Advice and Observations
I am full of fire preparedness advice now. Some of this I have acquired by listening, and some of it by pondering what I already knew.
1) Keep a cell phone close if you're going to set a fire. This is one thing I did right--grabbed the cell phone off the end table right by the front door at home, on my way out. Oh yeah. Have a few numbers memorized if you're too inept to input them or access them on your cell phone.
2) Wet the area around the spot you intend to burn. Do it with a hose. That way you'll know if the hose reaches, if it has leaks, if you need a nozzle, etc. Tilling a perimeter is another option.
3) Have a shovel handy.
4) Fill a water bucket and soak some old jeans or other large rags in it. Park it near the fire.
5) Consider doing a bit of back burning. That is, deliberately set a small fire close to any area you wish to protect from burning. You will, of course, take precautions to see that the small fire is put out very quickly, usually by previously wetting down or plowing up a perimeter near the no-burn area.
6) Call 911 before you set a fire. I was a little fuzzy about the rules here, but I knew that the wind speed was in the safe category, and, of course, my fire was going to be so small and insignificant that it was no use bothering anyone by announcing my intentions. Shane informed me that the guys that responded to my fire were a lot nicer than most firefighters would have been if they knew I didn't call it in ahead of setting it.
7) Don't wear Crocs or sandals. Leather shoes, or better yet, leather boots work much better for stomping flames. Your feet will stay a lot cleaner too.
8) Don't be deceived by the innocuous appearance of short dry grass, interspersed with green vegetation. Fire can creep pretty quickly through that short dry grass, even while dodging the green spots as it goes.
9) Be a pessimist. Assume that Murphy's Law will be in effect and anything that can happen will happen. (It pains me to take on Hiromi's role and rules here.)
Since Friday, I've been thinking about the importance of maintaining all the little fire departments in small towns. Being able to call on them and expect a prompt response is a real blessing.
On Dwight and Karen's farm, where my grandparents used to live, all the farm buildings are spaced widely apart. I'm told this was a deliberate choice on the part of Mr. MacArthur, who used to own the farm. He did it to minimize the chance of fire spreading from one building to the next. In a time when water was pumped by hand or with a windmill, and fire departments operated with horse power (literally) there was little hope of saving a burning structure out in the country, and the best that could be hoped for was to keep the fire from spreading. Although fire insurance policies still give some recognition to the wisdom of this wide spacing between buildings, the fear is lessened considerably by much better access now to fire-fighting assistance through local fire departments with mechanized equipment.
*********************
Last night Grant informed me that Jared's sprayer on the four-wheeler is ready to go now, and he'll slip over to the Trail West place to spray the dandelions with that some time soon. That's a great relief.
*********************
Grant also inquired about how the big bindweed patch fared in the burned over area. I was pleased to say that it was completely obliterated for the moment. This year's growth had not appeared yet, however, so I'm not sure that it will have gone away for good. I doubt it. Part of the reason for starting new asparagus is that I was not confident that the bindweed could be eliminated in the old asparagus bed without killing the asparagus too.
*********************
Clarissa's family calls her Clare. I'm beginning to like using the shortened form. It sounds un-fussy and seems very familiar because I have a sister Clara--who was named after my dear grandmother.
*********************
One of the things I fuss about occasionally is that some people in Kansas choose to plant evergreens on the south side of their property. Deciduous trees and shrubs are a much better choice there. Blocking all the breeze during the summer when the prevailing winds are from the south is a recipe for baking in the heat. Contrast this with the benefits of having the south wind not only slowed down by deciduous plantings, but also cooled by passing through shady areas, with the cooling effect of transpiration (evaporation of moisture) from the leaves aiding the comfort level.
On the other hand, blocking thoroughly the west and north winds is a really good move in the winter when our coldest winds come from there.
The recipe is easy: Evergreens on the north and west, and shade trees and shrubs to the south.
********************
Wilma French died at the age of 92. She lived most of her adult life smack in the middle of the Wagler corner with Raymond to the south, Mahlon across the road north, and Orpha up the road to the west at the Pete Wagler farm. Willie was beyond Orpha, also to the west. Her youngest son, Jim, was in high school in my day. He is my sister Carol's age.
*********************
We turned on our air conditioner today. The weather site had warned of blowing dust, and opening the windows didn't seem like a great idea. The weather was actually cooler today than yesterday, when I resisted turning on the air conditioner because of the expense. But Hiromi was home today, and comfort indoors is a very high priority for him.
It was an NPS (No Pig Smell) day, though, unlike what I expected.
*********************
On my dining room table I have an extravagant bouquet of Redbud and Flowering Crabapple blossoms. They come from the Trail West place, and the Flowering Crab branches come from the trimmings where the branches overlapped the front walkway.
Their blooming patterns are very different. The Redbud blooms all along the branches, with no leaf sprouts showing at all. The Flowering Crab has squirrel-ear-sized leaves, with blooms interspersed. The variety, Sargent, is especially attractive with deep pink buds and petals opening to almost white. These two colors set off by the green leaves is one of spring's beautiful sights.
