So Here's the Scoop

            We live in an area that was highly productive in logging and timber.  There is still production in some cities such as Riddle, but I don't think there are as many employed in the entire logging/timber industry as there had been 45 years ago.  That is when Myrtle Creek Saw Mill closed from what I understand.

            I did not understand why it had closed down, or why the entire operation seems to have dwindled and why the railroads have almost a deserted feel.  As we were visiting with a native Oregonian who had remembered generations of her family living in Myrtle Creek though she now lives in Winston. 

            She had remembered a time when the community thrived and when there had been more logging and timber related jobs.  I've actually met others who remembered the thriving industry as well. Apparently it was the entire state of Oregon that voted on how to save the spotted owls which were on the endangered list in 1969. 

            What I got out of her explanation was that  the city folk of Portland voted to "save the trees and therefore save the spotted owls"  No one had bothered to mention that when trees are cut down, they are replaced.  Fresh young trees are planted and the loggers move to an area of older trees.  After they are cut, new trees are planted. 

            All they were told were trees were being cut down leaving the spotted owls without homes and if the bill didn't pass, the spotted owl would become extinct . . . . perhaps not in that exact content . . . but that is how it was explained.  My understanding is that because the bill passed to save the owls, many lumber companies were forced to shut down.  Now, that is really sad.  But perhaps if I hadn't been given all the facts, I would have voted differently also.

         Better for a logger to cut it down than have nature start a fire due to overgrowth and age.

May the Fourth Be With You

Happy Star Wars Day

I'm not actually an avid Star Wars fan, but I have relations who are.

That Was a Less-Than-Productive Day

                Roland had asked Troy if he would like to earn some extra money by cutting the grass on our hill.  What a chore!  Troy came by about 9:00 the other day and Roland showed him what we were attempting to do outside.  Troy said he could return the following morning to remove the debris so that we can continue our garden.

                So yesterday, Troy showed up with his wheel barrow and worked hard.  Fortunately the sun was not blazing yet.  Troy is a good worker.  He was the most productive yesterday.

                Ike is a retired electrician but had told Roland he would come over to check out some sensitive spots that we would like to change.  I had been on the computer attempting to listen to a recorded lecture.  I played it several times but had allowed myself to get distracted.  The subject of perfect competition and the price floor and ceiling.  Boresville . . .

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

                The lecture was still playing when Ike arrived.  I was also in the middle of writing an email.

   I went into the living room and turned on the TV to keep me company while I folded laundry. 

               

                The TV kept shutting itself off - or so it seemed.  It took the third interruption before my slow mind figured out that it must be related to whatever Ike was doing at the other end of the house.  I thought I had created a post about the power source in our current house, and how occasionally the front of the house has been without power though the back of the house was not affected.  It was shortly after we had moved in.  Roland lost power in his office but was able to run an extention chord from our room to his office and operated the remainder of the day with no electricity at the front of the house.  That was weird.  We had the same problem yesterday.  I don't know for certain if it's been corrected or not.

                Roland worked with Ike as he was unable to do any of his school or work.  I took my laptop onto the back porch - though the Internet was down. It was cooler outside than in our hot house - during that particular moment anyway. I pulled up my textbook (which I had saved on a PDF and so was able to view it) and struggled through chapters 8 and 9 - understanding a bit here and there, but most of it was/is quite foreign to me.  It's a wonder I've been receiving not just passing but actually good grades.

                I got a message on my computer indicating that the Internet was back up and running.  I finished my email and sent it off.  When Ike left, I shut down my laptop and got in the car so that I could run a few errands - which had taken  longer than I had predicted.  Meanwhile, Roland realized that by turning the bathroom switch off or on effected his computer.  That's not a good thing.  Thus Ike's car was in the driveway when I returned. Boy, was he ever frustrated.  I don't know who is responsible for the idiotic wiring that was already there before we moved in.

                 So far no problems.  It's a new month.  April was wet.  May has made a 20 degree jump.  I am wearing shorts.  The A/C is up.  Roland actually put it up last night before going to bed.  Once again, I don't know how I'm going to survive this summer. 

Expressions and Gardening

          As a child, I can remember my dad planting a garden each year - not that any of us were avid gardeners mind you.  I don't even know where his interest had come from as it didn't seem as if his family had gardened.  Perhaps it came from his grandparents or church.  I'd never even thought about it until now.

          Dad was not one to express emotion. 

          I honestly don't know if he felt joy with planting a garden, apprehension, pained, or what.  I never questioned it.  Perhaps my mom did, but I hadn't connected the dots and perhaps was not aware of expression.  I think Kayla and I perhaps express more emotion than our brothers, but not much.

          Take Saturday, for instance.  Roland has wanted to plant a garden every year.  I think we had attempted two different years of gardening in Kearns, two or three in West Valley, and now our first one in TriCity - which I think may account for the biggest challenge of them all because there are so few spots of level or flat land.

