Friday, March 25, 2022

Reading Madeleine Albright’s obituaries is stepping back in time. Too many events and names to count but were familiar long ago. They’re either pleasing or disturbing, popping up and recalling.

She was a powerhouse mentally and even physically with all her four-foot eleven inches of height. She was an accomplished writer who could speak multiple languages. Every inch of herself communicated clearly through the clothing she chose and the jewelry she wore.

I saw her in person, in Florida, on stage and discussing foreign policy with Henry Kissinger. That was long ago before I understood much about diplomacy and world events. Since then, I’ve wished to turn back the clock to reattend that event and listen more closely to what those world influencers said.

Her early life in Prague was difficult because of aggressive Nazism and Communism, forcing her Jewish family to flee several times and change its religious identity. Nonetheless, she had been born into an educated and influential family and was encouraged to become well-educated. She learned the power of influencing and how to use it.

A similar powerhouse who comes to mind is Golda Meir, Israel’s first woman head of government. She was born in Kyiv, Ukraine, and immigrated with her family to Wisconsin as a child. She was educated at the University of Wisconsin and, after graduating, became a teacher. After marrying, she and her husband, in 1921, moved to then Palestine. Much later, after serving as Israel’s Labor Minister and Foreign Minister, she was elected Prime Minister in 1969. Meir is considered the “Iron Lady” of Israeli politics.

Other influential women on the world stage include Aung San Suu Kyi. Her story is evolving and unpredictable. She’s been a politician, diplomat, author and has received the Nobel Peace Prize. She currently is imprisoned by a military-controlled court. It’s a blow to democracy in Myanmar.

Just think, only since the late 1800s have women become educated, finally achieving voting and financial rights. Before then, they couldn’t own anything, nor make independent decisions about social, financial, and family matters. As slaves to their husbands and bearers of children, women often died young. For Black women, their lives were the same and worst.

Dear Friends: Here’s a toast to growing equality, despite an uncertain social future. Diana

Thursday, March 24, 2022

Today, it’s back to work after a couple of days off with unusually warm weather. That felt wonderful and I accomplished several area goals.

A trio of new chicks resides in the dog kennel that’s inside the chicken coop. In a few weeks, they’ll join the older flock. Two sets of baby chicks in brooders have been transferred to larger brooders. Those transfers which might not sound like much were important. In a short time, all the babies again will graduate and eventually become integrated into one flock.

That flock might or might not include a rooster.

I had time to write on my magazine article. It felt finished, but maybe that’s not so. This week I’ll shred parts maybe not necessary and tighten the narrative. Writing is like bringing home a baby chick, or in other words, starting what seems easy and finding it’s not.

It’s time to wrap this up and get ready to go to work. Today, an early start with baby chickens in the store and needing pre-opening attention.

Dear Friends: Remembering Madeleine Albright, and lots, I loved her. Diana

Wednesday, March 23, 2022

It’s taken too long today to connect with the internet, so this is a brief hello. I hope to fix the lagging connection problem soon.

Three chicks in my garage are ready to fledge. Yesterday I cleaned the transition coop in the chicken yard, and today will move the youngsters into it. They’ll spend about three weeks interacting safely with the current chicken residents, before a release to join the flock.

A second trio of babies is ready for moving into the large brooder that today’s chicks leave behind. In three weeks, this second group will fledge and go into the outside transition coop.

Ahead, is one more group of tiny chicks, a repeat of these three-week turnovers. I might keep as special pets a couple of these babies. One is blind in an eye, the other missing enough back feathers to become a pecking target. I’ll watch, see how they’re doing, and decide their futures.

For sure, I’m making a resolution. I’ve done my share, will not rescue another chicken!

Dear Friends: Now Mitzvah runs freely, and next week will dump her hat. Diana

Tuesday, March 22, 2022

I brought home the only baby chicken left from the store’s last shipment. The little hen, about five days old is a Dominant Copper, a sweet breed that’s one of my favorites.

Arriving at work, I found her alone in the “sick tank,” and there because of missing feathers and looking bald in spots. I understand it’s common in her breed, that some feathers eventually might or might not grow.

