SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES

Mike and I packed up and left the town house for the farm about 8:15 Friday morning. Driving up the Clearwater corridor we noticed the smoky haze but didn’t think much about it. It’s been hazy for days.

That is, we didn’t think much about it until we came to the Gilbert Grade where those wonderful vistas of Orofino and the Clearwater Mountains were supposed to be. They weren’t visible due to smoke. As we reached the top of the grade, smoke obscured the distant view and hung in the air. Sometimes it appeared to move as fog, creeping along the low places and resting on the hills. As we descended Plank’s Pitch into the homestead, we were greeted by a house shrouded in smoke. “I wonder if we ought to stay here,” said Mike.

So we unloaded the Dakota and then pursued our chores. I put away the things we brought, watered the vegetation, and did a little housework. Mike tossed the one trapped mouse, wound the clock, and completed a leatherwork task.

 

Mike had intended to meet cycling friends in Kamiah today (Saturday) for a ride to Grangeville and Mt. Idaho (rural communities of the area), and it occurred to him that he should check his email for confirmation of the ride. Sure enough – the ride was postponed due to the smoke and air advisory. And then Mike rode out on the 4-wheeler to renew the orange paint on our “no hunting” stakes. “I think we should leave after lunch,” he announced upon return. “I could hardly take a deep breath.” He noted that the smoke smells like wood fire -- burning trees.

 

I was momentarily unconvinced of the need to leave. After all, the neighbors are permanent residents of the area. They probably aren’t leaving. But Mike pointed out that we don’t know their circumstances. And since the bike ride was cancelled and outdoor activities were out of the question, Mike needed a new plan of action.

But wait! The big box of pears on the porch still had to be dealt with. I had planned to dry any that were ripe.  So, after a hasty lunch, I selected the best of them to take back to town for some sort of processing. I guess leaving them in the big box on the porch wasn’t such a bad idea because they did ripen. Our daily temperature spread is 40 degrees now, so maybe we tricked them into thinking they were ripening on the ground.

So, we loaded up and headed out. Mike stopped at a viewpoint near the top of the grade so that I could take a picture of the obscurity. 

We stopped again on Orofino’s Riverside to pick up a geocache where I took the picture below. Mike and I agreed that the smoke was much worse than earlier in the day. Visibility was somewhat limited and traffic crept rather needlessly.

Back at the town house by 3:00, we once again dealt with our packing boxes and then I started to work on the pears. Eight cups of chopped pears went into the big pot to simmer with four cups of sugar, one teaspoon of cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves. Mmmmm – the spicy autumn aroma permeated this little house. Once it had thickened, I packed it into three pint jars.  I can hardly wait for Nick to taste it!

The smoke here in town is worse this morning. Sports activities have been cancelled or moved indoors. I maintain that the air quality can’t be all that much better inside, can it? Maybe the “particulates” in the exterior air don’t affect us inside.

Today? – more pear processing and maybe more work on the quilt. Mike says the smoky conditions are getting him down. Unless things clear a bit, outdoor exercise is out of the question, so he’ll probably work in his shop. KW

[The pictures: 1 & 2) The farmhouse. 3) To the north from the field behind the house. 4) To the south. The view of Little Canyon is totally obscured by the smoke. 5 & 6) From Gilbert Grade. 7) On Riverside. 8) From the town house.]