Wednesday, June 14, 2023

The header photo took everything my iPhone’s magnification capabilities could muster to capture this teeny spider sitting atop a potted Geranium. Achieving so much of the little guy pushed the phone. While this image is nice, a more powerful camera would have revealed the spider more clearly.

Today, with a real magnifying camera, I’ll be out among the garden and wild plants to capture more of those living bits thriving among them. This idea started shaping a month ago when I encountered this unusual butterfly/moth.

I’ve not fully identified the creature. It’s likely a variety of Polyphemus, a moth of the Pacific Northwest. Periodically in the springtime, more significant numbers of these hatches create enough mature moths to inundate Central Oregon throughout the summer. So far, this single sighting encourages my wish to capture more of what’s out there.

Dear Friends: The living world comprises the seen, barely seen, and unseen. Diana

Tuesday, June 13, 2023

I’m fond of a young tree located beside the canal in a BLM that my dogs and I often visit. My phone app identifies it as an Arroyo Willow and describes it as an easy-care plant that’s resistant to nearly all pests and diseases. This year the willow is more noticeable, having grown to be as tall as me, and seems destined to become a significant component at the canal.

Of course, less lovely components also exist there. Here’s a stand of young cheatgrass.

Almost everyone dislikes cheatgrass and I’m not drawn to photograph it. However, these young cattail-like blooms had me seeing that their still-featherlike waving can illuminate a waterway.

On that subject, these are young, blooming clover.

And water, highlighting weeds and Forget-Me-Nots.

Uh, oh! He, too, enjoying the weeds galore.

Dear Friends: Make today a wonderful one. Diana

Monday, June 12, 2023

That’s my cute little Mitzvah exploring along the waterway and taking care that only her paws get wet. She tiptoes close to the water’s edge and drinks but otherwise stays a dry baby.

Yesterday, instead of walking dogs, I did a fence thing. That took hours during which I somehow avoided giving up and hiring someone else to handle the job. I managed to persevere and finally did cut, set, and mix concrete. Whereupon now stands a strong new post.

Ahead will be attaching the fence top rails and wire fabric. Those seem less daunting than first approaching the post-setting task. Of course, everything has a start, and now my future includes replacing other loose, worrisome posts. The objective of keeping horses safe means it’s critical to fix anything that’s even slightly out of repair. Horses are big animals, they’re hard on everything.

Today, I’m due to arrive at my part-time job by 10:30. It’s a luxurious late start and a one-off. My schedule after a couple of days off resumes those 6 a.m. entries. I must keep in mind that early to work equates to early leaving work.

Dear Friends: Out now, to feed horses and check the stability of that post. Diana

Forget-Me-Nots

Sunday, June 11, 2023

I’m closer to installing a new fence post. Yesterday, I picked up several posts and hauled them home. They’re at-the-ready for one post to be installed this afternoon. If I am successful in installing the first post, those standby extras will replace other wobblies.

First, today, I will go and sell hardware.

My friend, Kat, asks about Chase’s size. He’s smaller than a Rottie or Shepherd, more a medium size. He’s not recently been weighed but maybe is in the neighborhood of 55 lbs. He’s a sleek hunk, muscled and non-stop-fast.

Dear Friends: Isn’t this just the greatest weather! Diana

Saturday, June 10, 2023

Exactly as my camera was recording what should have become a still life with flowers, water, and trees, you-know-who leaping from the canal photobombed my capture. His expression shows a mighty effort in the leaping and landing. His energy and passion constantly have him plunging into that body of water or sailing over it.

There’s no prettier combination than flowers, water, and trees. Throughout human history, artists of all types and skill levels have reinforced this. I’m a wannabe but not very highly focused. I ought to go out alone and undisturbed to focus on capturing good still images.

Dear Friends: I must hurry and prepare for work on another early-in day. Diana

Friday, June 09, 2023

Here comes Chase! His focus is intent, his energy is boundless. Right now, I wish to borrow his sense of “just doing” on this day, another too-early and back-to-work.

I’ve been off for three busy and productive days and ahead have more to-dos. One will be to finish replacing a broken fence post. My housemate and I managed to remove its broken base and concrete from the ground and propped what remained with a t-post. My neighbor kindly provided suggestions for transitioning to a new post. At first, the prospect of trying to handle that project myself felt frightening, but now it’s doable.

Dear Friends: Make today special by spending “thoughtful time” outdoors. Diana

Thursday, June 08, 2023

He was freshly out of the water and focused intently on something slightly beyond where I stood. Turning, I spotted Osix, his target. She was waiting, expectant and patient, and unafraid.

Those two, close to twelve years old, have for years traveled together. She knows what to expect, and his stalking dashes end with them teaming and running together.

