Wednesday, October 30, 2019

This morning is a huddling time in Bend’s current temp of eleven degrees, cold that reinforces the reality of winter’s arrival (as if yesterday’s very chilly hours failed to declare adequately the situation).

That aside, it’s hard to focus on and worry about approaching local frigid weather while the fires of hell burn vigorously much of California. As a former Californian, my senses and imagination are engulfed by the situation. Forced blackouts mean that people for days are without electricity, including the disabled who need battery-charged ready vehicles. The horrifying photos of blazing fires suggest the extent of work needed to improve or fix the situation. It’s beyond imagination. Soon, someone will write a book that traces the genesis of electrical power development, focusing on PG&E’s history of ownership, money, influence, and political strength.

We blame the fires accurately, or at least partially, on climate change, and there’s more. This is the second year of major California fires caused by PG&E’s overhead power lines that annual high winds swing and ignite. These fires are more huge signs of crumbling infrastructure, suggesting problems appearing too big, complex, and expensive to fix–until critical failures force us to examine, argue, plan, and finally shell-out.

Big worries can make citizen groups easier targets for charlatans and crooks who claim they can and will make fixes, and in the end can’t or don’t. Social history is filled with examples of failed promises for improvements. Meanwhile, Nature and human infrastructure continue to battle.

California is an amazing example of an area that has flourished and despite huge worries about fragile infrastructure. This has been ongoing since long before the current fire-igniting powerlines. Among Californians, there’s continuous talking about earthquakes, including and especially the “coming ‘big one'” that’s destined to sink the entire state into the ocean.

No infrastructure problems are local, for example, Oklahoma suffers serious earthquakes, too, ignoring why. Everywhere and indeed worldwide there’s much to do, to reinforce buildings, bridges, roads, and re-improve misused soils. Not to mention reinforcing Nature itself by re-planting trees, repairing landscapes, rearranging waterways, and saving diminishing species.

Maybe the fixes won’t be by older citizens, battle-scarred, wiser, and tight-fisted. Maybe they’ll be forced by today’s kids who for themselves attempt to re-visualize the future. Consider, the young globe-trotting “Gretas”, worried, brave, and speaking boldly of an immediate need to address climate change. Consider, the “Parkland kids” who after learning first-hand about victimization, fiercely are opposed to the indecency of social status-quo attitudes enabling relatively easy mass murders.

Here’s one of my favorite quotes, a perspective of the brilliant biologist, Eward O. Wilson: “Nature is not something outside the human world. The reverse is true. Nature is the real world, and humanity exists on islands within it.

Dear Friends: It’s essential to think large and make wise decisions accordingly. Diana

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Soon, I’ll start shopping for a new laptop, and much as I dislike admitting this, likely an IOS-driven computer. My current machine, an expensive brand-name droid, is approaching two years old. Through the past year, its processing has gradually slowed and become less dependable. For example, this machine initially seems to take forever to crank up, and then often processes weirdly-enough to need shutting down and rebooting. This, in early mornings especially is trying, for this computer’s main job is to facilitate my reading of major newspapers and creating a blog.

My interest in trying a different operating system has been facilitated by a couple of factors. First has been my current droid experience, with slow updates, unwanted photos, and whatever else Microsoft forces on me. Second has been my recent acquisition of an Apple Watch, iPhone, and IOS tablet. This was inspired by the Watch’s ability to recognize if a wearer hard-falls into a horizontal position, and then, use its linked iPhone to alert rescue personnel. This can offer some reassurance to one who’s often outside on acreage and around large animals.

Now in my third week of learning to work with Apple products, they’re easier to use. The IOS easily interacts with my droid laptop, but the laptop is too problematic to keep meeting my needs. Before this, and as an always droid user, increasingly I’ve been disappointed by the too-short-efficiency lives of laptops. Even if it turns out that an IOS environment doesn’t process more efficiently and make equipment longer-lasting, it seems worthwhile to try this change.

Dear Friends: We chase desired technology by tossing dollars up into the air. Diana

Monday, October 28, 2019

It seems that for thousands of years I’ve hauled around old scrapbooks from my high school days and several more binders of essays from my college years. By “hauled around”, I mean simply moving these tombs from one home to another, and stashing them, without perusing casually or trying to read. It seems that refocusing even briefly on the old days is too trying, interesting or productive as past times might have been.

