Pandemic Times, January 10-16

Sunday, January 10

There were no regular church activities today, but I sent an email to my Sunday School class members just to keep connected. As I was thinking about what I would say, I came across a sermon that I gave on the Sunday after Epiphany in 2014 entitled "From Epiphany to Baptism." It is posted here in my sermon links and seemed still appropriate for the day.

I went to church after all, to help Walter take down and put away Christmas decorations.  I was glad when Deb C showed up to help, too.  We had fun conversation while working, something I've been missing.

Laura had us over for a birthday celebration in the afternoon.  She and Amanda made me a wonderful coconut cake, just like mother used to make with 7-minute frosting.  The afternoon was just barely warm enough to sit outside on their new patio.

Numbers:

TN: 653,869 total cases; 7,785 deaths; 0-10 33,456; 11-20 82,374

Loudon County: 4713 cases; 659 active; 46 deaths;
    94.9 case rate; 25.4% pos rate
    16 deaths in last 15 days
    43% of all cases have occurred in the last month
    

Monday, January 11

Birthdays today: Judith, Lynne and John Carl

We had a lovely snow shower this morning, but nothing will stick because it is too warm.  I enjoyed the birds during breakfast and was able to get a couple of pictures of a magnificent hawk perching on the trunk/stump of the old apple tree.  I think it is a red-shouldered hawk, but not sure.

Even though I wasn't feeling very perky, I managed a few simples chores like laundry.  Fortunately, we had some leftover Gumbo so no cooking was required.

Kathy's persistence finally paid off as she got Wayne and herself on the county Covid vaccine list.  YEA!

Tuesday, January 12

What a difference a good night's sleep makes!  I woke up refreshed and with three goals for the day:

(1) Sourdough baking. I started the levain before bedtime and mixed the dough before breakfast.  I forgot to mix in the whole wheat flour, so it will be interesting to see what difference it makes.  The recipe only calls for 10% whole wheat.  The dough was a little softer to work and the rise was good.  The last of 4 loaves came out of the oven at 9 pm, so about 12 hours.

(2) Moving my body. I have been somewhat lethargic for the past week.  I think the national events of January 6 put me into more of a funk than I have wanted to admit.  I managed to work in my yoga routine between bread-making steps and generally was on my feet all day in the kitchen.

(3) Look for eagles. I wanted to try out my new camera on the eagles, so at 4 we went across the river with camera and tripod ready. However, the eagles did not cooperate and were nowhere to be found.

I cooked a new dish from my cast-iron cookbook - Chicken thigh with carrots and swiss chard (I subbed spinach). It was excellent - savory with a good blend of flavors. We split a baked sweet potato to complete the meal.

Wednesday, January 13

The House of Representatives spent most of the day in session and debate on the impeachment of Trump.  The one article - Incitement of Insurrection - passed with 10 Republicans joining all the Democrats in voting yea.  The events of the day were so much on my mind that I didn't focus on doing anything else, even yoga.  I finally put my response in writing and posted it as a separate blog entry and on Facebook. See "As congress debates impeachment (again)."

The morning was cold with "freezing fog" that persisted all morning, adding to my malaise. Some places had a heavy, beautiful hoar frost, but we had only a light touch.  Despite my malaise, I managed to tidy up my 'sewing room' and make one cute peace symbol mask for Claire.  I also took down and stripped the sage that was hanging to dry.  I packed it in storage jars and cleaned off the top pantry shelf to make room.  I grow and dry far more herbs than I can possibly use.  Anyone need any organically homegrown sage or rosemary or oregano or dill? I don't have much basil this year because it is an annual and I didn't buy bedding plants.

For supper, we had leftovers from last night's delicious chicken dish, served over egg noodles with green peas on the side.

News sources reported today that yesterday the US set another singe-day record for Covid deaths at more than 4,200.  Total deaths in the US are now more than 379,000.

Thursday, January 14

At 11:42 am, we finally set off on our day trip adventure to Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge in hopes of seeing flocks of Sandhill Cranes and other waterfowl.  As we loaded the RV, the temperature was hovering around 36 with 'feels like' of 30 and freezing fog.  However, the forecast is for a sunny 50 degrees by mid-afternoon.

