 |
| Air-stagnation haze over the mountains. |
Monday 11/17. Our air has been so cold and so still for so long that now we have an air quality warning. Haze fills most of the canyons and valleys. Thank goodness we are above the worst of it.
Buster is back up in the canyon and came to visit this morning. Am always entertained when watching Jesse play with him. Very different from the way he plays with Dinga.
JB finished organizing his loft "office", while I attacked several kitchen shelves and a cupboard that were screaming to be better organized. Also made some banana coffee cake. I think we are finally getting back into the cooking/baking state of mind. JB made a big plate of lasagna over the weekend. I can already hear the march of the calories.
Our high for the day was 24, but it certainly did not seem that warm, if 24 can be considered warm. Maybe because I wasn't outside long enough to work up a sweat. Bringing in the fire wood is not that strenuous.
And, speaking of fire, another issue with wood stoves is getting rid of the ashes that build up. Of course, if one is using the stove 24/7, there will also be hot coals to contend with. Having heard horror stories of fires set by these coals being dumped close to flammable items (wood and dry brush), I devised a plan to prevent such catastrophes Up Here. First, when I empty the ashes and coals into the ash bucket, I keep it inside until it is cool. It is large enough to use twice before emptying. After it has cooled, the bucket gets dumped into a small, metal garbage can outside. When that is full, it gets emptied into the garden or compost pile.
Larry and Elsie drove up for a visit early this evening. A good visit with lots of political discussion. Even more than usual
Tuesday 11/18. It was 16 with a thin overcast this morning at 7:00 am when JB awoke. By 8:30 am, when I went to feed the girls, it had already warmed to 21.
JB worked outside filling low tires, putting the snow plow up on boards so it doesn't freeze into the ground, driving MAX a little, etc. I brought up a couple armloads of branch wood from down the west slope.
With Mother Nature's permission, we would very much like to drive across the mountains on Saturday to attend the grand opening of JB's brother's new tasting room at his winery. It would be a full day, beginning with a visit to JB's Mom. Then on to Costco for gluten free goodies that are no longer available over here. (Eastern Washington seems to be strictly a meat and potatoes land.) And, finally, on to the winery. Driving west, our route will take us over Blewett and Snoqualamie Passes. Coming back home, since we will already be north of Seattle at the winery, we will drive over Stevens Pass. But Mother Nature has the final say, as she has a storm brewing.
With no nap yesterday and up twice again last night, I took a morning nap today. Back to bed at 9:30 am for an hour. Oh, how I love my naps! JB was upset that I again did both watches, so tomorrow morning I will nudge him awake for the second one.
We, who live in eastern Washington, experience terrible frustration in having so little control over state issues that directly affect us. Such divergent views on either side of the mountains. Secession would be the perfect solution, but that just ain't gonna to happen. Short of a sudden outbreak of common sense on the west side, the situation will remain the same. Would be nice if we could find a way to reason with those tree-hugging, owl-loving, bleeding-heart, environmentally-inane liberals.
One example of their many follies, as I understand it: Pine beetles are having a feast in Blewett Pass and the surrounding area. However, those liberal environmentalists mentioned above will not allow spraying or the cutting down of diseased trees because it is in an area of an endangered animal of some sort (owl?). So, slowly the beetles are winning, even though Mother Nature tried to intervene with a fire a couple years ago. So not only will we lose the endangered animal, but we will also lose an entire forest (or vica versa). No clue have most city folk, so removed from nature are they. See, not only does Mother Nature agree with me, so does Yoda!
Now I have been called a tree hugger in my time, and I consider myself an environmentalist. But a sane tree hugger; a sane environmentalist. A little common sense goes a long way. And, yes, I did go to college at WWU which is probably the most liberal post of higher learning in our state, but I survived with my common sense intact.
Wednesday 11/20. It is 24 and overcast this morning, with snow again in the forecast. I slept much better last night and didn't even hear JB get up for the second fire watch. However, it doesn't help that I am jotting down thoughts for my blog at all hours. Inspiration, such as it is, must be grabbed and recorded as it occurs or it is lost for good.
Thought for the day: Obsessed by a fairy tail, we spend our lives searching for a magic door and a lost kingdom of peace. Eugene O'Neill (Well, many of those living on the west side of the mountains do.)
No comments:
Post a Comment