Saturday, June 19, 2021 (In 8 days, June’s fullest [Strawberry] moon will rise.)

Today is “Juneteenth, a new national holiday, celebrating the end of slavery. Long ago on this date slaves in Texas learned that slavery had been ended, that they were free people.

Studies of American Black history show that “social freedom” always has been a “complex maybe”. In a sense, social freedom is what everyone must learn. From childhood to maturity, at some point most youths leave their families to seek freedom, using their innate strengths and finding ways to profit.

I grew up in small-town Oklahoma at a time when “Blacks were different”, and heard opinions like, “keep them in their own section of town”. Not just Blacks, but also Native Americans, in an area once home of the whole Cherokee Nation. In my growing-up days, white-skins thought lowly of Indians, and, as for Mexicans….

I didn’t dwell much on the plights of others. My mind constantly focused on more personal issues.

I grew up in a dysfunctional family that self-identified as Jewish. The small town disliked Jews as much as or maybe more than its other inferiors. Through my school years, I felt different from the Christian norm, and especially after reaching Junior High. That’s an age when kids especially are sensitive and vulnerable to outside influences and opinions. I didn’t fit-in. Besides feeling not part of the “best school crowd”, many girls were skinnier than me, prettier with better (not curly) hair, and seemed to be living in happier families. Their grades were better than mine, and worst, the boys liked them more.

Looking back now and knowing that all kids must survive early social influences, must address the terrors of puberty, it’s easy to conclude we’ve all suffered the trials and tribulations of gaining maturity. Imagine though, adding to all else, being Black, Native American, or Mexican. I could choose to not identify as Jewish, in contrast to others with dark skins that spoke volumes.

At last, America is maturing by paying attention to humanity overall. It’s about time America dealt with equality, its complex issues of conflict and misundersanding. At least, we’re beginning to appreciate each other’s innate qualities, conversing about old injustices and injuries, and taking baby steps toward repairing.

Hat’s off to communication technologies! They’ve forced more listening and hearing. Hat’s off to social gains in a nation finally maturing. I wish it had been possible to know better at least some of my home town’s multi-cultured residents, but the status quo sealed our mutual loss.

Dear Friends: “If I could do it all again…,” would depend on our knowing then what we know now. Diana

Friday, June 18, 2021 (In 9 days, June’s fullest [Strawberry] moon will rise.)

OMG! Netflix has “Chinatown”, one of the most accomplished American movies. The instant that choice popped up, I was there, immediately becoming as riveted as in previous viewings. This time, I saw some of its elements a little differently. After many years of not having watched “Chinatown”, and now with more life experience, I grasped more fully the movie’s impact.

And impact is “Chinatown” on every human level. It’s a visual essay about morality with winners and losers. It speaks to periodic searches for sheer courage to continue living. It shows extremes of corruption related to great wealth and to issues of human morality. It’s a revelation about psychological weariness.

Why sit and watch for a couple of hours? How about an incredible screenplay by one of Hollywood’s best writers, Robert Towne? How about a director, the eccentric and brilliant Roman Polansky? How about key actors, Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, and the accomplished director turned actor for this movie, John Houston?

The film’s mood is visual, shadowy and downbeat in settings and auditory in its musical score. A viewer’s perceptions of corruption and shadow become offset by well-costumed, clean-looking actors, and scenes sometimes drowning in SoCa’s natural light.

Its themes aren’t new. Modern movies create similar-issue stories, but often soften them by making them seem almost cartoon-like. We watch knowing it’s less about us, more “about them”. The contrast is “Chinatown” which doesn’t fool around with a story of human potential that’s clearly about ourselves. Watching the action unfolding in “Chinatown” isn’t like, say, reading similar actions in a newspaper. This movie absolutely forces us to rethink our raison d’etre.

It’s a story equally about human evil and morality. It’s ending is foreshadowed by a revelation of the lead character’s past attempt, and failure, to help a person he loved.

From start to end, “Chinatown” is a brilliant, compelling work of art.

Dear Friends: A great viewing opportunity makes worthwhile having streaming services. Diana

Thursday, June 17, 2021 (In 10 more days June’s fullest [Strawberry] moon will rise.)

Early this morning there’s a blue cloudless sky. The local area is in for another nice day. Yesterday’s welcome warmth encouraged me to roll my baby chickens’ coop outside for their first view of sky. They were calm and accepting.

