Pandemic Diary–December 8 to 20, 2021

Wednesday, December 8, 2021

M went for a “wellness visit” to his “provider.” It was about time, says E.

Thursday, December 9, 2021

We watched a video lecture last night about an environmental restoration project being undertaken by the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde. The CTGR have purchased conservation easements on two 400+ acre tracts along the north bank of the North Santiam River near where it flows into the Willamette. (This is roughly 50 miles from Corvallis.) Historically, the whole area was of great value to the indigenous tribes and by the terms of two treaties that were negotiated in the early 1850’s, the area was to be reserved for tribal use. Neither of those treaties was ratified, however, and the lands were not included in the 1855 treaty that established the CTGR reservation. But the area still figures prominently in tribal histories and traditional stories. The presentation included two of these stories: Coyote and the Frog and The Skookum and the Wonderful Boy.

The area is in the flat part of the Willamette Valley and in its natural state was subject to extensive seasonal flooding. The river had many side channels and pools and the main channel would shift every few years. In 1936 two dams were built upstream to provide hydropower and control floods. With seasonal flooding much reduced, hundreds of acres of land near the river became more suitable for agriculture. Native trees and plants were removed, fields were planted, and houses and barns were built. In the 21st century, however, it seems that the fields were not so profitable. Many fields were abandoned and soon became wide swathes of invasive plants, chiefly Scotch broom and blackberry. Over the past few years, things are changing once again, at least in these two parcels. The CTGR project has removed about a dozen structures along with hundreds of tons of discarded equipment and household garbage. Many acres of invasive plants have been removed and replaced by native species. 

In the lecture Q&A someone asked the project manager which native plants were being used in the restoration. The answer was ninebark, snowberry, and Oregon grape. Those names sounded familiar…

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Friday, December 10, 2021

We had old friend and colleague R over for dinner. These are hard times for R, who has recently suffered the loss of his spouse, who was also our friend. 

Rain off and on all day. Proper weather for Oregon in December.

Saturday, December 11, 2021

More rain today, hardest in the morning, but steady all day. It’s becoming a soggy world out there. In the late afternoon we got out the rain gear and went walking in the OSU forest. We passed by the lake at about 4:30. As the daylight was just beginning to fade, we saw a flock of seven or eight small ducks. They seemed to be actively feeding, not much perturbed by the weather.

Sunday, December 12, 2021

Another damp day. M did a little yard work between showers.  

Monday, December 13, 2021

Cold and rainy as we set off for an overnight at the coast. For us the roads were clear, but there may have been patches of ice earlier in the day. We were delayed for 20 minutes or so at the scene of a bad accident–bad as in a semi off in the ditch and a very badly mangled small car being hauled away.

We stayed at the Adobe in Yachats. By late afternoon the rain had eased off. We thought of taking a walk, but in the end it was fine to sit at the window and just watch the weather. 

Tuesday, December 14, 2021

We left just after breakfast and headed back inland, planning to do a hike in the Coast Range. First we stopped at Ray’s Market in Waldport to collect some lunch supplies. When we left there, E took the wheel so that M could eat his donut. By the time we got to the trailhead the sun was shining and the skies were clear. It had snowed the day before and the trees had all got a coating of snow. That snow was now melting in the sunshine and as we entered the forest we found a whole lot of dripping going on. It was like walking through a rainstorm. 

Wednesday, December 15, 2021

E had a HEPAJ meeting today. A was absent but H’s daughter–Dr. T–was brought in to sub for her. 

Thursday, December 16, 2021

As loyal readers may know, the Pandemic Diary has been indefatigable in its pursuit of information, even to the extent of reading Oregon Health Authority press releases in their entirety, right down to the very end. Although these texts are generally well written and informative, there is an occasional blip. This snippet–published today, December 16th–is one.  

Oregon’s 5,513th COVID-19 related death is a 73-year-old woman from Josephine County who tested positive Dec. 1 and died Dec. 18 at Asante Three Rivers Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Saturday, December 18, 2021

We travelled up to Portland today to see A and celebrate her birthday.  On the way, we made a stop in Salem to pick up a cake at The Konditorei. We met A and her long-time friend C for brunch at Hudson’s Grill, one of our old favorite places. Afterwards we went to A’s house to have cake, presents, and drink flower tea. Very nice.

But then, alas, we had to drive home, two hours through the darkness with heavy traffic in a constant hard rain. Not so nice. Once we were home, having lived to tell the tale, we rewarded ourselves with ice cream.

Sunday, December 19, 2021

The rain continues today. It feels gentler because there’s no wind pushing the drops around. But it does go on and on. The clay soils that were dry and cracked just months ago are now saturated. Puddles are forming in all the usual places around the yard. Squishiness is everywhere.

E talked by Zoom today with S and Mrs. H. S is helping Mrs. H with her annual cookie packaging. Mrs. H has made hundreds of cookies, twelve different kinds, and S helped her to assemble them unto gift plates. Every year Mrs H gives away lots of cookies, many of them to the volunteers who help her run the food pantry.  

E also spoke via FaceTime with her friend L, who grew up in Ballston Spa but has lived for many years now in Vanuatu. L asked if E remembered the name of the styrofoam factory that opened in Ballston Spa when they were children. They remembered going along the railroad tracks near the factory and finding small pieces of some strange substance on the ground. When they picked it up, it seemed quite amazing. E did indeed remember the name of the company: Tufflite Plastics. The reason L was thinking of the factory is that she finds that the once pristine beaches of Vanuatu are now strewn with styrofoam. She wonders if that styrofoam had its origin in Ballston Spa.

The Pandemic Diary has followed up on this a little. We know that Tufflite Plastics was founded in 1950 and survived into the 1990’s. The company produced a number of different products over the years. But what was their first product, the one that helped the business really take off? Was it (A) blue styrofoam insulation materials,  (B) white styrofoam packing materials, or (C) green and white styrofoam materials for florists and crafters?

Monday, December 20, 2021

Did someone say puddles?