Day 3!

       Days after major events often get counted. So, in that spirit...this is the third day since Kaia died. The grief is, both for what I miss in her absence, and for the ordinary joys she's missed these three days. As always with grief there are 'triggers' that brings it all back again. Of course I know the intensity will fade with time. Joanne often said "Grief touches grief."  It's so true that new griefs tie in to old grief from the past. One does not live as long as I have without having experienced significant grief. Though none compares with the grief of Joanne's death 8+ years ago.

   As was true when she died, the community of family and friends is once again comforting me. After her death I often wrote that it is relationships that sustain. Again, in this current sadness, that so many care so deeply, is a source of hope.  Thank you! I am very grateful.

Takk for alt,

Al

Kaia spent hours looking out the sliding glass doors in the OFH.

Dimensions of grief!

         It almost seems as if the house is hollow as I rattle around alone since Kaia died. There's the immediacy of the powerful presence of absence. She's not in the usual places doing the usual things. At every turn their is an emptiness. Our little routines are no more.

       A second aspect of the grief is the uncertainty of what it means for my future.  I can't imagine hunting without a dog. So, is it time to quit hunting? If so, should I stay in The Little House this fall, or return earlier to the OFH?  Often I said "She keeps me from being a slug."  Will I find the motivation to stay regularly active without needing to meet her needs?

     Then, too, there is the sadness for Kaia herself. It was reasonable to expect she'd have another three happy years. She was a happy dog living a very good life. I grieve that her life was cut short before she could have more good times. She will miss out on a lot.

   Takk for alt,

    Al

In addition to being very good dog, Kaia was smart and good looking.

Kaia's Demise!

       Eight plus years ago when I was blogging about my grief  at Joanne's death, I other referenced the pain of "the presence of absence. Kaia's death has plunged me back into that experience. Upon my awakening Kaia would place her chin on the bed for a chin scratch. As soon as I arose I'd let her out into the front yard so she could relieve herself. After our breakfasts I'd settle into the recliner to read the morning paper online and check emails, while she slept nearby. Once she decided it was time for us to move she'd sit and look at me. Whereever I was in the house she'd be near. So, the house is full of the presence of absence.

     There's another aspect of grief in her death other than the immediate absence. She was significant in the future I planned. Hunting season opens in October. Hunting with her, was the most important part of hunting. Hunting alone has no appeal, so, I do I quite hunting? If so, why stay in The Little House during the fall? The OFH is perfectly comfortable, perhaps I should return earlier than the typical Thanksgiving time?

   Grief; obviously I've been here before, she's the 7th of my dogs to die. Then, too, this grief is in no way comparable to the grief of Joanne's death. Grief has the same features but clearly not the depth as loss of a spouse. I'm very grateful to have had the joy of Kaia's companionship for five and  a half years, which explains the depth of the grief at her death.

Takk for alt,

Al

Kaia in front of the sliding glass doors in the OFH.

DEVASTATED!

      Kaia died this morning on the way to the vet. We'd gone to the field to cut cedars about 9:00, to beat the heat. Kaia quickly flushed a brood of half-grown pheasants. After about an hour of work we went back to the truck and headed to town. Uncharacteristically Kaia lay on the floorboards rather than her customary place on the seat. A few minutes later, in town, I realized she wasn't doing well. Immediately heading for the veterinarian in Brookings we'd gone only a few miles when she died. The vets' guess is it was heat related.

    Springer Spaniel, Kaia, born 2/25/2016, Pine Shadows Kennels, Brainerd, MN, died July 17, 2026, Brookings County, SD. Pine Shadows in a nationally recognized kennel and breeder. Kaia had great bloodlines and was to be a brood dog at the kennel.  Her estrus cycles were too irregular so they had her spayed and sold her to me in February, 2021.

    She was exceptionally well trained. When I released her in the park near the OFH she'd run while I walked. If I stopped she'd come to me. She avoided other people and other dogs. When I started toward the park entrance she'd run to the gate and sit, waiting for me to leash her. In the OFH she only went to people at their invitation, avoided other dogs, and didn't bark.   

