Thursday, April 30, 2020

The threat is global, but language is not

COVID-19: The threat is global, but language is not.

Sorry - the formatting of this entry went wonky somehow, so I edited it and have re-posted.

Many of you know that Carl and I volunteered with SIL International at the International Linguistics Center (ILC) for a few months over the past year. We came to a much greater understanding of the importance of receiving important information in the language that you understand best. I'm proud to let you know that SIL International is responding to the #COVID19 crisis in a powerful way - by helping people get the health information they need in a language they understand.

An overview picture of the ILC campus
SIL International estimates that 30% of people everywhere cannot find basic health information in their first language to protect their communities from COVID-19. Will you help me raise funds to translate and distribute relevant health information to communities and families in lesser-known local languages around the world?

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to threaten communities worldwide. As individuals, we take action to protect ourselves and our families based on the access we have to clear and relevant health information. Staying informed is the first step to staying healthy. Help me give that same opportunity to millions of people who speak local languages around the world.

Your gift will give life-saving information to those who need it most!

Take a look at these amazing examples of how SIL is supporting local communities as they make health information available in the community's language. Check out some cool samples here:
https://www.sil.org/covid-19
and then check out this page:
https://www.givedirect.org/donate/?cid=13536&dd1=COVID-19
and give today!

Thanks!

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Timmy

There is a fuzzy orange kitty here named "Timmy" (or "Timmie"?).
He is quite a magnificent looking kitty...

He is happy to get kitty food...

But he is also happy to get attention!
What I find interesting is that he rolls his tail up over his back, like a Husky or Akita breed dog would do...

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Views out the windows

Some views out of our RV windows...
Carl's view from his computer... looking a little to the right...

... and looking straight out.

One of Miss Kitty's favorite views - especially if the window is open and she can experience the smells as well as the sights!


Monday, April 27, 2020

"I'm happy to welcome you here today..."

Often, when we go up to the house, the cows and calves are up near the fence. Carl will greet them as a captain of industry, with a statement like, "I'm happy to welcome you here today..." or "Thank you for being prompt for our meeting..."
Many seem to listen intently...

Sometimes he gives work direction too... suggesting that some are not performing up to their capability or letting them know that, "unfortunately, some of you will need to be let go..." or, "Number 5, clear your calendar, you're coming for dinner on Tuesday!"
It is fun to see the farm through Carl's eyes!

Saturday, April 25, 2020

A visit from the great-nephews

A few days ago, we had walked with Jimmy across the road. When we returned, his grandsons were in the yard waiting for him...
They came running to him and he picked both of them up!

They have a tractor that they enjoy playing on... I was impressed with how they shared the responsibility for pushing and riding!

Though when it was Christopher's turn to push, he had a little problem getting it started...

They both appeared to have a grand time!


Thursday, April 23, 2020

Remote Control vehicles

I have always thought that giving remote control vehicles to little boys is not a good idea... they need to be active pushing the vehicle themselves, not working a joystick! And they seem to just walk around following the remote control car wherever they are driving it...

Well, when we were at the RV repair place, I was watching the construction guys, and one of them was following a piece of equipment around just like a little boy would follow a remote control car.
The construction guy to the left is controlling the small green piece of equipment...

It was tamping soil/gravel down in a ditch - the ditch had been 5-6' deep and a pipe was laid in the bottom. They were in the process of filling it back in, and used this machine to tamp the soil down after each few inches of soil was put in.

Another view of it - it had a joint in the middle so it could turn corners. Even though it was small, when I got closer to take these pictures, I could feel the ground being impacted by it through my feet - about 6' away.
It seems that this is remote controlled both so it can be a small device, to get down into ditches, and also so there doesn't need to be someone down in the ditch if the sides are unstable.

As we were driving back to Virginia, Carl pointed out some highrise buildings under construction that had cranes on top that did not have an operator's compartment on the crane (I don't have any pictures of those). He surmised that they also were controlled with remote control.
I found an article with information about these cranes -- I don't understand all of it, but... here it is:
https://www.gruasyaparejos.com/en/tower-crane/remote-control-tower-crane/

The thing that interested me is, I have always thought that giving children (boys) remote control cars is not wise, but, now I'm thinking that it could be training them for a future career!

Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Slow motion water balloons

A friend had shared a Facebook video from these folks a couple of years ago... I looked to see if it was available outside of Facebook and found many of the same shots - she called it "Weirdly fascinating", and I concur with her assessment!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eI3z3qIa1Mo

Tuesday, April 21, 2020

The Talley's RV Park

Carl has noted in our shared Google calendar that we are camping at the Talley's RV Park... I guess that's as good a description as any!

