Full Moon and Lightning

We walked out to close the gate after dinner and episodes of Grace and Frankie Season 2 and were treated to the awesome light of the Full Moon. What I wasn't able to capture with the camera were the repeated flashes of what we can only guess was lightning. Google doesn't come up with any evidence that others saw it ... but, oh the ozone was nice! Such a lightening up. That's Aquarius.

Any one else see the flashes?

Eagle Buzz

Yesterday afternoon

It's been a rainy breezy few days.
Water collects in longer streams and pools on the gravel road, in the flattest section of the prairie.
A sun break cleared clouds.
Between listening to wonderful community radio broadcasting across the Salish Sea from Port Townsend Pete and I took a walk to the trail to the  "upland acres" ...

We tromped the thick patches of grass, and walked the trails where Blackberry has not yet taken complete control.
I wanted Pete to notice the Cedar, there aren't many up there, but there are more than I thought as he discovered. One Cedar at the top of the land is actually two trees growing intimately together.
We separated in our exploration, Pete was under one of the Cedar checking on a piece of plywood left lying against her(Cedar) broad hip.
I heard them before I saw them. A loud screech, familiar, but different. I turned in the direction of the call ... toward the road.
Flying below the tree tops came Eagle. Eagles. Eventually three of them.
We had gotten too close to their nest in the Cottonwood.
They buzzed us.
Pete watched them soar from their low-flying position into the sky and probably (guessing because we didn't actually see them) going into or over their nest.
Wow.

Nesting time?

We have a lot to learn.

Thursday Lunch

It wasn't a day (one of those days only ducks could love) for many projects, but, there was time enough for Pete and Tom G to climb into the big white truck and do some 'goof'n around' and investigation:

• checking out the potential for kitchen equipment from the Braeburn (dumpster diving) 
• picking up the chipper (once donated to the Good Cheer Garden when Pete was an active volunteer) which has been with Ron the mechanic who put in a new carburetor so he could use it and Pete would use (a share the equipment deal) ... Pete's not been driving his old turquoise truck (Bernadette) since we moved onto the Prairie Front. Since Tom G has the fine big white and the skill to fix the chipper there is a promise verging on fulfillment to get it running so Tom Vincent (compost master guy) can use it to chip up all growing pile of plant trimmings in the Pea Patches.

I thought it might not be a day for cooking Thursday Work Party Lunch, but I was wrong. As it turned out I asked Tom, "So are you up for some lunch when you guys get back?"

He said something like, "Sure, if you're gonna make soup for yourselves."

I said, "Okay then. I'll eat my oatmeal and prep the squash for soup."

I ate my breakfast. Pete climbed into the passenger seat of the big diesel truck. I prepped the large Butternut Squash for Squash, Mushroom and Coconut-Ginger Soup. Slices of C&C (Crust & Crumbs the Skagit Valley Co-op bakery) Artisan Wheat Bread topped with lots of grated cheese accompanied the soup. I left a large hand-written note for the guys to find, along with a chunk of fresh ginger root for them to grate into the soup to satisfy their tastes. The slices of sour dough wheat and cheese? They grilled them when they returned from their investigation, while I hung out in the vardo doing my thang (writing).

The feedback from Pete regarding the soup and sandwich lunch "Warm comforting food. Home made quality." Feeding people always makes all the difference. 

Monday morning notes

Upon rising

A bit more calm after days of ferocious winds
A one coat, one wind breaker day
No rain
Traffic? Yes.

Before opening the gate (8-ish a.m.)

Robins busy pulling long worms up from between the classroom and storage room

After opening the gate

Walk to the gate was gentle, not so deep an arm/wing waving dance; waved to the dump truck driver going up Thompson Road (I see him and that truck often; wonder what's happen up there?)
Greeting the gate and noticed the lichen, the Usnea (need to gather new Usnea and prepare a tincture for chest remedy)
Went to the pots for a bit of drumming ... the sounds are fun to make hear ... new ones come with practice.
Greeted the Honeysuckle which is showing signs of new growth
Walked up to the middle gate, and as I did there was the Raven Couple ... I could hear them chortling to each other ... greeted them and waved ... I think there waved back
Our Raspberry Patch is a favorite spot for the Sparrow Family ... left them to their activity and walked through the rest of the garden patches noticing how other gardeners do things. I wonder who is the garden who used old mattress springs for trellising beans?
Mullein in the Calyx Garden is still very green
More thinking about what to plant in our garden ... Pots or in the ground planting of medicine herbs?
Echinacea (for her root); Motherwort (flowers); St. Joan's

Other kilo 

Very nice Dandelion growing under the table at Jodie Crane's farm stand
I have been using Dandelion stem glue for the spot on my face (started that last Summer)

Ordered today a new tincture of Yellow Dock for belly remedy on hand
Ordered St. Joan's Wort from Julie Nunn a couple days ago ... another first-aid basic for me

Yesterday ...

