Sunday, July 04, 2021 — (In 19 days, July’s fullest moon [“Thunder”] will rise.)

Without fully comprehending what made this video series so fixating and unable to resist it, I binge-watched all 24 episodes of “Mr. Sunshine” (one season, Korean with subtitles) on Netflix.

What’s easy to understand is its superb artistic components. Gorgeous videography, compelling soundtrack (Asian flavor with Western influence), and lead characters introduced in their childhoods by endearing young actors.

Knowing little about Korean history, and nothing about this series aside from visual and auditory attractiveness, I felt lost among its threads, but the overall beauty held me. Afterwards, I researched to understand better the story line, and after learning, became very interested in Korean history and culture.

The series plot is multi-pronged. A love story, told Asian style, passionate with little physical contact. A history story, beginning in early Twentieth Century, as Japan flexes muscle (supported by America and Great Britain) to take over Korea.

The series opened my eyes, made me want to understand more historical Korea’s people and politics.

We know modern Korea. Common knowledge begins with the Korean Conflict and the politics dividing Korea North and South. We know that today many countries influence Korean politics–current events but little else.

The Korean peninsula had settled and literate societies as early as the fourth century BCE. Gradually competing groups and kingdoms merged into a common national identity. Korea reached its near-present boundaries during the Koryo Dynasty (918-1392), from where derived the Western name “Korea”.

After invasions during the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries, Korea enforced a policy of strictly limited contact with all other countries. It became abnormally isolated, or a “hermit kingdom” as Westerners knew it.

In the latter half of the Nineteenth Century the Chinese Empire declined. Western powers began to vie for ascendancy in East Asia and Korea became an object of competing interests. Japan, China, and Russia were main rivals. After Japan defeated China and Russia in war (1895-1905), it became a predominant power on the Korean peninsula.

In 1910 Japan annexed Korea as a colony, and for the next 35 years ruled the country in a manner strict and often brutal.

“Mr. Sunshine” takes place in the late Nineteenth Century, with Japan beginning to interrupt and shake up Korea’s feudal culture. The story presented is multi-faceted, about the stresses of loving much–family, culture, and tradition, in a world rapidly changing and brutal physically and psychologically.

After having done story background learning, I’ll watch again the series. It’s a beautifully presented study of post-industrial social and human conflict, about economically and politically driven post-industrial modernization, and how it was forced upon a slower economy.

Dear Friends: The “University of Netflix” is gaining ground in influence similar to “U. of YouTube”. Diana

Saturday, July 03, 2021 — (In 20 days, July’s fullest moon [“Thunder”] will rise.)

It’s still here, that rescued infant Robin.

Yesterday I stood on a hill and three times tossed baby high into the air. Its wings flapped in the abundant space between toss- and landing-spots, but each try ended abruptly with a thud. The unhurt bird sat patiently until I lifted it.

Maybe it’s too young to fly, or something about the bird isn’t right. Well, it behaves normally, eats like a tiny horse, naps between feedings, and recognizes my voice. It patiently sits on my forearm to lounge in the garden, and comfortably rides an arm to barn or shop.

Over two days it has consumed two cartons of small mealworms, 10 each of giant mealworms, a few crickets, and as of this morning is finishing the last of three cartons of fishing worms. Today requires refreshing my live bait stockpiles.

A suggestion of turning weird is saving household bugs alive. I appreciate insects, they’re fun to observe and learn about. Usually I interrupt only the few genuine unwanteds. This is changing now as all air and ground insects are potential bird food, and I evaluate ease of catch-ability.

Daily going forward, I’ll toss this baby high into the air, several times, hoping it may fly independently. Until strong enough to sail on its own, it’ll remain in care.

Meanwhile, this a happy tyke that creates a little extra work and offers lots of fun.

Dear Friends: All living beings incredibly are connected, and living reminders of this simply delight. Diana

Friday, July 02, 2021 (In 21 days, July’s fullest moon [“Thunder”] will rise.)

Today, my rescued baby bird should fly. I learned lots about the little guy while running around searching for live food to feed it.

About live food for reptiles, there’s very little available. Wild Birds Unlimited hasn’t carried live mealworms in a long while. One reason is that the weather is too hot for shipping live creatures and knowing they’ll arrive alive. Another is live-critter shortage, for the pandemic has put many live bait producers out of business.

