SUMMER OF CLIMATE CHANGE 

OF COURSE, WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT WEATHER

 

HALF INCH OF RAIN

Yep, after complaining about all the rain in May.  Come the first day of summer we had the bluest skies ever seen in Seattle all summer long,

Only a half inch of rain during the whole summer.   Dean helped it out running sprinklers and paying water bills.  Never have these Washingtonians ever had a more beautiful warm summer!

Easily many days over 90 some over 100.  Broke 12 hot weather records.

Now it’s almost October and we still haven’t a forecast of rain.

SUMMER PLANS

The plan for this year was sprucing up the garden beds.  This required many days of shoveling bark and weeding.  

Boring as it may sound - it truly was BORING.  

Mainly weeding was followed by a covering of bark mulch.  The bark we have always used was called nugget bark - 1 to 2" pieces.  But then the spotted owl with Covid and "bark" is more like tree slivers and ground bark.  It'll work but may not do the best job of keeping the beds weed free.  Ah, well.  

When the rain stopped at the end of May, the slave driver brought home 4 cubic yards – and said get started.  Then by the 4th of July he brought home 5 more cubic yards (he sez I exaggerate).  

Ah, we were still shy and he said he’d bring another yard home…..but no: 2 more cubic yards.  What a "kind" feudal lord – he did not make me spread bark when it was over 80 degrees or raining...but as I wrote, it never rained. 

Now we are down to only one small bed to be barked and maybe some to be parked in some area.  Parked Bark!

By the way, the gardens look great.

GARDEN BLOOMS 

Lots of people have grown sunflowers this year.  I did especially since sunflowers are the national flower of Ukraine.  With such great summer weather, we expected huge sunflowers. 

Some people did. The neighbor’s sunflower grew above their eaves. 

                                                    Ours overtook our car.  

           Still awaiting the seed head = maybe in October?

WHICH WAY TO GO GNOME?  HOME OR NOME?

Our Gnome had been pretty slovenly letting his gardens over grow with weeds – not fixing his windows or doors.  Dean had to straighten that out.  Everything looks a lot happier in Mr Gnome’s garden now.

OK, Mr Gnome, have fun with your birdie buddies
but keep your yard clean!!

PROJECTS WE CARE ABOUT BUT NOBODY ELSE DOES

One of Dean’s projects for the summer was to bring underground power/cable/phone into the house – nice to hope for but never happened.  

Puget Power is low on capable people.  3-4 weeks between visits.  Very frustrating.  Finally gave up for the year.

Somewhat frustrating for him but he got to “crack the whip” a lot.

And, oh, yes, he was going to digitize our remaining LPs – but we haven’t found the  turntable.  We are so not organized.

But he kept busy grinding garden weeds and tree trimmings.  Kept all sprinklers pointing the right way.  Fed wildlife.

WILDLIFE

We love watching the birds and squirrels.  Did have an overrun of starlings so had to shorten up the bird feeders to keep the big guys from eating all the seed there.  We had numerous woodpeckers, and bush tits and others along with siskins, sparrows, chickadees, nuthatches, finches plus!  For the first time, we had 3 nesting pairs of goldfinches.

All of our wildlife were thirsty.  We have two fountains and 2 watering dishes.

We had up to 6 squirrels enjoying peanuts from their feeder.  For a while some neighbors did away with the rodents but by September we’ve got more back.  Can tell the 2 mothers and a few weirdo idiot kids who can’t figure out who, what, when – what a hoot!  Lots of sommersaults and cross-yard chasing. 

Splooting Squirrel

 All the animals appreciated water for cooling and drinking.  The squirrels spooted.  A raccoon used to step into our water fountain after he dragged the pump out and chewed on it.  We fixed that by bringing in the pump each eve.  Then we learned about Raccoon Latrines:

RACCOON LATRINE – Who ever heard of such?  Only those with close and friendly raccoons.  I expected raccoons might bury their stuff like cats.  Oh, no, and Dean got to be the finder and the cleanup person.  Currently trying slippery plastic in the spot and smelly ammonia.  Maybe when the rains come he’ll not need to come in our yard for water.

Yeah You, kindly take "it" elsewhere

 

FIELD TRIPS 

READING FOR KIDS 

Dean reading to the kiddos

We were finally able to read to children in person – masked, of course. The kids were so excited to have someone come in and see them after the long quarantine.  

Did our hearts good!

STAYING COVID SAFE

Fully boosted, we have become a bit less paranoid about wearing masks.  Enjoyed visits with our TRUSTED SOULS who are also well protected from COVID.  We’ve even been to our favorite restaurants…The ones that are still in business…That is a problem trying to find staff.  Cyn and Earl traveling from Arizona met us on the waterfront of Seattle and we enjoyed lunch at Ivar's Acre of Clams.  

Our RV group has been a bunch of anti-vaxxers and we stayed away.  One rally they had 9 people catch COVID.  We didn’t need that.

We came early to our grandson Kolden's birthday.  Helped set up and converse with him.  Quietly, we scooted out before the crowds (a few anti-vaccers) came in.

Son Jeff and wife Linda found a wonderful new home in Idaho.  Beautiful country, the fresh smell of the outdoors, and a safer area than Seattle has become.  

NEW NEIGHBORS – we have many long-time neighbors.  Nice and peaceful here.

But great wonders!  2 families arrived in the houses behind us with little kiddos.                                                                   Ooh, can’t wait for Halloween!

PATIENCE, PLEASE 

Our ferries are running at half staff – usually...unless they can’t round up a trained crew in which case the route is canceled…or not. 

Our local ferry is running one ferry out of two.  On our way to Seattle one day, we had to make room for cars planning to ride on the Vashon/Fauntleroy ferry which crashed.  Apparently more training was necessary. 

Fast food restaurant are short handed.  The Police departments too.  Grocery stores have big gaps – this week there is margarine – last week there wasn’t. 

We’ve all recently gone through the oddness of our life with COVID.  Protecting kiddos and grandparents by leaving gaps in visits and hugs.  Many of the elderly passed on with COVID.  Many, with the opportunity, just quit their jobs and are living off their early retirement.  Too much danger of getting exposed to sick folks,  And because they quit, the knowledge of their job was lost causing whoever is left a lot of guessing on how and what needs to be done.  

US deaths by September

• COVID                                                     over 1 million
• Working age 18-64                                  a quarter million
• Add in 65-74                                            another quarter million – many workers
• Too old 75+                                              half a million

With each of those deaths were lost skills and knowledge that kept company’s running.  They automatically knew when the invoices went out.  They knew what to do when something unusual happened.  They knew how to handle it.  But they are now gone and those who took over are trying their best....but not always succeeding.

Be patient.  Be kind.