Republic of China is in the headlines again this week. Jeff Bezo's publication The Washington Post How did Taiwan become embroiled in Haiti’s political crisis?

A group of people in full military gear broke into Taiwan’s embassy in Haiti on Thursday morning, following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, Taiwanese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou said Friday. Haitian police arrested 11 armed suspects, described as “mercenaries” by Taipei.

“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”
Pablo Picasso

It is summertime in the Northern hemisphere. Hot summers days, outside activities and the potential for heat stress. Times change, climate changes and most importantly we change. What were once safe levels of physical activity and temperature might cause problems. It becomes important to recognize heat stress in ourselves, those around us and our communities.

“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”
Pablo Picasso

My summertime reading list has always included a few spy novels. This year I am just reading the news.

“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”
Pablo Picasso

The Covid disruption has changed some regular habits. For several years I have provided transportation for others to perform their grocery shopping. 17 months ago started to do weekly shopping instead with a list and learned the food stamps rules. It is quite different from the past when my Great Grandmother went to the local commodity store once a month.

Began to travel through the aisles, viewing product selections and prices totally absent from my normal shopping patterns. Soups are no longer a budget food. Wide variety of soup stocks and bases available to "make your own soup". Whole chickens were on sale this week and less than the quart of soup stock.

“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”
Pablo Picasso

What is new is old, what is old is new, rinse and repeat. Vegetarian cooking waxes and wanes over the centuries for various reasons. Sometimes vegetarian lifestyle are for for religious reasons, other times for health and often forced by economics. I find it interesting in our current economic model in the United States a vegetarian diet is considered more expensive than low cost animal sources of protein.

“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”
Pablo Picasso

Every year I seem surprised at how much time and energy it takes to irrigate, control weeds and do the general spring/summer work. About June is when I start dropping other obligations, which at time has included writing here. My diaries may be a bit short and not every comment responded to the same day, but I plan to slog through this summer and continue contributing.

“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”
Pablo Picasso

Been a fan of masks since discovered as a small child I would not loose my place by the campfire if the t-shirt collar was pulled up to cover the nose when the smoke drifted in my direction. In severe smoke related events covered the eyes. NOTE - SHOULD NOT WALK OR RUN WHEN EYES COVERED BY SHIRT.

I have been advocating the use of a mask for several months and will continue to use one when it fits my criteria.

“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”
Pablo Picasso

Rules, regulations and the price of bread are part of our Anglo/Saxon legal traditions. Laws formulated to control the price of bread and limit the profit of baker appeared during the time of of King John, thirteen years prior to the Magna Carta. In 1266 The Assize of Bread and Ale regulated the price, weight and quality of the bread and beer manufactured and sold in towns, villages and hamlets in high medieval England. The law was modified periodically and not replaced until 1863.

“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”
Pablo Picasso

The right or ability of an individual to obtain or refuse a medical treatment is being severely threatened. For most of my life the arguments have been based around reproduction rights, use of illegal drugs, informed consent of medical experiments, alternative medicine choices, medical privacy and universal availability of quality treatments. The current trend of two tiered system of the COVID vaccinated and vaccinated is formalizing medical discrimination and enforcement by third parties.

It appears business owners and employees in Oregon will once again have the risk of confrontation confirming vaccination status of individuals. As we head into a two tiered system of privileges based on compliance to a medical treatment.

“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”
Pablo Picasso

Today I am going to indulge in gossip/discussion about problem behaviors. A new problem showed up yesterday. A note on the front door mentioned I had two extra cattle in my field and pre-thanking for my patience, which is running thin at the moment. Yep, two young Angus heifers in the field, from the tracks they had been chased all around the buildings, various equipment and through the orchard. Some panel fencing used to protect the water pump and plastic pipes were moved to block the heifers in an area by the corral, gates had been left open in several places between various fields and several sections of fence was damaged by the heifers when jumping the fence and not clearing it completely.