THE POSTER CHILD FOR PRISON MURDER

Poster Photo -- Milo Warnock

“Who would kill Milo?” asked one of his classmates, an Albertsons employee whom I see frequently.

Who, indeed? Although Milo had a troubled life, Mike and I never envisioned becoming the parents of the poster child for prison murder and thus embarking on a late-life quest for reform.

Yes, we are grieved – but we are also ANGRY. You see, regardless of who Milo was and what he did, he was treated unjustly not only by the justice system but in prison. It was just one horrible downward spiral which Milo was powerless to impact, and we didn’t know what to do.

“I regret that I didn’t try to do more for Milo,” I said to Mike over the supper table one recent evening. “Tell me about it,” he rejoined. Hindsight is 20/20.

“Don’t beat yourself up,” several have said to us. “You probably couldn’t have done anything.”

Well, we could have been more visible, which would have helped Milo. As it was, we were in touch daily.

On the day prior to sentencing, Milo bought an old suit at a thrift store and learned to tie a tie. Before court, he took a selfie in the mirror of a courthouse restroom, which he sent to me. He messaged: “One should look well for his funeral.” Such communications wash over me every day. I feel tears that just refuse to fall.

I have subscribed at the Idaho Justice Project. Who will support such organizations if I (we) don’t? KW

DITHERING OVER THE AFGHAN

Promotional photo
Hopefully, mine will look this good.

 I recently mentioned that I started an afghan from a kit that I purchased 25 years ago. It’s crocheted in the afghan (Tunisian) stitch and then embroidered with pansy designs. The pattern calls for the entire afghan to be worked in one piece of 151 stitches. Somewhat like knitting, Tunisian crochet pulls loops onto the hook and then works them off. I ordered a long hook, but it just wasn’t long enough, and as the afghan grew, it was only going to get worse. 

Long hook -- not long enough

So, after having completed 30 rows, I researched Tunisian crochet and determined that I needed a short hook with an attached cable to hold the stitches. I found one on Amazon and excitedly waited the two days for delivery. But when I began to use the new hook, I saw that switching hooks at this point would be obvious in the work. I would have to start over. (Sigh)

Shorter hook with cable

But – the hook issue wasn’t my only worry. I feared that I would not have enough yarn. By this point, I knew exactly how many rows I was getting per skein, so I decided to be scientific and actually do the math. I discovered that I would indeed be short of yarn if I continued in this way, meaning that my work was too loose. This is a chronic problem with me and sometimes I just don’t care, but it matters with this project. The stitches must be tighter to enable the cross-stitch embroidery, and the yarn in this kit (Caron’s Dazzle Aire) was discontinued long ago. I repeat – long ago! It’s not available anywhere. Some kits provide extra yarn, but this was not the case here.

This is a labor-intensive project, probably the reason I put it off for 25 years. Working tightly, as I must, hurts my wrists. But I hate to just say that I can’t and give it up. I can, and I also want to, so I made another start, and I’ll see how it goes. (I’ll tear out my other work when Mike isn’t looking.)

My mother and my mother-in-law both worked afghans of this type in the ‘70s and ‘80s, and Hallie did one for Mike in the ‘90s, but I suspect that Tunisian crochet is not as popular as it was. I think that today, people like projects that work up more quickly and easily. This doesn’t apply to everyone, of course, but I believe bulkier yarns are the trend now. KW

FIRST FARM OVERNIGHTER OF THE SEASON

 

Mike is going on a 4-wheeler excursion with friends, so we had to make a trip to the farm to get the 4-wheeler. Can’t go 4-wheeling without a 4-wheeler. So, we went Friday (April 19) for another work session and our first overnighter of the season. And it was COLD! The low Saturday morning was 38. 

 

We got a lot done.

·      Wifi turned on

·      TV checked out

·      Transplanted two volunteer trees from town – a common hawthorn and an imitation cherry

·      Cleaned pine straw and debris from the snow breaks on the roof

·      Sprayed herbicide on lane

·      Installed clothesline

·      Two loads of laundry in new washing machine

·      Baked banana bread and cookies in new oven

·      Made bed with fresh sheets

·      Assembled and planted a solar wind spinner

·      Toured perimeter of farm on 4-wheeler

It always seems like the hardest work falls to Mike, and he works hard. I always say that we have to come back to town to rest up – and Mike works hard here, too.

