Thursday, April 30, 2020, Corvid-19 Lockdown Day #43

There’s a huge push to re-open the American economy, assisted by the appearance of a drug that might ease coronavirus suffering. There’s lots to consider, and many are debating about whether it’s appropriate now for businesses to reopen and people to come together. I’m in the camp that says wait longer, but I haven’t much of a vote. My option is to decide what to do personally based on whatever seems right in my head.

We’ve all tried through the months of this pandemic, to make sense of the many frights, realities, and handlings of it. World leadership has proven a mess! Perhaps one of the most powerful illustrations of reality was that the hardliner Boris Johnson was stricken. His condition was severe enough to warrant emergency and ventilator care. After Johnson recovered, and now fully aware of corona’s impact, his position seemed to soften toward managing both the scientific and social needs in Great Britain.

I’m not sure what’ll become more right in my head. For one thing, it’ll make sense to keep staying home until the safety of reopening is proven. For another, staying in-home limits our activities, can be uber-boring, and continues to promote distancing from other humans. When businesses start to re-open, tomorrow in fact, we’ll remember the old ad’s words: “Should I stay or should I go?”

My decision may simply go on hold for another couple of weeks. I’m near finishing my chainsaw project of liming trees and now have huge and unwanted piles of brush and limbs. The city dump will be offering days of free yard debris dumping. I’ll be there often bringing trailer loads of discards. Not until mid-May will I seriously assess the odds of staying or going. Anyway, by that time, who knows what more we might know?

Dear Friends: Have a creative, enjoyable, and hopefully another, shirt-sleeve day. Diana

Wednesday, April 29, 2020, Corvid-19 Lockdown Day #42

In the last 41 days, I’ve taken a vehicle and left my property about four times. Two to shop for groceries, once hauling a trailer to our local dump, and finally, so Peaches could visit a veterinarian. Okay, maybe we’re all in this together, but we’re sure feeling alone.

Today, I read that the skin’s “need” to touch and be touched scientifically is proven. That tossed my thinking back many years to when I knew a young and talented engineer. He was fascinated with skin’s attraction to skin and illustrated why by pointing his index fingertips near one another in a straight line, but preventing them by a tiny fraction from touching. The fingertips couldn’t be steadied completely against “miniscule dancing”. They seemed wanting completely to draw together. He intended someday to study this phenomenon. I wondered why then, and occasionally have since.

Today, an article in “Neuroscience”, about “skin hunger”, helped clarify that scientist’s focus on his fingertips’ mutual attraction. The “Neuroscience” article cites data from Miami University’s Touch Research Institute about the ways touches affect humans. Under our skin are pressure sensors, which respond to touching by sending messages to the brain, where then a nerve slows our nervous system. Responses to touch are relaxations in blood pressure, heart rate, and brain waves. (I’m including below a link to the article.)

During the past 40-some days of practicing human social distancing, and as it continues, maybe our animals have and will help more than we’ve realized. Of course, they get us outside for walks, but we also touch our pets lots. Some touches are for planned purposes, but most often, they’re thoughtless stroking habits. In any case, our brain pressure sensors respond to these skin contacts by relaxing us.

I’ll quit pushing away my dogs when their pleas for strokes interrupt my involvement with an intense Netflix series. Now, appreciating more our mutual needs for those strokes, I’ll pause Netflix and hug the dogs.

This amplifies the importance of a huge variety of pets. Horse-handling for example demands lots of touching and grooming. My dwarf goats, ditto. As for my hens, they’re always mutually in physical contact of one sort or another and enjoy being near me but don’t need my handling. They greatly need one another.

I’m reminded of the annual Pet Parade where folks show up with healthy lizards, snakes, and all varieties of well-cared-for pets. So, in Day 42, I’m doffing my cap and recognizing more, both why we need touching and in appreciating pets of all sorts.

