Rain and Snow

We have had wild weather all the way around. 
Mostly rain. 
But it snowed on I5 between Canyonville and Azaelea. 
I got pictures on the way down to Medford. 

When we returned, the snow was gone.

Ground Squirrels and Airplanes

            The church has a pear orchard in Medford, Oregon.  Each year the church donates the pears to the food bank and those on welfare (see here)  The Roseburg stake (church boundary that I belong to) has asked its members to pick pears at least once a year.  Our assigned day is usually the third Saturday in August.  This is the fifth year that we (our family) have gone to pick pears for a service project.

            Each year we have tried to stay for more than a couple of hours.  Each year our health has prevented either Roland or I from wanting to continue.  The last two years were so filled with smoke, it was hard to breathe.  Last year I had filled my bag only half way before I’d make the long trek to the pear bin.  

I used to be in better shape.  I vaguely remember telling a couple that I would watch their kids if she would like to go and didn’t think about it again until Friday night. Oops!

taken last year

            My back was bothering me earlier on Friday morning.  I decided that I wouldn’t even wear a pear bag but just place my pears in either Roland’s or Jenna’s bag or perhaps even the missionaries who we had taken with us (and fed them as well). But Roland made it known that I was having back problems and I was assigned to do another job that was perhaps as equally important but I felt useless in my position.

            Volunteers were asked to stay on one side of the orchard and continue their climb until they were directed to turn, but volunteers were turning before they crossed the creek – which is where they put me – so I could direct people.  Trouble was that by the time they put me there, there were less volunteers checking in at the bottom and so I really didn’t have much to do except for sit there.  Yes.  They let me sit.  So that was a plus.  But I also really did wish to help pick pears.

            I figured the van could pick up passengers and drop them off and make its way around the orchard in just five minutes.  But it no longer came as often nor held as many passengers.  I think it passed me only five or six times before Roland and Jenna found me.  I did see the tractor with fork lifts on each end with the ability to lift two bins.   Odd.  I remember the tractor dragging a larger number of bins than just two.  I saw something similar to this my first two years:

not actual, but you get the gist

            This is what I saw this year:

  

not actual, but you get the gist

            We had left the house at four in the morning and I’m not fully awake at that time.  I did not have a jacket or a hat that would cover my ears.  Roland had asked if I needed my glasses, but I’d be wearing sunglasses and not reading.  Right next to my glasses was my watch.  I wish I would have grabbed it.

I was dressed for the heat and was cold and did not know where I was direction wise (I knew the location of east, north, west and south when I was living in Salt Lake, but have lost that since being in Oregon) and did not know which way was east.  Apparently behind me.  I saw the shadows move and purposely moved my chair into the sun (which is rare.  I am usually always looking for shade.)

            I had a beautiful view.  I looked at the moon which appeared like a perfectly circled cloud – slowly it faded into the background until it disappeared.  

The sky was never blue like the middle indicates;
the moon looked pretty much like in the middle
but kept on fading as the morning light shone.

My view reminded me a lot of seeing Salt Lake City from one mountain range to another – except for the foreground.  It was quiet.  It was pretty.  The sky was blue.  It wasn’t blue the last two years we had gone.  I had no idea how close the pear orchard is to the airport or to the temple, but could make out both in the distance.

my view from the red dot

            I think I heard the airplanes before I saw any of them.  I would watch a few of them as they headed west or northwest.  I would watch until they disappeared.  I didn’t see any from the south at all, but I could hear them. I saw a few seem increase in size as they made their way toward landing.

            Aside from counting planes, I counted ground squirrels after I noticed some movement across the creek.  

I also saw a confused bee frustrated at not finding pollen in the grass.  I hoped the orange vest I was wearing wouldn’t somehow attract the bee.

Clearing Up the Sky to Blue, Yellow and Green

                The wind has been blowing each morning Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.  Carolyn said she had a surprise for the class for Wednesday morning, but I did not go.  Roland and I had gone to the Roseburg Cinema to see Dog Days - which I really liked. 

                 I had left my phone with Jenna in case she needed to get a hold of us.  She spent the day with her friend, Marie.  She reported to me that the dentist had called, but neglected to tell me about Coffenberry; she decided it was not important as she is no longer a student there.

               

                A couple of hours after Roland and I had returned to Tri-City, Jenna said there was word from the theatre to get there ASAP to be fitted for costumes.  Wednesday night was the dress rehearsal and I had invited my close friends from the water group to come and see the performance as I cannot afford to buy tickets for the regular productions.   

I asked how the "surprise" went for the morning class and was told that it was too windy and had to be postponed. Thursday morning seemed a bit windy also - although we did introduce Carolyn's surprise that day.  I wrote about that in my last post "Deceiving Skies" which they were.  Skies filled with smoke gave the appearance of an overcast sky with the promise of rainfall - but it never did.

                My friends all enjoyed the play very much.  I took pictures with my phone as Roland's phone and I don't seem to get along.  Too bad.  His produce better quality. 

Before rehearsal - Roland helped with the scenery

Jenna with the owners who play her mom and dad

Little John, Friar Tuck, Young Scarlett and Alan Adel

Jenna and Roland are not in many scenes together.

                                   This would be a better pic if Roland didn't look like just a shadow

Little John, King Richard, Friar Tuck and Salome outside theatre

My friends Dan and Sue hang in gallows outside the theatre

                You can see better quality in the photos in the News Review here.                

                Roland plays Friar Tuck and really got into character when he asked if I would shave a bald spot on his head.  It also shows bravery by allowing me to use a razor on his head.

This pic is horrible quality - worse than the haircut

                On Thursday night, I happened to check my phone while Jenna and Roland were on stage performing the opening show. I found my messages from the dentist (who I had called back as Jenna had mentioned it to me) and Coffenberry.  I had put in an application as an instructional assistant and was being contacted for a job interview for Friday morning.  Thanks, Jenna. 

 I contacted the school and left a facebook message for the principal to let her know that I'd be there - though neither message was received as I was contacted again on Friday morning, this time by the secretary who seemed excited about the possibility of my working at the school.

                The wind was a bit overpowering - nothing outrageous but enough to disturb an outdoor picnic.  It felt cool and blew away much of the smoke bringing back the blue sky - so much of Douglas County has gone from Yellow back to green (65 on my Thursday post to 38 right now) and even more surprising was cutting Medford form 161 (very red) to 70 (orange) though it started out green as we headed there this morning.  

 It was our day to go and pick pears.  I thought Alexa was wrong when I heard that the air quality was only 48 but maybe.  The air quality wasn't near as bad this year as it had been last year. 

                Last year Roland had purchased a box of 20 respiratory masks which Jenna and I had both used.  He may have also, though I don't remember.  I did post pictures of me and Jenna here.  

 I could have really used a respiratory mask last year but did not have;  this year we took the box and whatever contents were left but did not use.  Breathing has been challenging end of July to beginning September.  I'd rather have the 4-6 weeks of breathing irritation during Oregon's fire season than the 4-6 months of inversion and an additional 2 months of other breathing challenges in Utah. 

                Tonight I'm going to a charity dinner with my friends.  I am so touched that they wanted me there badly enough that they were willing to pay for my ticket to get in.  Fundraiser for our community pool.  Perhaps I will write about it tomorrow or later on next week.