As for wildlife, the Canada goose is no longer on the pond – kinda disappointing. We haven’t seen many deer, but just as we were leaving Saturday afternoon, I spied six deer running across the field to the southwest. They soon disappeared over the rise toward the canyon. KW

COLD AGAIN!

Fortunately, I know better than to remove the electric blanket before June. It’s back to my winter uniform, probably for the rest of the week, if not longer.

Monday (April 15) was a stressful day. We had a phone conference with the prosecuting attorney regarding their investigation of Milo’s homicide. They say that they want to be sure of a thorough investigation and that it’s going to take time. Well, I don't see the prosecuting attorney as a friend, so for me, it just renewed the grief, remorse, and regret.

Also on Monday, the appliance store called to say they could deliver our new stove and washer to the farmhouse the next day (Tuesday the 16^th). Well, we hadn’t planned to go, but we certainly wanted the delivery, so we agreed. The change in plans seemed to add to the stress of the day.

So, Tuesday morning, just as we were ready to leave for the farm, I noticed a headline in my email announcing that Hwy 12 was closed because of a wreck. We took Hwy 95 instead, and this proved difficult as well because of another closure. We had to backtrack several miles. Oh well. We weren't lost, and we made it to the farm.

“It’s cold up here,” said Mike. It’s always cooler at elevation, but for us, the change was profound. It was 80+ in town over the weekend, and now it was 44 at the farm.

Mike fixed the faucet at the kitchen sink before beginning the outdoor work. We traveled in the old truck carrying a load of horse manure, and Mike offloaded it near the raised beds. Then he mowed the lawn. Surprisingly, the grass had grown significantly since our visit two weeks ago.

Old Kenmore range

I prepped the old stove for removal. Then I poisoned gopher holes, watered the rhubarb plants, etc.

Largent’s arrived at 2:40 with the new appliances. Out with the old, in with the new. It didn’t take long. Mike connected the gas line to the new stove and installed the burner grates.

New Frigidaire range

Suddenly it was time to leave. The wind was blowing and white stuff swirled around as we rushed to finish last minute chores. The delivery guys reported that Hwy 12 was open to one-lane traffic, so we decided to return by that route. Unfortunately, we (the westbound traffic) had to wait 20 minutes, and Mike counted 105 eastbound vehicles waiting their chance to go.

Whirlpool washer

[An article in the Lewiston Tribune (April 17) reports that an eastbound Dodge Ram crossed the center line and collided with a semitruck just after 7:00 a.m. Tuesday. Both drivers were taken to hospitals. The accident was a mile west of Myrtle. The semitruck was still in the ditch as we returned to town.] KW

WHAT TO WEAR, WHAT TO WEAR

It’s suddenly turned quite warm. It was 55 at 6:00 this morning, about the same as at bedtime last night.

So, it’s time to drop the winter uniform – my comfortable warm-ups and sweatshirts – and find something else to wear that’s not only suitable for the season but also age-appropriate. No easy feat! It’s a dilemma every year.

It will likely reach 80 today and tomorrow, but next week will be cooler again with very little chance of precipitation.

Mike and Hallie have an upcoming conference call relating to Milo’s homicide, and we are relieved for this sign of progress. Certain documents are restricted due to the criminal investigation, and we hope those will soon be released. KW

FAILURES

I've mentioned here previously – several times – that my cooking / baking efforts aren’t going well. “Honey, if you don’t cook, you get so you can’t cook,” said my mother-in-law. I have diligently continued to cook, but I’m still getting so I can’t cook. I hope I will eventually get better, but then, I’ve been hoping that my whole life. And while it was ingrained in me in my youth that “practice makes perfect,” I have always believed that other factors are involved, like talent and ability.