So different from a couple of days ago after I put their food and water into containers they’d not seen before. Setting those into their brooder frightened the seven pea-brains. They began squawking, leaping, and trying to hide. I expected behavior similar, on their first look-up, spotting treetops and sky.

In fact, they were quiet and liked being outside. They’re growing like weeds, appear to have become fully feathered, not needing an overhead infrared light. But I need that light, because without it cannot see well enough through a covering screen into their brooder. So, still the light’s still on, but setting off the brooder’s edge and not overproducing heat.

I’m about to start building a rolling coop with sides of wire, to transport these babies to the large outdoors coop. There, they’ll remain inside their vehicle and safely surrounded by wire, becoming introduced to my last remaining hen, Welsummer, and to her sharing-space twin goats. I’m hoping this happens next week.

Cooped chickens are a territorial flock. Welsummer owns the place and needs to become accustomed to the incoming lot. The goats are territorial and protective, willingly butt any non-human intruder out of their space. I’ve kept chickens and goats penned together and never with a problem, for they have a mutually symbiotic relationship.

It’s hard to resist baby chicks, the feed store still has a few, but I’ve more than enough. My interest isn’t about eggs which I eat rarely, but because chickens are great pets, unless there are too many. So far, my most bold and friendly chick is the Dominant Copper Maran. This breed was developed in the Czech Republic, and my little one has feathered feet. So fun!

Dear Friends: If you live where chickens are allowed, the birds are enjoyable, so are fresh eggs. Diana

Wednesday, June 15, 2021 (In 11 more days June’s fullest [Strawberry] moon will rise.)

The summer solstice occurs next Sunday, the 21st. That’s when the Sun will reach its highest point in the sky. It’s the day Earth’s North Pole will be tilting nearest the sun and providing the year’s most daylight hours. That’ll be our longest day of the year.

We approach the solstice having enjoyed warm weather and sunny days, mostly, because this year’s spring has been somewhat gloomy and rainy. Despite local weird weather, I’ve gone out to feed horses late as 7:30 and still enjoyed sunlight.

Late-day feedings are funny times for me. They trigger memories of feeding my horses in the previous December. In those days, going to the horses later than 4:30 p.m. required a flashlight to guide footing around them.

Annually around this time, I begin a two-way focus. Now, on present and past, about daylight and darkness. I’m enjoying and remembering.

This pleasant mindset will change after the 22nd. As the Earth’s tilt begins shifting away from the sun, my brain will be shifting toward diminishing light. It’ll be a repeat in opposite of our darkest day last December when the Earth started shifting toward more light, because our upcoming longest day will start shifting away from light.

Next week I’ll think more about upcoming darkness than the longer daylights. I’ll start enjoying summer with more caution and more in the moment, savoring each instant of extra light.

It’s the way of being while living on a ranch, in a rural or countryside area, or clear off-the-grid. Every single plan becomes associated to the great patterns of weather, light, and darkness. Fortunately, these often are predictable with technology that provides heads-up to possible winds, rains, and other solar activities.

Locally the weather heading up to next Sunday should be warm and pleasant. I’ll feed livestock while feeling optimistic and good. I’ll be comfortably among them during these extended days with faux-evenings.

We watch the risings and settings of sun and moon as they change. We’ve learned how integrally we’re connected to those processes and work to find ways of accommodating to solar activities.

Dear Friends: As we age, time flies faster, changes occur quicker, and we cherish natural light. Diana

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Tuesday, June 15, 2021 (In 12 more days June’s fullest [Strawberry] moon will rise.)

For a month I sorely missed Christiane Amanpour’s presence on “Amanpour & Company”, her late evening news and opinion interviews. Several years ago, her nightly hour became the replacement for Charlie Rose’s dropped show.

About Charlie, I loved and rarely missed his interviews. Unfortunately, there were two Charlies. The one on television always well-informed about his interviewees was an insightful, sensitive interviewer. The real life Charlie, exposed during #metoo, was a sexual predator using power and influence to harass women off-camera. It was crushing to learn Charlie’s offensive behavior. I’d immediately and easily dismissed Harvey Weinstein, but was heartbroken acknowledging Charlie’s disgrace.