(https://www.wired.co.uk/article/skin-hunger-coronavirus-human-touch?ncid=newsltushpmgnews)

Dear Friends: It’s been notable how greatly animal adoptions have increased in this period. Diana

Tuesday, April 28, 2020, Corvid-19 Lockdown Day #41

Yesterday, I took Peaches to Dr. Maas for wing and toenail trims. I had elected for “curb service” and while waiting for a tech person to come out for Peaches, a couple of fellows were leaving the clinic, and on one’s shoulder stood a gorgeous parrot.

“What kind of bird?” I asked.

“Blue and gold Macaw,” he replied. They got into their car before I could ask more.

I realized they saw me as a casually curious onlooker. So, I quickly opened my Jeep door and removed Peaches’ cage, setting it on the ground and hoping they’d spot my bird. They did while backing their car. They made a big circle and paused, now grinning wide-eyed, and happy to chat about birds.

“I’m so glad you could spot Peaches,” I said. “Please tell me more about your parrot.”

Their Macaw still is an infant, only 3-years old, and she can talk up a storm. They have had her since she was three months old. Yesterday, they were excited that she’d get to see another parrot, a first for her.

I held Peaches up, and suppose the two birds looked at one another–hard to tell since each bird eye has a wide range of vision. Their eyes don’t necessarily move directly toward what they’re seeing. We all knew parrots though and believed that those two effectively were sizing up one another.

Actually, I’ve found that it’s stressful for a bird accustomed to being the “only one” to be near another bird. A few years ago, we had a Cockatoo visitor while its owners were on vacation. That bird visitor, a Cockatoo more mature than still-juvenile Peaches, didn’t seem at bothered in strange surroundings near another bird. But Peaches soon began picking at his feathers. That’s a stress sign, never good to see, for once it starts the picking is difficult or impossible to stop. Anyway that was different from yesterday’s situation, which we humans enjoyed.

The three of us exchanged stories about living with our birds. Sharing experiences and affection made us forever friends, even if we don’t again meet–although we might, at the veterinarian’s.

About Peaches’ visit. First and to my great relief, he behaved well. Dr. Maas himself brought the bird out to my car. He said, “Peaches is in very good health, but there’s been a little feather picking.” I’m hoping that now, without flight, Peaches may be on my shoulder and outside more, which might counter his stress.

Even fully feathered and able to fly, Peaches is good about staying on my shoulder, but if frightened he’ll take off into flight. I worry that maybe he’ll land high in a tree and won’t descend readily. The last time we went walking, something made him fly. As I chased, a passing car nearly hit us.

Peaches could use a couple more ounces of weight. Dr. Maas said it’s okay to give him occasional seeds. (Seeds are high-fat, cause rapid weight gain and must be limited). He cautioned against feeding Sunflower and Safflower seeds, highest in fat. Otherwise, Peaches may have seeds. Eating what he loves also alleviates a little stress.

Dear Friends: Appreciating beautiful, smart, and alert birds opens new vistas to humans. Diana

Monday, April 27, 2020, Corvid-19 Lockdown Day #40

The winds this morning are moving and making treetops wave. Soon I’ll go outside to feed the large animals, and afterwards hang out with a water hose to sprinkle newly emerging flowers. Oddly, in this spring, the little bluebirds that for years have nested in my barn haven’t returned. Although I love them, it’s okay that they’re elsewhere. They’ve always chosen the worst, most dangerous spots to build nests. Either their nests are on ceiling boards, spaced so that babies may fall through, or they’re too-easy to reach by Maxwell, my barn cat, who knows when babies are in the barn.

In this nesting season, I’ve been hearing and watching our local Raven pair, always busy, noisy, and relatively unbothered by humans. They often park in nearby trees, chattering, or they swoop around overhead, near enough for me to hear as their wings break the air. Or, they’ll settle on the ground and wait to drink while I’m filling a horse trough.

As I’m working on the property, it’s fun listening to the quails sounding off. But my favorite bird calls might be those of Mountain Bluebirds. Their “Hi, Baby” reminds me of years riding horseback and returning aloud their calls. Even today, I smile and reply, “Hi Baby”.

