Friday, January 26, 2024

I couldn’t fulfill my plan to capture an image of January’s full Wolf Moon. The new camera I was expecting arrived late in the evening and its battery needed charging. I could see the moon rising in the east and decided to try capturing it the next morning while it’s setting in the west.

That’s this morning; however, it has begun raining. Now visibility is obscured, with no gleam of a moon. Shucks!

My new camera sports an 87x-zoom capacity, making image capturing over distances easier. That’ll especially be wonderful in one of my favorite activities–bird-shooting. This camera offers me new features; for example, it has a “moon-zoom setting” that might make moon-capturing more effective and creative. Altogether, the camera’s capacities are designed to produce exact images that excite.

It may also produce images not so exact. I have a wish to be more experimental in my photography, and right now, I’m uncertain what that may mean. Other than I think this camera has the potential to encourage the taking of new directions in sightings.

Dear Friends: I hope you saw and enjoyed last night’s beautiful full moon. Diana

Wednesday, January 24, 2024

Yesterday, my part-time job managers realized I was missing from work. They checked the schedule and discovered they’d forgotten to assign me hours. They called, and I went in and worked. They quickly revised the schedule, giving me more hours this week and some for next.

During my days off, I battled ice and treacherous navigating, so I welcomed a period of not working. During the store’s call, I enjoyed hearing I was missed, needed and wanted. The store’s managers are skilled communicators and employ good tones. Excellent communication skills are everything in managing all aspects of business; and equally in managing all aspects of family.

Earlier yesterday, I searched outside for a sign of spring and saw that my Lenton rose plants are looking alive, and encouragement to seek more outside signs of our coming spring. Yesterday, I planned to let the dogs go running, but that’s on hold until I’ve another day off from work. Then we’ll go and with a camera search for more spring.

Dear Friends: Even without sunshine, warmer days and melting are wonderful. Diana

Tuesday, January 23, 2024

January’s Wolf Moon will become completely full on the 25th; that date also happens to be when my new camera will arrive. Recently, I’ve seen that filling moon lowering behind the Cascades and setting. In these early mornings, those are gorgeous sightings. Com’on, new camera!

I’d prefer if today’s header photo came from my camera, but no, It’s an Adobe stock photo that captures the “January moodiness”–or perfectly, “shady atmosphere and full moon.”

I’m not working this week, and our weather is confining, causing in me some cabin fever. Yesterday, what helped was making runs for staples to Costco and BiMart. Today, as CF approaches, I’m thinking the general country-like footing is safe for taking my dogs out to run.

I know, it’s way too early to see signs of spring, but maybe, just maybe, the melt-off might be revealing some.

Dear Friends, The sun is shining and it’s warm outside; oh, Happy Day. Diana

Monday, January 22, 2024

My eldest sister’s birthday yesterday became a period of “family on my mind.” I had two older sisters, neither of whom remains among us. Each contributed significantly and differently to my young self. I especially miss them on their birthdays; those were key days on my calendar. We who outlive a physical family eventually discover time and experience creating agreeable reconnections, despite old squabbles, with some in our past.

I stopped thinking about complicated relationships as the dawn rose, indicating a warmer day that might melt the ice. It did! I slushed downhill to the barn and later slushed easily uphill. I revved up my Jeep for a run to the dump and got rid of a couple weeks’ bags of frozen trash. That afternoon, sunshine appeared and made my spirits leap.

We might never again find ourselves in an equally (or worse) iced-over period. If that should happen, I’ll be prepared. There’ll be strapped-on shoe spikes, pointy walking sticks, effective headlights, goggles as needed, and heated wearables, including gloves, at the ready.

That icy period included warming memories of my sisters. They cared greatly and wished to help and advise me, each in their different ways. We were deeply connected, and at the bottom line, that’s the huge ingredient.

Dear Friends: Picking up & going on, making life interesting and enjoyable. Diana

Sunday, January 21, 2024

After a challenging yesterday evening, I’m off to a late start writing today. I worked until 9 p.m., drove home very slowly on challenging roads, and was outside feeding my horses after 10 p.m. My poor dogs didn’t eat until the horsework was done, but they were in good shape after spending most of the day inside the house.

As of now, I’ve no work schedule. I suppose the store will call and invite me to fill in for employees going missing through this weather. Some of them live in LaPine, others in Redmond; their commutes are challenging, even in decent weather.

I bit the bullet and ordered a new camera. A relatively lightweight Nikon with incredible zoom capabilities is coming. Soon, I will focus on capturing early spring signs, wild birds pausing and in flight, dogs and horses, and special moons (this month’s will appear in a few evenings, and my camera might arrive in time to capture it).

Now, I will don spikes and travel downhill to the barn and waiting horses–amazing animals that have adjusted to these winter weather challenges more competently than I! Well, to steal (and alter) a line from Steven Soundheim and Elaine Stritch, “We’re still here!”

