The down time of Coronavirus National Emergency shut down. 2020

Well here it is, upon us all.   My husband and I had already decided to self quarantine 2 1/2 weeks earlier, as I had cold/flu already for too long this season, and we had concern about the information or lack of clarity of the information at that time.  Now it is global, and President has declared National Emergency so enough about that, now what to do during the next 3 months as we are shut in as my husband likes to say?

1)  Walking in fresh air.  First, we walk and likely every other day or daily at public park in our town where few people are out and walking.  Come spring and summer, that might well change to too many people to do the social distancing we would like.  Of course the people at the park may well want to do social distancing also, so might not be a problem.  And if the public park doesn't work, we have our 2 mile walk to the River and back. Today there is Snow for second day (March 2020) and news indicates the snow will be gone soon.

2) Writing. I thought blogging in my old blogs mght be a way to go.  Also, using the greeting cards from the time of my mother's death to send out to family and people.  Writing my and our memoirs. I have books to actually help a bit with that one, that I have ignored or not written in for years.  And I prefer to write, journal as that is my way of remembering, frequently do not refer back to former writing, although my memory is not working as well as it once did.

3) Crochet/Knitting.  Well for me that just goes with the time, whether coronavirus or not, as I have been crocheting for years.  Recently our church prayer shawl group suspended itself due to coronavirus, and I was ahead of that one, making prayer shawls anyway to bring when husband and I decided to suspend our self-quarantine. I have a couple of grandchildren though, and it might be timely to online instruct them in this fine business of knitting/crocheting, using yarn they maybe already have.

4)  Downsizing, Clean Up, House Redecorate.  So many of us have some kind of clean up or clear up to do, ie, garage, house, spring cleaning.  For myself, it is time to turn my winter clothing in my dressing room (a bedroom I confiscated to become a dressing room ...  lol)  to spring and summer clothing.  I have much downsizing to do just now, and probably while thrift stores are not receiving much or people aren't using, I can at least separate items out.  And well, I have not redone our home in couple years, so can think about how I might do it.  I am sure that different people's juices are flowing as people think about what they can do during this down time.

5)  Turn off the news, Facebook, media about the virus.  I know I am frightened and doing stress related constant watching the news or Facebook to learn what is going on, and I also know that I need some relax time out, as do many of us.

6) Staying in contact with loved ones, people. Part of my own reach out has more to do with my own anxiety yet staying in touch and contact helps and takes away some of the anxious feeling.  Recognizing I am among the fortunate to have a husband while many people are doing this shut down alone, I think it is more important than ever to do reach out and stay connected, in contact.  Even though Facebook is among popular media platforms, using it in productive ways right now might help some.   I like our walks, just saying hi to people seems to lift my spirits.

7)  Kids at home. That is no longer my expertise, as I said we are the elderly population, no kids at home.  Better that parents speak to this one, than me, yet already I am seeing ways to keep children busy while at home.  I wouldn't mind a letter or card or two from youngsters.

8)  Music.  It is, imo, a language of it's own and goes a long way to calming people.  Already I have found two places that symphonies are willing to livestream for Free their concerts.   My husband likes music and is an accomplished pianist.  Our home is filled frequently with music, the many playlists he has developed and the piano he plays himself to a) calm his own nerves and b) to serenade me (was the Memory Care Unit weekly, they have shut down for the interim).

9) Games, not Internet, not online, board games, cards.   We haven't done this one yet, hope to, expect to, hasn't really happened yet.  We both did this with our kids when they were kids.  Might be something we will pick up and do for this shut down period   Might be something for younger families, parents and children to do if they aren't already.

10)  Crafting.  I had plenty to do for a long while, in fact, purchased and collected.  Didn't seem to have the heart for it after my mother passed.  Or maybe getting along in years.  I don't really know.  Even as I type this, I don't seem to have inclination to pick the therapeutic manner of crafting.  Wondering aloud who I could gift the items I might create?  There is still next year. eh?  Nonetheless others with the fortitude and inspiration may want to think about it, also an idea for useful child helpers.