This last failure was an angel food cake from scratch. I bought liquid egg whites (Lucerne brand from Albertsons), and I thought they looked strange – kinda milky. In fact, I checked to be sure it really was egg whites. Well, I beat the heck outta those egg whites and they never did stiffen up. I was afraid I was going to burn out my stand mixer! I researched online for advice without finding help for the immediate situation, so in the end, I just stirred in the flour and powdered sugar, poured the mixture into the tube pan, and plopped it in the oven. The mixture was so thin that it seeped through the bottom of the pan and onto the freshly cleaned oven floor. (I had to clean it after the previous fail, a chocolate coconut impossible pie.)

Well, I did read that it’s best to use real egg whites, and so I’m anxious to try again. However, the news regarding the loss of eggs due to the avian flu does not bode well. Eggs will be expensive again, they say. Well – so what.

Oh – how did the angel food cake turn out, you ask. We ate it. It tasted like angel food cake. It was just dense, like the ones you see at a store bakery. Maybe they use their store-brand egg whites.

Promotional photo, Herrschner's, Inc.

And I’m not fairing much better with other creative activities. I started an afghan using the Tunisian (afghan) stitch, and I swear, I’ve had to restart six times. It’s frustrating since I learned this stitch in childhood. I even understand the pattern, and still I struggle. I now count the stitches upon completion of every row. It's time-consuming but less so than discovering the error with completion of the next row. This is an old project – a kit purchased at least 25 years ago in my "pansy" period. I ask myself if it’s worth my time. It’s going to take a while, especially if I have to re-do each row. I just don’t want to give in. KW

ECLIPSE DAY 2024

Imitation Cherry Tree 2024 -- not full of blooms

I couldn’t believe that millions of people would get on those broken-down airplanes and travel from all over the world to see the eclipse. Someone described a total eclipse of the sun as “life-changing.” I have a certain appreciation of it, but tell me I have to endure crowds in order to participate, and I’m not much interested. And I already know what a truly life-changing event looks like.

“Are you going to look at the eclipse,” Mike asked.

And I thought of that time in the fourth grade when Mrs. Peer told our class that we should never look at the sun unless we looked through two black and white film strips. Then it was safe, she said. I wasn’t so sure. I decided then and there to avoid looking directly at the sun. So, no, I didn’t look at the sun even to see a partial eclipse. I thought the sunlight seemed a little duller than usual, but Mike said he didn’t even notice that. Here in the West, the eclipse was a fizzle, but then, we expected this.

The cherry tree in April 2023

The imitation cherry tree is not going to be spectacular this year. The blossoms developed too soon owing to a warmer winter when we saw little variation in day and night temps. This signals spring to the vegetation, and the blossoms develop too soon. Then we had another spell of lows at or near freezing, and with that, the blossoms failed. Brother Chuck tells me that leaves withstand the cold better than the blossoms. We even saw frost in the Valley this week. It remains to be seen if we have fruit on the farm this year. I reminded Mike that once the apple trees bloom, we must spray them. KW

SPRING DROUGHT

 

Tuesday (April 2), we went to the farm, trailering the lawnmower. I forgot to report on our last visit that the lane didn’t wash out this year. The work last fall paid off.

The new nozzle for the kitchen sink didn’t arrive even though we expected it. That’s a story in itself. Thinking it would be delivered by UPS, Mike had the order addressed to the farm, but instead of delivering it, UPS dropped it into the post office. Our farm mail delivery is suspended until May 1, so we were unsure if it would be forwarded to the town house or returned to sender. Fortunately, our mail lady delivered it yesterday.

So, Mike will fix the kitchen faucet on our next trip, but he did install a new flapper in the downstairs toilet before commencing to spray the weeds that grow up the center of the lane. This is a time-consuming project and involves climbing on and off the 4-wheeler.

My time-consuming project was feeding the gopher holes in the yard. The gophers have been busy expanding their underground highway. I kept finding more holes! And we had four large mice in traps in the house. The Great Rodent War 2024 is on!

The daffodils are in bloom, and I was glad to see them. The strawberry plants also look good, and I pulled the pine straw off of them so that they can enjoy the sun. Well, it was a pleasant spring day while we were there, but now we’re having another spell of winter.