I drove to Greenbank for an afternoon date with myself (Pete was with JC watching football)
in the Wetlands I saw Pussy Willow in full bloom

Last night
Hina was already heading west and in a Ku phase, not quite 'Ole, and beautiful in her left-handed sickle look.

Traffic Noise Solutions

The noise is creating difficulties. We are frazzled and irritable from the near-constant noise, adding a new issue to consider(a factor of Environmental Illness); another issue to kilo (observe) and adapt to.

• Too much. Too often.
• Taking breaks from being here, only a temporary but not lasting solution
• We are researching the best noise blocking solutions & noise cancelling  solutions (which I'm finding are two different things); Pete shared his research with me this morning; I'm reading links myself and considering what he has found
• Involving others who have apps to measure the actual decibel levels of Highway 525 noise is our next step
• Then there'll be the issue of off-gassing of the materials from/on new product we buy before it is tolerable 

Stay tuned ... 

Big winds and rain, work party, monthly meeting

Thursday

The winter storms are far from over.
Last night's wind and rain was ferocious.
20 m.p.h. winds
Big thunder, and lightning, too

10 a.m.

The skies cleared for a couple hours, long enough for a Thursday work party.
Janet went up to cut blackberries off the trails.
Tom G brought his truck. Prescott and Pete climbed in to haul asphalt shingles (freebies) for the second tool shed.
Two wooden student's chairs showed up with the shingle run; don't have the exact story of their history (the chairs' history)
I made chicken and veggie soup, and a pot of coffee with half and half for lunch. The conversation was lively, and interesting, even with the cool breeze on the pavilion. I like what happens when people are fed!
Pete did the dishes, after re-setting the locking gizmo on the gate he built for the garden.
The solar frig needs more sun to keep the battery charged; we will need to unload the frig and use our coolers (and not the frig) until we get more sun.

6 p.m.

The monthly Tilth Council meeting happened, and Pete was in attendance. I drove him to the meeting (so I could have the car, just in case); Fred gave Pete a ride home.
Our role as Co-Caretakers is developing:

• Pete's submitted a list of projects (building a kiosk/information board; completing the tool shed; setting up the water metering system ... ) and 
• Moki's request to be reimbursed for the ingredients used for Thursday work parties. Result: our monthly $100 'rent' check was returned (an act of reciprocity). 
• Our electricity use (reflected in the utility bill) wasn't available yet; we'll pay that monthly.

Strong winds continue from the southeast ...

Notes on the Crab Apple-Grafted 'other' Apple Tree

The Crab Apple and Grafted 'other' Apple Tree: early December and a first freeze
Link to original post and photo

January 7, 2018: the same tree a'ole apples, Robins instead
Link to related post.

Work Party Thursday

Most Thursdays there is a gathering of Tilth folk who come to do some chore or group project here on the Prairie Front between 11 am and 1 pm. Today, a group of four came to prepare a place for the new-to-Tilth garden shed.
The temperature was moderate for winter
The winds gentle
No rain

While Prescott and Michael, and Tom G. and Pete worked the area and laid out the foundation stones for the shed, I shopped for corn chowder ingredients and bread and butter for lunch.

At noon the chowder was simmering and a pot of hot coffee was ready for the crew. Walking out with a tray of mugs and a pot of coffee reminded me of times long past when Eleanor Kumukoa would have made lunch for the farmers on Lunalilo Home Road. I would have been a girl of no more than five at the time.

When I walked up with the tray of mugs and coffee and called, "Coffee break," Michael found something to set up a makeshift table over the wheel barrel. All gathered for the welcomed hot drink. The conversation and bits of information just the kind that comes from the community I desire:

"there is a white buck (deer). it is the color of a yellow lab now." (those weren't Reindeer we spotted at Christmas)

"bow hunting season starts in September."

"deer might be eating the ground cover down ... affecting the birds."

"the coffee can't be too strong for P." (that surprised me, I didn't know she drank coffee)...

Shortly after 1 pm the chowder was ready and the rosemary rolls were heated. JC showed up in impeccable timing and all found a chair under the pavilion roof to enjoy the meal and have continuing good conversation and good humor.

The sun came out while we ate but tucked behind clouds when the south wind came up.

Red Sky Morning

8:00 AM
30 degrees
No winds
And a red sky