Public Television was unprepared to pull his show, needed months to find a suitable replacement, the choice was Christiane, and right on. She once was CNN’s well-known, very brave newsperson who’d appear nightly and broadcasting from the very middle of a heated conflict somewhere in the world. She was articulate and likeable, yet tough and direct. Eventually she married, stopped chasing battles, did more commentary.

Today, she’s the Chief International Anchor for CNN, hosts CNN’s International’s nightly interview program “Amanpour”, and for PBS heads “Amanpour & Company”.

From 2018, she’s nightly appeared in Charlie’s old time slot. I sometimes listen to podcasts and fill-in quick points missed while watching. Christiane is confident, well-informed, goes straight to the heart of matters, won’t let anybody off the hook. And best always remains likeable.

Last night, immediately on returning to her show, she explained having been on medical leave for ovarian cancer. She’s undergone successful surgery, will continue receiving chemotherapy, appears healthy and energetic. After explaining to us her absence, she went straight to work interviewing a former key member of the Israeli government.

All that is a model for The Modern Woman–smart, capable, independent, able to confront and overcome serious challenges. Essentially, one who’s self-confident and optimistic.

Dear Friends: An exciting return. May she handle chemo well, and keep keeping us informed. Diana

Monday, June 14, 2021 (Only 13 more days until June’s full [Strawberry] moon rises.)

This little city of Bend, Oregon, is most interesting. It’s surrounded by outdoors opportunities and has an interesting population mix. Many are conservatives representing forestry, farming, and ranching, and others are modern independents, capable with technology and able to work from home over distances.

Bend’s surroundings of forest and desert, mountains and canyons, invite athleticism and adventure, and bring new resident inflows. The newbies initiate key social changes, for example, they’ve transformed this county into a liberal environment!

I recognized the changing through years working part-time in Bend’s Costco. Observing and engaging with customers revealed newly-mixing social and political views. It happens I’m not athletic, but became a horseback rider, thus experiencing many of this area’s complex surroundings. Becoming friends with neighborhood residents put me into contract with several very bright and outdoorsy individuals.

This takes my story today to specific neighbors and friends, Dale and Susie Neubauer. They’re the designers, manufacturers, and shippers of “Heliladder”, a creative and beautiful, highly functional ladder. It’s modular and stands independently on a cantilevered base. The modularity conforms to a helicopter’s curves, and the cantilevering allows repair access without leaning a ladder against and possibly damaging a ‘copter.

The Neubauers are intrepid outdoors adventurers. They described a project in which they’re involved, leading me to learn of Goeff Babb, their long-time, equally adventurous friend. In the early 2000s, Goeff suffered a couple of strokes that curtailed his participation in the rugged outdoors. He’s very creative and began dreaming about creating a wheelchair that could go wherever he wished outdoors (e.g., areas with mountains and canyons). He and his friend Dale teamed, and for years the geniuses collaborated over chair ideas and designs. Now, they’ve achieved physically a mutual vision, The AdvenChair.

This weekend, my Heliladder friends invited me to their shop. There, Goeff, Dale, Susie, volunteering friends and their ladder-builders would be crewing to assemble ten AdvenChairs. Each has a buyer waiting who’s thrilled about enabling a loved one, with action-limiting muscle and nerve conditions, to venture into the outdoors.

The excitement was catching, and here are some of my observations.

This assembled AdvenChair receives an assembly and quality assessment.

For a rider the AdvenChair has many safety features. For a team handler it has special handles to ease moving a sitting person’s weight. Beyond safety features and handling ease, the chair is adjustable to accommodate individual heights and muscular needs. It’s constructed to be among very rugged conditions and has knobby-wide tires for all terrains.

A look at safe seating, all-terrain tires, and directional flexibility.

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Testing seat fit and locating identifying details of an assembled AdvenChair.

These hunky chairs can fit into almost any space, go through any doorway, and will travel anywhere–to and from mountain tops, and equally, to and from canyon bottoms. Goeff emphasizes that the chair is designed for a team. It’s un-motorized, requiring riders aiming toward an untamed outdoors to have team helpers to manipulate and navigate.

Goeff articulated his brand moto, “A chair that can go where no other chairs dare venture.”

The shop had an atmosphere of anticipation, fun, and excitement, in assembling and making final assessments.

