Breeze, et al

Sunday, January 12, 2025

I acquired an adorable trio of African Dwarf Goats in 2010: the mama (Sego Lily) and her twins (Breeze and Poppy). Sego Lily had originally been adopted from a herd environment, and by 2010, her real age was only an estimate; her babies were months old.

The trio was sweetly bonded and inseparable. They participated in official parades and often strolled with me on neighborhood streets, leashed, alertly cautious, and keenly aware.

Mama passed away about five years ago when I was guessing her age at fifteen. Little Poppy passed away a year ago at age fourteen. And yesterday, I lost Breeze; she was fifteen.

That morning, while outside and feeding my animals before leaving for work, I discovered Breeze lying down and apparently unable to rise onto her feet. I tried lifting her but hadn’t enough strength. Breeze’s legs were stiff and unmanageable, and she might have suffered a stroke sometime in the night or earlier that morning.

Breeze passed away before the emergency veterinarian could arrive at my place. My workplace is painfully short of workers; I felt needed and went to work, where I arranged to meet an emergency veterinarian later at my place. Meanwhile, my kind neighbors watched over Breeze and hours later let me know she had passed. Later, a concerned co-worker followed me home and helped with her remains.

RIP, my Breezey.

Remembering those three sweeties this morning, I’m sad with an empty feeling.

Dear Friends: Cute, fun, and stubbornly determined when wanting something. Diana

Beany

Monday, December 02, 2024

I’ve searched for equipment to make coffee each morning, hoping for faster, hotter, and possibly tastier javas. That’s guided me to acquire an electrical, quick pour-over coffeemaker that works well and several nonelectrical pour-over varieties. I’ve used them all, and each produces an adequately satisfying cup of coffee. The pour-overs commonly instruct users to make coffee from rough-ground grains.

I’m busy, so I avoid grinding by using preground coffee. I prefer beans that have been single-sourced from mountainous South America. I’ve learned that coffee beans have many varieties of complex flavors, from factors like growing terrains and processing methods. To me, South American beans are high quality and consistently satisfying.

Learning can be a game-changer; I began exploring the world of coffee beans for a commonly acknowledged “best” bean. The consensus is that the best beans are grown in Africa, and at the top are Ethiopian beans. I have gathered that Ethiopia is considered “the birthplace of coffee” and that its beans offer many flavors, described as bright and floral or rich and complex with “fruity acidity and delicate sweetness.”

I’m in, and finally, a pound of Ethiopian coffee has arrived. Its packaging recommends using a French Press, which works for me. Tomorrow morning, I will discover if African beans produce a comparable or better cup of coffee than South American beans.

Dear Friends: I love how a “little learning” opens avenues to more learning. Diana

Moving On

Friday, November 29, 2024

Today is post-Thanksgiving and Black Friday, the annual hottest sales day. The department store where I work part-time opened today at 6:00 a.m., four hours earlier than usual. Luckily, I wasn’t assigned to work mega-early, but I will work this afternoon in my old stomping grounds, the Jewelry Department.

My Thanksgiving Day was pleasant. Free from my outside job, I handled some property needs before joining friends. In my transition toward becoming a vegan, I opted for salad and soup. Those were plenty satisfying and supported my program.

I have chosen against making a sudden complete shift to veganism. My freezer has stored foods that aren’t vegan and that I don’t want to trash. I’m totally ready to go vegan, but with groceries nowadays so expensive, wasteful tossing feels sinful.

Dear Friends: Enjoy shopping today, and soon again, the Christmas sales. Diana

Adornments

Wednesday, October 30, 2024

Yesterday, the department store where I work part-time hosted a traveling jewelry show. The jewels, primarily of gold and diamonds, were beautiful and expensive. Those luxuries in these economically stressful times drew individuals who wished to self-identify uniquely from others; however, it appeared (to me) that actual sales might be falling short of the goals.

I remember reading somewhere that, “First man made tools, and then he made jewelry.” The earliest jewels worn that identified individuals uniquely probably were real seashells and artist-created resemblances.

Watching customers yesterday, I was struck by how long they (mostly women) studied the array and carefully selected pieces, one by one, to try on. Most arrived wearing their favorite jewelry pieces, hoping to match or complement those items. Many found choices they loved and looked fine, tried on, but decided against making a sizable investment.

Sure, “It’s the economy, stupid.” Nonetheless, potential buyers did show up and spent much time looking and playing with offerings. It resembled a sort of practice event, like entering a department store’s dressing room and trying on clothing, self-assessing, and then deciding against purchasing.

If the store’s goals did fall short, it’s likely for not advertising or promoting adequately an upcoming, unique opportunity to discover fine jewelry locally.