I made a first ever visit to The Reptile Zone, which doled out 10 live and very large mealworms. The owner, Mike, suggested I cut-off heads before feeding them. The big mealworms are biters and fine for reptiles that chew their food, but might be less good for birds, which swallow whole.

He had questions about my bird’s feathering and decided that it has molted off its baby feathers, is a full fledgling. In other words it could fly. Mike estimated that the parents pushed my bird from the nest, but it didn’t become airborne. The screaming parents encouraging the baby to fly were not swooping to feed it.

Long story short, my little guy was lazy.

Mike suggested feeding for a day or two, and then taking the bird outside, tossing it high into air and seeing if it flies. If not, lift, toss again, and repeat, until eventually the wings carry. In air, wings respond automatically by beating, and one or another toss will create flight.

He adds that once the bird flies, it will be able to find its food.

What I didn’t know about birds!

Mike said to visit Walmart, which sells live bait (Who knew!). Live worms, easy to feed, are these days a more available live species.

My little rescue Robin loved last evening’s dinner and this morning’s breakfast. Me, not so much, because it’s a challenge to poke a long wriggler down a tiny bird’s throat.

Today, this bird will fly.

I’ll add, that here in Bend, Mike’s Reptile Zone fascinates, with a variety of beautiful and interesting reptile species (sans birds). Mike and his staff are experienced, knowledgeable, and thoroughly can explain each critter’s unique characteristics and care needs. They invite browsers, and I’ll revisit their cool environment.

Dear Friends: A fun little Robin bird has brought wonderful learning and new friends. Diana

Wednesday, July 01, 2021 (In 22 days, July’s fullest moon [“Thunder”] will rise.)

I’m “rescuing” an infant Robin. It’s feathered, still needs being fed.

The other evening a pair of Robins created ongoing ruckus and were continuing it early yesterday. They were worrying over a fenced 1/3-acre where my dogs run. I watched, finally seeing my Border Collie get very interested in a single spot. Peering closely, I saw a baby bird.

I hurried into the dog area, removed and set the infant nearby into a grassy spot. The still-noisy parents watched and vocally stayed in touch. Their little one wobbly stood with head lifted and mouth wide open. I moved away to see the parents fly in, but they didn’t and maintained a physical distance.

Meanwhile, overhead a big raptor was circling and for awhile had slowly been doing so. This predator that looked bigger and had feathers lighter in color than a Red-Tailed Hawk might spot the tiny bird.

I understand the wisdom of leaving a baby bird, for parents will continue caring for it. Clearly, those were vigilant parents. But, that circling bird of prey! But, the domestic cats that roam in this area! Against better instincts, I put the willing infant into a critter-carrier and took it into the garage.

After hurrying and obtaining live mealworms, I fed and watered the bird, which gobbled all offerings while making robin noises. Its parents heard it and landed nearby in trees called to their baby. I decided to return baby to freedom, released it into a garden area, and stood far away watching. The worried and noisy parents, as earlier, didn’t approach their little one.

I went away, returning in a half-hour and finding no baby. After searching among plants I found it asleep atop an open rock, and no nearby parent sounds, I decided to rescue again.

I’ll feed and help until this Robin is strong enough to fly. Then, it may freely lift off!

This solution isn’t optimal. After moving the bird away from the dogs, maybe I should have let nature take its course. Perhaps I should had contacted a wild bird rescue, but a previous uncomfortable experience with that process made me hesitate. Meanwhile, I am an experienced “bird person”, have a sense of what’s needed, and will see how things evolve.

I don’t intend to name this bird. Truly, it’s destined to fly free.

Dear Friends: Now, it’s time for this lil’ baby to have a second early-morning feeding. Diana

Wednesday, June 30, 2021 (In 23 days, July’s fullest moon [“Thunder”] will rise.)

Searching for something to stream, I ran across this wonderful film. It’s a story of Tibetan culture that takes us into an isolated village located in the complex Himalayas. It introduces us to tribal members, and carries us with them, and their yak herd, up and over mountains toward a destination for selling its salt harvest.

The videography is stunning, the plot and its challenges are gripping. Only two cast members are professional actors, all others are actual tribe members.