A solitary Canada goose was patrolling the pond. I suspect he was guarding a family hidden in the reeds because he wasn’t intimidated by our presence. He even warned Bess with a hearty honk, and Bess barked back but moved off.

Before we left, we planted a few rhubarb roots that a friend gave me. I’m skeptical that these will grow. At the farm, my established rhubarb plants are barely making a showing, but my friend in town is already pulling healthy stalks.

Note dry ground

I tell you what, though – it’s already dry. It’s early spring and the pond isn’t overflowing into the spillway and it’s dry under the clothesline. It’s early to be so dry and doesn’t bode well for the summer. The newspaper reports that parts of Clearwater County are already in drought, and I can believe it. We could use some of that moisture that’s falling in abundance in other regions. We’ve had some rain this week, but it’s never enough. KW

UPDATE – MILO WARNOCK

Just an FYI: A new video on YouTube titled "Milo Warnock - Rest in Peace" addresses prison issues as well as events leading to Milo's homicide. Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QpmHtvXBL0

We have received word that the ISP investigative report has been submitted to the Ada County Prosecutor, but apparently they requested further investigation.

Other investigations relative to Milo’s case are continuing.

Just this morning, we approved the design for Milo’s headstone (monument). Burial of his ashes is scheduled for May 25. KW

HAPPY APRIL FOOL'S DAY

A postcard from the early 1900s

 

A JOYFUL EASTERTIDE TO YOU AND YOURS

 

GOOD FRIDAY GREETINGS

It’s a lovely sunny day – at least, it is right now. Typical of March, the weather has been alternately cold, warm, blustery, and overcast / rainy – sometimes all in one day. The billowy white clouds are beautiful in the blue sky, or in the next moment, the sky turns a dark gray.

Good Friday always feels special to me. It seems to include a deep expectation. This year is no different.

I noticed yesterday that the artificial cherry tree next to the west side of the town house is beginning to bloom. The early daffodils are in bloom, while the later varieties are getting ready to open. Yard work beckons.

Two weeks ago, I planted vegetable seeds in peat pots and set them in the kitchen window. One of the summer squashes and a tomato are sprouting as I write. I hope the others will follow suit. Some of my seeds were saved from other years, and perhaps they won’t sprout. There’s always “Plan B” – buy plants (or buy new seeds).

I made hot cross buns today – a Good Friday treat. Breadmaking isn’t my strong suit, but on Good Friday, I make hot cross buns. It seems like my creative efforts fail as often as not, and I discovered after mixing the dough that I had left the butter out. I just ran another knead cycle, and the end product is acceptable. KW

HEARTY EASTER GREETINGS

These Easter postcards, likely from the 1910s, were my dad's. 

We still have no investigative report regarding Milo's wrongful prison death. It seems very quiet now. We await next steps. 

Thank you for thinking of us. KW

AN AFTERNOON OF SHOPPING

Addressed to Vance Dobson, 1915

The oven at the farmhouse wasn’t heating correctly last year. I limped along with it, but with a family reunion scheduled for Memorial Day weekend, I served notice that we needed a new one NOW. The old one is 25 years old, after all, and Mike’s research on repair proved that the better option is to buy new. (Just between us, the old one was a floor model from Sears and wasn’t all that great to begin with.)

And while we were at it, I said, we should take advantage of the opportunity to replace the very old well-used washing machine we bought a couple of years ago. How old is it? So old that I had to show Mike and the plumber how to run the water into it, though it seemed perfectly straightforward to me. It could have been from the ‘60s.

But when it comes right down to it, I have to be pushed to shop outside my armchair. “There aren’t choices,” I tell Mike. “It all comes down to the same thing.” I suggested we just go to Largent’s and save some time, but Mike wanted to see the options, and Friday (March 22) was the day.

We visited three appliance shops, and the models we chose were either the same or similar and the delivery costs were comparable. It all made my head swim. We chose the offerings at the third shop we visited (Largent’s after all) – a white Frigidaire range and a Whirlpool washing machine. The salesperson there seemed to glean what we needed, was good at explaining features, and went the extra mile.  

I know from experience that a new appliance might be worse than the old. All appliances have digital controls now, which can be bad from the beginning for no particular reason. We just have to hope for the best. In our case, though, both the range and the washer need to be replaced.