It’s all good, as long as I don’t discover Maxwell’s mitts having grabbed a critter. If he catches a bird (brings them into the garage), he’s automatically grounded a few days, is miserable housebound, for he loves being outside. Yesterday, he stayed nearby and in today’s header photo, you’ll see his hunting method. My camera caught him in a cozy spot, nestled against a rock, hanging out quietly and unmoving. Woe to a critter that might land or try to pass nearby. He reaches and grabs, the lazy opportunist!

Dear Friends: Netflix’s new one-segment piece, on Corvid-19 (2020), is worth watching. Diana

Sunday, April 26, 2020, Corvid-19 Lockdown Day #39

A bonus from reading major newspapers is encouragement from insight into the semi-isolations of others. It’s somewhat comforting that in these stressful times nobody struggles alone. Stories from reader-contributors show that most of us cope constantly with such pressures as “what next to do”, depressed feelings, aloneness, and hours of Netflix (and other-streaming) boredoms.

Our readings suggest ideas for indoor activities that might draw interest and keep us busy. For instance, and a surprise to me, is a widespread popularity of baking. As an ex-Costco insider, I know the great angst over gluten and that popular diets like Keto and Caveman ex-out certain ingredients. But now, with lots of folks baking in today’s households with fewer than traditional numbers of family, who eats the stuff?

What’s behind the endless public media posts showing folks worried about gaining weight? To be honest, me, too, while sitting before a television and struggling against endless snacking. It’s that munching is a way I can manage to stay awake and watching. Many times, I’ve jerked from a doze to discover a missing big segment of whatever’s streaming. I dream of snacks, but not baked goods. The snack I most miss is popcorn, which my dieting choice excludes. I want to avoid cooking-work and dirty pans so the pre-popped varieties taste just fine. But they’re very salty or not worth a splurge without butter and etc. Besides, for heaven’s sake, popcorn is calorific in the quantities that keep me awake and watching.

Most of us have dabbled with other indoors suggestions: knitting, sewing, reading, Zooming, and taking online lessons. They’re okay for short periods but usually don’t stretch well through each and every day. Right now, it’s an appropriate time, I’ve decided, to learn more about a key topic in our current existence: viruses.

I’m reading to know where they originate, how they evolve, ways they may spread, their incredible abilities to survive and mutate. It turns out that understanding more causes depression, too, for we humans aren’t nearly prepared to combat new viruses.

In their natural state, viruses utilize wild animals as hosts–such animals can live and deal with them. But increasing human population and industrial innovations have and are destroying much of earth’s natural environment. As wild habitats become fewer or are lost, tough viruses survive by finding and transferring to other accommodating hosts, like humans.

Anyway, starting now, I’ll do my bit and become one-hundred-percent vegan. Hello popcorn!

Dear Friends: This invasion will continue a long while, and likely, another will follow. Diana

Saturday, April 25, 2020, Corvid-19 Lockdown Day #38

In these strange times we’re stalked by a disease, unseeable, unpredictable, and too-little understood. This is clear in Netflix’s one-season Series, “Pandemic: How to prevent an outbreak”. The brand-new series, released last January, predates America’s official recognition of Coronavirus. It focuses on multiple worldwide pandemics of flu viruses and their impacts on societies worldwide.

A pandemic flu virus brings severe illness, disrupts societies, causes medical upheavals, and forces exhaustion and frustration upon front-line responders. The Netflix series details research, scientific and intensive, to discover a one-injection cure for all flu viruses. Ideally, an injection could be as effective as standard vaccinations that control measles and chickenpox, and would eliminate flues.

Viruses start in animal carriers, apparently. The avian flu began in birds, probably in China, before being transmitted worldwide to humans. In fighting that spread of bird flu, humans killed millions of birds, and videos of this are gruesome. Our current struggle isn’t against a flu virus, but instead a coronavirus. This one also began in an animal, most likely a bat, and in China where a diseased animal wound up for sale in a live-animal food market. The one or more humans who consumed that animal started the current pandemic.