11)  Gardening.  Not really an issue for me, I like to play outside with the yard.  Lots of people do, and this would be the time to give that yard an thorough upkeep, planting, cleaning, while growing the newly planted vegetable garden and flower garden.  Happy days, plus fresh air, and also that quieting of mind time.

12)  Oil Painting, or any kind of painting.   I look forward to it warming up a bit where we live so I can get some time oil painting on the enclosed deck which also doubles as our reading area, breakfast area, painting studio, nap time.

Other thoughts for how people might use this coronavirus down time are  welcome. 

This blog seems somewhat organized...can I use it?

Reviewing my too many blogs at Blogger, this particular blog has photos of the Prayer Shawls I made two years ago as Christmas gifts. I so remember making and gifting them. I gave the more colorful ones to my families, gave the one that is all gray to my mother. My mother died that very next summer, I had tried to take her the shawl and a kaftan that I tore for her to wear during her time in Hospice House. I had taken her beloved dog, Sheila, to her, and mother was too annoyed to have anything to do with her dog. Understandable as she was not opening her eyes to see, her body in shutdown and she had just been transferred to Hospice House.

 She had preferred to have her death be at her home, however, my husband, who was lifting her, realized she would not cooperate with his efforts, and both of us were trying to get her to use toilet Hospice had brought for her to use, as her bathroom was many steps away from her bedside. Fruitless were our efforts. She was calling us Father and Mother by then, the Fentanyl was doing it's work on her. I thought as she saw us both as her own Father and Mother, she had reverted to her child years, and was no longer able to recognize us. With those incidents piling up, I did encourage Hospice Nurse and Social Worker to encourage her to Hospice House as we could no longer take appropriate care of her.

 The Prayer Shawl I had made for her, I kept, I keep it still, as it was among the last gifts I gave her. The photos of the prayer shawls at this blog are powerful triggers to remind me of what I did create and my mother leaving me in her passing. I cherish the prayer shawl I made for her, only regret is that I did not give her a more colorful one as I had made several, and they go under appreciated to this day. My mother would have cherished the prayer shawl I made for her, no matter what yarn colors I used in crocheting it. I miss my mother intensely for so so many reasons.

 As I was wandering through my many blogs, it seems to me that much history is written already, and I wanted to pick up with two new blogs, my diabetes 2 diagnosis, and journal my thoughts. I plan to work the diabetes blog, not so much the journal blog as this blog, even though I meant it to hold my crafting, it really doesn't serve well as crafting blog, there are so many of those out there on internet. I think I may use this particular blog as part of my history.

Holiday's are over - Prayer Shawls as gifts to family

We are knee deep in snow here - what's new - we have snow every winter.  This winter offers more snow that past two years, and sometimes it is absolutely stunning.  Other times is is several feet of snow.  We live on a hill, and not so easy with our small town car (Scion) to navigate up and down the hill so sometimes we are 'snowed in'.

Making good use of the holiday time, I was able to make eleven prayer shawls this season, using Lion's Brand Homespun yarn which makes the experience of wearing them warm and toasty, comforting.

Adding pictures of the different shawls.  Credit to Zooty Owl crochet pattern Cosmos Fields Shawl.  Used a portion of her pattern to create these different prayer shawls.  And of course, in no way does the colorful beauty match up to her original work.  As time saver, I used the core part of the pattern to create the shawls.

Epsom Salts Can Be My Friend

I have used Epsom Salts for a relaxing bath after body aches from yard work.   There are other good reasons to make a good friend of Epsom Salts.  Link here and here at Lifehack.

-- use with shampoo for hair washing to help strip some of the oils from your hair.  Rinse afterwards.

-- Foot Scrub.  Mix to make a Scrub with Salt, Olive Oil, Castile Soap. Scrub feet once or twice a week to remove dry skin

-- Wash Face Scrub,  adding Epsom Salts to Face Cream or  liquid soap,  Rinse clean afterwards.