Gradually it’s become clear that I’m the only one interested in these scrapbooks and notebooks. Although I’ve avoided re-involvements with these memories, there’s always been strong senses of attachment. The photos are of a very young me, and often with friends, most of whom have gone long-missing from my life. Photos make me wonder where they might be living, how their lives might have shaped-out. Rethinking old past relationships, and wondering what was or might have been with others, is overwhelming.

Similarly with college papers and creative story drafts. Writing each consumed time and energy. Take those technically-oriented college papers, which once researched and drafted, needed rewriting to satisfy rigid reporting models. The other writings, personal and creative, originated from real experiences that became semi-fictions. Maybe some are worthwhile, but again, reading and remembering can become overwhelming.

Those pictures and writings through the years, recording much of my past, long have been stashed untouched in a bottom drawer. Reminders of my beginnings, learning to think and growing pains, self-reveal to my depths.

This week seeking more physical space, I finally opened that drawer and removed the binders. I browsed the scrapbooks and opted to keep some photos awhile to remember a few meaningful individuals and events. The binders with writings are tabled beside my desk, eventually to look at, remember, and wonder. Maybe others than past choices would have influenced my life differently.

Returning to the past forces the discomfort of “sort of reliving”.

These memories are personal and soon will become history. A cleansing of the past that leaves only its product.

Dear Friends: Memories are too powerful and defining to let go of easily. Diana

Sunday, October 27, 2019

This morning, we’re facing a big drop in temperature. It’s 27 degrees compared to last week’s average of 40 degrees. Yesterday, the weather made this dramatic change, and on arriving home from work it seemed a good idea to pull my “system outerwear” from a “winter closet”. It was a good idea for warmer duds supported my being out in an overcast chill and high wind to feed large animals.

I’m slower in coming to grips with this particular season. Although shifting to winter months is old hat, this fall is different since all summer my horses were well fed and exercised. Keeping them in decent physical condition means a gradual shifting to less-activity and calling for regular long-lining exercises. In cold weather harnessing them is harder because the gear becomes stiff. I prefer leaving their harnesses simply to hang until warm weather returns, but will push forward and learn how to work with them.

The worst and best things about having horses is that regardless of weather their needs daily force one outside. I’d choose to spend the upcoming dark, cold days beside a pellet stove, reading or watching television and consuming bowls of delicious stew. But having to get up and go outside is a better thing overall for one’s health and welfare.

Dear Friends: Changes are hard, and the many forced on us keep us flexible. Diana

Saturday, October 26, 2019

On what might have been our final really beautiful day this fall season, I hurried to finish some pressing outside jobs. These included adding more hot wires to the fence that surrounds the horses, and emptying and cleaning their big watering troughs.

About those two troughs, inside one were a couple of goldfish and in the other none. For the last couple of seasons, I let both troughs start emptying of fish, because catching them is extra work at trough-cleaning times. This season, during a long string of mild-weather nights, the mornings revealed in the “empty trough” lots of mosquito larvae, while noticeably, the one occupied by two goldfish had water clear of insects.

These two are survivors from years ago when I first stocked both troughs with “feeder fish” (cheap little goldfish). Now, these guys, six or seven years old have grown to about three or four inches. Inside my house, an aquarium housses three former trough goldfish of the same vintage. A couple years ago, a trough heater malfunctioned by overheating and caused these fish to gasp and fail. I rescued and put them (temporarily) into an aquarium. They’ve survived and although old are still healthy. I grew accustomed to watching and enjoying them, didn’t return them to the troughs.

Yesterday, watching new water pour into the troughs and thinking about mosquitoes, I decided the advantages of trough goldfish overpower the challenges of capturing fish for trough-cleaning and water-changing. That afternoon, I drove to a pet store and purchased some-cents-each feeder fish–tiny beings compared to my aged goldfish. I added several into the trough with already-resident goldfish and dumped the remaining critters into the fish-empty trough.

I’m struck by large numbers of recurring mosquito larvae. Mosquitoes don’t survive really-cold spells and perhaps our nights are less chilly. Maybe thriving mosquitoes are beause of global warming, and if so, their increased population brings possibilities of heartworms in dogs that love our open canals and larger bodies of water.

Yes, I’ll admit, I’ve sworn to myself and declared aloud to the world, “no more pets!” Even though we’re talking “just goldfish”, they’re beings. One must count them daily to make sure they’re surviving, feed them regularly until their natural food (algae) accumulates on trough walls, and of course, ensure they’ve an appropriate safe heating element to cluster around during the much colder weather that’ll hit soon.

