Friday, February 19, 2021 (31 days before the First Day of Spring)

There are hopeful signals of spring’s early appearance, in warming weather, lengthening daylights, busier birds, and as I heard yesterday, rumbles from a frog in camouflage. These represent a gravity that encourages lightheartedness.

More is adding to a lighter heart, it’s America’s change of administration. Now, news stories hinting at honesty don’t instantly raise senses of dread about possible social and political shifts ahead. This morning my less burdened mind was free to take time reading and enjoying absorbing details of the science and technology behind yesterday’s Mars landing.

Ah, it’s wonderful, feeling more free to learn, and in that way participate in science, technology, and imagination.

Capturing renewed attention is the 2018 disappearance and brutal murder of Jamal Khashoggi, by agents of Saudi’s government. Khashoggi lived in America and wrote for the Washington Post. His murder was an extreme blow to our news industry and whole nation. At the time and until America’s administration changed, our government downplayed the incident. But now, in renewed foreign relations, Joe Biden has chosen to bypass Saudi’s Crown Prince and instead will conduct negotiations with the Prince’s father. There’s also news that soon America will release, for all to read, its report of an official investigation into Khashoggi’s murder.

As welcome as sights and sounds that herald spring’s arrival are renewed hopes, for our citizens and country, and for improved relations and collaborations among nations.

Dear Friends: An understood center of gravity fosters harmony between body and mind. Diana

Thursday, February 18, 2021 (32 days before the First Day of Spring)

I’m designing a hanging twelve-month calendar, and tomorrow expect that an initial draft-printed version will make this idea real. The draft is illustrated by a quickly-selected photo montage of my animals. A follow-on version will include photos from farther back in time. They more thoughtfully will associate to specific months’ weather patterns and traditions.

This calendar is an old idea that my friend, Janet, and I began considering several years ago while costuming my donkey, Pimmy, for participating in parades. Janet, an artist, designed the costumes and Pimmy’s dressed-up visuals were terrific. Every December since, Janet remembers that we failed to begin early to create a calendar for starting in January. This time and having begun early, I’ll invite Janet into the process. We might get it done.

What triggered my enthusiasm is a recent great photo of my Border Collie, Miles. From about fifty yards away, my zoom camera caught him, paused and focused on ambushing his buddies, capturing his posture and intent.

I loved this photo and left it untouched, had it printed as an 8×10 which didn’t disappoint. Now framed and perfect, it make me think again about making a calendar. Stay posted.

Dear Friends: By pursuing our interests, we will be able to create and invent our own work. Diana

Wednesday, February 17. 2021 (33 days before the First Day of Spring)

Goodbye, snow. You were here briefly after having gotten the storm severity and your powder depth about right. My lingering complaint is that you didn’t last a day or two beyond last Sunday. But I’m optimistic, for snows have occurred in late February and during March. I don’t mind waiting awhile before stashing my snowshoes for the season.

What’s left of standing snow either has turned to being ice-crusted or being slushy-wet. I slosh down to the barn and up again. I can’t help remembering cool paths that I kicked just days ago.

What’s intriguing this season has been seeing my barn differently. In evening light, especially if there’s snow, I top my hill to sight the barn and am aware of its reinvigorated appeal. The barn sighting always is welcome and compelling, but the vision this season strikes me differently. It beckoning me to go outside with art supplies in an early evening, to capture the barn’s glowing warmth–this time impressionistically instead of with photography. Stay tuned.

Perhaps my thoughts about snow are undergoing transformation. I’m sensing it as less problematic and more about opportunity. Of course, everything depends on a combination of weather intensity, snow amount, length of interruptive climate, and having tools to combat. For me, those tools have been snowshoes and my increasing thoughts of art.

To stay in reality, on a recent snow day, in real time and lots of merits, here’s a heart-warmer.