The story revolves around the sudden death of a very elderly tribal leader’s son. The old leader attempts to take on the deceased son’s work by re-establishing himself as the one most able to lead villagers and herds across the mountains. Their goal will be selling the tribe’s salt harvests for it much needed annual income.

The drama occurs because after the caravan leader’s death, a young and very able man wishes to lead the next upcoming trip across the mountains. But the deceased’s father, a very old man, wants to lead the caravan himself and refuses to yield power.

The younger potential leader is logical, has considered all elements of the drive, can explain the best route and most appropriate time to start. The old man, an experienced caravan leader, hasn’t been on a drive for many years. His worldview, less logical, has much to do with what “God says” about the trip’s correct starting time and route.

It’s impossible to tell which characters are professional actors. The entire drama proceeds seamlessly and every single character is an integral member of the group.

Himalaya, a 1999 film, was shot in widescreen over many months. It’s location is in a region reachable only on foot. Its director, Éric Valli, who has lived in Nepal since 1983 is a photographer and author.

I discovered this amazing work of art on Hulu and understand that Netflix also offers it. I recommend it very highly.

Dear Friends: This film is a tribute to humanity, it’s community, conflicts, strength, and spirit. Diana

Tuesday, June 29, 2021 (In 24 days, July’s fullest moon [“Thunder”] will rise.)

This day is supposed to be another with temperatures reaching triple digits. Since 5 a.m., I’ve been rotating sprinklers and timing flows, getting critical watering done before the sun rises.

Central Oregon summers usually don’t require much air conditioning. Typically, during a week or two in August it’s doggone hot, but otherwise, our summers are mild.

Until this one. Now, it’s staggeringly hot.

Yesterday, I hung horse blankets in the coop that houses baby chickens, to give them shade. Not until this year and in this heat, did I realize in late afternoons that some ranch areas completely lack shade. There’s none where those babies are, and none where the horses are. The horses do have a shade shelter and may escape the sun. The chick babies huddle panting in the tiny available shade. The huddle creates even more warmth. The hanging blankets will provide more shade.

Water consumption is another biggie. Yesterday evening, the horse troughs water levels were lower than I’ve ever seen. Who knew they could drink so much water! The baby chickens, too, were going through water, and I had to prevent an instant without it, so brought in a very large container with gravity-fill.

To stay into gear for creating a water feature, I brought home an asiatic lily. This flower, too beautiful to resist, grows in the ground and will encourage my “water lily state of mind”.

Best of all, it has a very cool look.

Dear Friends: Cool will be “the word” for today, and maybe, too, through days following. Diana

Monday, June 28, 2021 (In 25 days, July’s fullest moon [“Thunder”] will rise.)

What about this unyielding stretch of heat! My ranch in yesterday’s early evening totally was without shade. Hoping for a little cool while the horses ate, I went later than usual to feed, and no use, not a bit of shade. The temp, in their area, 100-deg.

I checked on the baby chickens. They were unmoving in a bit of shade cast by their Igloo but panting heavily. That heat didn’t stop them from running after and squabbling over my offering of bits of bread, which they love. Instantly when bread disappeared, they retreated to the Igloo shadow.

My cat Max has been inside most of yesterday and all of last night. He occasionally has moved, shifting from spots on carpet to those on tiled floors, always splaying-out flat.

As for Miss PattiPearl Plecos, it must be a factor of heat that early today she’s showing herself for the first time in months. She’s lived in this tank for years, is becoming a whopper.

She’s a plecostomus, a variety of catfish that grows approximately to 16″, something I didn’t know before selecting her for my new 20 gallon aquarium. PattiPearl was tiny and almost cute, would work at cleaning algae from aquarium glass. Through our years together, she’s mostly remained hidden inside a little cave. Often I wonder if she’s still alive.

All the tank’s inhabitants get along with PattiPearl, a great community fish. Someday her size will require re-homing her or establishing a larger tank. Thanks to this heat wave, at least she’s shown herself alive and well.

On subjects of fish and tanks, I’ve considered creating a water garden. They’re so cool and hold live water plants. For it, I’ll gather wild lilies from open canals and house hardy goldfish. The fish in winters would join like residents in the heated horse watering troughs.

My neighbor Frank quickly moved on this idea. He has started my plan by donating an unwanted 100 gallon trough.