    Kaia was my 7th Springer, going back to Christmas, 1976, when Frank gave me Thor. Our lives were totally intertwined. Scratching her chin before going to bed, when I awakened she'd put her chin on the bed. She kept me moving as I'd walk as she ran. Kaia loved the trees around the cemetery as I walked the perimeter road.

   Yes, I'm devastated!

Takk for alt,

Al

Kaia's characteristic pose asking "now what?"

Kaia qualifies!

 

A farmer went out to sow...mow...

         Well that was funny! Checking on my corn on Monday I saw the four acre pollinator plot next to the corn had canada thistles blooming. Today was the day to mow those thistles, so I lubed the mower and set forth. Imagine my surprise arriving at the field and discovering the purple flowers I saw were not thistles but Wild Bergamot. (See the picture below, which doesn't capture the full effect.)

     It's been about ten years since that pollinator plot was planted. The first year thistles abounded and were mowed, no spraying allowed because it would kill the forbs like Bergamot. Thistles returned the second year and were mowed. Fewer thistle returned the third year and again were mowed. Lo and behold, the fourth year; no thistles.

    Each year there have been some Bergamot appearing until this year's profusion. Why so many this year is a happy mystery. There are quite a few Black Eyed Susan and a smattering of other flowers too. Even dandelions qualify as pollinators

Takk for alt, 

al

This is just one cross section of the field.

Attracting Pollinators: The plant’s nectar-rich, tubular lavender flowers are a magnet for native long-tongued bees, butterflies, skippers, and hummingbirds.

The funnies again...

 

Annoying Thistles!

      That title, Annoying Thistles, is intended as double entendre. Thistles proliferating where they are not wanted is annoying. There are places in that field of grass pictured yesterday where there are bunches of annoying thistles. The fire burned untold numbers of thistle seeds above ground. But these perennial thistles already rooted survived the fire and burst forth. Very annoying!

    Today's task was mowing those thistles to keep them from going to seed. Thistle seed, like that of dandelions, is attached to fuzz that blows in the wind, spreading near and far. Such mowing doesn't typically kill the the thistle, though in some cases it does. Because the thistle plant usually survives the mowing, it seems what the mowing does is annoy them.  At least they will not produce seed this year. Now thistles are ubiquitous.

   When I was a boy thistles were just becoming established. Few enough so we'd stop the tractor, take a plier, they have spiny stems, and pull them. Now I know that, this too, was just annoying them, because they quickly regrow from roots left in the ground.

Takk for alt,

Al

Canada Thistles have at least one redeeming  feature, pollinators like them.

Field Reports!

       There's a tale of two fields. Field number 1, didn't need fertilizing. It's fully tasseled and the corn looks healthy. Some late water hemp weeds are growing in it but there's nothing to be done about that now. The geese did not graze on it this year.

    Field number 2, badly needed fertilizing. The corn is growing but far from tasseling. Inexplicably it's almost weed free. It has much volunteer corn growing in it from last years crop. The section nearest the trees is sparse from pheasant predation. When corn germinates, and the shoot breaks the surface, pheasants pull up the plant to eat the seed from which it sprouted. So far there's no success at teaching wildlife the concept of 'delayed gratification.'

    Big bluestem grass has responded as hoped for in the field that was burned below. Waves of the grass are over six feet tall. (See pictures below.) There are some thistle patches in the grass, so mowing them is tomorrows task.

Takk for alt,

Al

PS Wildlife seen today: half grown coyote and three broods of pheasants, also had a brown thrasher scolding me for being too close to her nest.

The first plant to emerge after fire is milkweed, see toward the bottom of the picture. Imagine the sea of grass experienced by the Native Americans.

The truck's roof is over six feet high, thus illustrating the grass's height. 

The Little House!

       It was a total of 800 miles of driving to Aurora and back for the funeral. We slept in Dekalb Friday night, due to  a bed shortage in Aurora. Dekalb is just a half hour away. After the service we returned home. 

    The funeral was well done. It was clear that Alvin (Al) was held in very high regard. It's uncommon that a funeral for a 93 year old person draws such a large crowd. He was a retired pastor who used his wisdom and energy to be a positive presence in the congregation.

     The schedule was: Visitation was from 9:00-11:00, funeral at 11:00 followed by a full meal. At the meal there were many testimonies from family and friends to the significance of Alvin in their lives. I'm very grateful I could attend. Alvin was a boyhood hero to me and that hero status never wavered even into his nineties.  