Dear Friends: Warming that’s about to start, soon will offer signs of spring! Diana

Saturday, January 20, 2024

Wild birds frequently clustered around my horses’ heated watering trough in yesterday’s deep freeze and drank. From their perches atop the fence, watch birds observed to warn of intruders while awaiting turns at the water. By moving too quickly, I became the intruder several times, and all the birds flew away. Soon, however, most returned and continued drinking.

The frozen day was hard on living beings. My horses were either slip-sliding or standing still in their dry lot on its frozen ground. The sheer ice forced skating. My shoe cleats, which always work well for walking in the snow, were seriously inadequate for safety on the glassy ground.

My barn is downhill from my house. I worried about walking down and up, to and from my outside animals. They need feeding several times daily, but my property felt too dangerous. Sometimes, namely yesterday, my brain locks into place, and I can’t consider alternatives. In retrospect, I might have gone out to buy a set of ice crampons, but it didn’t occur to me.

Facebook helped me. Friends mentioned ice crampons, and that unlocked my brain. I went and explored a dark space in my garage, discovering long-neglected hiking boots–with strapped-on ice crampons! The boots still fit, and off I went, walking steadily on little metal spikes gripping the ice. I walked safely downhill to the barn, fed the horses, and then hiked up to the house.

So far today, all’s good, but I will test the roadways later. I’m scheduled to work and will give driving there a jolly good try.

Dear Friends: Oregon remains in deep freeze; if you’re outside, be extra careful! Diana

 

Friday, January 19, 2024

Yesterday, I was thankful for not having to go to work. That would have meant having to drive, and icy rain that fell all day froze the already deeply-standing snow. Driving was an awful thought, and walking at home also was challenging.

I had animals to feed down at the barn and periodically went to them. I suited up in heavy outerwear, wore cleated boots, and carried hiking sticks. The pathways worn slick forced me to trod carefully throughout the day and evening. I did manage to care for all my outside critters.

For much of yesterday, my dogs stayed inside, and we just hung around. I wasted hours by streaming “Downton Abbey.” I’ve seen that series numerous times; it’s always fun because of some great characters, especially the wonderful Maggie Smith.

Over the past lousy-weather weeks, I’ve realized in this harsh weather, that the worst part of going outside is thinking about going outside. Once physically out there, it’s less about anticipating than coping, which consumes most energy and brainpower.

So, I’ve been officially hired, but yesterday, there was a sudden rub: The chain is about to lay off some 2,500 employees and close five of its stores! If I wind up having to leave, at least I can claim to have worked well for the store and was appreciated enough to be hired.

Dear Friends: Forever, coping with relationships, weather conditions, and the economy. Diana

Thursday, January 18, 2024

This morning, Central Oregon will be slushy, with rising temps, melting snow, and slick walkways. Maybe the weather-worst is lessening, will relax some high tension from the past ten days or thereabouts. Meanwhile, we shouldn’t feel too optimistic because weatherwise, February and March could prove tough, too.

I’ll be off work for several days, after frequently filling in for some who couldn’t get to work through our heavy snows. I’ve no plans today and tomorrow beyond ensuring that my animals have plenty of what they need and doing any possible cleaning up despite the deep slush.

Actually, I could justify going out and about. I have a package awaiting pickup at my workplace, and I could visit that big hardware store and greet ex-coworkers that I miss. In thinking about these destinations, more stops seem possible. This day could become busy.

Through the bitterly cold days when I’ve been away at work, my dogs have stayed inside the house waiting for me and have been terrific. No battles, no messes, and lots of excitement about going outside again, even in the awful freezing temps.

Our tough, harsh-weather weeks were brief. Annually, we have a couple of such deep-winter weeks. What’s left will be some bone-chilling cold, but the earliest spring buds will soon appear as our days become longer.

Dear Friends: Ahead is a relatively short hunkering-in period. Diana

Wednesday, January 17, 2024

This is a blasting hot morning because temperatures have risen to the mid-30s. Yes, thermometers are popping after days of solidly sticking to or near dead zero. Yes, harsh days, meaning trudging through deep snow, driving on slick roadways, and having freezing finger pains. Yes, warmer, and this deep freeze, please become history!

Despite all the weather blips, I’m happy in Central Oregon. Yes, still happy in this ever-exploding and yet small city populated with friendly, outdoorsy types. I’m even happier because the winter snows have elevated the mountain snowpacks to normal levels, and this spring will yield adequate hay for all our needs.

Already, daylights last an hour more than they did last month, and in another month, they will linger longer. The light and weather returning to normal will feel wonderful and inspiring.

Dear Friends: Now’s a good time to think ahead and renew some plans. Diana