We haven't done so good on getting stuff sorted yet... but the two rigs are close enough together that we *can* get stuff done if we can just get motivated!
....And, the "we" is primarily "me", i.e. Patti, who needs to get motivated...

Sunday, April 19, 2020

Cream - straight from the source!

Carl was running low on cream for his coffee in the morning, so, I asked Regina if we could get some and she gladly skimmed some off of milk in the refrigerator.
This is back in our rig... Carl is ready to add some to his coffee!

Carl took a picture later in the day of the source of his cream:


He decided to get some directly to his coffee cup...

Can you see the stream of milk going in?


I am a little concerned that Carl might get spoiled with having access to fresh cream right outside our rig!

Saturday, April 18, 2020

Official Coronavirus guidelines

Copied from a Facebook friend (who had copied from someone else... so I have no idea who originally came up with it) - I hope it makes you giggle like it did me...

Nailed it! Well, sort of...
So, this should make you think, laugh first!!!
Here are the official Coronavirus guidelines:
1. Basically, you can't leave the house for any reason, but if you have to, then you can.
2. Masks are useless, but maybe you have to wear one, it can save you, it is useless, but maybe it is mandatory as well.
3. Stores are closed, except those that are open.
4. You should not go to hospitals unless you have to go there. Same applies to doctors, you should only go there in case of emergency, provided you are not too sick.
5. This virus is deadly but still not too scary, except that sometimes it actually leads to a global disaster.
6. Gloves won't help, but they can still help.
7. Everyone needs to stay HOME, but it's important to GO OUT.
8. There is no shortage of groceries in the supermarket, but there are many things missing when you go there in the evening, but not in the morning. Sometimes.
9. The virus has no effect on children except those it affects.
10. Animals are not affected, but there is still a cat that tested positive in Belgium in February when no one had been tested, plus a few tigers here and there…
11. You will have many symptoms when you are sick, but you can also get sick without symptoms, have symptoms without being sick, or be contagious without having symptoms. Oh, my..
12. In order not to get sick, you have to eat well and exercise, but eat whatever you have on hand and it's better not to go out, well, but no…
13. It's better to get some fresh air, but you get looked at very wrong when you get some fresh air, and most importantly, you don't go to parks or walk. But don’t sit down, except that you can do that now if you are old, but not for too long or if you are pregnant (but not too old).
14. You can't go to retirement homes, but you have to take care of the elderly and bring food and medication.
15. If you are sick, you can't go out, but you can go to the pharmacy.
16. You can get restaurant food delivered to the house, which may have been prepared by people who didn't wear masks or gloves. But you have to have your groceries decontaminated outside for 3 hours. Pizza too?
17. Every disturbing article or disturbing interview starts with "I don't want to trigger panic, but…"
18. You can't see your older mother or grandmother, but you can take a taxi and meet an older taxi driver.
19. You can walk around with a friend but not with your family if they don't live under the same roof.
20. You are safe if you maintain the appropriate social distance, but you can’t go out with friends or strangers at the safe social distance.
21. The virus remains active on different surfaces for two hours, no, four, no, six, no, we didn't say hours, maybe days? But it takes a damp environment. Oh no, not necessarily.
22. The virus stays in the air - well no, or yes, maybe, especially in a closed room, in one hour a sick person can infect ten, so if it falls, all our children were already infected at school before it was closed. But remember, if you stay at the recommended social distance, however in certain circumstances you should maintain a greater distance, which, studies show, the virus can travel further, maybe.
23. We count the number of deaths but we don't know how many people are infected as we have only tested so far those who were "almost dead" to find out if that's what they will die of…
24. We have no treatment, except that there may be one that apparently is not dangerous unless you take too much (which is the case with all medications).
25. We should stay locked up until the virus disappears, but it will only disappear if we achieve collective immunity, so when it circulates… but we must no longer be locked up for that?

Friday, April 17, 2020

Friday - planting in the garden

On Friday afternoon,
After instructions and some demonstration from Jimmy (he is using the row planter)...

We helped with planting some of the garden...

Carl rototilling - doesn't he look at ease with that?

Getting the row ready to plant...
Patti using the planter... she doesn't have quite the technique that her brother has...

Preparing another row...

"Look up and smile, Patti!"
Carl planting...

Wait a minute, aren't you supposed to use the other end of the rake, Carl?

Such a gorgeous day!

Preparing by tilling for a few more rows...


Jimmy had already planted 2 1/2 rows of potatoes before we got there. We helped with planting sweet corn (6 rows), okra (2 rows), and snaps (green beans) (4 rows). Hopefully using non-skilled or low-skilled labor won't negatively impact the production!