These lovely flowering trees bring to mind Gus Van Der Hooven's comment on Kansans who bemoan what they can't grow here. "No, you can't grow azaleas, but you can grow lovely lilacs. And when you can grow lilacs, why would you rather have azaleas?" He was born in Holland and worked in Australia before he came to Kansas State University to head up the horticulture division of the extension service. Fortunately for all of us, he had learned to appreciate the special characteristics of each region, and didn't waste time thinking about what we were missing out on here. I think he would say "Don't bemoan the fact that dogwoods don't grow well here. You've got beautiful Redbuds. And when you can grow Redbuds, why would you rather have Dogwoods?"
Dogwoods are lovely, though, and I don't blame Easterners who remember them with nostalgia. They have comparatively large blossoms, but sparsely held horizontally on bare branches. This gives them both an airy and substantial appearance, and the effect is very fetching. I associate Dogwoods with looking for mushrooms in the Ohio woods when I lived there while teaching school.
Hot winds, brilliant sunshine, and alkaline soils are Dogwood's enemies in Kansas.
********************
I also have a bouquet of pink Darwin Hybrid tulips in a crystal vase on the dining room table, in the shadow of the blooming branches in a large black earthenware vase. On the low bookcase by the telephone, red and yellow tulips from the ones my parents brought back from Holland years ago add cheer to the spot. It's really true that tulips grow after they're in the vase. The red and yellow ones are noticeably taller than they were yesterday when I put them in the vase.
*******************
School is winding down, with four weeks left. I love having school end after the first week in May, but I keep wondering if we're being fair to our students by cramming a year's worth of school work into the shorter school year we have. I always thought private schools had some official exemption from the 180 or 185 days required of public schools, but lately I've heard that it may not be that official--only a gentleman's agreement with some state official years ago.
I favor a middle ground where only those who don't accomplish a year's worth of pace work and other credits at the high school get to come back as long as necessary during an additional two weeks at the end of the school year. I think that would provide a lot of motivation to get the required amount of work done in a timely manner.
I'm sure that any vote taken now would be overwhelmingly against extending the school year. The warmer weather and the end being in sight are giving everyone slightly wild impulses--the kind that would not be assuaged by a longer school year.
The other day Wes walked into the learning center, after all teachers were occupied elsewhere for a bit, and he compared the result to what happens when a hunter happens upon a covey of quail. Explosions of activity in all directions--in this case, students hurrying to do what they were supposed to be doing while the teachers were out.
1) Keep a cell phone close if you're going to set a fire. This is one thing I did right--grabbed the cell phone off the end table right by the front door at home, on my way out. Oh yeah. Have a few numbers memorized if you're too inept to input them or access them on your cell phone.
2) Wet the area around the spot you intend to burn. Do it with a hose. That way you'll know if the hose reaches, if it has leaks, if you need a nozzle, etc. Tilling a perimeter is another option.
3) Have a shovel handy.
4) Fill a water bucket and soak some old jeans or other large rags in it. Park it near the fire.
5) Consider doing a bit of back burning. That is, deliberately set a small fire close to any area you wish to protect from burning. You will, of course, take precautions to see that the small fire is put out very quickly, usually by previously wetting down or plowing up a perimeter near the no-burn area.
6) Call 911 before you set a fire. I was a little fuzzy about the rules here, but I knew that the wind speed was in the safe category, and, of course, my fire was going to be so small and insignificant that it was no use bothering anyone by announcing my intentions. Shane informed me that the guys that responded to my fire were a lot nicer than most firefighters would have been if they knew I didn't call it in ahead of setting it.
7) Don't wear Crocs or sandals. Leather shoes, or better yet, leather boots work much better for stomping flames. Your feet will stay a lot cleaner too.
8) Don't be deceived by the innocuous appearance of short dry grass, interspersed with green vegetation. Fire can creep pretty quickly through that short dry grass, even while dodging the green spots as it goes.
9) Be a pessimist. Assume that Murphy's Law will be in effect and anything that can happen will happen. (It pains me to take on Hiromi's role and rules here.)
Since Friday, I've been thinking about the importance of maintaining all the little fire departments in small towns. Being able to call on them and expect a prompt response is a real blessing.
On Dwight and Karen's farm, where my grandparents used to live, all the farm buildings are spaced widely apart. I'm told this was a deliberate choice on the part of Mr. MacArthur, who used to own the farm. He did it to minimize the chance of fire spreading from one building to the next. In a time when water was pumped by hand or with a windmill, and fire departments operated with horse power (literally) there was little hope of saving a burning structure out in the country, and the best that could be hoped for was to keep the fire from spreading. Although fire insurance policies still give some recognition to the wisdom of this wide spacing between buildings, the fear is lessened considerably by much better access now to fire-fighting assistance through local fire departments with mechanized equipment.
*********************
Last night Grant informed me that Jared's sprayer on the four-wheeler is ready to go now, and he'll slip over to the Trail West place to spray the dandelions with that some time soon. That's a great relief.