    Being absent from Sinai for two and half weeks in mid-summer is unusual. Tomorrow I'll head to the fields to see what's transpired since I left.

Takk for alt,

Al 

Hiatus!

      We're leaving this afternoon for Alvin's funeral in Aurora, Illinois. Because I'm leaving my computer behind the timing of the next blog post is iffy. Plans are to return to the OFH tomorrow after the funeral but that's a six hour drive. So, wait for it!😀

   In the meantime stay healthy and upright!

Takk for alt,

Al

Life in the funnies (comics)!

    Perhaps my life is comic becasue so often my life is reflected in them Take Hagar for example. One Sunday in Mohall, shortly before the service began it was discovered that there was no wine for communion. The usual fare was Mogen David, which is unfit for anything else. The only wine at the parsonage was Chianti, a far cry from Mogen David, but it was pressed into service. There were puzzled looks from the communicants and much smacking of lips. Were that to occur today I'd be wise enough to give the congregation a heads up. (See Hagar below.)

         Then there's Bernice the introvert posting her quite life in response to extroverts posting all their activities. I'm with Bernice

Takk for alt,

al

Open Skies!

    For most of June rainfalls in Sinai came in small showers, .3", .2" .5" etc. It was enough to sustain crops, especially because the weather wasn't very hot. Perhaps it wasn't adequate for pastures and alfalfa hay. A pasture I rent to a farmer is divided into two parts, maybe the 100 acres is divided 65 by 35 acres. This allows for rotational grazing. The renter started the cattle in the small section this spring. When I left for Iowa June 23, the grass in that section was grazed down and he was about to move them to the large pasture. This allows the grazed section to recover, think how your lawn responds after mowing.

   In the last couple of weeks Sinai has received about 5" of rain...happy pasture. The first significant rain, 2.75"  came just before this hot spell, that's critical timing. The neighbor to The Little House empties and reports on the rain gauge behind the house. On the other hand, the gauge at the pasture is not monitored in my absence. I'm keen to see what it registers next week when I return. Typical rainfall pattern is for less rain after June. Crops must be thriving.

Takk for alt,

Al

This is another (see yesterday's blog) of mangroves taken in Cambodia in 2020.

Still Upright!

      In the OFH a popular farewell when leaving another person or group is, "Stay upright!" Today I visited my civilian, as opposed to the one at the VA, primary care physician. She thinks I have a good prospect for staying upright, if I don't trip over Kaia, etc. It's been six and a half years since I was last sick, bronchitis in Asia 2020, so I hope to continue that streak. Consequently, I got a COVID booster hoping to remain among those who've never had it. This record of health fills me with gratitude.

   This medical appointment is one reason I've remained at the OFH this week. Last week's presence here was to keep Kaia from 4th of July fireworks in Sinai. They don't scare her but she gets agitated thinking that firecrackers are the sounds of shooting and she wants to be out hunting. The fireworks perpetrators have no sense of bedtime, lighting fireworks far into the night. 

Takk for alt,

Al

There is so much I don't know. Hearing about mangroves on ocean shorelines I always imaged huge trees, like a big cottonwood...not so!. These are mangroves on the coast of Cambodia. A recent news article reported an uptick in the world's mangroves, good conservation news. These trees are a part of a deliberate reforestation project we visited in 2020, while I had bronchitis, my last illness.  

Apologies to both my readers!

    The computer education classes at both Brooking county Rural District 21, and Sinai High School were lacking. Consequently my technical skills are rudimentary. Tangled up with an internet issue time escaped me and know I'm too tired for a longer post.

   There was a particular high point today when an author friend presented me with his first gift copy of his newly published book of haiku poetry. This will prompt much reflection...thanks PMFJ!  😀

  More another day!

Takk for alt,

Al

Greetings to you both!

    Guess what, I watched a basketball game today!  It wasn't "my" team. However, almost always I favor one team over another, pure prejudice. The preferred team won today, but these games evoke little anxiety. Watching as much as I do I can identify most WNBA players by sight. There, too, there are favorites and others for which I have less affection. Case in point; one of the excellent players in the league I've not liked. Learning about her has revealed a very fine person. So, why my dislike. Eventually I puzzled it out, it's because on the floor she never smiles, always playing looking dour. There, now, you see how arbitrary and subjective I am.

