Culturally Resonant

Tuesday, November 26, 2024

I went to our local twenty-four-hour supermarket through late afternoon’s gloomy drizzle, not knowing exactly why but vaguely needing something. Many others, like me, were braving the chilly drizzle by hurrying into and out of the store. Once inside, I found myself maneuvering around other shoppers in crowded aisles. Suddenly, I woke up, “Hey, Stupid! This is Thanksgiving week!”

Aha! Thanksgiving had been the submerged but driving idea pointing me toward the market. I looked around with fresh attention, eying the offerings. Relatively inexpensive turkey at holiday time is a huge draw. I won’t be cooking for this holiday but I’d not mind eating turkey next week and probably beyond. I searched through a tank full of frozen big birds for the smallest one, finally bringing home anyway a large turkey, but feeling satisfied.

I’ll cook my turkey on another day off, either this weekend or early next week. Since experience reminds me that I’ll quickly tire of eating turkey, I’ll immediately portion and freeze the cooked bird. I’ll save plenty for my dogs; they won’t tire of eating turkey. My Cockatoo, Peaches, too; he weighs in grams and won’t dent the leftovers. Besides, Peaches favors bones–cracks them and devours marrows.

So many thoughts about Thanksgiving made me reconsider some psychological appeals of Turkey-Time. Essentially, the holiday taps into some of the most basic human needs: connection, belonging, gratitude, and meaning. Often, while busily focused on tasks, goals, and objectives, I disregard those basics. What refreshes me is remembering and thinking about the holiday.

The same will recur at Christmas time. I’ll likely drift again into the 24-hour supermarket and wander toward specialty foods. And, from deep in my mind, recalling pleasantness: feeling actively connected and belonging, thankful and meaningful.

Dear Friends: The coin’s other side: I need this giant turkey like a hole in my head. Diana

Beaning Up

Sunday, November 24, 2024

Every morning, I drink coffee, preferring to make a speedy cup. I love good coffee’s smells, flavors, and warmth and use Arabica beans. I’m disappointed that modern Keurigs don’t produce coffee hot enough, and I dislike tepid coffee.

Years ago, I owned an original Keurig, an excellent machine, my long-time go-to for hot, tasty coffee. Unfortunately, it died, and subsequent Keurigs have been disappointing. None reproduce the original’s hot, high-quality output.

I’ve been researching coffee-making methods for gaining heat and taste quality. I’m leaning toward pour-overs and French pressing, both fast methods that push boiling water directly through coarsely ground beans.

I’m learning that controlled extracting is high among brewing methods. Steeping hot water directly through beans extracts oils and produces bolder cups with “heavier mouthfeels.” I want to enjoy coffee’s nuanced aromas and flavors. I will be experimenting with pouring-over and French pressing. Maybe one or the other, or both, will satisfy my coffee needs.

Dear Friends: Fast, inexpensive, effective brewing, enhancing finer beans. Diana

Big Checkup

Saturday, November 23, 2024

Yesterday, my donkey Pimmy had a physical exam at Bend Equine. While we await test results, it’s heartening that her veterinarian likes Pimmy’s improved appearance.

She weighs forty pounds less, has a winter-thick coat that is shiny and serviceable, and stands comfortably on now-unpained hooves. Her weight loss, good coat, and unpainful hooves are successful outcomes of combating Cushing’s Disease.

Pimmy will continue receiving medications twice daily and needs to lose about thirty pounds more. If test results indicate we have controlled her insulin levels, we may start tapering one medication. The other medication, to combat ongoing Cushing’s Disease, is required once daily for the rest of her life.

I will continue giving her small feed allocations, and her extra weight will disappear in four to six weeks. If yesterday’s test results show we’re successfully controlling insulin levels, I will explore ways of medicating for Cushing’s without a syringe. It’s a tough call, for a Cushing’s med tastes terrible; equines will smell and resist it. Pimmy clearly finds it a no-like.

Dear Friends: Pimmy’s journey toward healthier living continues. Diana

Pimmy’s Appointment

Friday, November 22, 2024

This morning, my donkey Pimmy will visit her veterinarian. She’ll be checked for the status of her diabetes and Cushing’s disease. I will receive ongoing care instructions.

If she’s doing well and her diabetes has become controlled, Pimmy still needs medicating, but maybe only once daily, for Cushing’s. Medicating once would be welcome–easier and quicker.

From the outside, Pimmy looks excellent. She’s lost some weight, has a thick and shiny coat, and has a big appetite for her allotted hay drops.

I might have problems today loading Pimmy into the horse trailer. She might resist if my horses aren’t on board, so she may be with them. If so, I’ll try coaxing her inside by showing her a big carrot (which she’s no longer allowed–too much sugar). If she hops into the trailer, I’ll give her a bit of the treat.

Dear Friends: Today, I will take pictures of Pimmy, healthier and prettier now. Diana

Chicken Love

Thursday, November 21, 2024

Since it’s getting colder outside, I’m dusting off my trusty slow cooker. I will combat this period’s tiring darkness by arriving home from work and finding comfort food at the ready. My first brew will be chicken with rice and vegetables. As in ancient ads, my dinner will be, “Umm, umm, good!”

Recently, I elected to combat increasingly higher food prices by becoming a vegan, except for eggs. My flock of chickens provides eggs and is treated humanely, so I’m not inner-conflicted about calling myself a vegan and eating fresh eggs.

It’s odd, right? Being a vegan while anticipating a waiting chicken dinner in my slow cooker?

