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| Windblown compost frame & swing |
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| Panels before tilting. . . |
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| . . . and after. |
Friday, 4/26. Right after posting my blog, JB and I loaded the trailer with the garbage (all but an old suitcase fit). Not a pleasant way to start the day, but at least it's done now.
Correction to 4/25 "Thought for the day": should have read "Guns only have two enemies: rust and politicians."
It was already 60 outside by 11:00 am. Seemed like 70 or more. Just when I've gotten used to the cold weather, now I have to get used to the warm. But I got going early and while JB was gone I washed the dishes. I cleaned up the porch. Put all the needles I had raked up yesterday into four bags. Refilled the coffee cans with sawdust for the outhouse. And generally worked up a sweat without giving my muscles a workout.
After JB got home about 1:00 pm, I stacked that last trailer load of wood that he had tossed inside the wood shed fence. I also made hummingbird nectar and got the feeder hung out in the late afternoon. I forgot that I had to cook it . . , along with how to stack wood, and, possibly, what a wren sounds like. Take the winter off and look what happens. . .
Saw a chipmunk on the side of the wood shed again this afternoon - same time (on our walk), same place. We'll keep the gate closed from now on or else Dinga will get in there and tear the place apart.
Our high for the day was 63. Hot in the sun, but pleasant in the shade. We enjoyed the shade on the porch after dinner in our chairs. I couldn't sit still though and re-did the steps in the rock wall. Much better now.
We watched "Armageddon", or at least JB did. I really don't like these doomsday movies, so half-way through I went back out on the porch for a while. I have seen "Independence Day", but this was much more intense.
Saturday, 4/27. This morning began partly overcast and 41. I let the dogs out at 5:30 and lit a fire. With dawn came a big gust of wind, as if upon rising, the sun let out a big sigh.
Was a little breezy when I got up again at 7:30, but by 8:00 the predicted wind had blown in. NOAA said to expect 20-30 mph sustained winds and it sure seemed like it was on the high end, and I know some of the gusts were up to 40 and 50 mph. A good day to stay inside. The dogs certainly don't like to go out in it. I had to get wood from the shed now that there isn't any more on the porch, and that was an effort. Oh, yeah - the wind is supposed to be worse on Monday. I can hardly wait.
On our walk we discovered that the wind had blown over my swing, blown the frame of the compost pile about 15 feet closer to the house (see photo above), and knocked over the southwest pole on the garden fence!
Great May/June issue of Cowboys & Indians! The cover story is the movie "The Lone Ranger." When I first heard that Johnny Depp was playing Tonto, I was a little skeptical, but now having read about the format, it is definitely a must see! Depp was actually made an honorary Comanche by the tribe. I still remember listening to The Lone Ranger on the radio with my Dad when I was in grade school. Then, of course, watching the series on TV. The Lone Ranger is as much a part of me as is Roy Rogers (although I always thought The Lone Ranger was a lot more exciting.) When playing cowboys and Indians as a kid, I usually wanted to be the Indian.
Am learning to use my Nook. Not a real fan of things electronic as we always seem to have our issues. Fortunately JB purchased an extended 3-year warranty for it which covers everything, even if I drop it, which isn't at all unlikely.
Sandy told me she heard on the news that the Governor of Washington wants a ban on "man" words in describing civil servants like fireman, policeman, etc. Instead one must use the words firefighter, law enforcement officer, etc. It would carry a $500 fine! OMG! Talk about political correctness gone feral! (Please note that the capital of Washington, Olympia, is on the WEST side of the mountains - the extremely liberal side.)
The sustained wind had died out by about 2:30, but it was still pretty gusty well into the evening. By bedtime it had all stopped and was eerily quiet.
Sunday, 4/28. It was clear and 35 with a breeze early this morning. JB let me sleep in til 8:30 and then made German pancakes for breakfast. We went outside soon after to "batten down the hatches" before the next wind storm arrived. The high wind watch is for midnight tonight through 5:00 pm tomorrow. Just wanted to get it done as early as possible and not be rushed.
We tilted the panels all the way up, a week early but we figured there would be less wind resistance tilted up. Then we put the small chairs and empty rain barrel from the porch into the wood shed. Replaced the last few wooden stakes on the tipi with metal ones. Put the swing frame upright and took the swing off the frame. Put stakes over the bottom of the compost pile frame. Also attached a second plastic tie on the lid of the cistern riser.
While resting in our chairs on the porch afterwards, I actually saw a wren and recognized its song. (I guess those synapses haven't stopped firing after all.) Then a brilliant green hummingbird came to the feeder. I love Spring!
I picked up the larger of the downed branches and put them on the cutting pile. Then picked up several armloads of kindling. Wind - nature's pruner. It was pleasant while working outside in the morning, but later in the day the wind turned icy and we had to wear our big coats to go on our walk.
The two Pacific Ninebark seedlings are budding, but it doesn't look like the Blooming Red Current seedlings are going to survive. There is lots of grass coming up in the yard now that I have raked off the needles. Looks like we may have twice as much as last year.
Monday 4/29. Happy Birthday to my Mom (she would be 90) & Dinga (she is 5)! It's partly cloudy and 29 out there with a few snow flakes blowing in the breeze. We are on the edge of the storm that is blasting the mountains. The high wind watch is still in effect til 5:00 pm but it sound like the worst of it is north and east of us. It was windy all night but nothing more than 20 mph gusts.
Thought for the day: An intellectual snob is someone who can listen to the William Tell overture and not think of The Lone Ranger. Dan Rather
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