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Among those bringing to fruition these ten AdvenChairs: Dale, Goeff, and Susie.

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This week, the “Oregon Field Guide” is sending its production team to HeliLadder. They’ll create a Public Television presentation highlighting the AdvenChair and its life-changing capabilities. (With thanks to my friend and fellow full-moon chaser, Susie, today’s “Morning Blog” pre-scoops Public Television.)

Please watch for Public Television’s segment on the AdventurChair. The videography team for Oregon Field Guide excels absolutely.

Bottom line, Goeff’s dream is a piece de resistance of design and capability. It’s beautiful and a knockout of flexibility, comfortability, and safety. And best, for challenging the outdoors, it calls for a team of participants. Altogether a very cool product.

Visiting Goeff’s site teaches more about a very creative individual, and reveals the details and options for his amazing all-terrain AdvenChair: https://www.advenchair.com/

Dear Friends: Who’d a’thought, that a wheelchair or ladder could knock our socks off! Diana

Sunday, June 13, 2021   (June’s full [“Strawberry”] moon rises on the 24th [11 days].)

Pigeon Appreciation Day! Who knew? And I happen to have a pet pigeon.

Mine is a former racing pigeon, Gilbert, who was rescued by my friends, the Gilberts. On a summer day, they found him hanging-out in their barn and wearing leg rings that led them to his owner in California, a pigeon-racer. He explained that the pigeon had been racing from Washington State to home in California. A racing bird that stops is considered a failure. It would be fine if the Gilberts found a new home for this bird.

So, four years ago, Gilbert came to live with me.

He’s now six years old and delightful, quiet, non-obtrusive, but very alert and smart. Thankfully, Gilbert completely is the opposite in style and behavior from my other bird, a demanding parrot.

Long ago before I retired to country-like living, I considered wild pigeons as nuisances. There were too many and all very messy. Gilbert changed that perception. He’s encouraged me to explore pigeon keeping and breeding, and to understand why they’re enjoyable as pets.

Here’s Gilbert on first coming to me just after his racing days. A powerfully built and muscled-up bird, able to fly many miles without stopping.

Racing pigeons are descended from homing pigeons. After a little training of flying in circles, racers can find their ways back home from well over 500 miles away. Pigeons flying in circles learn where they are by detecting electronic pulses from the earth’s magnetic field. They use these pulses to self-orient, to work out where home is.

A pigeon that’s racing flies at average speeds of 65 mph.

Those “city birds”, pigeons people consider nuisances are good for many reasons. They help to disperse seeds and fertilize the ground by defecating which some trees need to grow their fruit. Pigeons help to control insect populations because they’re omnivores, surviving on both plant- and animal-based foods. Pigeons eat pretty much anything and remove food waste from our streets.

To many humans, pigeons are great pets.

Dear Friends: Always appreciate pigeons, and today especially, for it’s their day! Diana

Saturday, June 12, 2021   (June’s full [“Strawberry”] moon rises in 12 days, on the 24th.)

The header photo, from the Oregon HIstorical Society Research Library, shows Nancy Wak Wak, a Nez Pierce, on an Appaloosa in 1937.

After visiting my friend Noell’s Appy babies this week, and hearing about her breeding program, I wanted to know more about Appaloosas. To my surprise, the breed is tied very closely to Oregon’s history.

The first documented reports of horses in Oregon are from Lewis and Clark, who recorded having seen spotted horses, similar to today’s Appaloosas, among the Nez Perce Tribe. The Nez Pierce, with winter quarters in Eastern Oregon’s Wallowa Valley, originally bred these horses in the mid-to-late eighteenth century, from varieties of Spanish horses traded into the Northwest. The Nez Perce valued equine intelligence, temperament, sure-footedness, endurance, and speed.

The Nez Perce area, at the time of Lewis and Clark, was approximately 17,000,000 acres, covering parts of Washington, Oregon, Montana and Idaho. Their tribal horses had to negotiate treacherous trails, from Oregon’s winter quarters, through the Rockies, to summer encampments on the Plains. The horses had to be fast enough for a hunter to catch a bison, and smooth-gaited enough in full-gallop for a hunter to fire accurately.