Dear Friends: Let’s view some transformations as seriousness with an element of play. Diana

Tuesday, February 16, 2021 (34 days until the First Day of Spring)

Things don’t always go as one might wish. Yesterday, down here low, we had less packed snow from the mountains. Our area began warming and creating slush. By early afternoon when I planned to head out to play with dogs and snowshoes, most snow still unevaporated had become wet mucks. I needed wading boots. Today, in a greater effort I might head up to packed snow in the mountains for a really good outing before having to pack away the shoes.

Instead, yesterday became a shopping day. I made one of my periodic trips to the Dollar Store and paid my semi-annual visit to Walmart. These keep me in touch with beyond Costco where I work. It’s easy to shop at Costco and exploring other venues isn’t necessary, except for the money wasted. Large quantities from Costco create waste for a single person. Much stored on my shelves stays there forever. Costco bulk purchases make better sense for family shoppers. Yesterday was enlightening. Other venues don’t require memberships which saves money. Sure, Costco kicks money back to its members, but single or two-person families that shop there exclusively, spend and waste more.

I thought about that yesterday evening and will take that day’s lessons to heart.

I’ve read that stroking a cat tends to lower a human’s blood pressure. Maybe having Maxwell on my lap helped relax me enough to plan ahead for making changes.

Dear Friends: Nobody gives you freedom, you have to take it. Diana

Monday, February 15, 2021 (35 days until the First Day of Spring)

Happy President’s Day!

It’s not springy here in Central Oregon, but a signal of change is that snow from the weekend is melting. There still might be lots of snow over on the Old Golf Course where this afternoon the dogs and I will go. They will run while I snowshoe.

Physical exertion should help clear my head of the current burdens confusing me in nighttime dreams. I’ve an outside job that’s become tiring. I’m sporting a hangover from the complicated impeachment process. I’ll skip lightly over the complexities of relationships, the calls for pedaling around issues to maintain balance. You get it and understand, without bunches of detail.

Onw way to counter what’s in one’s head is getting out and going. Shopping, a popular diversion, is costly and often wasteful. Far too many times, I’ve carried home items seeming with potential that weren’t useful. I’ve concluded that the best way to counter “brain burdens” is with physical exercise. The trick is to figure out which exercises best suit oneself. Central Oregon is an athletic environment with folks working out in gyms, or skiing, or bicycling, or running, and active in many other ways. Like me, some enjoy working with horses. By the way, a horse doesn’t get all the exercise, it’s size calls for a strong handler.

Heavy exercise sidetracks and relaxes a brain, allowing one to think more clearly. Today, after snowshoeing, my burdens might feel less problematic. Exercising which solves little issues and helps to set aside bigger ones means I’ve found the right outlet to combat feeling snowed-in and dulled by routine worries.

Dear Friends: Accustomed to self-isolating, we seek alternatives to satisfy emotional and physical needs. Diana

Sunday, February 14, 2021 (34 days until First Day of Spring)

Happy Valentine’s Day!

And, Happy snowshoeing days!

Finally yesterday, in a day of new snow, I found time to test my new snowshoes–lightweight and correctly sized.

First, some history. Back in 2017, Central Oregon’s winter covered it in deep, long-lasting snow. One afternoon in snow about two feet deep, I ventured outside on snowshoes. Before, and about ten years earlier, I had for the first and only time used those shoes–up on Mt. Bachelor with a guided group of snowshoe novices. Then, the work of snowshoeing quickly proved too much. Walking required all my energy and whatever extra might be mustered. It was painful to stay with the group, lifting each heavy snowshoe was a feat of desperation. I welcomed the moments our guide paused to explain snowshoeing. From the depths of my heart, I swore never again to be on them.

Fast forward to 2017’s deep snow, it was perfect for snowshoeing. I found my old shoes, donned them, headed out. All was fine walking down my long driveway. At its bottom, I curved back onto my property and into a flat area without rocks. Who knows why I tripped, maybe one of my shoes caught the other. I landed on my knees with the front halves of both snowshoes stuck deeply in snow, which prevented a shifting of the shoes. I had to get them underneath myself in order to get up, and I had no walking poles.