Dear Friends: Critters of all sorts, intertwined in our lives, help and teach us. Diana

Friday, October 25, 2019

This is a quickie, because I’m late. This morning, I spent lots of time trying to convert photos from my iPhone to my usual editing software, which refuses to recognize iPhone images. In the above close-up of Ranger, I managed to make the transition…and I must forgive myself afterwards for not being able to remember how I made it happen. For so long, I fooled around so much with keyboard commands that after the fact it’s all mush.

But being able to post this image means transfer is doable, I’ll just need more time, but today, the morning blog deadline is upon me. Certainly, there are more editing components that would improve this photo, but that’s for after I figure out the means to transition images.

Today will heat to 70-some degrees again here in Central Oregon. Have a great one.

Dear Friends: Oy vey, change is difficult. Diana

Thursday, October 24, 2019

This carriage driving season is over until next spring. Now, my attention may return to this household’s somewhat neglected animals–four hopeful dogs and Peaches, my demanding Cockatoo. These critters, needing lots of play-time and attention, may receive more when keeping athletic horses in top condition is less demanding. From here on, for several months the horses may go soft.

It’s going become the opposite for my dogs, no more being soft! Yesterday, they got to go and fly into action on BLM. We’ll will this several times weekly unless a big snow makes it too hard for me to stay with the action. Yesterday, readying to leave home and after the dogs had loaded-up, I found eager beings in my space.

Each dog has a unique personality. In the above photo, my “blue” Border Collie, Miles, an independent fellow, is difficult to photograph. He loves running fast and often is out of sight among bushes, but always knows where to find the rest of us. In the driver’s seat is Osix, a quirky little Border Collie mix. She tends to worry and on the trail often turns back to make sure I’m still tracking along.

Both Miles and Osix are terribly afraid of big noises. Upon a thunder roar or a gunshot they disappear and hide. When noises frighten them as we hike, their preferred hideout is inside my Jeep. In case they need to disappear, I leave open the hatch door. Even when there aren’t disturbing noises, they disappear toward the end of our hikes. I arrive at the Jeep and find them snugged in, as above, on the front seat.

My very loyal ones, Louie (mini-Aussie) and Ranger (hound-mix), never leave me regardless of how unhappy they may feel on hearing big noises or experiencing inclement weather. I love their “staying quality” and usually as they wish turn and head toward the Jeep. Here they are hurrying toward me–and something that causes a chuckle–action making Ranger’s floppy ears fly.

It’s fun being out, playing with this great little pack, and doing lots of walking. I’m also practicing with my new iPhone to learn its photo capabilities. Hopefully, future captures will improve. Meanwhile, these make for good memories from yesterday.

Dear Friends: Next up, is Peaches, who’ll be excited to hop onto my shoulder. Diana

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Yesterday for hours I struggled alongside a fence line, pushing ahead with my foot a reel of wire and dragging a bucket of tools. The fence segregates an area belonging to my horses. I’m focused on the essential work of stopping horses from chewing on wooden fence posts. The new wire must reinvigorate an electric wire already atop the fence that too-often fails to provide a surprise “don’t touch” shock to inquisitive muzzles.

My wire reel holding one-quarter mile of wire is too heavy to carry while I’m trying to re-string. So I must kick it ahead while attaching the loosening new wire to existing insulators. This much close contact with fence and wire lets me spot some reasons the old wire has shorted-out. There are wire sags touching bits of fencing, and in spots low-swinging tree limbs land on wire.

Early that day starting this work, I selected a few useful tools, like pliers, a hammer, and a wire cutter. Before the stringing episode ended, I was forced many times to return to the barn for suddenly-needed tools. As an example, I’m short and high spots in the fencing called for a ladder to take me higher and gain force in re-hammering nails.

Also, there were the horses. Seeing me in their area and dragging something with wheels, they assumed eats were coming and clustered around to check out everything. I enjoy my horses, but they’re too much when surrounding closely. I particularly watch Sunni who’s very nosy and likes to tip my tool bucket. I had to keep waving away the horses and it took awhile to get free of them.

Before starting to re-string the fence wire, I knew next-to-nothing about electrical circuits. As usual, the force of experience made learning happen. After studying the existing wiring and watching YouTube videos, I went out to put into practice whatever seemed logical. Finally, my fence’s new top wire responded positively to a test meter.

