@Lookout

Mabel is in the clouds today; we did dodge a frost and snow on Thursday. Good fortune in fixing the tractor.

Been out murdering thistle in the lower field this AM. One of us wears welding gloves and lops the spiny seed heads, the other digs up the basal plant and flips it over replacing it in the hole. We've been doing this for a decade or so, and sure enough fewer and fewer thistles every year. I think we created the problem with a thistle seed bird feeder several years ago. We learned to just use sunflower seed instead. The thistles got to be more and more of a problem till we began the reduction program. It is a shame cause all sorts of insects love them.

My old tractor developed a hole in the gas tank. I've ordered another, hope it gets here soon cause there's much to do this time of year. The tractor is the work horse of our place.

Hope you all have a great day, and are enjoying the spring. Despite the insanity around us it continues to be a beautiful world. Thanks for the poetry, art, and OT!

@enhydra lutris

Just returned from a ride to drop off a package for a friend; not a good day to be driving, thick fog in places making it hard to see the road.

NC Gov said no more school and has not lifted his stay at home order as the neighboring states have. Most of the Parkway and nearby parks, trails and lakes are closed.

Expecting Spring in around two more weeks, we need the sunshine.

Have a good one.

beautiful day here, this is the third in a row, but the lat two have been so hectic that se really couldn't enjoy them at all. We have about another week of madness here, but today we do get to kick back a little because we decided we would and could, just slowing the pace a bit. Brother crow is sitting outside my window yakking it up with nobody in particular -this is unusual, he's out in the open on a wire and a perfect target for the neighborhood Cooper's Hawk, which could get amusing. We are slowly depleting our garden and there isn't really any new growth (except my to-do lists).

be well and have a good one.

@magiamma

on covid 19 and ventilators, thank you.

Apparently, there is a series of those obstacle course videos; loving Golden's, it did bring a smile, glad you enjoyed.

Heard Bernie on the airways this morning, he's pushing a compromise medicare concept as one way to pay for the presently 'un-and-under-insured' during the pandemic. May the force be with him.

You have a wonderful day and be safe out there.

Thanks for the good cheer, art and music. Hoping this day finds many a smile on your face. Love the obstacle course. Who knew a dog could be so nimble.

Here is a link to the article I mentioned Thursday. Deep into it there is some good info on their findings as to respiratory issues.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-ventilators-specia...

Today broke with the sunrise across the horizon but before it could rise the clouds came rushing in. We are already into mid to late spring. My Golden Delicious apple tree is in bloom. I just stood there yesterday staring and smiling. What beauty. It abounds in spite of our strutting and fretting. Thank goodness.

Do have a good one. Be well and take good care.

@apenultimate

for this update on your good project. We have a community kitchen two doors down, i've attended their fund raisers in past, they are closed to indoor dining but the staff works daily making to go meals and volunteers carry them to people in need.

In addition our local food bank now serves around three times the families than it did before and it is operating seven days per week with a drive-through service.

A physical therapist calls us patients once a week to check on us, she says the local hospitals--we have two small ones about 25 miles apart-- don't have many tests for covid at present and they are lacking in protective gear.

Fortunate so far or we just don't know because of lack of testing, our NW Appalachian region has not been overwhelmed.

So many folks and so many needs, thank you again for all you do.

We are now feeding 40 families there, most in my wife's old neighborhood, but a few houses outside of it. Trying to diversify the food a bit. Each family gets:

15 eggs
3 cans meat loaf
3 cans corned beef
6 packages of noodles
3 apples
1 loaf sliced white bread
packages of coffee (packages contain small amounts of powdered milk and sugar)
packages of Milo chocolate drink to mix with water (Milo website)

Coffee packs in the blue to the right, Milo packs in the green to the left.

In the bags, with the loaves of bread.

The people there did not know the second round of food was coming, and continue to be completely shocked, and super thankful. This one was entirely paid for from my parents from their Trump checks ($500 total). My wife's sister had to make several trips to the grocery store because they are now (new regulation!) letting only one person per family into the store to shop. The store is a half-mile each way, on foot, so a lot of thanks goes to her (she was exhausted by the end of the day).

My wife used to run a 40-50 room hotel in another part of the Philippines back in the day. She talked to 3 of her best friends/colleagues who still work there and learned that a couple weeks ago the entire staff was unceremoniously laid off with an almost negligible payment. They have been trying to get a one-time unemployment payment of 6,000 pesos (~$120) without any luck yet. That unemployment payment might keep people for a month at minimum sustenance levels.

We took $50 of that $500 above and sent it to those 3 friends (about $16 each). It'll only last a handful of days or less, but at least it's a temporary break for them.