A RED-LETTER DAY!

I got my hair cut Thursday morning. Wonderful! No more bedhead! A sign on the salon door read, “It is recommended to wear a mask before entering the salon.” So, I retrieved my mask and tied it on below my hairline. Of course, the stylist also wore a mask.

And then – OH HAPPY DAY! – still wearing my mask, I went to JoAnn’s where I bought five spools of thread to replenish my supply of white and a couple of fat quarters, just for the fun of it. I could have stayed for hours, starved as I am for the inspiration of fabric, yarn, notions, patterns, etc.

Then – still wearing my mask – I went to Albertson’s for our weekly groceries. The strawberries looked luscious, so I bought a box. And meat. I just shut my eyes to the price and picked up some hamburger and chicken breasts. And lots of produce.

We’re at the farm now, even though it’s supposed to be cold and rainy. Mike was anxious to mow again before the grass got too high. More about the farm tomorrow. KW

PANDEMIC NOTES

Item 1 – Pandemic Hairstyles

“Don’t you like your mother’s hair?” Mike asked son Clint.

“Um, no,” Clint answered. “She could use a trim. And she’s got this bedhead thing going on.”

I was not the least put off by Clint’s honest assessment. My hair DOES need to be shaped, and I DO have bedhead. I’m just not going to worry about it right now. Hopefully, my salon will re-open soon, and I may still put it off for a while.

Item 2 – Shopping Walmart

Mike and I were at Walmart before 8:00 this morning. He tied on his bandana; I wore my mask. Whether mask or bandana, face coverings make it difficult to breathe. Just as I predicted, the concept of the mask continues to evolve and “improve.” They now suggest a filter layer. A coffee filter is one possibility. To further thwart the effort of the virus to bring you down, you can also tie a nylon stocking around the mask. Of course, you will die of asphyxiation. 

I estimate that less than half of employees and shoppers at Walmart were wearing masks. A store employee met us at the door and explained that the carts were already sanitized.

We chose to shop Walmart because that’s where we buy dog food. We bought other items on our grocery list, but certain others remain. We just can’t find all our wishes in one place.

Item 3 – Trips to Pullman

Mike installed electronic shifters on one of his bikes, but he needed a bike tech to tweak them. Last Saturday (May 16), we carried the bike to Pullman and left it at the shop. Leaving it was easy. However, it was a different story on Monday when we went to pick it up. Only one customer at a time was allowed in the shop, so Mike had to wait outside while a young couple completed their purchase of a tandem bike. While we understand the necessity, it was still trying, especially when our transaction would take less than five minutes.

 

We geocached in Pullman both days, finding nine. The caches took us to some scenic spots. Spring is such a lovely time of year on the Palouse – or most anywhere in this region. On the way home Monday, we saw a funnel cloud – actually more spectacular than these pictures show.

Item 4 – Bess to the vet

It was time for Bess’ annual check-up and rattlesnake vaccination. Humans are not allowed in the vet’s lobby, so Mike called from the parking lot, and they came out to get Bess. After her check-up, the vet returned her to the car with a clean bill of health. Her weight is just right – 51 pounds. KW

FINALLY -- BACK AT THE FARM

I have noticed that people dislike saying “farm,” as if the word has a negative connotation. In the old Orofino phonebook, the phone at the farm was listed as “Dobson, Vance rch,” meaning ranch, but if anyone called the farm a “ranch,” Daddy didn’t let it pass. “We don’t have livestock,” he would say. “It’s a farm – land in cultivation.”

Anyway, here we are at the farm. Mike enjoyed a group motorcycle ride Saturday morning (May 2), and the post office delivered my box of yarn. Having no other town business on the schedule, we felt free to load up the old truck and head out for the farm. It looked as though we were leaving dark clouds behind as we drove up the Clearwater. Appearances can be deceptive, as we know.

We stopped at Barney’s Harvest Foods on Orofino’s Riverside, and I ran in for a few things. Clearwater County has had no reported cases of covid, so I didn’t bother with a mask. None of the staff and very few customers wore them, but social distancing was politely practiced. Plexiglass was in place at the check stands. Shelves were not well-stocked, but I found what I needed.

Storms drifted by to the north

At the farm, we unloaded and checked things out. The fields are planted. The rhubarb looks great – nice healthy stalks. The cherry tree is beginning to bloom. We noted one gopher mound and took care of it. The sky was dark and getting darker, but the grass was high, and checking the forecast, Mike decided to mow. He was able to finish about a third of the yard before the storm hit. It was mostly wind, but it included a few thunderclaps. The rain came later.

Sunday was a chilly May 3. Mike built a fire in the fireplace and kept it going all day. According to our weather station, the high was 57, but it didn’t feel that warm. I wore my winter coat when we went for our walk.

Mike saw an American Coot and a pair of Mallards on the pond. A hummingbird came to the diningroom window and asked me to please hang the feeder, so I did. Mike discovered a bird nest on a ledge in the woodshed where we hang the garden tools, built since our last stay. The bird was absent, so I suspect she had already discovered it was not a good location. Mike removed it. This morning I saw half a dozen whitetail running over Plank’s place as though they had been startled by something.

It's a lovely sunny day. I’m going out to plant the spinach. Yay! KW