The original Nez Pierce Appys almost disappeared after the 1875 Nez Perce War, when the U.S. military confiscated the Tribe’s herds. A few of the breed survived, and in the 1930s, eastern Oregon horse breeders began working to revive the Nez Pierce Appaloosa.

The modern Appaloosa is a distinctive and valued American breed. Today’s Nez Perce Tribal members and non-tribal horse ranchers continue to re-develop the breed’s prized traits. It’s a history that makes more significant little Asher, Noell’s month-old colt.

He’s spoken for and after weaning will go to Texas. There he’ll become a foundation stallion in a young Appaloosa breeding program.

There’s an annual Chief Joseph Trail Ride that starts in Joseph, Oregon. It’s one of the longest-running historic rides (about one hundred miles) in the United States. The Appaloosa Horse Club began hosting it in 1965, it retraces the 1877 route of Chief Joseph and his people, fleeing capture by the U.S. Cavalry. Every rider participating in this annual event must be on an Appaloosa.

This powerful painting from 1982 is by Howard Terpning, entitled, “Chief Joseph Rides to Surrender”.

Dear Friends: In America’s cultural history, Appaloosas have been intertwined and essential. Diana

Friday, June 11, 2021   (June’s full [“Strawberry”] moon rises in 13 days, on the 24th.)

The Oregon Cascades, from far left, Broken Top, followed by South Sister and Middle and North Sisters. An unencumbered panorama, it’s the view from my friend Noell’s Desert Spirit Appaloosa Horse Ranch, which faces west and sets high. My somewhat limited camera skills easily captured this mountain string.

I visited Noell’s to see the spring babies now ranging from two weeks to a month old. Some were born with spots, some without. Noell DNA tests every foal to reveal which will shed its solid color for a new coat that’s spotted, and which will regrow solid-colors. The DNA data ensures that regardless of color it’s a foundation Appaloosa.

Regardless of how eventually their coats might be colored, these babies are adorable.

A bit of history. Last year, Noell lost her beloved elderly mare, April, who had been bred by, doted on, and ridden by Noell’s mother, who long ago passed away suddenly. For Noell, loosing April (a maiden mare) was nearly sad as when she lost her own mom. Now in a renewal of sorts, Noell intends to keep the two new fillies, but couldn’t bring herself to re-use the name April. She’s excited though and eager to train, play with, and ride them.

This baby like her mom will be white, and DNA says she’ll keep her lovely dark front and legs.

Noell’s other chosen little one will grow to maturity in her current solid color, a lovely coat of rich chestnut.

This is a month-old, solid-dark colt, his topside already reaches to my shoulder. He’s bold and friendly, and after weaning will go to Texas where he’ll help to found an Appaloosa breeding program.

One who loves horses, and is among a bunch of them on a beautiful afternoon under a fabulous sky, struggles to depart empty-handed. A solution is to capture memories, and to plan periodic returns to see them growing and learning.

Dear Friends: Mama horses are protective, and among the babies I moved slowly and carefully. Diana

Thursday, June 10, 2021   (June’s full [“Strawberry”] moon rises in 14 days, on the 24th.)

Summer is rising, sun’s out and rain’s gone. At least for today.

My friend, Noell, raises and trains horses. Her special interest is the Appaloosa, a wonderful all-purpose breed. An Appaloosa usually sports a delightful spotty pattern, although some are solid-colored. Recently on her ranch were born new babies, two fillies and a colt. Today, I’ll visit her ranch and meet the little ones.

Noell and became friends shortly after I obtained my first horses. Over the years, we’ve ridden together and shared horse-and-family stories. Last year and about the same time, each of us suffered a family loss. We got together several times to work through grief.

She’s helped me understand ways to train my horses, and last year, I asked Noell to train my mares to go into a two-horse straight-in trailer. They had been used to entering a big wide horse trailer and refused to go into one little and more narrow. Patient and consistent Noell accomplished our goal in short order.

I’ve been eager to visit these leggy babies and learn about plans for their futures. And to take pictures! There’s nothing cuter than a baby of any kind. Foals are fun just to watch. And because an experienced “horse eye” can see a baby’s potential for athleticism and performance in its very-apparent early structure.

My plans for this visit have been on hold through our chilly wet weather. They’ll be realized on this beautiful day.

Dear Friends: This breed’s strength, capacity, and loyalty, have ingrained Appaloosas in history. Diana