Summer Sizzles

There is no denying that this is one hot, hot summer! There are always the hot days, but this summer has had more of its share. Even our cat spends more time in the cooler basement. The bees pile up outside of the hive in larger clusters in the evenings after their long days of foraging in the gardens in the neighborhood. The hornets are joining them at the bee water, (much to my dismay). I do my chores earlier than my norm and concentrate on water exercise while skipping over the long walks.

Today we were driving past a back, fenced yard. A large white, thickly coated long haired dog was standing. I saw no movement whatsoever. He stood, head hanging, tail drooping. The sun was full upon him in that enclosed space. I wondered if there was shade in that yard. "Where were his owners"? My guess was that they were inside of a much cooler house, perhaps even with air conditioning. I looked at the temperature as we drove past that silent dog. It was 102 degrees.

We are fortunate to have our fourteen-year old grandson for two weeks. He seems not to notice the heat, but then I don't think I did much at his age either. He is attending a British Soccer camp held each year in our town. The youngsters come eagerly to play and learn. They join each other on the field before the class begins, kicking the balls, running and shouting. They don't seem to notice the heat. They live for the moment and that moment is their passion for a game. Forget the heat. They want to play, learn and have fun. Ah, youth.....

Meanwhile, I head back indoors, not allowing the cat to sit on my lap for long. The summer sizzles. I enjoy watching the Olympics, especially the swimming.

Scanning the Skies

Fires are erupting all over the area. I often smell the smoke and I find myself looking upward at the clouds. Are they clouds or smoke? Sometimes it is easy to distinguish one from the other. When the white puffs are billowing strongly in one direction I know that it is smoke.

Before the Alabaugh Fire I never looked at the skies in the same way. Now, at the height of fire season, I look up more often, not to admire, but to search for warnings. The county and the Red Cross set up a shelter for evacuees at our civic center. There were not many using it since the area evacuated was sparsely populated. I dropped in to see if I could be of any assistance. I was never called during the few days it was open, but I had a chance to visit with some of the people making use of the service. We talked about their concerns and it felt all too familiar. I assured one elderly woman that if the electricity went out, her insurance company would cover her freezer full of a side of beef. I did not mention the mess she might face if the possibility occurred. No need to add to her worries.

Today the owners were allowed back to their homes, the Red Cross closed up the shelter and life seems back to normal in our quiet community nestled in the Southern Hills. But the lightning continues to strike, smaller fires are still burning and the firefighters are still protecting, back burning and fighting the flames. This is fire season in our Hills, after all. We get used to it....sort of. Nature has always burned the forests, making room for the new, but now we have more people residing here. There is more to protect - more structures and more lives.

Fire is a powerful reminder that life is still filled with change. We may get too complacent living in our peaceful spot of the world. Life always has a way of jolting us out of our complacency and reuniting us with the struggles of others who meet greater challenges than we ever face in our idyllic Southern Black Hills of South Dakota.

The West is on Fire

Oh, oh, here we go again. It has been five years since our horrific Alabaugh Fire of 7-7-7. This morning my husband pointed out the huge cloud to the north of town. My instant reaction was a flash of panic followed by plans for evacuation. What should I pack, are the cars gassed up, do I bring the special food for our elderly cat?????

One time going through a fire was quite enough, thank you. I suppose since I am a seasoned veteran of evacuation through a wildfire, I should be a bit calmer. That was not the case when I first looked at that ominous cloud of white surging over our town. My mind began to race to what, where and when.

My more laid back husband met the challenge in his own way. He drove up the nearby mountain to the home of friends and saw the flames clearly. He said not to worry since they were about fifteen miles away.

Fifteen miles! Those words were not much consolation. Fifteen miles is uncomfortably close for me. Could we lose our picturesque town? That thought is too overwhelming for me to dwell on for long.

The phone was ringing as I got home. It was a friend asking us to join her for lunch. Yes, yes, that is just what I needed at the time. A cool restaurant and casual conversation over iced tea. I just may be over reacting inside my gut. The fire may not even be heading our way, and too much worry in advance is not helpful. Either way, if the time comes to leave our home for a second time, we will be armed with experience. I have my fingers crossed that will be of some help.

For now we can only wait and trust our courageous firefighters to hold back the flames. They are out in the 100 plus degree heat clothed in their fire resistant, woolen suits, while we wait in our air conditioned homes and cling to our trust.

A Fresh Outlook

There is a lovely path that follows our meandering Fall River through the town of Hot Springs. During all seasons the river cascades from its source at the spring at the north end of Hot Springs, past the historic sandstone buildings, through the newer section of town, apartments, homes and onward through the country side until it hooks up to the Cheyenne River, which eventually flows into the Missouri River, then on to the grand Mississippi and, of course, at the end of its voyage, streams into the Gulf of Mexico.

I walk this path often. Today I made my trip early to avoid the excessive heat. As the seasons continue, my walk time will change to a later one. During the winter months I will venture out during the warmest time of the day. The seasons change, but the river is constant, soothing, peaceful, invigorating and reassuring.

The grasses and trees and flowers lining the walk emerge in the spring, blossom, flower, droop and die, but the river flows on and on, ignoring the changes on its banks. The turtles and ducks remain through all seasons as the water retains its unchanging warm temperature from its bubbling wellsprings from deep inside the earth at the north end of our scenic community.