Her two tank buddies were sold the evening before. This now-lone chick was energetically attempting to leap from the short-sided holder. She shouldn’t be left alone, so I decided to take her home, adding to young chickens now in brooders.

The store had sold out of chickens. This one would spend the next eight hours alone. I transferred her into a large tank in the public “chicken area” to keep an eye on her. Alone at first in ample new space, she cried loudly. To counter her calls for company, I purchased a feather duster and a stuffed animal, placed them in her tank. She explored, liked the feathers, and quietened significantly.

Before long, she could be found nestling and dozing on the feather duster. Otherwise, she was active and ate vigorously–all good. A co-worker said his wife once added a mirror to entertain a single chick, and I placed a borrowed mirror beside this chick’s feather duster. Soon, one could tiptoe to the quiet tank, peek, and see Baby at rest on feathers, pecking at her mirror.

My friend and coworker, Debbie, took pictures and videos of baby chicken and accouterments, but my phone needs too long to transfer them for publishing today. Meanwhile, the header photo adds heft to this story.

Chick was adorable, even missing some feathers. Customers saw and enjoyed her, wanted to buy her. The potential ease of selling a single chicken became a lesson for future leftover chicks.

Here at home, little chicken is holding her own among three slightly bigger hens. They didn’t pick on her, and she insisted on nestling among them. This morning, all’s well in the group brooder.

Dear Friends: Chickens are underrated beings; they’re smart and fun. Diana

Monday, March 21, 2022

I’m considering getting a high-end Apple laptop to accommodate a complex program I wish to use. Namely, the entire suite, Photoshop.

I have some experience with Photoshop. Its extensive editing capabilities allow for creating dream photos. I don’t wish to alter images significantly; instead, I want to enhance clarity and objectivity.

The vast software is offered as streaming. Instructions are necessary, so one attends YouTube University, where many explanations detail ways to use and accomplish. It’s been a couple of years since I last began learning and using, before discovering that my then-new laptop lacked enough power to utilize the program. Once again, and armed with a more powerful laptop, I will tackle learning Photoshop from scratch.

Switching to Apple seems a good idea. Its proprietary software might offer protection better than open software does. Anyway, more research for what might suit my imagination, ambition, and pocketbook.

Dear Friends: We’re comforted by routine; even simple changes are complex. Diana

Sunday, March 20, 2022

It’s today! At 8:33 a.m., PST, the spring equinox occurs. It marks winter’s end and spring’s first day in the Northern Hemisphere.

An equinox moment is when the sun’s direct rays strike Earth’s equator before crossing into the Northern Hemisphere. That instant splits daylight and darkness equally so that each becomes twelve hours long, nearly everywhere on Earth. It’s our transition toward warmer and brighter days.

Annually, dancing in my head celebrates the spring equinox. Ah, blissful springtime! I’ll no longer have to slog outside in the darkness, and bundled in heavy outerwear, to feed my horses, goats, and chickens. The same for most activities. Warmth and light allow us to accomplish more in less time. They elevate our mood, easing some routine activities.

It’ll be significant this working day, my sighting of spring. In the current “chicken season,” as the store’s “chicken person,” I’m burdened by the challenges of selling and cleaning. Today, by setting my sights on the coming light and weather changes, I’ll change my perspective, making the work seem lighter.

The dark and cold winter that consumed calories and effort gives way to longer days. Those will lend “the good” by hosting meet-ups with friends and playtimes with pets.

Dear Friends: Time, weather, and light significantly affect our moods. Diana

Saturday, March 19, 2022

A failing hard drive forces me to take action and get a new computer. My current laptop links up to wi-fi but without a solid signal that accesses programs rapidly. This morning, it took nearly an hour to connect to my usual daily platforms. The biggest problem, accessing Word Press, gobbles time and patience.

It wouldn’t be as awful if I could communicate to readers, “No blog today because of computer issues,” but only Word Press knows readers and addresses. That’s fine until it isn’t, like today, when accessing the platform to write seemed unlikely.

