Saturday Slight

Sh-h-h! Don't tell a soul. We have no fog this morning. It's been predicted, but nobody told the fog gods exactly where to distribute it in the Inland Northwest. So, it must've missed us, and we aren't complaining about the frost-coated trees, the cloudless sky and the promise of a beautious Saturday.

Bill says it's cuz we have cold temperatures---in the teens. He says if we were up toward the 30s, we'd have fog. He's a weather aficionado; I'm a simple mind who just revels when it's nice and cusses when it's not.

We are so fortunate to have a break in the winter, unlike last year. Even a little fog from day to day is fine as long as Mother Nature gave us some time off from moving snow.

Anyway, it's Saturday and time for the Slight stuff.

Bill and I had a discussion about yesterday's bird photo, which I labeled as a woodpecker at rest. Others said it was a mourning dove. I said they could be right, except that we have flickers hanging out in that tree off and on throughout the winter.

I remained puzzled throughout the day because I have not seen any mourning doves around here during the winter. I've seen 'em in the summer and fall, and they usually come in pairs. They hang around that tree. They sit on the power lines, and sometimes they've even been seen sitting right out in the road near Meserve's woods.

I brought up the subject to Bill last night. He had not seen the picture. His comment was that mourning doves are not around here this time of the year. He argued with me that the bird was not a woodpecker but agreed it was a flicker.

Well, I'd done some homework, and flickers are listed in the woodpecker family. He looked in his bird book and had to agree. We usually see a lot of flickers in the winter. And, we see the little red-headed variety and the big red-headed variety other times of the year.

I guess we're at an impasse about the true identity of that bird. So, all you bird aficionados, let's discuss this issue. I'd like to settle it in my mind, and I'll be the first to admit that the photo is not the greatest. I was just so astounded to see a flicker at rest on a limb that I took my little camera---which could use a lot better lens----and snapped the photo through a window.

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We've got an Inauguration coming up. I received a call the other day asking if I'd do my annual pronunciation stint at the Farmin School spelling bee. When told it was Jan. 20, I said a flat out no. Any other day, I told her, but I'm staying home to watch the Inauguration.

Doesn't matter if they're a Democrat or a Republican, I seldom miss these television events. I can remember many occasions of dragging my classes into the old sick room, later turned Cedar Post room at the high school. The school's one TV set would be hooked up to one of the three Spokane channels.

Kids learned no English lessons on those days, but they learned the importance of historical events. I've always been a believer in taking time out for the moments of history.

The most memorable Inauguration during my teaching tenure was that of Ronald Reagan in 1981 when Iran's release of the hostages after 444 days coincided with the new President taking over. It always seemed like a real "in your face" to Jimmy Carter who had been so paralyzed at do anything about the hostage situation which kept us all riveted for so long.

I was always proud that my students got to see history in the making, even if only through the lens of a camera---they were, at least, seeing it as it happened.

We didn't have such options when President John F. Kennedy assumed office in 1961. I was in junior high at the time, and I had to come home to hear my mother tell about what a stirring speech he had given. I think I heard "Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country" by the time I walked from the kitchen to the living room where we sat and watched Walter Cronkite and the evening news in black and white to see what the new President had said that day.

For this Inaugural I've asked one of my former students who lives in Washington, D.C. to send me some snippets of his observations during the events. I haven't heard back from him yet, but I feel confident he won't mind sharing. He says he's not planning to enter the speech area because once there, you stay there for five hours----with not great access to facilities.

The comfort of my living room near my own personal facility will suffice just fine for taking in this profound piece of American history.

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Last night, Bill and I had a great time on our Friday night eat-out at The Blue Heron Restaurant aka Samuels Store. We noticed by the parking lot that the place is catching on. There's a group, including Bob Shaver, Lila Nordgaarden Peterson, Claire Hanson, spouses, and close friends who gather at one table every Friday night. Most live in the neighborhood, so it's a great spot for getting together.

We enjoyed talking to our local archeologist Bob Betts about his work on Sand Creek where a blacksmith's shop once stood. We also enjoyed visiting with Alan and Robin McNall, and, of course, the subject of BORDER COLLIES dominated much of the discussion.

The McNalls have invited me to come up one of these days with my camera to take photos of the deer they're feeding on their farm----about 150, they say. I think I'm going to take them up on the invitation, so stay tuned.

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In the meantime, this is Saturday, it's beautiful out there, so I'd better not waste the day, which will be topped off at 5 p.m. with another ZAGS game. They don't get any better than that.

GO ZAGS!!! Happy Saturday.