Thursday, April 16, 2020

"We broke the rooster..."

We were watching the chickens the other day... enjoying seeing how the rooster set up to crow...
He would stretch his neck way up and then crow out.

I took a video:

You can see that he almost appears to crow from his toes out!

After I took it, I played it back... he was obviously perturbed by a rooster crowing in his area... he had been crowing about every 30 seconds, and after hearing himself, he stopped crowing! Carl said that he wasn't aware of what he sounded like and once he heard himself didn't want to crow anymore. I was afraid that we had "broken the rooster". But... he has recovered and is crowing again now!

Last night, Regina collected 20 eggs! From 36 chickens, so there is still room for improvement...

Carl gives a lecture to the chickens every few days, reminding them that egg production isn't the only potential "employment" for them... I'm sure that is helping to improve egg production!


Wednesday, April 15, 2020

Planting

On Saturday, Jimmy was planting Orchardgrass with his "No Till Drill". We were watching and taking pictures/video:
Jimmy was seeding to try to get better cover in part of this field.





In the front, these wavy discs break up the soil... they are called "coulters" -
I was wondering if that was named after a person who created them, but from an online dictionary - defining "coulter":
  1. a vertical cutting blade fixed in front of a plowshare.
    • the part of a seed drill that makes the furrow for the seed.
Origin
Old English, from Latin culter ‘knife or plowshare’.

So, it comes from Latin - I should have known that!

In the back, the two at a "v" shape open up the soil (furrow opener), allowing the seed to be planted, and the packer wheel in the back tamps it down.
Jimmy figured we could be put to work, so we got up on the planter (drill) and kept watch to make sure that the seeds continued to cover the openings that they were feeding down through...

Carl managing his part of the hopper. He did really well managing the seed and staying on the drill at the same time!


Monday, April 13, 2020

The Pittsburgh Blessing

The choir at our church (MacArthur Boulevard Baptist) did a neat virtual choir special for Easter.

I had seen this one too, done by people from different churches in Pittsburgh, PA:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdxMgmN9NpA


Sunday, April 12, 2020

"How the Virus Stole Easter"

I have seen this posted in a couple of places, and I think I'm giving credit to the correct author:   (https://www.thissideofheavenblog.com/blog/how-the-virus-stole-easter).


With a nod, and thanks, to Dr. Seuss. 😊
Twas late in ‘19 when the virus began,
Bringing chaos and fear to all people, each land.

People were sick, hospitals full,
Doctors overwhelmed, no one in school.

As winter gave way to the promise of spring,
The virus raged on, touching peasant and king.

People hid in their homes from the enemy unseen.
They YouTubed and Zoomed, social-distanced, and cleaned.

April approached and churches were closed.
“There won’t be an Easter,” the world supposed.

“There won’t be church services, and egg hunts are out.
No reason for new dresses when we can’t go about.”

Holy Week started, as bleak as the rest.
The world was focused on masks and on tests.

“Easter can’t happen this year,” they proclaimed.
“Online and at home, it just won’t be the same.”

Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, the days came and went.
The virus pressed on; it just would not relent.

The world woke Sunday and nothing had changed.
The virus still menaced, the people, estranged.

“Pooh pooh to the saints,” the world was grumbling.
“They’re finding out now that no Easter is coming.

“They’re just waking up! I know just what they’ll do!
Their mouths will hang open a minute or two,
And then all the saints will all cry boo-hoo.

“That noise,” said the world, “would be something to hear.”
So it paused and the world put a hand to its ear.

And it did hear a sound coming through all the skies.
It started down low, then it started to rise.

But the sound wasn’t depressed.
Why, this sound was triumphant!
It couldn’t be so!
But it grew with abundance!

The world stared around, popping its eyes. Then it shook! What it saw was a shocking surprise!

Each saint in each nation, the tall and the small,

Was celebrating Jesus in spite of it all!

It hadn’t stopped Easter from coming! It came!

Somehow or other, it came just the same!

And the world with its life quite stuck in quarantine
Stood puzzling and puzzling.
“Just how can it be?”

“It came without bonnets, it came without bunnies,
It came without egg hunts, cantatas, or money.”

Then the world thought of something it hadn’t before.
“Maybe Easter,” it thought, “doesn’t come from a store.
Maybe Easter, perhaps, means a little bit more.”

And what happened then?
Well....the story’s not done.
What will YOU do?
Will you share with that one
Or two or more people needing hope in this night?
Will you share of the source of your life in this fight?