          Not only does he wish to grow our own food, but spruce our yard's appearance by adding flowers.  I'm not against flowers or gardening - but I'm certainly not excited about it.  Hey, if you want to replace every single juniper with a flower, be my guest.  But don't ask me what I want or to show excitement over something I very well could be allergic to.  I don't know about plant life nor have the interest to explore my options.  I know for a fact that I'm allergic to chrysanthemums and poinsettia - not that either one was an option.  But still.  I AM ALLERGIC TO PLANTS.  MY ALLERGIES REACT TO DIRT AND DUST THE SAME.  I'm NOT excited.

          So we ended up at two different nurseries in Winston, and I sensed that Roland was annoyed with me because of my lack of interest.  Well, I'm sorry.  It's a hereditary thing, I would guess.  I can't visualize Patrick getting excited over the flowers that Sunny tremendously loves.  I can't visualize Corey "ooing" and "awing" over anything that Joh has planted - even though Corey helps, even though Patrick assists . . . we just aren't expressive people I guess.  Kayla lucked out as I'm guessing Bill has even less gardening ambition than I do.

          We ended up with Marigolds, geums, amaryllis, and irises.  for the vegetable garden we planted two blueberry bushes and seeds for beets and spinach. 

On the side of the house we have three tomato plants and some peppers. 

Looks like the rain has stopped and so we will have to water the plants.  We should get more rain when Roland puts up the air conditioner.  It always rains right after we put it up.  I really don't want to feel scorched this summer.

post for my class discussion

    Shortly after I finished my last post on this blog, I decided to get a jump start on this week's discussion post (for class) which I posted this morning.  I remember hearing this song parody on the radio.  This was my inspiration:

I Don't Get Procrastination

Procrastination drives me CRAZY . . . I don't understand the logic.  Logic?  I don't believe that logic and procrastination can exist at the same time.  Why do people procrastinate? 

            I've posted a bit about the qualifications for school.  We have to have our initial post on the discussion board by midnight Wednesday.  I have always posted either Monday or Tuesday by afternoon.  It absolutely boggles my mind when I there's not a great selection of those I can respond to as the majority of my classes have students that don't do their initial post until Wednesday night or Thursday morning - or often not at all.  What is up with that?  Granted, the research can eat up much of one's time.  Why not just spend a few hours at the beginning of the week and get it over with instead of creating a post at the last minute.  I suppose I've had time to read through others' posts, but truthfully, I have not even read through those last minute posts.  I am Before the end of the week, I am done.  I am done with my discussion, assignment and assessment for this week.  Tried to get a jump start on next week.  It's on monopoly.  (If this was a live video, you would see me cringing)

            Procrastination isn't going to change my mood of NOT wanting to do it.  The grey cloud hanging over my head will get darker with each passing minute.  I have to post right away or do my assignment as soon as I am able just to have at least two days of rainbow or sunshine. 

            I do see that things come up and situations change ONCE IN A WHILE - but I don't think there is any excuse good enough to consistently wait until next week to turn in this week's assignment.  Of course I don't know in what order any of my classmates do their work - but it seems to have been every week in every class.  What's wrong with people?  Even if it is a less than exciting subject.  It is, afterall, only four weeks. I personally like to be first to post so that my ideas are fresh and original and I don't like a copy cat of somebody else's post.

           Usually I haven't had the option for moving ahead, but I am able to all four weeks for this class.  Usually it will only display one class at a time.
            Monopoly.  Blech!

Role-playing Helps Prepare

           As I was growing up, I can remember doing a lot of role playing with my family members.  What would you do if you were in this situation?  How do you think you would react?  What would you do differently? . . . I can't speak for my sibs, but I believe they felt prepared as I when we were approached with a given situation.  We didn't have to analyze because we already had the answers.

          For example, when we had been approached by the doctors in the final stages of mom's life (before we knew they were the final stages)we were faced with a decision.  We could have put mom on dialyses and had her leg amputated.  Long before she got dementia, mom had been quite vocal about not ever wanting to be on dialyses.  With her state of mind, she really wouldn't have known whether we honored that wish or having even requested it. She wouldn't have understood a missing leg . . . she would never be able to comprehend why it was missing no matter how often we explained it to her.  The decision we made was unanimous.  A no brainer - for us anyway.

          I did have one brother-in-law question how we could have made the decision to put her on hospice as quickly as we did.  We didn't think of any time involved.  We reacted to what we had been taught.  We worked together as a family.  We were of one mind.  Apparently a lot of families don't have that.  It boggles my mind that we are not the norm.