I’m often struck by yet another recognition of today’s businesses inadequately providing training and learning opportunities. Maybe I could have helped more with yesterday’s selling effort and improved the bottom line. However, I wasn’t adequately trained before the event.

About inadequate training: Experience has taught me that regardless of how many computer-generated training videos an organization provides, time spent “learning via videos” quickly becomes a brain-deadening sentence. Simply put, teams need regular meetings to gain a common understanding and be on the same page.

Dear Friends: At least I glimpsed “a little inside” of key jewelry showing. Diana

Karma

Friday, July 19, 2024

During my twenty years living in Central Oregon, I’ve pulled trailer loads from my property to the city dump over a two-lane paved road that has divided two au natural properties. I’ve roughly estimated that the largest of them is about a section–a one-mile by one-mile square area of land. Along my route are rough parking spots for people exercising dogs or riding horseback.

This area’s population growth and housing construction seriously are altering what has been. Now, those dump-route properties are being developed into city neighborhoods. Their construction crews have closed the old road to the city dump, which interferes with their work, and created a temporary bypass route instead.

Yesterday, I was hauling a load of trash to the dump and traveling on that bypass when a sign warned of a bump ahead. That bump didn’t look like much, but it sent my trailer high, and suddenly, my Jeep began dragging something very heavy and attached. My first impulse was that a tire had gone flat or was trying to come off.

A long line of vehicles following me prevented stopping and taking a look, so I dragged whatever that thing was about a quarter mile, finally finding a small roadside space. I pulled into it, and a vehicle that had been following pulled over, too, stopping in front of my Jeep.

I hopped out and stared at the problem. That bump had popped my trailer completely off its hitch, and I’d been dragging that hitch. I needed help to lift and reset it. Suddenly, the driver of that second vehicle appeared, said he’d seen what had happened, and was there to help me. Before I could bend to help lift the trailer tongue, he grabbed and hefted it up, resetting the hitch.

All so fast, my jaw hung loosely.

He said, “The other day, I was pulling a very heavy load on this road, and that same bump caused this exact problem for my rig. A truck driver who pulled over to help had a power jack capable of lifting and setting my trailer on its hitch. I vowed that if I saw anything similar happening to anyone else, I’d stop and help.” He smiled, “You know, pass it on.”

I gave that fellow a mighty hug. Now, rescued from what could have been an awful plight and hitched again, I continued toward the dump, eager to complete my task and go home.

Despite anything unexpected that might happen en route to the dump site, it’s a trial ridding a trash load in that structure’s complicated setting. I will save yet another dump story for a future time.

Dear Friends: I’m grateful for the rule of karma and the kindness of strangers.

Musca domestica

Sunday, July 14, 2024

I am off from work today and tomorrow. This scorching weather will keep me battling newly popping hoards of houseflies. Yesterday, I killed many, for the flies were sluggish. My foot landed mightily on those standing motionless on the floor.

I wondered why this area’s searing heat activates unusually high numbers of these insects. A little research teaches that flies are cold-blooded, meaning they rely on external temperatures to regulate their body temperature. The hot weather increases their metabolic rate, making them more active and stimulated to find food and reproduce.

I’ll be racing around to stay ahead of the flies. That means cleaning carefully and ditching any food waste quickly. I must also make a few trips to the Dump, which I’ve avoided for weeks. That’s likely a clue as to why numerous flies are inside my house.

So, what’s a housefly? Their exact genesis (Musca domestic) isn’t definitively known. A common view is that they originated in the early Cenozoic Era, roughly 66 million years ago, and likely evolved in the Middle East.

Houseflies and humans have developed a close commensal relationship, meaning they benefit from our presence without generally harming us. Flies probably co-migrated with humans, and that spread them across the globe. Flys have adapted to diverse environments, becoming some of Earth’s most widespread insects.

Dear Friends: They’re ubiquitous in our lives, for better or worse. Diana

Weathering

Thursday, July 11, 2024

Central Oregon is cooling off a little, and these days, a little seems a lot. Over the last day or two, temperatures have fallen, but they are barely under 100 degrees. Nonetheless, they’re bringing noticeably good differences. For example, while outside feeding horses and chickens, I do not have to battle the frequent misery of eye-stinging sweat.

Yesterday, I worked all day at the jewelry counter. A customer said that her family has been wintering in Arizona and summering here in Central Oregon for many years. She’s sure their summer spot next year will change because our weather too much resembles Arizona’s. She’s right, too. The intense heat had been forcing me to rush from my air-conditioned car into the nearest air-conditioned building, exactly as in my visits to Arizona.