*********************
Grant also inquired about how the big bindweed patch fared in the burned over area. I was pleased to say that it was completely obliterated for the moment. This year's growth had not appeared yet, however, so I'm not sure that it will have gone away for good. I doubt it. Part of the reason for starting new asparagus is that I was not confident that the bindweed could be eliminated in the old asparagus bed without killing the asparagus too.
*********************
Clarissa's family calls her Clare. I'm beginning to like using the shortened form. It sounds un-fussy and seems very familiar because I have a sister Clara--who was named after my dear grandmother.
*********************
One of the things I fuss about occasionally is that some people in Kansas choose to plant evergreens on the south side of their property. Deciduous trees and shrubs are a much better choice there. Blocking all the breeze during the summer when the prevailing winds are from the south is a recipe for baking in the heat. Contrast this with the benefits of having the south wind not only slowed down by deciduous plantings, but also cooled by passing through shady areas, with the cooling effect of transpiration (evaporation of moisture) from the leaves aiding the comfort level.
On the other hand, blocking thoroughly the west and north winds is a really good move in the winter when our coldest winds come from there.
The recipe is easy: Evergreens on the north and west, and shade trees and shrubs to the south.
********************
Wilma French died at the age of 92. She lived most of her adult life smack in the middle of the Wagler corner with Raymond to the south, Mahlon across the road north, and Orpha up the road to the west at the Pete Wagler farm. Willie was beyond Orpha, also to the west. Her youngest son, Jim, was in high school in my day. He is my sister Carol's age.
*********************
We turned on our air conditioner today. The weather site had warned of blowing dust, and opening the windows didn't seem like a great idea. The weather was actually cooler today than yesterday, when I resisted turning on the air conditioner because of the expense. But Hiromi was home today, and comfort indoors is a very high priority for him.
It was an NPS (No Pig Smell) day, though, unlike what I expected.
*********************
On my dining room table I have an extravagant bouquet of Redbud and Flowering Crabapple blossoms. They come from the Trail West place, and the Flowering Crab branches come from the trimmings where the branches overlapped the front walkway.
Their blooming patterns are very different. The Redbud blooms all along the branches, with no leaf sprouts showing at all. The Flowering Crab has squirrel-ear-sized leaves, with blooms interspersed. The variety, Sargent, is especially attractive with deep pink buds and petals opening to almost white. These two colors set off by the green leaves is one of spring's beautiful sights.
These lovely flowering trees bring to mind Gus Van Der Hooven's comment on Kansans who bemoan what they can't grow here. "No, you can't grow azaleas, but you can grow lovely lilacs. And when you can grow lilacs, why would you rather have azaleas?" He was born in Holland and worked in Australia before he came to Kansas State University to head up the horticulture division of the extension service. Fortunately for all of us, he had learned to appreciate the special characteristics of each region, and didn't waste time thinking about what we were missing out on here. I think he would say "Don't bemoan the fact that dogwoods don't grow well here. You've got beautiful Redbuds. And when you can grow Redbuds, why would you rather have Dogwoods?"
Dogwoods are lovely, though, and I don't blame Easterners who remember them with nostalgia. They have comparatively large blossoms, but sparsely held horizontally on bare branches. This gives them both an airy and substantial appearance, and the effect is very fetching. I associate Dogwoods with looking for mushrooms in the Ohio woods when I lived there while teaching school.
Hot winds, brilliant sunshine, and alkaline soils are Dogwood's enemies in Kansas.
********************
I also have a bouquet of pink Darwin Hybrid tulips in a crystal vase on the dining room table, in the shadow of the blooming branches in a large black earthenware vase. On the low bookcase by the telephone, red and yellow tulips from the ones my parents brought back from Holland years ago add cheer to the spot. It's really true that tulips grow after they're in the vase. The red and yellow ones are noticeably taller than they were yesterday when I put them in the vase.
*******************
School is winding down, with four weeks left. I love having school end after the first week in May, but I keep wondering if we're being fair to our students by cramming a year's worth of school work into the shorter school year we have. I always thought private schools had some official exemption from the 180 or 185 days required of public schools, but lately I've heard that it may not be that official--only a gentleman's agreement with some state official years ago.
I favor a middle ground where only those who don't accomplish a year's worth of pace work and other credits at the high school get to come back as long as necessary during an additional two weeks at the end of the school year. I think that would provide a lot of motivation to get the required amount of work done in a timely manner.
I'm sure that any vote taken now would be overwhelmingly against extending the school year. The warmer weather and the end being in sight are giving everyone slightly wild impulses--the kind that would not be assuaged by a longer school year.
The other day Wes walked into the learning center, after all teachers were occupied elsewhere for a bit, and he compared the result to what happens when a hunter happens upon a covey of quail. Explosions of activity in all directions--in this case, students hurrying to do what they were supposed to be doing while the teachers were out.
posted by Mrs. I at
7:35 PM
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