It is said that the Indians fought a battle over control of the healing waters. The peak above the springs is known today as Battle Mountain. The river seemed well worth fighting over. It feels eternal. At least it is still here, coursing through our town, a companion to the walkers, joggers, tourists, veterans, skateboarders and skipping children. In this heat it is not uncommon to see children splashing in the water. Families picnic on the park benches. Neighbors stop and talk. Tourists ask, "Where are the bugs"?

One bench has become my half-way resting place. It is beside an especially gurgling, lively spot in the river. I sit and reflect and, at times, visit with someone who enjoys the same bench. It can be a meditative time, or a social interlude. Either way, it fills my soul.

I am grateful to have this enchanting pathway through the heart of our historic town. It was one of the most fortunate exchanges we made when my husband and I lost our home in the country. When I miss our life I wrote about in "A (not so) Simple Life", I stop what I am doing and hit the alley to the river walk. I often see deer, ducks and birds, and, I now enjoy the water, the walkers and a diverse view of our buildings, looking upward from the river below. It brings a different perspective and that is always a good thing for me. Too often I need to get out of my rut of a comfort zone or self-pity. The walk along our river always does the trick.

Reflections from the Antiques Roadshow

After many years of enjoying Antiques Roadshow on public television, my husband and I had a chance to attend the event in nearby Rapid City. Since we lost our antiques in the Alabaugh Fire, we had little to bring, but we dug up a few interesting items. My husband, more than myself, is a dedicated viewer of the show, and was pleased to obtain tickets.

After a few hours of standing in line, he seemed less impressed, but we both admired the organization and volunteers that made the whole event more enjoyable.

It was interesting to talk to others in line, some curious, others eager to find they had a hidden gem among their possessions. There was a comradery among people who treasured items that often had a history of their own in being passed down from generation to generation. History seemed to come alive among the items that were rolled or carried in to be evaluated by the experts.

Many were disappointed at a value that was lower than their expectations. I wondered how many would still treasure the item after receiving the news that their  special piece was not as special to the judges.

It was reassuring in some strange way to realize that getting older can make something, or, perhaps, someone, increase in value. It is the unique antiques that go up in value. That is a reminder to me that getting older can be valuable. We older folks do have years of living, and, hopefully, accrued wisdom and perspective to offer those who follow us. Keeping my mind open to change while holding on to the depth of the past, can be tricky, and, at times, frustrating, but for me the fluidity of ideas and the sorting through them is what keeps me young and growing.

Walking Tall

You can feel it in the air. As I walk through our community there is a sense of electricity, hope, anticipation and deep-felt pride.

The proposal created by members of our small town is brilliant and we all know it. It is such a win-win for everyone...the community, the VA, and mostly, the veterans who use this facility.

If the powers-that-be do not see the magic of its cost effectiveness and the potential of its healing for veterans, then there is something very, very wrong in the system.

Our South Dakota legislatures and our governor are on board. They realize the power of this proposal. If our local government gets it, we believe that the guys in Washington who manage the care for veterans will also get on board our veteran's train.

At the end of our brief time on this earth, most things that we fussed about during our lifetimes will fade to nothingness. What I hope remains for me is the legacy I will leave. When I touch the lives of others, bringing support and comfort, that is what will be with me as I say goodbye to my years of teaching, counseling, parenting, writing, and, at this time, working with a diverse group of people who put aside their political, religious, cultural, social and age differences to unite for a common cause.

During the past six hectic months of planning, writing, drawing, researching, baking, fund raising, marching, speaking and meeting and meeting and meeting again and again, we have proved to ourselves that we can rise above our differences to formulate a plan that will serve all of our veterans who have served our country.

Our working together through many dark times of negativity, is, in itself, a legacy worth leaving. There is a bounce in our steps. We are walking tall!

Conquer Chigger Bites

Readers seemed intrigued by those irritating chigger bites. My husband came up with a solution to the itches. One tiny dose of Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) relieves the itching once and for all. I tried the other popular remedies. Each of them required repeating and long term application. The DMSO worked instantly and permanently. Hope it works for you, too. Those bites are far worse than the ones from the mosquito.

Good luck if you are unfortunate to be bitten. It might work on mosquito bites, but since they are rare in the Hills, I have never tried the "chigger solution".

Bye, bye itchiness, bye, bye, bye.

So Long, Grackles

Some posts back I wrote about my battles against the ever-so-clever grackles. Then wonder of wonders, I had a suggestion from a reader that really worked. The email said I should change my feed from sunflowers to safflowers. I was busy with other things in life but I finally had the chance to purchase a bag of safflowers and lo, and behold, the grackles have disappeared from the feeder, the finches have it all to themselves, along with the ever-present chickadees, nuthatches and a few other unassuming visitors.

Peace has returned to the Lee-Goulet back yard and the ground beneath the feeder is slowly clearing from the mess of the sunflower seeds. Safflowers may be more expensive, but they are neater, and because the voracious grackles do not dine on them, the seed lasts longer, which I hope will make it less costly in the long run.

As I look out at the less demanding feathery diners I think about wars among nations and other groups and the instinct to want to take charge and control others. Perhaps an alternative strategy may provide a solution with less conflict. Resolving issues in this way brings less stress, wasted energy and time.

Thank you, Bill, for responding to my problem. One small vexation has left my life. Hmmm..... I must remember this when facing other dilemmas that will certainly arise during my lifetime. After all is said and done, my battle with the grackles taught me a valuable lesson.