…but temperature down, and now too cold for spring to make much progress.
Work continued on fencing in the garden. And, nice chat with a few out-of-country Manitoulin property owners who are all thinking that by mid-summer those of us vaccinated, tested, and in compliance with all protocols should be permitted access to our properties. Here’s a link to a letter (echoing our thoughts) from the Georgian Bay Association.
…with Tom and Mary, at their place in Fort.
They have sold about 80 copies so far, mostly through their long-established personal networks. Success is inspiring. Per aspera ad astra.
Above, the old water tower in Fort Atkinson—almost as old as the famous Whitewater tower. Fort’s tank was decommissioned some years ago, but water in the Whitewater tower is still flowing through taps in town, including ours.
…in Cedarburg, along with an outing to Port Washington.
…in the dark
—Rainy dawn.
Chicago style hotdogs overlooking Williams Bay. Material purchased to complete perimeter of fence around the garden.
Haiku by Jack Kerouac.
…making for an archetypal spring day.
And, in the wisdom department…
• The trouble with learning from experience is that you never graduate.
• Keep looking until you see something.
• If you don’t change directions, you’re going to end up where you’re headed.
• The trick to success is to know when you have enough and then stop to appreciate it.
Early morning rain, mid-morning rain, afternoon rain—all welcome, but still enough dry time for walks and bike rides.
Carry -out dinner across the street with our little neighborhood, thoroughly vaccinated, pod.
…a little spring cleaning.
A big year for violets
Garage cleared, scraped, swept, hosed, dried, and rearranged. Ten minute downpour thirstily soaked up by the parched land, and now everything greening rapidly.
Pax and I watered some of the growing things around the yard.
Walnuts
That, along with a walk or two, voting, and some errands, pretty much sums things up.
As of now, all members of the extended family over 10 are vaccinated. Phew.
A few flashes and several distant rumbles last night—enough to worry Pax—but ultimately, no rain.
Several storm windows swapped for screens. Catfish for dinner, and then basketball.
…with Becca, et al.
Definite transition from chilly to very warm.
Nies team here until after noon, though I had to leave for about 2 hours to man a table at an event for the Grocery Company. Need I mention world famous waffles? Made today entirely by Ellie and Maddie.
James, Ben, Maddie, Ellie, and Bri here while Becca recuperating at home from tonsillectomy.
Easter egg hunt, baking, biking, back yard play, etc, along with dinner featuring honey baked ham.
Last time we met with friends Bob and Cathy was in March, 2020, at Yerkes Observatory. We were new to the idea of masks and social distancing. Today, a long walk to view sculpture in a park and then on the way home a stop for a Guinness at McNally’s(on the patio).
For dessert after lunch we had homemade Dutch baby.
…blowing away on a cold north wind.
But the daffodils remember warmer days and know better days are coming.
To Cedarburg to connect up with Abby, Katy, and Will as they swept down from their northern spring break for Will’s casting call.
…right here in the back yard. When we sit out on the back patio of an evening we share the space with sparrows, juncos, downy woodpeckers, chickadees and cardinals. Not to mention squirrels, our resident chipmunk, and the occasional rabbit, at a distance.
Earlier today, a gaggle of white pelicans on the Rock River.
A wonderful bird is a pelican.
His bill will hold more than his belican.
He can take in his beak.
Food enough for a week,
But I'm damned if I see how the helican.
—Ogden Nash
…and hang on to your hat.
A mostly enjoyable semi-hemi-bi-annual chore, always interesting. The most amazing thing is the contrast between the vast input and the very different and very small output three years later.
In the wind department—another vast blast, but this time from the direction just opposite of yesterday’s gale, and, being from the south, bringing the warmest temperature in many months.
…March winds. Cold and eye-watering up wind, delightful down, jarring from the side—when riding.
…otherwise known as CRISPR. An ancient way for bacteria to fend off and immunize themselves against viruses—and now the basis of the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system that has given us the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
All of which is the basis of the new book I’m reading, The Code Breaker, by Walter Isaacson. A bit of a mix of People Magazine and Scientific American. The pure science is fascinating. The competition to commercialize and the patent wars, not so much. The bio-ethics or gene editing and designer babies stuff mind bending.
I think the last few chapters could be the best part—where RNA meets Covid 19. We’ll soon find out.
…part 3. The chickens are fine! No bumble foot! Just poopy foot. And after a clean-up and a good soak in chlorhexadene all is well.
…you check them out. Apparently today’s chickens have bumble-foot, a bacterial infection, and need to be returned to the vendor. Moral: ???