These daily blogs began years ago; I forget how many. I was living on a rocky property and worrying about tripping and becoming injured. The blog was a way of saying to close friends, “Good morning, and I don’t need assistance with the animals.” After a while, “Good morning, etc.” seemed too little. As I practiced writing more creatively, the blog simply grew.

Writing has become a way of working through jumbled morning thoughts. I awaken from sleep remembering dream fragments. I read newspapers and make plans to accommodate a day’s activities. Blog writing provides a channel of focus, helping me organize and prioritize whatever’s in my head.

This morning, I’m explaining my intent to continue writing daily, and giving a heads-up about current difficulties of accessing wi-fi. Hopefully, I’ll continually get on line to communicate, while also working to identify an appropriate laptop.

Dear Friends: Thank you for “being there” and reading, more than I can say. Diana

Tuesday, March 15, 2022

Wouldn’t ya know? I got called in to work yesterday, my day off, and came home too tired to drive east and chase the full Worm Moon’s first rising above a dim horizon. From near my house, I made several captures soon after it had arisen. In a cloudy sky, the moon moved upward.

I enjoy a series like this. The full moon moving upward into clouds has disappearances and emergences that stimulate tension and drama. Watching it encourages one to create stories around the rising moon.

I liked that series and wanted another photo of this moon, but at its fullest. The opportunity came at around 2:30 a.m. I felt a bright moonglow while outside with my “cone-head,” Lil’ Mitzvah, who needed a brief walk.

Here’s that early morning, Full Worm Moon.

Dear Friends: Our “little planet” always is a lovely and fascinating sight. Diana

Tuesday, March 15, 2022

The Full Worm Moon will rise tomorrow evening. That’ll happen while I’m still at work. So, this evening I’ll take my camera to capture a rising, almost-full moon. That’ll be close enough to the experience of watching a most-entire moon appear above the dim horizon.

The Worm Moon signals changes in the weather that introduce spring. Basically, worms are coming out as the soil warms and providing food for wildlife. The Worm Moon refers to early spring and new beginnings, nudging humans to be optimistic.

Could warming earth and shifting toward spring help soften a warrior’s cold heart? Hey, Mr. Putin, do you copy?

Interesting that many Russian citizens are awakening to the modern world, thanks to such as social media. Ordinary people are realizing that the whole of Earth is a highly interdependent community. Populations are learning and people starting to speak up, wanting “says” about their futures.

Whatever happens in Putin’s War, nations ought never again to fight. Technology and communications make the stakes too high. But crazy men are crazy men, and Putin’s one. So’s that guy in North Korea. On the other hand, Xi might be more calculating than crazy.

That’s my Worm Mood this day. I’m hanging somewhere on a curve between optimism and pessimism. Actually, my position leans toward optimism, and during tonight’s moonrise, I’ll dance with a camera and cheer the awakening worms.

Dear Friends: Lil’ Mitzvah, spayed, microchipped, inoculated, wears “the cone.” Diana

Tuesday, March 15, 2022

I’m in love with the Worm Moon, beautiful already although not quite full.

I’m also in love with news that the U.S. Senate has made permanent throughout the nation Daylight Savings Time. WooHoo!

No more turnings of our clocks. Ahead in winter, there will be daylight in the early evenings.

All good starts for this morning.

Early today, little Mitzvah will go in for spaying and for final vaccinations. Russ, our farrier, is in town and coming here to do his magic. In this mix, and (about time!), Richard is re-doing the in-house flooring and fixing “other stuff”.

These mornings, I’m having a Dickens of a time getting onto wi-fi. This laptop is a couple of years old and lately has been slowing. These days, its reluctance is becoming more obvious. I suppose it’s time to find a new laptop.

I intend for a more powerful machine in the next round. That means a heavy duty processor capable of handling all the Photoshop software offers. The creative editing options need a top line processor to run fully the program. I learned this early with my current laptop. Even when brand new, it couldn’t pull up much of “Photoshop”, except the most basic elements.

I must pack up and go now, to get Mitzvah early to the Veterinary.

Dear Friends: Ahead, a warmish day, hope you can make it a great one. Diana