fellow lifted the dog to the top – and I was moving again and missed the remainder of the proceedings. I need a report from Paul Harvey.

Keeping Track
on the Naneum Fan
John

Ellensburg has a major rodeo and the County holds a fair each year ending on Labor Day (?). Not counting the preparations, things begin to happen a week before as the rides, food vendors, and commercial booths arrive. This year the opening was on Thursday. Festivities will finish on Sunday, and take-down will be Monday. Typical scenes {from the web} are below:

The Rodeo is a big draw, bringing participants from all the western states, including Texas and South Dakota. The image at the top left is about all I could see as the Fair and Rodeo are separate entries. All the rodeo folks will leave Tuesday for the next event with big money awards.

After staying away for 25 years, I volunteered to be a “greeter” at the Adult Activity Center’s Lounge – – 2 hours each on Thursday and Saturday. The Lounge provides a cool spot with ice water, lemonade, coffee, and cookies. I am allowed free parking and entry to the Fair grounds. The Rodeo is a different entry, but its presence is the most impressive aspect. As mentioned, folks come from many places with trucks, trailers, horses, dogs, kids, and western hats. If you don’t have one, you can buy one for $25 and up. See the lower right photo. Anything else western can be purchased, such as boots, handbags, jewelry, . . ., generators, and hot tubs.
Prices (to me) seem exorbitant. A stuffed toy horse was $20. Cotton Candy = $7; a simple hot dog = $8; fancy “Big Dogs” = from $12 to $16. A pounder baked potato with multiple toppings = $12. Lemonade for $6, $9, and $12. Maybe that was the pricing on the little cups of mini ice cream balls. I passed on all the offerings.
For my role as greeter, I arrived about 9:30 before most things were underway, such as the rides and food booths. Expecting hot and sunny, I choose the early shift from 10 to Noon. After Noon, the temperature and sun were uncomfortable but I might have been the only one in the crowd that cared. On Saturday, about half way back to the truck, a long-ago student and fair worker recognized me and I got a ride in an electric cart. We had about 2 minutes to reminisce.

Wednesday was Pétanque Day and on Friday the host of that venue came over and picked up some posts and used lumber for a new table to go beside his boulodrome. When I have cool and shade, I work on the landscaping near the house. The Raspberries that were against the house are gone [ think of them as a fire hazard gone] and I’m 75% done with rehabilitating the space with gravel and decorative rocks.

I’ve order a foot massager with “soothing heat” to use while at computer tasks, a couple of three hours a day, especially in the evening. I get plenty of exercise during the day – one of the suggestions to relieve cold feet – but keeping feet moving while at a desk is not easy. This is not a very expensive device, so it seems to be a worthwhile experiment. It is to arrive on Wednesday. A report will follow in a month.

And so august ends.
Keeping Track
on the Naneum Fan
John