They’re quirky. Both dogs fear loud noises, especially gunfire. Sounds like thunder or a bullet sends them into hiding. Miles runs to wherever my vehicle is parked and hops in, if its cargo door is open, or otherwise hides beneath. Sometimes Osix runs and hides with him, or else she drives me nuts by hiding somewhere only she knows, and won’t respond to my calls. Occasionally, I’ve waited for what seemed forever until she showed up, and indeed, have learned to be patient.

Otherwise, a fun pair, smart, and during our outings, personality-filled and super photographic. Osix stays nearby; she’s beautiful and easy to photograph. Miles is a moving target, harder to capture. My camera awaits his brief random pauses; the resulting images often are compelling.

Dear Friends: Out hiking, and enjoying this great weather with my dogs. Diana

Wednesday, June 07, 2023

Yesterday the thermometer hit +80 degrees, yet the afternoon to me seemed reasonably cool. I spent much of the day doing some weed-whacking and attending to other property needs. In this sort of weather, beers go well.

Today, I will try to repair a fence damaged by the horses; there’s a wood post broken off at its base. My housemate and I pounded in a t-post and propped the broken post; a brief fix, for surely a horse leaning again on that post would flatten it.

When horse care repairs are necessary, the rule is to fix them immediately. It’s a given that big, heavy horses eventually will cause damage to almost everything in their designated spaces. The expenses of fixing pile up.

To save money, I’ve learned much about making repairs myself. I have avoided tackling horse fencing because repairing requires physical strength and absolutely correct finishes. Any fencing weakness can allow for escapes and/or leg and hoof injuries.

My neighbor, Frank, offered to help with this post, so he will be on call. For starters, my housemate and I will tackle this job. Luckily, the break is in cross fencing, so the horses won’t escape.

After cutting the wire from the broken post and pinning it out of the way, we will attempt to pull both the base and concrete from the ground. Following an earlier tip from Frank, we will pull using a motor vehicle, most likely my Jeep.

That’s all I’ll write now as it’s feeling nearly too much. However, we will try and if successful think about what’s next. If we’re unsuccessful, Frank might bail us out, or I’ll seek a repair crew.

Ahead, more would be new to me, concrete mixing, post-setting, and fence stretching.

Dear Friends: A good outcome would add efficiency and thrift in maintaining horses. Diana

Tuesday, June 06, 2023

The header photo captures Mitzvah and Chase exploring weeds beside an irrigation canal that streams for a mile through a nearby BLM. Taking Chase there to run and swim is one way of working off his incredible energy. His best buddy, Mitzvah, has plenty of stamina and holds her own with him.

They are a cute pair at the stream. Chase is in and out or leaping it, and she sniffs along its edges.

Yesterday, I took slower steps and watched for newly-flowering plants. Finally, our late spring invites the lovely Wild yellow Irises, tiny Forget-Me-Nots, and flowering clovers to line the steam.

Also starting to pop on the desert side are delightful red monkey flowers, sedges, and newly springing types still too small to identify. Our next walk will be through more of the desert side when hopefully, those tiny plants will be budding more.

Until the next outing, a brief goodbye to those plants and buddies near the waterway.

Dear Friends: A little stroll often fills the soul. Diana

Monday, June 05, 2023

A customer in HD’s tool department asked for hand planers. He chose all three sizes at the display and said he woodworks using only hand tools. When he asked if the store carries a “spoke planer, I wondered what he’d do with one. He explained that it’s an old tool that craftsmen in the early 1800s used in building wagon wheels. He said he wishes to work in the elemental way of early Oregon prairie craftsmen.

That customer’s name is Randy, and he actually looks the part but is cleaner and tidier than the gold miners in old photos. He’s tall and slender, with a shaped well-groomed beard, wears glasses, and speaks in an educated manner. He loves the television series, “Craftsman’s Legacy.”

He described his current home on 1,000 acres near the Steens Mountains in Eastern Oregon, saying he was thrilled to move into its bare-bones, two-room cabin. He built a bed, a table, and chairs, a stool, and a bench and created lots of wall shelving. His cabin, with wood heating and a water storage tank, resembles an early 1800s dwelling. He adds almost sheepishly, having installed basic plumbing and some solar panels for telephone and television.

He’s gathering tools for his next project, a coffee table. He hasn’t chosen which wood he’ll use but has been considering maple.

I listened longer to Randy than was sales-efficient in a busy department. But that’s how I like to work. I enjoy and appreciate dreams and ambitions, especially those of folks who can articulate their interests comfortably and self-confidently.

Dear Friends: Our inner selves much admire past-times human ingenuity. Diana