          My dad had always wanted to prepare for our finances should he be taken away.  He wanted to explore options with insurance and burial plots.  My mom never did.  To her, preparing or talking about death always seemed like a morbid topic.  He had reminded her that if he were to go first, she would have to deal at it alone.  But she wasn't alone.  She had been a den mother and one of her former scouts became an attorney and volunteered his time to straighten out her finances with every insurance company I guess dad had ever talked to.

          Both Patrick and Kayla had gone with my mom to the cemetery to pick out a plot.  When I came home and asked how it had gone, my mom and Kayla both started laughing as they related their experience.  It sounded as if they had been in a sit-com series. We were in pretty good spirits throughout the whole ordeal.  Mom was such a trooper.  I guess we all were.

          After my dad had passed away, mom said that one of us would have to take over the finances in the event that she should die.  We all voted for Patrick to have that obligation.  Only when it came time, the stress that came with it was too much on his health.  I couldn't do it because of my situation with Roland and his ex.  Fortunately for our family, Corey grew up responsible and  has allowed himself to step in.  I am fascinated with his organizational skills and willingness.  Wow.  What a tremendous blessing he has been not only for his sibs, but now his cousins as well. 

          Corey does a lot of role playing too, I would imagine.  It's been his profession, though I don't know how much of it has prepared him for where he is now.  How awesome it is that we all hold respect and high value for one another.  I wish it were the same for Roland's family.

          Roland just wrote to his brother with the suggestion of having mom update her will and give him (his brother) power of attorney.  The sister that is supposed to take over has not had the best of health and should not be in that position.  Also he (Roland) senses a feud coming amongst the sibs should mom pass. I highly doubt that all four sibs would be able to meet with an attorney all at once.

          I just don't relate to squabble and possessions.  When we met with my mom's attorney, none of us had any financial secrets.  I was a wreck and said to the attorney, "I know that this is probably a quite unusual request, but would you mind if we started with a word of prayer?"  I think Patrick said it and it really had calmed me down.

          We were told that the meeting would last at least three hours.  Apparently the lawyer had figured in some squabbling time.  But Kayla and I were there for only an hour and a half.  The attorney said he had dealt with a family like ours only one other time.

          I am so grateful for the role playing that my family has taught me and my sibs that we have been prepared.

Butchering is a Skill

          The  definition for the verb "butcher" is to slaughter or cut up.  Recently I had watched four butchers compete on chopped.  I wouldn't say they "slaughter" as they seemed to have a craft.  There was an art to their skill. My skills live up to definition of "slaughter" and it isn't just with meat, but with plants as well. Give me scissors, a cleaver, a knife or whatever.  I "butcher" things - but not in a pleasant way.

          We had a ham on Easter.  When it was more than half gone, Roland asked me to cut up and remove  the remaining meat from the bones.  I think I heard a bunch of butchers roll over in their graves as I'm certain my mutilation was quite brutal in comparison to their skilled perfection.  I know my butchering skills themselves would get me disqualified.

          I think I am the most productive with gardening when I am angry.  Weeding and clipping are a way for me to vent - but may not be the best for the plants.  As I have mentioned, our front yard is overrun with junipers and we have discovered that they have been responsible for chocking the life out of some other plants.  Roland sent me out there to trim down the junipers and allow the rocks and other plants to show.  I probably don't think I did a great job as I was not angry. 

         

         

       I had on some winter gloves because I hadn't known how cold it was outside.  Roland had me trade for a work pair.  I think a plant must have stabbed me, or perhaps it had been a result of my own careless butchering, but when I had finished, there was a large hole in one glove. 

I need to work on my cutting so that I can be refined and skilled.    

I Wasn't Nominated . . but Here you are . . .

I used to spend more times reading others' blogs.  After we moved to Oregon, the time I spend reading blogs has diminished.  Once in a while I will go through a certain post.  After reading some of Mrs. Pepper's posts, I decided to take a challenge/invite that she had created for certain bloggers.  But I'm guessing she also has a bigger following than I do.  Many of my readers don't have their own blogs.  So here are my answers :

1. If you could have chosen your own name, would it be the same one you have?  no. My mom has ALWAYS Loved my name.  I got to the point where I tolerated it.  But it's still not my favorite.
I chose LaTiesha Cannon as my blog name.  But I really do like name that starts with J: Jenna, Julie, Jaime, Jennifer . . . probably Jenna or Jamie.

2. What is your favorite song? It varies from time to time.  There is such a large variety of songs that I really like.  I don't know if I could in good conscience choose a favorite. Recently I discovered this one by Jars of Clay

3. Can you play any musical instruments? What? I can play the stereo

4. Do you have a favorite go to recipe for busy days? Roland cooks, I reheat.  It's more convenient to eat leftovers than to make something brand new.

5. Would you hang windchimes on your porch? I hung the windchimes that my daughter made.  I often like hearing windchimes - but not always.

