Rainy-Day Beauty

 

Baby, the rain must fall. 

Yes, it must, after months of dry times. 

This weekend's rain should seal the deal in greening up our landscape again before the fall freezes. 

What a lovely rain it was yesterday! 

It was nice to have an indoor project for part of my day. 

Six pints of bread-and-butter pickles eventually went into jars, along with a dish of extras into the refrigerator. 

I keep sampling from that container.  This morning's pickle was crisp and much tastier than yesterday's samples. It takes time for the brine to work its magic. 

After this morning's taste test, I think the homemade preserved pickles are going to be a welcome and delightful treat throughout the winter.

I also spent time outside walking around with my raincoat, which served to keep me somewhat dry as well as my camera or cell phone. 

A few weeks ago, after we'd had a fairly decent rainfall, I noticed something I hadn't seen all summer:  toad stools. 

Seeing them in their clumps as I walked through wet grass made me realize they had not been around all summer.

After all, who's gonna notice them in crinkly, dried up pale yellow grass? 

If they were there, they blended in, but I'm thinking these phenomena of nature need moisture to grow. 

Pretty much everywhere I walked yesterday, I could see individuals or clumps of the pretty little things, huddling together. 

This year's drought has made me so much more aware and appreciative of their presence and their funky beauty. 

And, the greenery.  

Ahhh, the returning greenery!

  Again, I've gained a whole new appreciation for how rich our earth appears when it receives adequate nurturing from above. 

Some places where I walked or drove yesterday even reminded me a wee bit of Ireland, which is always a beautiful thought.

Anyway, we are fortunate to have this moisture and this second lease on all things bright and beautiful.

With my indoor time yesterday, I watched some college football action and read more Facebook posts than usual. 

One in particular stood out, so much so, that I thought it would be appropriate and timely in this blog post. 

The post (below) comes from a former student named Heather.  She was one of my students when I taught for a couple years out in the portables. I also taught her mom, a longtime local hospital employee, early in my career.  

I remember Heather as very bright and always a spirited participant in class discussions. 

It comes as no surprise that this adventurous and brilliant young lady, who now lives in South Korea, has made the most of her young life, traveling the world, serving our country and treating patients as an Air Force flight surgeon.

Even though she lives on the other side of the world, Heather has not forgotten her Sandpoint roots, as evidenced in the post below. 

She also offers much food for thought in what she refers to as her "emotional Facebook rant."

I don't think Heather is alone in her thoughts, but I'm posting her piece because she expressed her concerns so powerfully through informed, experienced eyes and as one who cares. 

Good job, Heather.  Thanks for sharing. 

     

from Heather Foster, U.S. Air Force flight surgeon and Sandpoint native. 

Like most people probably do, I identify myself with the things that I love.

I love a lot of things. I love United States and I love Americans and how we so strongly value our freedoms. I love our military. I love my family. I love the Pacific Northwest and my hometown of Sandpoint, Idaho. I also love science and I love medicine.

Somehow I have been blessed enough in my 38 years on this planet to find meaningful work that interweaves the things that I love. 

I get to serve my country and provide medical care… and get paid to do it, which supports my family and gives me the opportunity to visit them often. Indeed, I am blessed.

Every day as part of my job I sift through a tidal wave of misinformation about Covid-19 and the vaccine and then start trying to tackle it. 

I enjoy engaging with my community in person (over coffee or in my exam room!) or through social media because you all matter to me. 

Unfortunately, we’ve recently hit another rough patch.

The things that I love have gotten real political this past year and that’s a tragedy, but Idaho is hurting, guys, and the past week two people that I love dearly have suffered because of misinformation.

The first was just removed from her ventilator in Spokane after succumbing to Covid-19. She had a history of blood clots and was scared of misinformation about the risk of clot with vaccine versus risk of clot with Covid-19.

The second had to drive to Seattle to get care she needed for her dying unborn child because there is no space for her in Sandpoint or Spokane. 

I’ll say it again… she had to DRIVE TO SEATTLE… FROM IDAHO… because we have no room.

Look guys, I grew up in an antivaccine, gun-toting, bible-thumping, off-the-grid, states-rights kind of home. I do get it and I’m not trying to “force the jab” on you, but our hospitals can’t sustain what they’re seeing right now. 

If you aren’t getting vaccinated because you don’t trust the science but you’d like to know more, please consider voicing your concerns to a living breathing scientist - or your doctor. 

People are dying unnecessarily but not just from Covid-19 - they’re dying of heart attacks and gallstones because ICUs across our incredible country are full of people with COVID-19. 

So if you think that this situation won’t affect you, I hope you’re right, but I also hope you don’t need an ICU right now for your ruptured ectopic pregnancy or your mother doesn’t need one for her stroke or your cousin for his car accident. 

If no vaccine then please mask up, socially distance and please do stay home when you’re sick - it matters not just to you, but to our community right now.

I don’t want vaccine mandates. I want you to want to get vaccinated (if able - there are always exceptions and I’ve granted them myself) because it will protect you and the people around you… and because I don’t want any more people I love to die.