A happy time for Milo with his sons

Not the least of our errands was a visit to Garlinghouse Memorials to order the monument for Milo’s grave. Again, our choices were within a limited range. Milo’s ashes will share our plot, so his stone must be flat and sit behind ours. I’m fine with it. I want it to be conservative in keeping with the rest of the family memorials.

“It’s just wrong to bury your child,” I’ve heard more than once. "That’s not the half of my grief over Milo’s passing," I say. But of course, sad things happen every day to many families – and always have. KW

RANDOM THOUGHTS ON MEMORY

A birthday postcard, 1917

I’ve always had a pretty good, but not perfect, memory. As a young person taking tests in school, I feared not being able to think of the answer, which sometimes happened. To that end, I over-studied, and that was my strength. And once the test was over, I might not remember the answers next week. I had to study hard again for the final. I am not a candidate for Jeopardy.

As I grow older, memory is even more challenging. For instance, as I was grocery shopping last week, I remembered that we needed rolls, so I pushed the cart to the bread aisle, and as I walked along thinking of this and that, when I got to the bread aisle, I couldn’t remember why I was there. So, I went on with my shopping, and on the other side of the store, I remembered that I wanted rolls. No, I didn’t go back for them. We are roll-less at this time.

This type of scenario happens all the time when I shop. Distraction and lack of focus are the problems, I think. It’s difficult now to process many little items at one time.

Memory is just “strange territory.” It can go the other way, too, and suddenly something comes to mind. As we left for the farm the other day, I suddenly remembered that my farm coat was in the town closet. I had hung the coat in the back of the closet, so I didn’t remember because I was constantly seeing it. I just remembered. Apparently all is not lost!

In my life with my mother, she used to share lots of little coping tricks, some of which came from her mother.

·      If you can’t find what you’re looking for, go to the bathroom.

·      If you can’t remember what you were going after (as when I was in the bread aisle), go back to your starting point. Actually, this often works for me.

I have more of those little tidbits buried in my memory, but right now I can’t call them to mind – at least none that are appropriate to mention. I think in “olden times” before medicine became big business, people helped each other with these ideas.

Or, maybe we still help one another in this way. I remember calling my friend Chris for her advice on a machine embroidery project that was giving me fits. The first words out of her mouth were, “Eat lunch.” So I did, and the project came together.

I can remember the birthdates, including years, of most of my nieces and nephews, and of course, I remember the birthdates of my children. Well, mostly. It’s a bit challenging since Clint was due on the 4^th but came on the 6^th, and Hallie was born on the 4^th. I can get confused between the 4th and the 6th. Remembering the grandchildren’s birthdates is problematic – kind of in and out. KW

THE GREENIN' O' THE FIELDS

A couple of months ago, brother Chuck opined that a cold winter might suddenly turn into a warm spring. Well, these warm afternoons in the 70s had me wondering if this might be the case, but it looks like temps will drop again mid-week. Perhaps it’s too soon to tell.

Mike and I went to the farm on Sunday (March 17). We loaded the back of the Jeep with things we’ve collected for the farmhouse, and we trailered the 4-wheeler. We store both the 4-wheeler and the lawnmower in town to prevent mouse damage.

It was a lovely day – sunny in the mid-60s. It’s early, though. The daffodils have yet to open, and of course, it’s still too early for the fruit trees to blossom. Though not in bloom, the fritillaria are up, and their pungent aroma already fills the air.

Our main purpose in visiting the farm was to turn on the water. Mike did that, and with a few minor exceptions, all was well. The kitchen faucet and one toilet need repair. It sounds easy, but we made many trips up and down the stairs.

Mike had feared that we would have a lot of limbs to clean up in the yard, but there were only a few. The gopher problem has exploded, but we are out of bait, so that’s a chore for the next trip. I had wanted to plant spinach, and while it would have been possible, I didn’t have time.

As for house rodents (mice), the war is on. Mike emptied and rebaited traps.

I helped Mike hang the big wind chimes in the maple tree, and then he hung some chimes given to us in memory of Milo on the kitchen porch.