Among what we’re learning is understanding that there are other coronaviruses, that another “new one” will infect humans in the near future. Our medical professionals and scientists know too little about coronaviruses, they’re scrambling for information and solutions. We’re learning that incredible numbers of people die quickly in the current Corvid-19 pandemic. We’re learning the necessity of staying apart, and practicing how to accomplish this to avoid infecting each other.

The Netflix Series dealing with flu viruses is much like our experience amid Corvid-19. Watching it is worthwhile and enlightening. The series introduces us to key players in the scientific/medical and research-funding community. They’re all is worth knowing about as we go forward, because before long, there will be more virus outbreaks. Those now involved with searches for scientific solutions will be communicating with and informing us.

Dear Friends: Ongoing semi-confinement, while wearing and depressing, is essential. Diana

Friday, April 24, 2020, Corvid-19 Lockdown Day #37

I donned a mask and went to Safeway, looked lovingly at bananas and salad fixings, and found cheap bread for the goats and chickens, and for Peaches, perfectly-colored bananas. Ah, shopping pleasantries! I needed nothing but those loaves, bananas, and a brief escape from the house. At the grocery, employees guarding the entrance periodically allowed a few waiting shoppers to proceed inside. This particular store is one of Safeway’s busiest, and always previously has been crowded. Yesterday though, we shoppers seemed a sparse bunch.

Most folks wore masks, including the store’s employees. The masked shoppers gave one another as much passing space as possible in the aisles. Those without masks seemed unconcerned, less thoughtful and careful. To my relief while in that store, no sounds of sneezing. Getting through checkout was slow as ever, but not from long lines. It’s because of needs to sanitize, and to give folks bringing bags enough time to bag their groceries. Loading my purchases into used bags was more difficult than it’s seemed in the normal-past, while I’ve waited for a store employee to bag-’em-up.

I flashed to Costco and it’s speed-edge during checkouts. Employees quick-load merchandise into boxes or directly into carts and move shoppers quickly. Leaving there, I’ve happily pushed a loaded cart to my car, and there arranged buys into empty boxes and bags. This process eases the final unloading and arranging.

Yesterday’s outing felt good. I enjoyed looking at merchandise, reading labels, making choices. Yet, I must acknowledge that there were/are “what if?” worries in the back of my mind. Now, I’ll start counting the days, staying home for at least two weeks, and hoping for no hint of a physical change that might imply coronavirus.

I’m in the opinion lot against re-opening too soon our typical social venues. This period of social distancing has proved to be an economic killer, it’s also proved Corvid-19 as a population killer. The more I learn, the more I’m convinced we’ll be forced into some kind of new normal. Since around 2KY, killer viruses have more frequently appeared. Our world’s scientific coping and resolution speed lags. Humans need more time to contain this virus, and oncoming others, loosened by increasing overpopulation and environmental destruction.

Dear Friends: It’s a dire warning for the long haul, we must embrace realistic options. Diana

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Thursday, April 23, 2020 (Corvid-19 Lockdown Day #36)

The dogs and I hiked by a big canal in a downpour, fairly light but steady. That rain was unexpected despite the day’s overcast, for my place was dry as the dogs leaped into the Jeep. But out there beside the canal, my big camera quickly became very wet. I zipped it into my jacket to hang in dead weight throughout our hike. Happily, my waterproof cell phone camera worked acceptably.

Most striking about our walk were the colors. Their dampness stood them out, each appearing distinctive, intense. Various shades of green stood out against other shades lighter and darker.

Thin and wispy plants appeared distinctive even among thicker branches and tree trunks. I felt total delight upon spotting early sand lilies, in full-bloom.

Heavily imprinted rocks always draw my attention, their interesting flora and fauna worthy of study. Yesterday, those rocks with heaviest imprinteur and rain-wet were even more beautiful.

Here’s a juniper that surprised me as maybe one of the biggest and healthiest anywhere. At least, to my eyes. It was impossible to capture a photo of the tree in its entirety. But you’ll sense its majesty.