The only solution would be reaching a tree about twenty-five feet away. Its trunk was narrow enough to grab and use to hoist myself to a stand. I crawled on my knees while dragging snowshoes through the deep snow. Finally reaching the tree, I pulled myself into a stand. From way deep in my heart, I’d never again snowshoe!

Upon reaching the house, I removed those shoes, threw them into the trash.

Meanwhile, I’ve learned that snowshoeing technology has improved and nowadays shoes are lighter. I know now that they come in sizes. My old ones might have been large or extra-large, leftovers from a store shelf. In my early days in Oregon, knowing next to nothing about winter sports, I grabbed any winter equipment I saw.

This season, I decided to try snowshoeing again. Most stores had sold out of all but the large and extra-large sizes. I’m educated now and walked past them, finding online instead an appropriate package. It had lightweight shoes, sized correctly, and with walking sticks. Yesterday, I unpackaged the set, figured out how to adjust fits, and set in and tightened my Sorel Boots. I slipped my feet inside the Sorels and lifted walking sticks.

What a world of difference lightweight shoes made. They were easy to lift up and set down. Those sticks were helpful for leaning on or poking ahead to check for impedances. I walked all over my property in snow averaging about six inches with foot-high drifts. Finally, I traveled onto the street and walked nearly a mile. Loved it!

Tomorrow, if the snow holds, I’ll venture out again–wearing snowshoes and accompanied by the dogs. We’ll be somewhere in the tundra.

Dear Friends: Sometimes just giving up may over time encourage a related new beginning. Diana

Saturday, February 13, 2021 (35 days until First Day of Spring)

The dogs loaded into my vintage Jeep and we took off for somewhere for them to run. They were eager, for between my working schedule and inclement weather, too much time had passed since they last were freely dashing dogs. Full disclosure, my other purpose for finding open spaces with snow was to take landscape photos. We found the right place with lots of interesting terrain. The dogs ran, and I activated my zoom camera.

I learned that this camera too-slowly transitions from the instant of capture and readies for another shot. Maybe there’s a fix to this in its dial-up capabilities. Meanwhile, I’m shooting on automatic focus. The camera can stop action and did with the dogs. Yesterday’s photos are pleasing, don’t need editing, but more rapid transitions would be a big plus.

Here are the dogs in that snowy landscape.

Snow so changes the visual world that scenes we’re accustomed to appear new and different. Most of yesterday’s scenic photos weren’t practice throwaways as I anticipated. Instead the downloads were interesting and compelling.

This stokes my imagination!

Dear Friends: It’s impossible to overestimate wintertime’s abundant joys and beauties. Diana

Friday, February 12, 2021 (36 days until First Day of Spring)

Spring, please, get here early!

All day yesterday snow slowly fell in little-bitty flakes, not the big fluffy kind that draws us to windows to witness nature’s beauty. Yesterday’s all-day fall compared to past snowstorms didn’t much accumulate nor become too bothersome. At least, not at Eight Pines Ranch. Yet, in trips to and from the barn, my cleated boots did do some wading-through and kicking-up. Today, we’re likely to be hit again. Several predicted follow-on snowstorms supposedly could fall for days and spike the challenges of navigating on foot or in a vehicle.

My horses spent much time standing in a shed that sheltered them, but on spotting me hurrying downhill toward the barn, they ignored falling snow and accumulated beside the gate. Soon, I’d be coming toward them and pulling a hay-filled sled. It’s a feeding ritual that happens several times daily. Horses always are hungry.

The horses’ bodies are warm and yet sport unmelted snow. Not a worry, because by plunging my fingers deeply into a horse’s coat, its bodily warmth is revealed. As a matter of practice, when my fingers feel stiff and frozen, I slip the gloves and warm my bare hands against an equine body.