-- Alleviate Headaches!   Taking an Epsom Salt bath has been touted as Headache Reliever, Having something to do with the Heat and Salt calming aggavated nerves.

-- Hangovers,  Bruises, Muscle Pains, Sleeping,  Remove a Splinter!,

-- Clean a Bathroom, Fertilize Fruits, Fortify Plants Get Rid of Garden Pests (Slugs!)

-- Weed Control, Greener Gras

Reasons to Save and Use Orange Peels

I want to give this a try, see if it does what it says it will do.  Read at Lifehacks this morning, and want to give this a try:

Whitens Teeth

Tinge on teeth, Orange Peels can remove it.  They contain compound called  d-limonene, which helps reduce teeth staining (even from smoking)   Here's how;

Rub inside of an orange peel (the white portion) over your teeth for 2-3 minutes, then rinse.  Do this twice a day until you've got those pearly whites!

Or

Mix some orange peel powder and some water to make a past.  Add dried leaves for bonus points.  Ue this paste on toothbrush and brush teeth.  Repeat twice a day for a few weeks.

Russian Beet Salad (Vinegrette) 
 
  



from Mennonite Girls Can Cook blog

Although the Russian name for this salad is Vinegrette it shouldn't be confused with the salad dressings called Vinaigrette. This was a traditional salad that we enjoyed growing up. It could be our version of potato salad. I'm sharing an easier version using canned beets but you can also cook and julienne your own beets. The photo is my sister Lana's.

Ingredients:

• 2 cans (15oz.) julienne beets (partly drained)
• 2 cans (15oz.) kidney beans (drained well)
• 3/4 - 1 cup sauerkraut (drained and squeezed)
• 3 boiled potatoes
• 3 large kosher dill pickles, diced
• 1/4 onion, grated
• vegetable oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• pickle juice from the jarred dill pickles

Method:

1. Dice potatoes while warm then salt and coat with oil and chill.
2. Once the potatoes are chilled add the remaining ingredients and toss to combine, add enough pickle juice to taste.
3. Chill until ready to serve.
4. Serves 8-16  

Our family prefers using the Clausen Dill Pickles found in the refrigerator section. You will find some versions of this Russian salad using carrots and not kidney beans. This is the version our family has always enjoyed.

* My  Note to Self:  Short of the Beans, this looks to be Paleo ingredients, although I might prefer to use real beets.  Having canned goods on hand for power outages, ie, we had such for several days last winter, would be useful way to deal with food/cooking needs.  

Autumn Gems Button Scarf

Crocheted in a simple V stitch, it is easy and quick to work up too.  Two lovely buttons hold the scarf in place and it can be worn a variety of ways, making it very versatile.

Link to site of origin

Note *  See additional Free Patterns at Fiber Flux site.  Link. 

Note to self, projects from the free patterns that I might want to do this holiday season.  Several choices for flower, dishcloth, scarf, neck warmer projects.
-- Granny Gift Card Holder
-- Layered Ruffle Flower
-- One Round Flowers

Autumn Gems Button Scarf

By Jennifer Dickerson

Materials:

• 6.5 mm K crochet hook
• 1 ball Lion Brand Landscapes in "Tropics" (147 yards)
• 2 Buttons
• Tapestry Needle
• Scissors

Sizing:

• 5 inches wide
• 55 inches long

Abbreviations and Tutorial Links:

• Chain (ch)
• Double Crochet (dc)

Instructions:

Ch 18 

Row 1: Work a dc in the 4th chain from hook then ch 1. *Work a dc in the next ch. Skip a ch, and in the next chain, work (dc, ch 1) . Repeat from * to end.

Row 2: Ch 3 and turn. Work (dc, ch 1, dc) in each of the chain 1 spaces from the previous row (center of each "V"). At the end of the row, finish with a dc in the last space (turning chain space from previous row).