6. What is your favorite flower? Merrigold

7. What is your idea of a perfect weekend?  outdoor bbq with family and talking walks and playing games.

8. Do you go to see movies or wait until they're on TV? I'm cheap.  Usually wait until there on TV, except for once a month (sometimes) we can see a show for free when we meet with the senior group who support the food bank.

9. Do you enjoy sports? Not really.  I've never been very athletic or coordinated.  Always being picked last (or close to last) hasn't helped my attitude towards sports.  I prefer board games or family party games.

10. What's your favorite outdoor activity? I think walking and enjoying nature.  I also enjoy reading outdoors with the natural sunlight

A Teeny Tiny Taste of Comic Con

            Roland has wanted to take Jenna to Comic Con for several years now - but we can't afford it.  The closest we'd come to it was on Saturday at the Winston Community Center. 

            The Winston Library closed down the same time as all the other libraries in Douglas County.  I had been to four of the 11 libraries, but it wasn't until yesterday that I'd ever been to the Winston Library - housed in the community center.  I should have gone there before.  It is probably the same distance as Canyonville.  I believe that Winston's population is larger than Myrtle Creek, Canyonville and Riddle put together.

            Annette had spent the night, and we took her with us - unfortunately we were not there that long when she got called home.  We ran some errands in Roseburg before returning to Winston for almost an hour and a half.  (Jenna had wanted to stay until 5:00 and Roland wanted to leave at 4:00 - he held out for the final drawings (but not the final which would receive a Harlequin figure)  Jenna was hoping that would be her price, but I was certain Roland wasn't going to stick around until the end.  They both ended up with Avenger comic books the 3rd and 4th editions.

            Jenna had a really great time and wished that Annette could have been with us for the entire event as she probably would have won something, too.

No Weather Consistency - so What else is New?

          It's been raining quite a bit this year - more than usual from what we understand.  More downpour and more frequent.  And yet the riverbed told a different story - as though it had been recently drained.  The last two times I checked, the water was fast and appeared to be near overflowing.

          Springtime came early last year.  Mid-February it seemed.  This year Spring just barely started.  It snowed on December 12, 2015 and again in January 2017.  We heard that snow in these parts is rare.  December 12th snow was gone on December 13.  This year the snow didn't stick around, but did snow more often.

           We've also experienced hail.  I have not used my winter boots since February, but have not returned them to the shed just in case.

          We moved in at the end of a drought.  It was always hot and smoky.  The fire meter was usually on extreme, sometimes high, but never lower - not until September anyway.  I did take a picture of the one in Myrtle Creek.  This is not it, but the faded needle mark is the same as shown in this photo:

          The ground, overall, has been too soggy to step on.  The lawn needs mowing, but it makes for wet grass and mud.  The hills are really green right now.  No matter what the weather, I seem to get hot between 6:00 and 8:00 pm.  What’s up with that?

          I know this post seems disjointed.  Sort of like the weather.

         

         

Decisions and Trade-Offs

        Thus far I am enjoying my economic class.  It is the study of human behavior as far as decision making goes.  There are "luxuries" that we give up when we trade what we have for other things we want or need. Although we may not view them as luxuries at the time, we may miss certain situations while we are grateful not to have others.

        Take our move from Salt Lake County, Utah to Douglas County, Oregon.  The major thing that drew us to Oregon was clean air quality vs. breathing deadly smog.  Myrtle Creek is certainly a lot smaller (population wise) than any city I had lived in within the Salt Lake City area.  There aren't as many roads or traffic or pollution.  The crime rate is definitely lower.  I'm not saying there isn't any crime here - it just doesn't seem as common.

        Take the other night, for example.  Jenna's school band was performing a concert.  Normally, the students set up during school hours and leave their instruments in the gym, but there had been an activity that day and as many of the students were in Eugene, the instruments had not been set up.

        As we were driving toward the school, Jenna asked Roland to stop by the band room first.  Unless someone's there, the band room is always locked - except that night.  Several students could be seen running from the school across the street and down to the band room to retrieve their instruments.  I like that this town seems to have so much trust and patriotism - I really do believe that the two work together.  NEVER in Salt Lake county would that happen.  But then again, I don't know of any schools in Salt Lake that are made of several relic buildings. . .

        There is definitely a lot more variety of entertainment or shopping (which is not entertaining by any means) in Salt Lake than in Myrtle Creek, better public transportation and a great library system.  I don't foresee the library ever disappearing from existence.  Here, in Myrtle Creek, we are fighting to put it back.  It's not that the citizens of Douglas county were against the library in the first place.  The bill didn't pass because most voters had voted against a tax increase.  I don't think they believed the library would close.

        Trade-offs from decisions.  I now need to return back to the text so that I can take the assessment for this week.  Look how hard I am working.