An aqua-garden should be near water and electrical sources. I’m deciding on a best spot for this tank. What’s good, besides the aqua idea itself, is that despite today’s heat I’ll be thinking about water, plants, and fish–all very cooling notions.

Dear Friends: Now, going out early to beat the heat, to care for horses, chickens, goats, and plants. Diana

Sunday, June 27, 2021 (In 26 days, July’s fullest moon [“Thunder”] will rise.)

Slightly after 5 a.m., in a temp of 69 degrees, I’ve been outside and starting water on one of my eight pines. Today’s temp should rise above 100 degrees, and like yesterday, I’ll early feed and handle the outside ranch animals, and afterwards “my insiders”. Throughout today, I’ll work to fireproof the ranch by watering much more than its name-trees.

Ahead, another busy day.

For most of yesterday, I moved hoses, pulled weeds, tended animals, and worked at staying cool. Oddly enough, that work had a zen component. I discovered something wonderful about devoting myself to earth and nature, in an increased sense of feeling connected. A happy experience that today hopefully repeats.

Although it’ll be hot, the dogs and I might go hiking beside a cooling canal. A neighbor who gardens mentioned his beautiful lilies after having pulled a few blooming wild alongside a waterway. I know of two nearby canals that in summers are crowded with multi-colored tall lilies.

My little hiking fantasy might lead me to create a water garden. An idea with potential, for yesterday’s water elements increased my pleasure. I saw resident robins frequenting birdbaths, butterflies showing up and hovering, hummingbirds attracted to sprinklers and pausing in air or on a leaf to bathe. Yes, maybe today will be right for starting a water garden.

Already, during each visit to a home center I’ve adopted and brought home at least one new plant. Today will be for bringing home some beautiful water lilies.

Dear Friends: To cope is to comprehend needs and find ways to turn lemons into lemonade. Diana

Saturday, June 26, 2021 (In 27 days, July’s fullest moon [“Thunder”] will rise.)

This is a brief hello. As of today my local area will welcome a string of 100-deg-plus days. Intensive heat makes working with horses uncomfortable for them and for me. This morning I plan to hurry outside while temps are reasonable to feed and exercise.

Already, our weather has been unusually hot and unpredictable. There’s been very high heat with dry-thundering electrical storms. A couple of days ago for an hour, a driving storm of large hail literally brought this area to its knees.

Odd weather patterns are occurring everywhere. Nobody alone is facng the current unyielding heat and dryness.

These patterns force us worry ahead. About remaining well, and surviving miserable weather. About preventing wildfires from popping up and spreading. About maintaining human connections during unusual social times. About a new awareness, of an inhabited large building suddenly collapsing.

Dear Friends: Take things slowly, stay cool, be safe, and when possible assist others. Diana

Friday, June 25, 2021 In 28 days, July’s fullest moon (“Thunder”) will rise.)

Late in the evening, Susie and I headed toward the eastern desert and out to greet June’s Strawberry Moon.

This moon arrives on the heels of the summer solstice and longer daylight, which makes it rise later than other full moons.

Susie drove following her compass in a direction of anticipated moon-rise, winding up in Alfalfa, a nearby community. We searched for a place to park and wait, without trees interrupting views of the horizon.

We parked in a farmer’s field. Nearby in the near-darkness, he drove his tractor and plowed hay while ignoring our intrusion.

Behind us, the western sky was alight. The header photo (above) captures that sunset. Here’s another, which details the mesmerizing sky.

Ahead in the east’s semi-darkness as the farmer plowed, Susie and I set up to wait for the moment of moon rise. We settled into deck chairs with cameras waiting beside us. We munched shrimp and raised our beers in salute to the upcoming moon.

Suddenly through total darkness, Susie’s quick eye caught a glimmer, “Here it comes!” We scrambled for our cameras.

It’s a near-mystical human experience, the very-first glimpse of distant light in its instant of breaking darkness. The moon’s just-beginning glow is a sort-of dopamine, invigorating primitive-like great joy and deep relief.

Powered by the moon, we dance in its rising light.

Susie and I are a moon-chasing team wearing matching jackets, swapping cameras back and forth. We don’t care later who captured which picture.

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The end-page for our June Chase is this team photo, highlighted by the Strawberry Super Moon.

Dear Friends: Have fun–plant a flower, adopt a tree, love the moon–enjoy being alive. Diana