Repeat row 2 until scarf measures about 55 inches long (or desired length) and fasten off.

Finishing: Using a small piece of matching yarn and a tapestry needle, sew buttons to bottom edge of scarf equally spaced apart.  Weave in any ends that remain and you're finished!

Christmas 2014

Let's see, since posting a few years back, much has happened for us.  I don't think I want to write catch up history as I think that will show itself in future posts.   We are no longer in our big old Victorian style farmhouse; we have moved (downsized) to leasing a condo in a city across the state from where we lived in sweet little community of Bay Center, WA in Pacific County.   We are now living in city of Spokane, WA closer to my daughters and the family branch of my grandchildren.  I will write about those experiences and learning lessons (learning for me) at another time.  It has been a journey of the soul, so to speak.

It is now December 2014.  A year in the condo in Spokane.  In 2013 we were also in Spokane, sharing time between our home in Bay Center, WA and an apartment in Spokane, WA caring for two of my youngest grandchildren.  Going backwards in time to recapture the years of 2012 and 2011 .. essentially my husband retired from his career, and we found ourselves re-examining our choices in life regarding family, living location, community, aging into senior years, faith -- the whole gamut it seems as seen from retrospective viewpoint.  Certainly less clear as we walked together through those years.

I'm not sure where I'll take the direction of this blog, for now though, it can serve as a bit of thoughtful reflections along with the new or revived things we are doing in our more senior years.
  

It is Christmas time just now. And I'm happy to be sharing in Christmas spirit - past and present, listening to Christmas music, decorating the house (yes, our condo has a 'house' feel to it so I call it our house now), making Christmas gifts, participating in our Traditions - past and present - as the holidays unfold.  

This is the first year in many that we have brought out the Big Christmas tree, and all the decorations acquired over the decades going back to when my adult children were just youngsters.   Picture of the big tree in our condo (house) space.

p.s.  daughter, her husband, granddaughter stopped by to see our big tree, and took this composite photo to include my collections of nutcrackers which remain out all year long in their display cabinets.

         

Internet technology moved on without me, good for the technology!

Reviewing this blog, it is apparent that it has gone through stages as technology for online writing has shifted over the years.   I acknowledge that I am assuredly feeling left behind, and not sure I would have the skills to catch up, let alone keep even with technological advances.  I'm shifting down in my life span to what for me is a slower, more quiet way in my life and in my online activities.  Ahhh, for those early days when I was younger and felt I was on cutting edges of technology - those days came and went and kudos to all the young people who have left me and other's like me in the dust.  Kudos to the older people who have kept pace.

This blog then will be more like a place where I might do a show and tell of some of those creative things I might do that keep me busy, keep me going.  Kudos to all those tutorials out there that teach how to's;  kudos to the advances I've witnessed made in internet technology over the years since the early 1990s.   I'm not going to even attempt to keep up, just plod along at my own speed.  Does anyone even know where all this internet content is going to go after we are no longer of this world?

If I have any followers, likely they will be at the slow pace to which I have come, and if I don't have followers, that's fine too, kind of an online journal for me.  I won't be working to figure out how to drive people to my blog, how to develop content, and all those goodies that teach people how to better use today's internet services.   The older material on this blog, on any of my blogs is dated, outdated, out of internet trends, and for several years, I just didn't have the oomph to rework them to be more acceptable.  If you find a thing or two on this blog of interest to you, great.  If not, great too, it really is ....   let it serve as a bit of internet history in far things have come in the online world over the years.

Seasalt hair spray - diy

Seasalt Hairspray; Over 50, you betcha, and quickly moving to another milestone - moving into my 60's!   Never did I imagine that era of my life, and yet here I am.  Baby Boomers  60 years old abound!