My main chore was to clean the fridge, which I tackled after lunch. It’s never easy to wash a fridge, and it was even more difficult since the kitchen faucet wasn’t working properly. And suddenly I was so tired that I allowed myself a brief sit down. As I went back to work, Mike appeared at the kitchen door and asked, “Are you tired?”

“I’m beat,” I said, and he admitted that he was, too. With his help, I finished cleaning the fridge, and we loaded up and left.

We stopped at the Gilbert Cemetery to look over our plot, which sits right next to Julian and Ina (my Dobson grandparents). We looked at monuments and we considered the type we would like for Milo.

We were home about 4:00. Son Murray had left a loaf of his freshly-baked rye bread for us, a welcome treat.

We didn’t forget our Irish roots. I had baked a lime Jello poke cake on Saturday. KW

A LAST HUG FROM MILO

A postcard to my dad from his Grandpa Dickson

Have you adjusted to the time change yet? Do you try to segue into the change by splitting the difference, such as eating when the clock says 7:00 instead of 6:00? Is your little one still getting up an hour early? Does the dog understand the necessity of waiting another hour for his/her constitutional? One thing didn’t change with us, though. We happily go to bed when the clock says 9:30.

Mike called a member of the Gilbert Cemetery board to arrange for burial of Milo’s ashes on Saturday, May 25 (Memorial Day Weekend). We’re relieved to learn that the grave will be prepared for us. Our family scarcely has anyone with a back capable of digging a hole!

The last time I saw Milo was Christmas 2021. He took the bus from Boise to our valley home. As we drove him to the bus for the return to Boise, he realized he had inadvertently left his ticket at the house. We didn’t have time to go back for it, and he said they would be able to print it out for him at the convenience store where the bus stops.

We said our good-byes. Milo went into the store to get his ticket, and Mike and I went back to the car, but I just couldn’t leave. I walked back to the store, meeting Milo as he came out with his ticket.

“What,” he asked, surprised to see me. “Oh, you didn’t trust it.” Then he wrapped me in a memorable bear hug.

There will be lots of other satisfying hugs – just not from Milo.

I’m sorry that I wasn’t more visible in Milo’s life. His week revolved around his work schedule, and he devoted his weekends to his son Mason. Understandably, he opted to spend the next holiday season in Boise with Mason. I didn’t see him again, but on one of their motorcycle trips, Mike and Clint stopped and had breakfast with Milo and Mason.

“Sometimes it just washes over me that I should have done more to help Milo,” I said to Mike.

“Tell me about it,” he replies. Some have said that it probably wouldn’t have done any good anyway, but if we had complained – written, called, messaged, and documented all contacts – at least it would have served as notice of concern for his welfare.

The worst of it is that this terrible wrong can never be righted. KW

[The photo is of Mason, Milo, and Clint.]

MARCH HAPPENINGS

March is a busy month:

10th – Daylight Savings Time

17th – St. Patrick’s Day

19th – First Day of Spring

31st – Easter

Can you believe it's already time to switch back to DST? On Sunday the 10th, most of us in the U.S. will have to adjust our inner clocks to the time change whether we want to or not. The good news for us is that son Murray can have supper with us once again. We don’t see so much of him during the dark months since he avoids driving at night.

I’m really not into spring holidays / happenings. I prefer the cozy autumn / winter holidays that seem more imaginative, conjuring up visions of magic and enchantment. However, I have been wondering if I should crochet a bunny or some fake eggs to add to Silas’ Easter basket, but I think he would be more pleased with M&Ms or a new Matchbox car.

Silas occasionally receives an M&M as a reward. (Yes, one M&M.) He asks for them by color. Since the blue ones are his favorites, there are no blue ones left in the bag and he must choose other colors.

“They all taste the same,” his mother reminds him.

“They didn’t always have blue ones,” comments Mike.

“That’s right,” Hallie agrees. “They added blue in the ‘90s, and they quit making the light brown (tan) ones.”

Want M&M,” says Silas. “PLEEZ.”

“Okay, you can have one – just ONE,” his mother agrees. “What color do you want?”