Bill was out very early this morning for a dental appointment.  While he was gone, I prepared a beef stew for the crockpot so we would have a warm supper waiting.  I packed our usual picnic of salmon salad on sourdough with chips and apple slices and made a pitcher of tea.  It's been quite a while since we've taken the RV for a day trip.  The refuge is about 60 miles and takes an hour and a half.

By the time we arrived the sun was shining but a brisk breeze was blowing. Cranes were feeding by the hundreds (not thousands). In the backwater, too far to clearly identify, were numerous ducks.  I could pick out Northern Shovelers which I confirmed after I looked at the photo on my computer screen.  There was a large flock of about 40 white pelicans.  This picture below shows a few of them on the water.  We only lasted about an hour in the cold wind. 

Hiwassee viewing platform

Wind ruffled their feathers and nearly blew over my camera

Some of these are Northern Shovelers

Looking our from the ramp

A few of the hundreds of Cranes feeding. They graze like geese.

Just a few of the white pelicans on the river.

Just after we turned into Melton Hill Road, the RV odometer turned 100,000.  We've traveled about 50,000 of that.  Home at 4 pm to a supper already made.  I baked some biscuits (Mary B's frozen) to go with the stew.

Rich beef stew

Friday, January 15

John Park Taylor, my daddy, died on this day twenty years ago. 
July 11, 1928 - January 15, 2001

Twenty years ago I sat vigil overnight with him the the veterans hospital in Jackson, Mississippi.  Cindy Taylor was there all night, too. He passed not long after midnight, in the very early morning hours of January 15.  He was not a perfect man, but he loved each one of his children in his our flawed way.  He loved my mother, too, but imperfectly.  I guess he did the best he could. He took over his father's farming operation when he was just 18 because of my grandfather's illness.  He farmed that land, growing cotton, soybeans, and rice.  In the early years, he ran a small herd of Black Angus beef cattle and raised hogs for market. In later years he built catfish ponds and was in the fish business for a number of years.  The home farm, called simply "The Place" and "Blackbird Plantation" by my grandmother, was about 500 acres.  He rented or leased other farms, mainly for growing rice. Growing up on the farm was pretty idyllic, even though we were isolated about 5 miles from town with few neighbors.  We weren't anything like well-off financially, because crop farming was a precarious boom/bust business and our farm lacked the economy of scale. Nevertheless, he provided us a good living, with all of our needs met and some of our wants.

1958

1964

~1970

1972

1988

My first goal of the day was to make a quick grocery run for produce and then take care of some church business in town.  I didn't have another goal so who knows what might happen.

What's on my mind today?

(1) Katie Philley Johnson, my 2nd cousin and daughter of Jay Philley, has been battling Covid and on a ventilator since December 2.  She has taken a turn for the worse after a brief rally. She and all her family are much in my thoughts and prayers.

(2) Malone Phillips lost his battle with Covid yesterday.  He was Deborah's Clifford's nephew, her brother Guy's son and only in his 30s.

(3) Our nation's capitol, Washington DC. Images on television with military lining the streets, in battle gear and armed with long guns, reminds me more of a 3rd world city than of the seat of democracy and beacon of freedom to the world.  This is what Trump has brought us to.

I don't intend this blog to be political commentary, but this has been an unusual week.  Like many others in our country, I am struggling to make sense of his and discern my path/my role in events.

But now, I'm sitting at the table looking out and watching a downy woodpecker at the suet feeder.  That brings a sense of peace amid the chaos.

Bibimbap (Korean fried rice) for Friday night supper.  Sauteed spinach, carrots, scallions, zucchini and garlic, with beef strips and shrimp, topped with Kimchee, fried egg and Gochujang Sauce, all over sticky rice, fried in the bowl.

Dolsot Bibimbap

Saturday, January 16

The predicted snow showers did not materialize in our neighborhood.  We took the forecast as an excuse to linger in bed longer than usual, reading and watching news. After breakfast, I spent time transposing my journal to this online blog and adding the pictures.  That work takes a few hours each week and provides and opportunity for reflection. The events of the year so far have provided a lot of material for reflection!

Later in the afternoon, while Bill watched football, I played a computer word game. I like to think it builds or maintains mental acuity.  In reality, I think it is just escapism. No cooking today. We finished the beef stew.

Laura and family left for a couple of nights at Roan Mountain State Park and a couple of days of snowboarding at Beech Mtn, NC. We hope they don't get blown off the slopes.  We are babysitting LeRoy until Monday afternoon.