Found a site today that addresses beauty tips and techniques for women 50 and over, and I wanted to collect a few of those tips specific to me, of course, not everyone else. If you want your own specific tips, give a visit to the tons of tips from Julyne at Beauty Over Age 50: Beauty Tips for Women Over Age 50 at about.com -- just off the beach waves;  make spray bottle with several tablespoons of sea salt and water.  Spritz damp hair, scrunch and let hair air dry.  Most hair having natural wave, the sea salt will enhance the wave.

Seahawks Time

Ahhh, lookie there .... it's been a few years since I've been back here, and here this beautiful blog still sits. Awesome. Between last post of 2010 and this post Feb 2015 is a long time, and too much to update in one post.

 I didn't get the online business completely off the ground, although I still do have the acquired scarves and purses, and vintage items, and collectibles. I still love the repurpose, diy ideas, and Etsy is still out there. E-bay too and the shop I put together online at ecrater, and that has not materialized as a popular place for people to shop.

 For this post, sharing the popular this year crocheted lacy scarf. Learned to make them and they work up quickly, made several for the Super Bowl game for the women in my immediate family with the primary Seahawks colors of blue and green. My two daughters are obsessive fans of the Hawks, and one son-in-law is crazed as a 12 fan about them. Seahawk fans will understand and appreciate the 12 and I'm sure there is much online. The contribution I make is tiny in a comparative sense.

Dressy, Colorful, Designer and Vintage Scarves

I’m excited with my new endeavor, launching Look Again! an online e-store  

We welcome you to Look Again at the treasure finds we have found and are making available to you. Our items will be primarily of the gently used variety. If it appeals to us, then there is a good chance it will appeal to you too!

Please do bookmark us so you can find your way back to the store
lookagain.ecrater.com/

Added some beautiful scarves to the store.  You’ll want to take a look!  (little play on words there, since name of the store is Look Again! )

Uses for designer and vintage scarves besides the usual fashion accessory; curtain valance, frame them, use as dresser scarves, use to make pillow slipcover, use in upcycle crafting/sewing, sew a few together to make table runner, make a tablescape by draping scarf from vintage purse with pair of glasses and place a thin column lamp placed in purse, What uses can you think of for scarves, vintage or otherwise?

Echo Black on White Striped Scarf

Offering this Echo designer scarf in a bold black and white stripe pattern, edged with an orange stripe finished with a larger red stripe. 100 % silk.

No tears or holes. There is a tiny run across part of the width in one place, but it is not obvious. I almost missed it in my examination of the scarf. Appears to be new or if used, has been very little use.

The Echo name in designer scarves has been around since 1923. In fact Echo claims that it was the first brand name ever printed on a scarf.

 

Charter Club Silk Tropical Floral Scarf

Offering a Charter Club designer scarf in vibrant colors in a tropical floral pattern edged in blue/green. The Charter Club logo is visible on the corner of the scarf. The tag indicates Charter Club, 100 % silk, made in Japan, with copyright icon - Macy's. Instructions indicate dry clean only.

The scarf appears to be new or if used, lightly used. There are no tears, holes or runs, the edges are rolled hem and beautifully stitched.
Scarf is rectangle measuring 35" by 18".

 

 

Vera Green Scarf

 

Vintage Vera! Offering this Vera scarf, likely from the 1970s based on large signature and no ladybug icon. All Vera designs are copyrighted. color green

Scarf is large square in size measuring 22 1/2" by 22 1/2 ". Green with green mountain pattern. The fabric feels like a chiffon, or sheer type fabric. There are no tears, holes or pulls. The rolled edges are in very good condition.

If you don't know the Vera name of designer scarves, a brief history. Vera Neumann, artist turned textile designer's scarves are known for their graphic, bold patterns (flowers, dots and geometrics) and Vera's signature in the corner. One way to tell the age of the scarf is by the size of the Vera signature - the smaller the signature, the older the scarf.  Also through the 1960s until the late 1960s, the ladybug icon shows up alongside the Vera signature.