“A green one,” says Silas, and then he pauses and adds, “after a yellow one.” What a clever negotiator! KW

WOOM! WOOM!

“The best kids’ bike in the world,” the Woom website (here) announces.

First daffodil to bloom

Yes, that’s Woom, but we suspect it’s pronounced “VOOM.” The bike comes from an Austrian manufacturer that specializes in kids’ bikes. This bike is a size “2” and retails for $399, but Hallie and Nick bought this one at a Seattle thrift store for $12. Mike just finished cleaning and tuning it. He was impressed with the quality of construction and said it didn’t need much. He cleaned the chain and the sprockets, trued the wheels, and loosened the pedals.

Silas has already been introduced to cycling. He has a balance bike (no pedals) on which he whizzes along the sidewalks of his neighborhood. (Yes, he wears a helmet.) Now he’s ready for the next step – actually pedaling. 

Says Silas: “It will be fun!” KW

[Milo would have loved this story from beginning to end -- a deal on a bike, tuning it up, and nephew Silas learning to ride.]

MAKING SAVES

An old postcard to celebrate a spring birthday

We have no new developments to report in our quest for “justice for Milo.” It’s disheartening. No one responds. No one apologizes. Of course, I don’t really expect apologies. The State would never apologize. 

It’s still winter even though we’ve had some warmer days. Thursday morning (Leap Day), I saw the thermometer at 62, so I put on my shoes – I don’t like to wear shoes – and went out to pull dead leaves and debris from around the daylilies. I had barely started when the wind came up and the temp dropped 15 degrees, so I left off my outdoor work. The temp continued a slow decline throughout the afternoon. March was announcing itself – beautiful blue sky with fluffy white clouds, warm, cold, breezy, rainy, windy. 

I have peat pots now, and I’m ready to start seeds in the kitchen window. I have a few new seed packets and some leftovers. If they don’t sprout, I’ll go to Plan B. It doesn’t really matter if nothing comes of the process, but I do enjoy watching the seeds sprout and grow on the window ledge. Gardening is always an experiment with me. I think we should try harder, though. Gardens are good for the environment.

It's getting harder and harder to buy good skim (0%) milk. No matter where I buy it because chances are that it won’t be good. I think Grandma Ina referred to such milk as “ringy.” 

So, I had this milk that was off and getting worse, and I decided to use it up in a rice pudding. Now, I make a good baked custard / rice pudding, but I read a lot of online recipes and tried a new method. BIG MISTAKE!! The proportion of milk to rice was off and the pudding was stodgy. So, while Clint watched, I stirred in some condensed milk and more milk, all the time making more and more pudding. It tastes good now but is way more than we can ever eat. Clint declined to take some home. 

The other night, I burned the pork I was simmering in barbecue sauce. We ate it anyway. 

And then there’s the sewing and crocheting. Sometimes things just don’t go right. I struggle to make the right decisions. Is it my distracted state of mind, or am I really losing my mind? “If I take any action at all, it will be wrong,” announced Milo. I know just how he felt. KW 

ANOTHER RIOT AT THE PRISON

 

Milo at Thanksgiving, 2014 -- taken at the farmhouse

I never thought I would write about prison life. Why would I? It has nothing to do with me, does it? Unfortunately, it does. Reform of the justice / corrections / mental health system is suddenly my calling. It’s what I call a “noble life-motive.”

Today’s Lewiston Tribune carries an article from the Idaho Statesman about another riot at the Idaho State Correction Center (ISCC). The last paragraph mentions that Milo was killed there, which seems to suggest his murder relates to gang activity. In other words, he was targeted. Until the investigative report is available, we won’t know. Maybe we’ll never know, but we have fertile imaginations.

Incarcerated at ISCC at Kuna, Milo was placed in maximum security for trying to control when he swallowed his medication. It’s rapidly becoming an old story. I’m tired of it. Sure – he should have known better, but Milo’s mental make-up was such that he didn’t think in terms of consequences. He was still a non-violent DUI offender, not even a drug offender. 

Placed on G Block with hardcore felons, Milo became an observer of illicit activities. He was in over his head. He thought if he just kept his mouth shut, he would be all right. He wasn't.