The churches are empty - but so is the tomb,
And Jesus is Victor over death, doom, and gloom.

So this year at Easter, let this be our prayer,
As the virus still rages all around, everywhere.

May the world see hope when it looks at God’s people.
May the world see the Church is not a building or steeple.
May the world find Faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection,
May the world find Joy in a time of dejection.
May 2020 be known as the year of survival,
But not only that -
Let it start a revival.

Saturday, April 11, 2020

Finishing our travel on Friday

With the snow on Friday morning (https://journeyinamazinggrace.blogspot.com/2020/04/more-miles-on-thursday.html), and because we had a shorter distance to travel than the past two days, we took it easy getting going on Friday morning... unfortunately, not only did we have the problem with the gauges not working on the RV, the battery on the CRV was also dead...

...so, Carl hooked up the jumper cables from the CRV to the RV and we were able to start it...

While I was running through the gears on the CRV (a procedure required by Honda, I think for the lubrication of the transmission when flat towing), Carl drew pictures in the snow on the windshield to entertain me...

We were finally on our way, but had to traverse the steep driveway down from the Cracker Barrel to the road that would allow us to access the interstate - we made it safely!

The trees alongside I-81 were so beautiful - I took about 4 times the number of pictures I'm including in this post... so you can be thankful that I culled out a lot... but I wanted to share some of the springtime beauty that we saw!





I think the pink trees were redbud and the white were dogwood, though some of the white could be pears... and the pink trees were so luxuriant in blooms that I wondered if they were really redbuds...




In several of the pictures, you can see reflections of things that were on the dashboard -- the main one is a tablet with a blue cover that reflects as a bluish diamond in some of the pictures.




You might notice that there were more passenger vehicles in these pictures on the interstate on Friday than we had seen on Wednesday and Thursday (https://journeyinamazinggrace.blogspot.com/2020/04/moving-along-east-with-just-few-bumps.html). We weren't sure whether that was because of where we were or that it was Good Friday (maybe more people were off work?) or what...

As we were driving on I-81, we were getting quite a side wind, but when we turned east (southeast) on I-64, it was more of a tail wind (which you would think would be beneficial), but the awning on the large slide on the drivers side started making a flapping noise. I used google maps and found that there were some shopping areas at the next exit that appeared to have large parking lots, so we got off the interstate to take a look at what was going on...

Carl found that the awning did not appear to be wound tightly... the picture is not great because it was into the sun...

Maybe you can kind of see it there at the front of the roll...
We decided that maybe the snow and wet on the awning before we brought the slide in this morning had caused it not to wrap correctly, and figured if we put the slide back out and brought it in, it may correct the problem. Unfortunately, to extend or retract the slide, the engine needs to be off - and we were trying to not turn the engine off due to the gauge issue (https://journeyinamazinggrace.blogspot.com/2020/04/moving-along-east-with-just-few-bumps.html)... but, we decided to risk turning the engine off, put the slide out, eat lunch, bring the slide in, and hope that the awning issue would correct and that the gauges would work okay... the slide out/in fixed the awning (it was also in the sun so maybe it dried a little), but the gauges wouldn't work with the battery reset. So, Carl pulled the fuses that we thought would correct it (they looked fine) and reseated them, he also tapped on a few relays... and the gauges worked! We started up the coach and continued on our trip...

Our exit off of I-64...

... and the sign at the entrance to the farm - both signs we were thankful to see!
We got Carl's RV parked in front of Miss Doozie, and have it plugged in to the electric and we're living in Carl's RV at this point. We may move back and forth depending on what work needs to be done on each rig.

There were 3 eagles who had flown over us as we were hooking up the battery charger to the CRV at the farm.... Jimmy saw that one of them had something in its talons, and the other two were trying to get it away from him - which ultimately made him drop it. They all ended up fighting over it on the ground, and a number of black buzzards were on the ground and in the sky as well. When the eagle finally finished (it appeared that one of them pretty much had control of whatever had been caught and was steadily eating), we walked into the pasture to try to determine what they had been fighting over. It turned out to be a fish, Jimmy said a large mouth bass, and the combination of birds had pretty much finished it off!

The calf that we helped bottle feed when we were here in March (https://journeyinamazinggrace.blogspot.com/2020/03/monday-on-farm.html) is now out in the pasture... her copper color is so beautiful - a cross between Hereford and Jersey.
The calf was interested in whether any of us had a bottle for her!

Miss Kitty is *very* happy that we are back - she has been on top of Carl most of the evening and we're anticipating that she will be enjoying being with us through the night!
We are glad to be at the farm in Virginia!