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This outing was wonderful, too, for the dogs. Possibly, my hike’s every mile equates to three-to-five miles of their running and playing. The only problem comes from having long-coated dogs with coats that capture twigs and brush. They carry the debris home, and yesterday’s wet coats held those tangles extra tight.

Dear Friends: Stamina and bravery out in the elements can bring learning and delight. Diana

Wednesday, April 22, 2020 — Corvid-19 Lockdown Day #35

Yesterday delivered two very different mood-sets.

In the afternoon, while riding horseback on Sunni, I smiled every minute. We covered the three mile loop that in previous summers was our driving route. The streets are paved and Sunni has no shoes, so she had to stay at a walk. She self-selected the gravelled roadside, wide enough mostly to accommodate us, and ignored the few passing vehicles.

Some folks were walking by themselves. We tagged and chatted from opposite sides of the roads, meeting neighbors, some new to the area and others who’ve lived here long. We passed folks working on their properties who waved and said they’re missing my horse and me passing by. I said we’ll soon start driving again.

Sunni is a lovely mare, easy-going, cooperative. Riding her is a happy experience. I’ve ridden little after she was trained to drive. But we’re in a strange period of self-isolation. It’s put driving on hold and returned me to a saddle. But driving is a sport that’s fun for horse and driver alike and we’ll return to it soon.

Late in the evening, while watching Amanpour & Company, my mood became dark upon suddenly comprehending more clearly the huge scope of Corvid-19. Christianne interviewed Dr. Dennis Carroll who was behind the Netflix show “Pandemic” which predicted the current viral situation.

Carroll points out that the earth’s exploding population has delivered environmental havoc. Today the earth’s population is 8 billion; up from one hundred years ago when it numbered a mere 2 billion. There also a corresponding increase in wealth in which more people seek animal protein, causing chaos in the animal industry management and supply chain. This enormous influx of people and animals that causes environmental impact also loosens viruses heretofore less threatening.

Dr. Carroll is a zooquarium or all-animal expert who studies all species. His perspective like that of other scientists is that a vaccine is our most important goal against Corvid-19, and that’s at least is 12 to 18 months away. Medicine that would alleviate the illness is a step forward, but inadequate unless we know possibilities of immunity after recovering from the disease.

These viruses are living organisms. I want to learn more and understand their dangers today, and how society’s future may evolve. Scientists have concluded that Corvid-19 didn’t escape from a scientific laboratory. They believe it’s from a bat that bit an animal destined for a Chinese live-animal market–an animal consumed by one or more humans.

Once my food supply has becomes low and needs an infusion, I intend to “go vegan”. It will be my little way to encourage altering agri-business to help the environment.

Dear Friends: For the long, tough row ahead, we must be aware, fit, and adaptable. Diana

Tuesday, April 21, 2020, Corvid-19 Lockdown Day #34

I was planning to capture yesterday afternoon’s beautiful clouds when Sunni strode into the scene. Clouds sometimes are compelling but a horse is always. I decided against going for a close-up of Broken Top and its unusual cloud cover, and opted instead for a bigger photo with Sunni. Right then, Rosie drifted in and paused on Sunni’s right side. That might have been another good photo op, if my lens hadn’t blurred slightly the two horses.

Throughout the sky, those afternoon clouds were soft, fluffy, and captivating. Some low and partially covering the Cascades. They made the mountains almost magical. All afternoon, I planned to retreat with camera to a recently cleared high spot on my property. Earlier, after removing heavy low tree limbs, I discovered a different, surprisingly pleasant view of the mountains. Later, the seemingly unending work of clearing piles of tree branches tired me out. So today, I’ll hike to that spot for photo-taking.

This morning the clouds dawned still beautiful. The entire sky looked as if Renoir had created it. If the clouds hold steady, my first goal will be to fulfill that photo mission. My next will be to saddle and ride a horse through my recently cleared areas. We’ll continue down the street toward a local outback with a dirt road, appropriate footing for a barefoot horse, that stretches for a good distance beneath high-power lines.

Dear Friends: It’s beautiful outside, a wonderful spring day. Diana