The Vera signature gets larger; the ladybug icon makes a comeback in approximately 1973 with the larger Vera signature. Disappears again through the 1980s, and makes a comeback in present day scarves.

WWII Poster ‘Use it up Wear it out – Make it do!’

Or Do Without….

Thrift Find – Pink Kimono

More thift find sharing.  I don’t think this kimono is vintage, but I liked the pattern and color.  For now I have it on hanger on closet door to please my eyes when I wake up in morning.  Later I thought I might use the fabric in a remake project.  Which reminds me that I need to snap some photos of the wonderful linens I found when I was thrifting with my mom in her town earlier this year. 

Big Blue Bottles

On the return route home from our Mother’s Day drive to Cathlamet and Puget Island last weekend, we stopped at an Antique Shop we have bypassed on our several trips south.  The house and location was a dairy farm, per the owner, and now that they are not farming, they rearranged the space into a home-owned antique shop.  I got to browse the shop finding several items on my mental ‘must have’ list.  But my mental list and our pocketbook are often not in agreement, so I did what I typically do – fill the shopping cart in my head until it is time to check out.  Then I decide on what item(s) are an absolute must – may not be there when I come back someday.  My pick for today were a set of oversized blue Ball mason jars.  That was a must. And a small extra tidbit purchase was the tea cup and saucer.

Crocheted Open Weave Mesh Scarf for Spring

Looking for a light weight spring season type scarf to crochet, I came across pattern for open weave mesh scarf.  First I tried the pattern on some ribbon yarn my mother had brought for me, but I would have needed about two more balls to get the scarf to a long enough length.  The ribbon yarn made up into a neck scarf and that may work well too.  I had some lemon colored light weight acrylic yarn that I used and it gave me the longer length scarf I wanted.  It does crochet up quickly.  I’d like to make a few more of these mesh scarves.

In the Pink – oil painting

My most recent oil painting drying in the kitchen. I didn’t name the painting ‘in the pink’, although it does have pink tones in the sky and water. But sitting on my pink formica table with chrome pink chairs, ‘in the pink’ seems to fit for this photograph. The oversized Ball blue mason jars in the background were a find from antique shop a week earlier. The card is artwork note card my stepdaughter created and send me for Mother’s Day.

Colorful Palette of Scarves

I can’t help it, in my thrifting, when I run across a colorful scarf that appeals to me I just have to add it to my collection.   I don’t wear them very frequently, mostly when I have reason to dress up, ie, going to town, meetings – that sort of thing.  After years of 8-5 employment and dressing for the office, I don’t regret that I don’t have to do the ‘morning routine’ each and every morning any more, but I do miss career dressing sometimes.  Scarves work well for career dress up.   

This is not the full collection, nor are all the scarves vintage, but I liked the color palette combination and it is cheerful to wake up to each morning.   I have about 3 more collections that are more vintage.  One includes a Japanese motif pink silk scarf that I just love. 

 

Law of the Garbage Truck

One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of the parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really friendly. So I asked, "Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the Hospital!"

This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, "The Law of the Garbage Truck." He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.

The bottom line is that happy people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it! Have a blessed, garbage-free day!

link

The end of a 90 year era - Monkey Puzzle Tree is down

(photo of our home is among the featured illustrations in 'Back Roads of Washington', 1992, drawn by illustrator, Earl Thollander)


Saga of our 90 year old Chilean Monkey Puzzle Tree ( Araucaria araucana ) comes to a close. The tree was planted in the front yard of our house, we are given to understand, some 90 years before we ever arrived on the scene. When we bought the house, the tree looked ragged along the lower branches, and the previous home owner told us it was not unusual for this species of tree to look like that when they reached these mature ages. He told us the story of how the species of tree came to be planted in Bay Center, Washington as it is not native to the area, although the climate is conducive to nurturing this species.