• 

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My fantasy is that we’ve seen all the snow that’ll fall.

Meanwhile, my heat pump is failing. The inside temperature is about 50 degrees, it’s freezing in here! Luckily, I noticed the thermostat dropping and sensed failure, for my heat pump usually maintains a steady temperature. Luckily yesterday, I could reach the furnace folks and arrange for help this morning. Meanwhile, my pellet stove will warm the area.

Usually, system failures occur at the most awful times, like major holidays or on Sundays. This one could have been a huge problem in cold, snowy weather, and fortunately, the conditions outside aren’t bad enough to tie up repair crews.

Dear Friends: Stay warm and have a wonderful day. Diana

Thursday, February 11, 2021 (38 days until First Day of Spring)

Yeah, oh yeah, here in Central Oregon starting around noon, we can anticipate a massive snowfall that’ll continue a couple of days. Also, a spell of very cold weather that’ll keep snow on the ground for days. We’ve had a heads-up long enough to prepare, and as usual, in moments just prior I’ll leap into action.

First this morning, a couple of outings. I must pick up my Jeep from the repair shop and then go to receive a first Covid injection. Returning home, I’ll gas up and start the snow-blowers, they’re critical in combating snowy terrains. My house on a hill, has me needing blown paths to and from the barn, and a blown driveway that’s long and curvy.

The horses will stay home where they have shelter. Aside from periodic tosses of hay, and unless downfall requires snow-blowing, I’ll be inside with the dogs, birds, and Max the cat. An inside free afternoon will let me experiment with ideas for designing a webpage for the Eight Pines Ranch.

A focused webpage is a huge commitment requiring one or more clear themes, objectives, and goals. To focus and develop my hopeful ideas, I’ll apply practical methods used to create viable business plans. There will be more to come.

Meanwhile, if you find yourself in a snow zone, bundle up. Put to good use all inside time.

Dear Friends: A dedication to continuous learning would be a webpage backbone. Diana

Wednesday, January 10, 2021 (39 days until the First Day of Spring)

It’ll happen, that on Thursday this area will be walloped by a major snowstorm. Today, I’ll practice starting my big snow-blower to be ready for battling harsh elements. I also have new snowshoes in the correct size and poles for navigating. I’ve dreamed of taking pictures while out walking on snowshoes, a great fantasy but unlikely, as snowshoeing itself is very hard work. Especially for one as out of shape as me.

In yesterday’s late afternoon, while going to retrieve the horses from pasture, I carried my camera. The day before, as I was leading horses out from the pasture, an owl surprised me by swooping down and landing about 50 feet away. Maybe it was watching for a rodent, sat a couple of minutes before flying away.

I so wanted a camera! Not that it would have done much good as my hands were full of lead ropes. The horses and I were leaving the pasture when again that owl landed, not far away, and paused momentarily before taking off. With me completely helpless to capture that owl.

I timed the next day’s trip to the pasture to be in late afternoon and with a camera. That time of day birds are active, hunting late or settling in with an eye on their territories. I took pictures and most turned out colorless in that late light. There’s a camera setting to offset drab lighting, but it’s yet to be explored.

Of course no owl appeared, but a nanosecond before lowering my camera and attending to waiting horses, another area resident flew overhead–the Red Tailed Hawk!, a bird I’ve looked for as well as its mate. Swooping high and landing atop a tall tree, the hawk stayed put, but distant enough to require the camera’s entire zoom capacity. The image is an interesting profile, and powerful, but lacking enough definition to suit me.

I’d been toying with Adobe Photoshop to understand its capabilities and wondered if that program’s assets might strengthen the original capture. Here’s the thing, I like the original but for the blog wanted feathers and sky.

This has pushed me into Photoshop World. Not easy, for one ought to understand how to work with nearly colorless photos. In the end though, my efforts did better define the image’s key elements.

Dear Friends: Anything that interests us enough can push us on forward. Diana