Review or not to Review

Basically 2020 will be year that historians will write about. If nothing else, it will be interesting to read about.

And we may hear things in the Future...like "My Grandmom lived through the Great Pandemic of 2020!" or some such thing. 

I have made it to the end of the year. That much is certain. Well, it will be more certain if I get past midnight.

For me, it will be the year that I began to seriously question people's priorities and friendships. The year I 'un' friended so many on FB. The year I kept count of many things. 

The Great Toilet Paper shortage. The year of the mask? Or the year of the anti mask? 
The year when most people started to understand just how fragile our lives can be. Or the year that some people said the Hell with It All. 

The craziest political year in the history of the United States?

So I'm not going to go on and detail 2020, but I may just toss out some photos I did this year.

Nope, I don't think I will write much of a review.

2020 happened. I'm not going to say 2021 will be awesome or great or...a new start and a blank slate.

But I will approach each day with a feeling of hope.

For without hope, we have nothing.

"Someone I once loved gave me a box full of darkness.
It took me years to understand that this too,
was a gift." ~~~ Mary Oliver

I think that sums up the year quite perfectly.

Covid update for the end of September

On Friday our county jumped in Covid numbers. 35 people that were positive were recovering at home.
Today?
Our numbers jumped again.  70 people recovering at home. Good news is I guess is that we still only have one death.
Bad news?

The scuttle butt is that there are a few nursing homes showing up with the virus. Yes, after spending time with my MIL over the past year or so...old people and infirm people do really matter. So don't tell me they don't. I spent so much time with those in the home with my MIL, that I got to know them as fun wonderful people. Infirm in mind? Perhaps. Unable to care for themselves... yes. But wonderful and beautiful people.

Yet one neighbor down the ridge told me not to worry. You know...only 1% die from this virus. 

Let's do some math. 328.2 million people live in our country. If the virus will only kill ... 

off 

only ONLY...

only

1%.

We are left with 3million, 282 thousand deaths.

But you know what? It's just numbers. The Covid-19 is no big deal. Unless, your loved one, your dad, mom, sister, cousin, grandchild, or child dies. And they could die alone. 

Alone.

I want to ask my neighbor *What's 1% of your family?*  

I leave you to your own thoughts and conclusions. I need to go out and be like Charlie.
Enjoy the forest floor and enjoy with pure abandon.

After all, there is slime mold to look for!

Continuing...

We remain in self isolation.

Our State Supreme Court tossed out the 'Stay at Home' order and most areas are not enforcing any of the rules that were imposed. Suggesting to use masks are still recommended except by those who have decided that masks are a political statement or some such thing.
Social Distancing was still being respected [with masks] at the two stores I stopped at Sunday morning.

When I stopped for gas, it looked like pre - pandemic era. No masks, everyone milling around inside the gas station, no sneeze guards for the cashiers, no distancing [the place is small], and the general chaos that ensues in these places.
Since I hadn't purchased gas in nearly 4 weeks, I was surprised.

I won't go back to that store unless it is immediately after opening.

Enough of that...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I've been busy as a ... well, an ant!

Seems I am a fence builder. Yesterday I spent the entire afternoon making two more lots for Sven and Lil Richard to keep the grass and weeds in check. Last year I staked them out in those areas but I find that if the goat is in a lot with the pony he is far more content and will eat the thistles and burdock while the pony takes care of the grass.

This is an area behind the little red shed that is a tough one to hand mow. Sometimes I just resort to the weed whacker, but I hope the pony and goat can keep it under control. This isn't a good spot for a lot but it is an area that I hope to find a good use for other than growing grass. It is shady most of the day so it makes a good alternative for Lil Richard and Sven to spend hot days here in the shade!

I had half a mind the other day to just put a wire across the driveway and one around the house and let everyone loose.
We've done that before, I believe that was when gas prices were so high and for whatever the reason the yard had gotten out of hand [I'd had shoulder surgery!]

I just recall that using the equine was a great alternative.

However, having my laundry hung out with a donkey around...well....

That didn't work out so well.


Another gloomy day is in store for us and I can finish up the lot for the pony .. and then work on another section for the mules. We had such a dry early spring that the pastures need more time to recoup from where I let the mules out earlier.

Wanderings...

Things are quiet at our place.
The weather was nice yesterday and it will be today too.

Not much going on other than practicing Safe at Home, Stay at Home,...Isolation.

I have gone hiking with Charlie almost each day except during the thunderstorms.

For fun, I took the Infrared camera with me.  I tried a different filter that gave me a different light spectrum range for fun.

Hike around home:

The reddish color is from the greens reflecting light with the 550nm filter.

I've finally gotten a handle on the process since ON1 software added a mode in its Develop section that allows you to pick how the image looks on the LCD of your camera. This means the program will select the white balance I set instead of picking a white balance that the program would like to select.

This makes a huge difference in Infrared Photography and is a great work around.

Kudos for ON1 for doing that and adding a selection for color channel swap.

Yesterday since it was still too wet to do any yard/garden work, I took Charlie for a walk down in Tainter Hollow.

Here is Charlie on the trail which disappears about 1/4 of a mile down stream. I had to wade through downed golden rod and other weeds to continue our hike and on deer trails.

Charlie had a rough go of it with his short legs. He is quite the trooper. I did carry him through the worst of it though.

We enjoyed walking and watching trout.

Aside from getting my mules feet trimmed this week and then I can go another 6 to 8 weeks without having anyone come to the farm.
This is a good thing. The mules need trimming and I need them for foraging for leeks, parsnip, and later on...morels.
Stay safe.
Be well.

Stay at Home.