   The day ended with a delightful meal on a patio with, what for me is perfect weather; clear skies and 83 degrees. 

Takk for alt,

Al

Now there are five.

      My oldest aunt lived at Baalaton, MN. She'd accompanied her father, my grandfather, there to teach Vacation Bible School. She met and married a local farmer. Some where around 1910 she died of uremic poisoning after childbirth, her son and my first born cousin, Clifford, drown in a water tank when he was 3. His father died in the flu epidemic. Thus ended that family.

    This is story of my surviving cousins who made it to adulthood, grandchildren of my grandparents. Last week there six surviving cousins. Yesterday my oldest one, surviving at age 93, died from injuries suffered in a car accident. Alvin, five years older than I, was always my hero. Living twelve miles apart we had regular contact growing up. Saturday, I will attend his funeral in Aurora, IL.

   Grandpa and Grandma had nineteen grandchildren after the late Clifford. The gender breakdown is interesting. There were five boys, which included my two brothers and I, thus only two male cousins. There were 14 female cousins. Of all these grandchildren. I was second to the youngest and the youngest died several years ago. Giving some balance to this equation was my oldest cousin, Cecilia, who had four sons, one a year older than I, one my age and two younger.

  Now, surviving in age sequence: one is 92, another 91, the third 89, then 88, and 87. None have had birthdays this year. Interesting demographics.  Add those ages up and what do you get? I'm not allowed to do the math. 😀 

Takk for alt,

Al

Uffda...

     One of the challenges of retirement life is tracking the days of the week. When I was first retired I volunteered regularly at Hmong Academy for ten plus years. It was very enjoyable, satisfying with a side bonus. It kept me oriented to the day of the week.

   That volunteering gig ended with COVID. Now it would be challenging with my hearing problems but probably could be done with the aid of my hearing aid's remote mic. However, I now reside in St. Paul and the Academy is in the NW suburb  of Brooklyn Park. That's way to far to drive across Minneapolis.

  This subject comes up because tonight I spaced an event I intended to attend. In fact I even have a ticket for it. This leaves me feeling disappointed. My memory is a point of pride with me, with the exception of names which I usually remember...at 2:00 am.😉 

Takk for alt,

Al

I'm pictured with students from Noble Academy.

Shades of Thailand!

     Sitting outside at a local restaurant a bit ago, temperature 85, dew point 72, brought back my time in Thailand. Though I went in winter the weather there was very similar to what we're experiencing. Temperatures would run in the upper 80s to lower 90s daytime. At night 80 was typical. Dew points often in the 70s. This was without a/c, though I did have a fan at night. (Now it's 6:30 am in Ayutthaya and the temperature is 77 and the dew point 76.) Knowing that Minnesota temperatures were in the single digits to minus improved my attitude about the heat and humidity.  At school the students would play soccer and do other vigorous activities, e.g., jump rope, impervious to the heat. Of course this was their cool season.

   Were it not for the accident of birth I should live in a warmer climate. One positive, there are no scorpions here. At Camp Pendleton when we were in the field we'd shake our boots in the morning to be certain a scorpion hadn't moved in.

Takk for alt,

Al

Thai fourth graders, the girl in the middle is twin of the one on her right.

Power Shopping!

     In the market for a new blazer the plan was to go to a fancy men's store. The reason for that choice was there'd be measurements for a good fit. A store was identified in a suburb across town. Arriving revealed that the store was gone and it was being retrofitted for a fast food enterprise. So much for that plan.

   Checking my trusty smart phone I located a J C Penney store nearby. So I drove to it guided by GPS. Walking to the back corner of the store where men's wear is kept, no employee was in sight. Realizing that it was going to be totally self serve, I spotted a rack of blazers. After putting one on I walked to the checkout by the front door, paid for the blazer and my time in the store was no more than fifteen minutes. That was within my patience quotient. Who needs a fancy men's store? That's what passes for excitement  in my life.

Takk for alt,

Al

PS Neighbor to The Little House reports 1" in my rain gauge! 

PPS The blazer fits well.

OFH has a 4:30 dinner seating, giggle...