Saturday, May 28, 2022

Friends, I’ve been kicked off the Word Press site. Trying to get this corrected. No blog today.

Sorry, Diana

Friday, May 27, 2022

Another mass slaughtering, by an angry young male, of helpless schoolchildren and their classroom teachers. It’s America’s worst nightmare, an AR-15 (designed to explode bodies) aiming at fish in a barrel. It’s a familiar tragedy again acted-out and still unresolvable by America’s fundamentally divided congress.

Preceded by the shooter’s message to a confidant that he will do something and make a huge statement. His rampage began by pointing the AR-15 into his grandmother’s face and shooting her. That she’s surviving is a miracle. That another twenty-plus humans are dead from that vicious weapon is unspeakably awful.

Easily accessible public places, like schools, grocery stores, massage parlors, and shopping malls, provide easy-killing targets. Powerful weapons, which represent outlets for entrenched anger, frustration, and overpowering mental illness, inspire internal psychotic phantasies. At the utmost levels becoming acted out.

It’s impossible to categorize freedom of weapon acquisitions and mental illness into two categories, separate and treatable. Killing-weapons are fantasy stimulants. Many people have self-control and many do not. Repeatedly, we have witnessed mass slaughterings of helpless people, often conducted by young men.

American cultures are polarizing; the positions bubbling ever-larger. Aside from America’s mass destructions, other nations, too, are polarized. The world’s players, negotiating among highly polarized perspectives, must avoid triggering a perfect storm.

Dear Friends: Our modern world lacking a Gandhi needs a palpable voice of sanity. Diana

Thursday, May 26, 2022

Steps are moving ahead to having all my carpeting removed and installing moisture- and (almost) damage-proof vinyl. I have selected a pattern (header photo) that goes well with my home’s light and dark structural woods and stone chimney. The installer and I tested the pattern throughout the house, wanting it to reflect the natural highlights of wood and stone. It does.

Moreover, this vinyl will resist typical damage from dogs. Mine live with me inside and outside, and over the years have ruined the carpet. The dogs are housebroken, but after some surgeries, or as they age, brain-to-body communications become less dependable. Finally, my carpeting is shot.

I’ve considered re-carpeting but the dogs discourage that. The dogs are invaluable alarm systems which I like. Recently, I learned about waterproof vinyl flooring, and after exploring decided to move ahead. My changeover will be room-by-room, consisting of moving furniture, ripping-up and removing carpeting, and laying new flooring.

This will be a significant upgrade. I will have to preserve by packing, and to downsize by discarding. I can remain in-home through the work, and through dust from old carpeting and confusion, like, “Where is this or that?”

A big decision and only the beginning.

Dear Friends: Guessing I will be living at Eight Pines for more years. Diana

Wednesday, May 25, 2022

They’re outside and in breast-deep water, my three-week-old ducklings.

Getting them outside to the water was an episode, because they are very timid. Regardless of frequently seeing me, the trio screams, tries to hide, and huddles, when my hand reaches into their brooder. My attempts to grab one initiates a rush of scattering, and each duck seeking a squeeze-through escape space. This behavior, they have repeated since the moment of their arrival.

I’ve learned to do what needs doing, grabbing each, putting it into a pet carrier. Now, the huddled mass screams bloody-murder while en route to outside. I released them in an exercise pen with a waiting small water-filled trough.

Guess what. They couldn’t figure out how to get into the trough. They ran circling it while grabbing sips, and escaping my helping hands. I set a brick beside the trough to provide height; the birds ignored it. Finally, I grabbed each duck, put it into the trough. In the water all seemed happy.

Soon it became clear that none could get out of the trough. I left them to work it out. On returning, I found one duck out and unable to get inside again. The others still were in the water; I added the escapee. That floating trio seemed happy.

Later I helped each (yes, again, screaming bloody-murder) from the water. They shook feathers, preened, and ate duck pellets. After they completely were dry, I repeated the noisy process of capturing and crating, to return them to the brooder.

Today, we will do all that again. I am hoping to notice that they did manage to learn something.

Dear Friends: The saving grace is that these littles are gentle, cute, and fun. Diana

Tuesday, May 24, 2022

He’s nearly three months old and changing rapidly. In appearance, his colors are more defined, body is heavier but still a small package. In action, increasingly he’s a handful, hangs onto my pants-legs, chews my shoes as I walk, bumps into my ankles, nearly always is underfoot. He has needle-sharp teeth and claws.

My poor cat, Maxwell, is a favorite wrestling target. Max is tolerant, plays with the pup until it becomes too much. It’s over when Max roars angrily and smacks the puppy. A focused paw lands with claws and rids the nuisance. In moments, caution forgotten, puppy re-attacks Max.

The pup fights instinctively. He positions his hip to land blows that will broadside Max. Puppy tries this as well against his other key playmate, Mitzvah. She’s quick, much rougher than the cat, keeps puppy on the defensive. This game little fellow hangs in through the action she forces, until I rescue him.

This pure mutt should remain handsome. It’s a guess as to how he’ll grow and appear eventually. His skinny tail is as interesting as himself, doing all sorts of things, curving up or down, twisting in funny ways, and wagging vigorously.

Dear Friends: Through it all, the pup’s consistent good humor is very catching! Diana

Monday, May 23, 2022

At last, my schedule at work has changed. Starting now, I will be off on Mondays through Thursdays, and work as a cashier on Fridays through Sundays. This will free up time to play with my animals and to explore and (hopefully) satisfy my curiosities.

