Slight Detour: Through Smoke and Haze

Seahawks: 1-0!

My friend Mow sent me some fresh lemons from a tree in her yard earlier this year.

I do believe they arrived BEFORE the pandemic began.

I baked a lemon pound cake and put the rest in the freezer.

They're still there, just in case I need to make some lemonade or another pound cake or a better day.

We have made many, many better days this year, even without those lemons. So, I continue to save those Palm Springs lemons, just in case.

Hope it's not in early November, but I feel comfortable, knowing that I've got 'em if needed.

All that said, I'm beginning to believe that "resilience" should be the word of the year.

We (all of us mortals) have endured a diet of pretty sour stuff this year, and, yet, we, who continue to survive, soldier on.

Most recently, the smoky air has been not only unhealthy for our lungs, but it has also done a number on our outlook.

And, I'll be quick to note that we here in North Idaho are suffering the least of "our brethren" here in the West.

A post yesterday by our Sandpoint native Chris Pietsch who spent several days photographing the fire devastation in Southern Oregon, poignantly reminds us that others in the West are in need of a whole lot more lemonade fixings than we are.

from Chris-----

Random thoughts as I collect myself after covering the fires down in Medford last week:

A lot of good people have lost everything. The estimate from officials is 600 homes and 100 businesses between Medford and Ashland alone. I believe this figure is low.

I stood in two different mobile home parks that had once held at least 150 homes each and saw at least five to six parks of equal size from a distance.

There has been some criticism of how the evaluation was handled, but given the scope of the Almeda Fire it is a miracle that more people were not killed.

These homes belonged to people least able to afford a set back. The elderly, farm laborers and people who have been surviving on the margins long before the fire swept through.

Manufactured homes crowded together in a river valley of dry grass and trees is a hell of a fuel source. Add high wind and you have a formula for a conflagration of epic proportions.

The local fire departments were simply overwhelmed. The fight to save lives took precedence over suppression almost from the start.

courtesy of Chris Pietsch - Eugene Register Guard

While I understand anyone who may have trouble getting their mind around the scope of these fires, the fingers are being pointed in odd directions in my opinion.

Some of these fires appear to be human caused. In some cases arson arrests have been made. But, so far those arrested have been locals with past criminal or mental health histories.

I have yet to hear of any substantiated evidence of political motivation. The source of the Almeda Fire is a known camping area for the unhoused.

If you really want to explore prevention I suggest expansion of drug, alcohol, mental health care and homeless services in your community.

After experiencing great tragedy, people want to talk about their experience and yes, even to the “media.”

~~~~~

And, so another smoky day here in North Idaho seems almost trivial in comparison.

Still, we remember that all things are relative when it comes to our perspective and our moods.

So, it's easy to whine a bit.

Happily, though, in the midst of all those sour lemons and sour grapes we've endured so far in 2020, we seem to have discovered a sense of resilience within ourselves we never knew existed.

Along with that well-developing resilience, yesterday many of us enjoyed a pleasant reminder of life way back when----our favorite NFL teams played their season openers.

In this household, spirits were high in spite of the view outside. The view outside brought us inward where we could sit back, relax and enjoy the view on the television set, albeit a little different from usual.

The Seahawks played. The Seahawks won. And, for me, two of my favorite sports figures, Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson, brought back reminders of why they are favorites for me and a whole lot of other football fans.

Pete's contagious enthusiasm along the sideline and Russell's confidence and skill on the field provided both entertainment and a victorious outcome.

Nice to see folks like this back in action and to see some sense of normalcy in our world.

Our resilience and our long period of waiting brought us the "good things" yesterday for a few hours---maybe even all day for the diehard NFL fans.

Just as it was for sure that Seattle had won its season opener, Annie left for her home in Seattle. As Bill said this morning, "it's just the two of us now."

Not quite: Finn, the fish, stayed behind, and we're seeing a lot more of Foster once again.

Bill and I continued our day of escape inside the house by watching a classic Irish movie: Waking Ned Devine.

If ya need a lift, and you love Ireland like we do, I highly recommend the movie.

Today the smoke is back, and once again, we'll find ways to maintain that key word of 2020: resilience.

It ain't easy sometimes, considering all the reasons to be down in the dumps, but lemons do remind us that something good can come of their sour taste.

So, onward.

Happy Monday. Hope the song and video below puts a smile on your faces.