When I moved here twenty years ago, Central Oregon’s weather was very different. I felt astonished by the area’s continuous coolness. Not until early September did the weather warm enough to wear summer dresses, and that usually lasted around a month. In mid-October, I began noticing a coming winter.

Now, besides the newly intense heat, this little city feels overly crowded with continually arriving new residents. Its already inadequate streets are packed with vehicles, and new buildings are being constructed in every direction.

While this morning is still cool, I will wear a straw hat and sunglasses and head outside to care for the horses and chickens. Hopefully, I will not have stinging eyes.

Dear Friends: At least it’s not Texas-like, scorching with oppressive storms. Diana

Stretching

Tuesday, June 18, 2024

I have two days off! I don’t see tree limbs blowing outside, so the weather might be lovely. I’m so ready for warm and windless days. Get this: Two evenings ago, before going outside to feed my horses, I selected from my closet a long woolen coat to wear against the insistent, freezing winds. It’s mid-June!” Although the summer solstice is around the corner, I still am using inside space heaters.

Today, my first obligation is handling some waiting chores. Then I might take the dogs to the Badlands and give them a good run. That’ll also get me hiking, much needed after a couple of learning days of learning in a new workspace.

By the way, my learning there, so far, is less about selling jewelry than about handling department-critical routines in the openings and closings. Some tasks are physical and require lifting and bending that my back resists. Thankfully, my friend Susie recently demonstrated some stretching routines, which I’ve begun using. I hope stretching will increase my overall flexibility, and meanwhile, it’s boosting my self-confidence; I’m more willing to take on physical tasks.

Selling jewelry is a different animal. Selling an expensive luxury item requires technical knowledge about its design, structure, and worthiness. A jewelry seller starts by articulating specifics that address an item’s value while teaching a consumer. I’ve been listening as my mentor Marie sells. She has fantastic product knowledge and is highly sensitive to customers. I understand now that ahead my path is very challenging. While learning how to sell jewelry, I must also be searching to find my footing in that complex role.

Dear Friends: I enjoy learning challenges, and now, I’ve found a doozy. Diana

Cheesing

Tuesday, June 04, 2024

This is National Cheese Day (really!). Later this week (get this!): June’s first Friday is National Donut Day. In exploring celebratory days, I’m finding that opportunities to appreciate are overwhelming, and it’s enough already. I’ll stop searching and yet make a shout out: Happy Cheese Day!

I wrote yesterday morning that the outside weather looked blowy and chilly. I was correct for those conditions lasted all day. My window this morning reveals similar weather behavior. For me, this is a day off from work and I’ve planned to tackle much-needed outside work. If today remains windy and cold, I’ll stay inside where plenty needs doing, too.

While inside, maybe I’ll poke into the cheese world. There’s much to explore about its cultural significance and the human passion for making it. I could learn by reading or streaming documentaries about the history of cheese, its different kinds and methods of making, and its lasting cultural significance.

Good learning can transform perceptions. Learning could turn my chuckles about National Cheese Day into awe.

Learning an appreciation of cheese on this day represents only a beginning. More ahead and scheduled annually, will arrive on October 15.

Dear Friends: The donut product also has a history and a big (bah!) cultural influence. Diana

Play Ball!

Saturday, June 01, 2024

Yesterday, my friend Julie and I attended this season’s opening game. We watched the Bend Elks against the Walla Walla Sweets from seats high up in nearly full bleachers. Their game was pretty good, but we left at the top of the fifth inning because I didn’t have a warm jacket. (Here in Bend, when the sun goes down, the wind gets chilly.) I’ll go see the Elks again, next time wearing my new (official) Elks ballcap and new Elks t-shirt, and bringing an appropriate jacket.

I enjoyed seeing the game with Julie. She’s from Chicago and knows the Sox and the Cubs. She’s also a retired social worker. She observed the crowd around us, as interested in people as in the game. She pointed out relationship behaviors that showed people relaxing, bonding, and enjoying the game. In the noisy, busy stadium environment, her observations of family-like pleasantries spoke to the “human values side” of baseball.

About sociology and human values, yesterday, the department store where I work part-time said farewell to our manager, Lisa. She’s happily moving on in her career but she was in tears throughout her crew’s goodbye.

A wonderful leader, Lisa is alert and smart, quick-moving, technically capable, and people-oriented. She knows everybody who works in the store and likes us all, and she manages efficiently and effectively overall.

Here we all were yesterday. Lisa is in the middle, identified by a big, shiny necklace.

Dear Friends: After a memorable day off, I’ll be working and adapting to change today. Diana