Today, I intend to release several young hens into the flock, to fully become integrated. One is the baby with a missing eye. Generally, she’s done well, learning and gaining perspective, but the more mature and aggressive flock members could blindside her. I’ll evaluate whether to leave her with the flock or bring her to the house as a special needs pet.

Another goal concerns the baby ducks. They need to swim, and today might get a crack at it. I will set up an exercise pen, with a little pool they may use. They dislike being handled and will squawk like crazy while being carried. At last though, in a pen with a pool they’ll discover Duck Heaven.

Dear Friends: I will capture highpoint images and share them. Diana

Sunday, May 22, 2022

Operating a new computer eases with practice. I’m not pushing, haven’t attempted to load the massive editing package that’s on the horizon. First things first, and I’m learning in baby steps to transition between Safari and Windows. There has been progress.

If this computer’s rapid processor can handle a large editing package efficiently, I’ll explore for a new camera. These are activities that could affect Diana’s Morning Blog. I already have reserved web space for “extras” to the Blog. Any changes will occur in baby steps, from the vision in my head to what’s possible in real time.

It’s all about learning, one of my highest priorities. If learning activities diminish all else slows. We mustn’t allow ourselves (i.e., our brains) to become dull. This might be a bigger issue as one ages and opportunities invite a slowing-down. We need to learn from modern brain research, which emphasizes the importance of maintaining strengths from being active physically and processing complex ideas.

That’s enough learning complexity this morning. I’ll soon leave, to resume my part-time job for whatever enhancements that activity offers.

Dear Friends: It seems my wish to expand the Blog is beginning to unfold. Diana

Saturday, May 21, 2022

^{Flower Moon in Third Quarter Phase @ 63.5%; next full moon June 14.}

The header photo is an unedited capture of wild ducks visiting the feed store where I work. It’s unedited because my new Mac Computer won’t let me download an editing package which I own. I am on the verge of disliking this computer. Won’t share more details, except that the transition from Google-based to Safari-based browsing is confusing, at least, and could cause a return of this new computer, at most.

In moments like this, pops into my mind a plaque I saw many years ago on the desk of a young woman. Its message: “Life is too short to date ugly men.” Same for many things, like trying to learn a different computer system.

Otherwise, all’s well at Eight Pines Ranch. The weather is warming, winds are dying, and residents (except for Mac ‘n me) are thriving.

I’ll quit complaining.

This will be a working weekend on my new schedule. I’ll work on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays; will be off on Mondays through Thursdays.

Life is good.

Dear Friends: Customers packing the store, retail opportunities galore here. Diana

Friday, May 20, 2022

_{May’s Flower Moon now Waning Gibbous @74.5%; Next full moon, June 14.}

I’m writing on a new Apple Computer. Setting it up has been messy; I’ve never been a complete Mac person. This switch comes after considering that I carry an iPhone, wear an iWatch, and have an iPad. Hopefully, this machine is is powerful enough to accommodate a large graphics editing package that will allow more creativity with images.

The graphics package will be Adobe, huge and flexible software. It gobbles a chunk of operating system and requires a capable graphics processor. Next week, I will download Adobe and see how well this Mac can handle its possibilities.

Today, after several days off, I will return to my part-time job. I’ll no longer sell chickens but will work as a cashier. That’s my preference, and later I’ll explain more.

Some things I wanted to accomplish over the last couple of days didn’t happen. No chicks got released into the larger flock, no baby ducks went swimming. Both days were very cold with high winds and didn’t invite changes to the status quo. Next week I should have four days off, and If the weather is warm, releases and swims will happen.

This is typical Central Oregon weather. Yesterday, in mid-May, our average temp was in the forties. I wore a winter coat while outside feeding the horses.

Dear Friends: This morning, off to a reasonable start using the new Mac. Diana

Thursday, May 19, 2022

^{_{“Flower Moon” @ Waning Gibbous 83.9%; Next Full Moon, June 14.}}

I’m on a quest to learn about vinyl plank flooring, a durable and popular choice for covering floors.

After years of living with multiple dogs, my carpets are stained and dusty. I can’t clear the stains, and consistently heavy dust that ruins vacuums. I’ve worked with all vacuums, from the expensive German-made to many American-made high- and low-priced machines.

As a side note: My horses are in a west-side dry lot. They kick up dust which heavy winds blow directly to my house.

I’ll not get rid of dogs and horses, so it has become necessary to pull my carpeting and install waterproof, stainproof flooring, easy to sanitize and clean. A product of choice is vinyl plank flooring.

Professionals explain to me that vinyl provides a combination of softness and durability. It’s waterproof, resists stains, and cleanable with a wet mop. Pet accidents, water, or mud from outside simply need wiping up. Moreover, vinyl is scratch and scuff resistant.

Today’s economy has made flooring materials expensive. That’s equally so for professional estimates of the cost to refurbish household floors. I’m attempting to wrap my head around all the elements. A helpful move has been exploring with vinyl flooring samples, to see if and how they may reflect and enhance my home’s colors. Some are impactful enough to provide throughout a desirable appearance. Plus, I particularly like one.

So different from years ago when I was new to Central Oregon. Carpeting was the highest roller for floors. I didn’t understand how much dust could blow in from the countryside, nor had I experienced living with aging dogs on carpeting.

Dear Friends: Why do this now? Well, for myself, because it absolutely needs doing. Diana