Here’s what happened: While scrambling around in my refrigerator and pantry for strictly vegan foods, I discovered many edible meat-based foods on hand. I considered discarding all those but felt doing that would be mega wasteful.

My rationale for going vegan is to avoid ever-heightening prices for both real and lab-grown meat-based foods. However, becoming a vegan must be on hold until I have used up everything stored, edible, and soon unwanted.

Dear Friends: Wasting is sinful, and I can’t, but transitioning should be easy. Diana

Wintery

Wednesday, November 20, 2024

Our day with snow is history, and now the strong winds are visiting. And rainy days, too.

These are also shopping days. The department store where I work part-time has many customers inside, enjoying the beginning of Black Friday season. BF season will extend in our store to the day after Thanksgiving—the real Black Friday day. Theoretically, by then, merchandise would be well picked over, but since Christmas follows on BF’s heels, shelves will remain well-stocked.

I’m having fun at work among the season’s early shoppers, most of whom are in a good mood. They feel “ahead of the game” and are discovering preferable merchandise at discounted prices. Cold, wet, and windy weather helps businesses boom. People opting to be inside enhance the welfare of retailers by shopping.

In Central Oregon’s sharper weather, a comparatively large population opts instead to be outside. Many are skiers passionate about tackling the snow-packed Cascades. Others love treading deeply in the freezing landscapes to construct igloos and camp inside them.

Years ago, I opted to be outside more than inside during winter months. Almost daily (if temperatures weren’t under 30 degrees [so my fingers wouldn’t wholly freeze]), I rode on horseback. (Unshod horses find excellent footing in fresh snow and aren’t fazed by unexpected rain.) My dogs usually ran alongside and could stay with the action.

In inclement weather, horses and dogs are tolerant and hearty; they’re fabulous companions.

I have digressed again, this time from retail and Black Friday topics. Thinking about winter weather and enjoying pleasant memories made me do it.

Here’s one of my favorite images from past winters. My calm Sunni is in a snowstorm.

Dear Friends: Have a beautiful day. Diana

Early Snow

Tuesday, November 19, 2024

This season’s first snowfall with snow-sticking temperatures wasn’t cold enough to force me to stay inside my house, so I handled some waiting winterizing tasks. After lots of thinking about moving a few large containers of feed closer to my goat and my chickens, I finally did that. Containers beside their pen provide more efficient access to feeds, easing and quickening the daily feeding routines through colder and wetter months ahead.

In the afternoon, snow sightings captured my attention and distracted me from task mode. I was charmed by fresh white toppings on still-green plants and walkways and turned to photography.

Dear Friends: A lovely day with snow on the ground and a beautiful sky. Diana

Shifting Weather

Monday, November 18,, 2024

Yesterday, Central Oregon received a ground-covering snowfall in the late evening. That began while I was outside and just starting the routine of feeding my horses. Finally, when I could return to the house, the snowing was heavy. It made for dim sighting and covered my outerwear.

The horses were covered in snow, too. They eat in the open from hay nets hung from tree limbs. They’re not being blanketed because of their thick, fluffy winter coats. Their good coats usually carry them through the season. However, both horses are old, and I closely watch their weights. If my exploring hands start finding a protruding rib or body joint, I will blanket whichever horse it might be, or depending on overall conditions, blanket both.

Pimmy still has the barn to herself. Her hay is in an inside-hanging net; her coat is wintery-thick, and her weight is good.

I’m still leaving my dogs outside while I’m away at my part-time job. The weather will change that, however, when conditions demand keeping them inside. I plan to come home at lunchtime and let the dogs outside while I feed the horses. The dogs will stay inside again when I return to my job.

I really didn’t expect snow on the ground before Thanksgiving. That’s no longer usual as it used to be. Last year, our weather stayed mild until New Year’s Day. Then, conditions suddenly turned cold, and actually “colder than a well-digger’s arse,” staying as such until nearly mid-June.

Dear Friends: Making plans for coping well enough despite complicated conditions. Diana

As To Light

Sunday, November 17, 2024

The recent one-hour fall-back time change still confuses me. It’s about the light, stupid! There’s little daylight as I’m leaving my part-time job in the afternoons around four o’clock, and it’s dead-dark as I’m feeding my horses around five-thirty. Making matters worse, I sense it’s bedtime around seven o’clock.

None of that’s new; sudden light changes have happened again and again, year after year. I anticipate being equally confused about changing light months from now when we spring ahead. It’s a syndrome of “light angst” caused by manufactured conditions.

When did time-changing start?

It’s about daylight savings time (DST), turning back the clocks, first occurring in the U.S. in 1918, during World War I. The objective of extending daylight was to aid combat efforts. DST was repealed soon after that War, but revived during World War II and continued since.

Why do time changes continue?

Extending daylight into the evening theoretically reduces the need for artificial lighting and saves energy. Maximizing daylight hours was considered beneficial for productivity and military operations during wartime. Some arguments for extending daylight are how it assists with energy conservation, wartime efforts, economic benefits, and public safety.

Those favoring DST claim that extended daylight hours boost retail sales and outdoor recreational industries. Others claim that longer outdoor visibility reduces traffic accidents and crime rates.

In the continuing debate, what’s happening now?

DST is controversial, with ongoing debates about its benefits and drawbacks. Some (including me) argue that it disrupts sleep patterns and causes confusion. Some say those factors negatively impact health. Several American States have abolished DST, but most others continue to use it.

Aside from ongoing mega-talking, nothing indicates a reasonably soon ending to our semi-annual clock turnings.

Dear Friends: Anyway, earlier daylight lets me be outside now, feeding my horses. Diana