When our house was built in 1892, by a barge builder, the house was given to the daughter and her husband - the Bochaus. In those early 1900's there was ship travel on our Willapa Bay and the Willapa River. The ships might harbor in Bay Center and spend a day or night as guests of local residents. Mrs. Bochau would entertain the ship captains in her home and one of the ship captains (Capt. Cook, I believe) gifted her one of the seedlings of the Chilean Monkey Puzzle Tree he had as cargo on his ship.

The tree grew successfully through their lifetime, and on into the life spans of the next two owners of the house. By the time we came along to to buy the house in November 2002, the tree was well into it's maturity. However, these are prehistoric trees and have an incredible lifespan, living well past 100 years. The tree was not beyond it's years, but it did succumb to some infection and it began dying from within.

The first year, we enjoyed the giant tree with it's giant limbs and it swayed gently in the heavy windstorms. It was well rooted and not likely to fall over even with the highest winds. The first spring, I learned how prickly are the 'leaves' if you can call them that on the branches, as I did the yard spring cleaning. As the lower limbs lost their green, I asked a neighbor to cut off the lower limbs in hopes we could save the tree. It seemed to me the logical, compassion, caring and nurturing thing to do to try to save the tree. I neglected to consult my husband on my decision and that was one of the few times I have seen him livid. He was 'not ready' for the mangling of that great gracious tree, no matter that it had dying lower limbs.

Over the years the tree continued to die from within, turning browner and browner with each passing year until there was nothing left of green on the tree limbs even at the pinnacle of it's height. But it continued to stand, testament to the community of it's long history in Bay Center. I pointed out to my husband that there was nothing green left on the tree and it had indeed passed into that place where trees are no longer among the living. He would not be convinced easily. He had been following for a few years the attempt of a new branch shoot trying to grow and what was left at the tip top of the tree that was still green. He would not agree to the reality that the tree was no longer healthy or even living.

When the limbs became dry enough to begin to break off, I grew concerned that one could fall on someone passing beneath and insisted the tree come down. Our neighbor, who has some experience with bringing down trees agreed to take it down. He was able to get all the limbs cut off and the top of the tree when there was an accident kickback with the chainsaw. The kickback went across the top of his hand, and we are all blessed that it grazed his hand with no damage to the nerves or connecting tissue. My husband rushed him to hospital where they attended to his hand, but it did cost him some work on the fishing boats during his time of recovery. He has said he would come finish taking the tree all the way down, but a few years have passed and he has not taken it down. I can completely understand his reluctance! Nor did I really want him to take on the challenge as the county power lines create a tripod quite close to the top of the tree.

I explored having the tree made into a totem pole, asking the person who made the totem pole for our neighbor down the street if he could make one from the remains of the tree. He said the wood is too soft and if he made a totem, the features would split with the wood, ie, the eyes or nose might split causing a caricature image -- not very totem like. So for a couple of years the trunk of the tree has been standing, withstanding our powerful Storm 2007 winds of 140 - 160 mph.

Another neighbor thought perhaps to use the wood from the tree to make unusual wooden crafts as it is a desired wood for such projects. We agreed if he could take it down, he could use the wood. He came, he saw the power line obstacles and changed his mind about taking it down. He suggested that the county might be willing to take it down.

Last week as I was leaving the community heading to town, I saw the county people doing some roadside tree cutting and stopped to inquire if they could take down my trunk of a tree. He said he couldn't do it today as they had full schedule but would come back, to which I said no hurry, the tree will continue to stand. Surprised to find a work crew from the county in front of my house today, he kept his word and did come back to take down our tree.

It was fascinating to watch as with their power equipment and trucks they were able to stabilize the tree while someone else using chainsaw cut through the lower trunk. The truck with the stabilizing equipment held the tree steady, lifted it and gently swung it to the side of our road, laying it down gently.

She lies there in less than all her glory now, having been stripped of her limbs and foliage, a tall trunk of a tree that used to be and is no more. Good bye dear Monkey Puzzle Tree, we did not get to enjoy your heyday and were there at the time of your demise, but we truly respect your tremendous history.