We have a guest photo from Terri of Markham Farm.
Here is her solution for the elk herd which have been bothering her garden. She finds that these driftwood pieces from the beach are a good deterrent and are letting new plant growth sprout up between them.
Tuesday, 26 December 2017
Skooter staying out of the weather
I checked on the greenhouse.
The day was much too cold, under 40 degrees F, for any gardening.
I noticed again that Skooter, who could not resist following me, is losing fur, and resolved to take him to the vet early next year.
bald patches!
Allan made a trip to the library and brought me back a few more books.
I had started this book last night, and cold weather let me stay indoors to finish it today:
I was interested to learn about a good guy, Martin Eakes, who did “sub prime lending” at a small profit, back before unscrupulous sub prime lenders targeted the poor for huge profits.
Two of many stories of predatory loans:
“People who earn $15000 or $20000 a year live in a constant state of financial turmoil. They’re constantly behind on their bills, put off all but the most essential of purchases, learn to do without.” Here at the beach, where many jobs are minimum wage service jobs, and where I recently saw a one bedroom small apartment going for over $1000 a month (not unusual), any emergency can throw a low-wage earner’s life into disarray. In my life here, I remember hard times in the 1990s: the winter of the broken down van, the winter of the broken sewer pipe, the springtime of the broken down truck, and, in 2005, the summer of the leaky roof!
Below: This was shocking to me, about pay day loans and the low wages of military personnel. I had no idea their wages were this low. I suppose it must include housing and food…but still…
Something I read this week, and I think it was a passage in Broke USA, proposed the idea of people working for each other, charging equivalent wages. That is something I have pondered a lot as I have worked for folks who make $80 to $100 an hour, and yet who would never offer me their services at the wage I was charging. That is one of the two reasons I STOPPED working for individuals and decided to focus on resorts and town gardens. The other reason is that by doing public gardens in towns and resorts that tend to be affordable tourist destinations for working class folks, I am helping to create beauty for the many instead of the few.
We still had Things to Do other than my much desired staycation hibernating. We almost forgot today’s thing. Fortunately, I remembered in the afternoon the city council meeting that would include the swearing in of our new mayor and three new (or almost new) council members whose enthusiasm will be a great benefit for our town.
Outgoing council members (retiring, not voted out) were given plaques, made by the high school, of appreciation for their years of service.
Retiring council members David Jensen and Vinessa Karnofski.
I remember years (and one name change) ago when Vinessa won as a write in candidate. Allan made a home made sign for our yard.
Tonight, Mayor Mike gave a farewell speech, as, at age 75 today, he also has chosen to retire. He got choked up because he loves this town, and I got teary eyed, as well.
Mike, mayor for eight years, giving his farewell speech.
He then swore in the new council members. In the audience foreground, below, are two of the family members of Missy, to the right in the council line up. Her spouse and one of her daughters are in the Ilwaco Volunteer Fire Department.
Below: The center new council person is Jared, our neighbour one door east and co owner of Starvation Alley organic cranberry farm.
Allan’s photo
New council member Matt was absent; he had been appointed to fill a vacancy and had won the official elected seat this November. Fred, left, has been on the council for a number of years and is the last of the previous council, because council member Gary ran for mayor and was sworn in tonight, leaving one vacant seat for an appointee.
Mike swears in new mayor Gary Forner.
We look forward to seeing who the new appointee will be. My intention is to start attending meetings to be supportive of this new crew, at least during off season although possibly not in our busiest work months.
Wednesday, 27 December 2017
The weather, just slightly damp and not windy, allowed me to finish clipping the hellebore leaves in the back garden. Old hellebore leaves are always bad and should be removed.
before
after
Some hellebores are already budded.
dwarf variegated pieris
mahonia in bloom
viburnum berries
The bogsy woods trees were full of twittering birds.
Despite many weeds calling to me to get pulled, the ground was so cold that my hands could not take weeding, so I went in to read. The afternoon at home became disrupted when Calvin’s cough, which had returned a day ago, became so bad that he was gasping for breath. A sudden emergency trip to the vet ensued.
Miserable Calvin, who will be age 13 this coming spring, was breathing with difficulty.
A mad chase around the house ensued when he caught wind of the cat carrier being brought in. I almost thought we were going to have to call to cancel the emergency appointment, and then we got him stuffed into the box.
in the exam room
Dr. Raela, who has seen so much of us and our cats this winter, gave him an X ray and pronounced his lungs “hazy”, possibly with asthma. He got a shot, and will go back on Friday for a follow up.
On the way home, a stop at the library netted a book that made me happy: the new Seaside Knitters mystery.
Ahhhhhh….
Meanwhile, Skooter helped Allan read a Swallows and Amazons book.
Allan’s photo
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We began the workday with our first call of the year to
The raised septic bed:
Long Beach
It was difficult to leave the book for an early evening meeting of the Living Liberally Pacific County group. I had only heard of Swallows and Amazons in the past year and was recently reminded of it by a mention on the Tootlepedal blog. 