I’m just his mother, but personally, I feel he should never have been sent to prison. Surely we can come up with better consequences for DUI offenders. During his sentencing hearing on July 26, 2023, Milo volunteered to permanently relinquish his vehicle and his driving privileges, but the judge said that though this would solve the problem, it was too "harsh" and "crazy." Then he sentenced Milo to a minimum of two years in prison where he was killed four months later. Seems harsher than never driving again to me. KW

THE GARDEN DISCONNECT

Murray's indoor vegetable starter kit

Please have plenty of vegetables cooked for our first meal and a big cake, canned or fresh fruit. If handy, chicken. Love, Momma – Ina, traveling on a shoestring and hungry, writes to daughters Myrtle and Ethel back at the farm – Aug. 9, 1926

There’s a disconnect between the gardens of my imagination and the reality of the thing.

In my mind’s eye, I see the farmhouse sitting in the midst of a beautiful cottage garden – lots of flowers, including roses and peonies. And we should have a prolific vegetable garden, too, producing enough to last at least into autumn. And fruit trees everywhere.

Well, the reality is something else. At altitude in central Idaho, we’re apt to have a wet spring that delays planting. Then we’ll have an early hot summer and no appreciable rain until autumn, meaning that the ground dries and becomes hard and undiggable. (It’s basically clay, you know.) The prediction for this spring is warmer and drier than usual.

And that’s just the weather. We might be able to do more if the deer and rodents would just leave us alone.

And then Mike wants to keep the grounds free of random planting and fencing so that mowing is easy. Well, my dad was the same way. He removed Grandma Ina’s roses and peonies.

My grandparents didn’t face these challenges. It’s dry land farming, and it rained enough in the summer that they got by. I admit that they were better gardeners than I am, but still, they had some things going for them. The summer climate was better then – cooler with some nice gentle summer rains. I remember those.

Having grown up on the homestead, my dad was a good gardener in his day. Yet, his last efforts before he passed came to naught. “Kathy,” he said, “something ate the corn right out of the ground.” That was the mid-1980s.

Nowadays, gardening at the farm is basically a nightmare, but we keep trying. The garden websites are pressing me to order seeds and plants, and with that, I daydream again about prolific gardens.

Well, I have to “squash” my enthusiasm to keep from ordering too many seed packets. I’d like to add another raised bed or two so that I can better rotate my vegetable crops. But in the end, it’s usually not a rewarding venture anyway.

Mike always reminds me that spinach and snap peas are so-o-o good when fresh from the garden. Unfortunately, these veggies like cool weather, and by the time I can plant, it’s too late because of the aforementioned early summer.

Son Murray, who gardens here in town, says he only plants a garden because he loves fresh produce. He’s already started seeds in his new tray with grow light. I’ll just start tomatoes, squash, and peppers in my kitchen window. I could buy the plants, but starting from seed offers better variety. AND – it is fun to watch the young plants grow. KW 

TWO INTERVIEWS

Today I feel so relieved – a freedom that I haven’t felt since Milo passed. Not only did we complete two televised interviews this week but I also mailed a written complaint to the State and an application to the Idaho Crime Victims Compensation Program.

The media has approached us for these interviews:

KHQ -  Spokane with Mike and Kathy

KTVB - Boise with Hallie

KHQ Interview

Milo at work

 Our interview with KHQ Spokane can be seen here. KW

BRIEF UPDATE

I just finished a post titled “incarcerated loved ones,” but I’m afraid to publish it. My philosophy of online journaling is to avoid strongly-held opinions – no religion, politics, or controversial / unpleasant topics. Oh, I’m opinionated all right! I just don’t enjoy confrontation or debating issues, especially in my happy place. And I don’t want to burden my readers with anger and grief.

Still, my blog stats seem to suggest that readers might be looking for updates regarding our quest for “justice for Milo.” It’s a work in progress. We have now entered our third month of waiting for the investigative report. It’s either an in-depth investigation, or they’re stalling. Maybe it’s just on the back burner because they don’t care. The whole thing is devastating, disappointing, depressing, but tomorrow is another day. KW