There remains a bunch of heavy wire on that one-quarter mile reel. This wire will continue a job not yet half-finished. Today, after addressing more needed wire on top rails, I’ll start replacing a center-running hot wire that’s to prevent horses from scratching butts and loosening fence fabric.

The work so far is a success that makes me proud. Always before I’ve hired handymen to check and repair fence wiring. But having the minimum done to ensure electricity flowing in a short time tends to fail. And then, the horses start chewing on wood. This time, by re-stringing all wire, the fix should survive through and beyond upcoming winter months.

Anyway and at last, I know how to test and repair electric wire on fencing.

Dear Friends: Kinesthetic learning has been huge in my survival stories. Diana

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

The transition from droid to IOS is getting easier and now I’m more comfortable while interacting with my new Apple products. I managed to find a smartwatch face that suits me; learned how to download the special apps I enjoy and organize them in folders; and now, even know the location of my iPad’s power button. For years, I’ve done similar things in a droid environment, and did anticipate switching-over to take time and effort. As it has.

Most folks stay with the system they’ve become used to, and I’d never have left droid. My decision to change is that Apple technology enables its smartwatch to detect a watch-wearer’s fall and its blue-toothed iPhone to react. If the fallen wearer taps a watch button that identifies the situation as “no problem”, it’s all over. But when a fallen one fails to interact with the watch, its associated iPhone notifies personal contacts and rescue personnel, also provides a GPS location accurate within so many feet.

Folks who love IOS keep saying things to the effect that I’ll find Apple products more fun, but I’ve yet to agree. My focus is in regaining habitual activities from my years with droid–like knowing how to access contacts and where to click for favorite books, news services, and music. This sounds simple but for me has proved time-consuming. Several times, I’ve hauled all my Apple stuff down the road to the Verizon Store for assistance and found that the things stumping me are simple for everyone there.

I’m making the efforts needed to work out the details while hoping it’ll never be necessary to test the watch’s “help I’ve fallen…” feature. But for me, and finally, havng this feature has eased some of my long-time “what if” worries while conducting routine physical activities on a rocky acreage and taking care of large animals.

Dear Friends: Much more subtle than wearing a neck chain with a big call-button. Diana

Monday, October 21, 2019

Yesterday, I worked at my part-time job in Costco as customers packed the store pushing loaded carts and clamoring for free food samples. One of our busiest sample tables was handing out the classic Lipton’s Onion Soup dip–dry ingredients mixed into sour cream–and we included a couple of organic corn chips. A server couldn’t work quickly enough to supply the demand. That old recipe awakened memories in most adults, made them want a hint of past holidays.

My role was as “a breaker” for the day’s assigned server. I was scheduled to free him twice from the dip/chip table, once for his break and again later for lunch. Each time I had customers clustered around and grabbing samples so quickly it seemed nearly impossible to keep a sample tray supplied. The fellow I was breaking left me with a full bowl of dip, but it disappeared quickly I had to refill it.

Our instructions were to stir three packets of dry soup mix into a large container of sour cream. And then to customers, serve a tablespoon of dip with two crackers.

Did you ever try to mix three packets of dry stuff into a bunch of sour cream, manually? Can you imagine the difficulty without an electric mixer? Could you see mixing with only a rather small spoon. And worst, having to mix while sort-of reaching upwards because you’re a short person behind the demo table?

My method was to mix in a big bowl small batches, and then keep adding sour cream and dry mix to the starter. All the time using that little spoon in a too-slow process. Here’s the annoying thing: Folks, it’s just dip and chips, and soon more will be ready. But people crowding around my table waited, watching and commenting non-stop, as I struggled to appear confident and competent.

I felt like yelling, “Scram! Come back later!” In my fantasy this included throwing down my apron and quitting. But I stirred on, to my audience’s drools and comments–some supportive with others muttering about waiting too long (but staying anyway).

Thankfully, my stirring/serving stints were relatively brief. Moving on to other tables, I relieved severs with products more easily prepared and distributed. Meanwhile, I couldn’t get over the incredibility of how dry soup mix and sour cream aroused such a clamor. The older folks while waiting for me to finish mixing told their stories to younger kids about the olden days’ holidays with Lipton Soup dip.

Yesterday, another sample server who got slammed by badly-wanting customers was assigned to hand out a variety of Hersey Candy products. Busy as her table became, at least her samples didn’t require unwrapping or mixing.

Ah, free samples of food. I could write a book.

Dear Friends: Some jobs that may appear to be easy actually are difficult. Diana