Zoom #14 – Winter Doldrums and Spring Promises

Class of 1960 Zoomers, February 16, 2023

Fred Elder convened Zoom #14 with a welcome to the 14 classmates who joined us on February 16.

First row: Dan Tontz, David Robinson, Fred Elder, Tom Tatlock.  Second row: Jane Thompson Olson, Lee Ayres, Diane Rusch Zinn, Skip Granger. Third row: Carolyn Wharton Holloway, Marilyn Tompkins Bellert, Glenna Stearman Park, Linda Soderberg McKay.  Fourth row: Kay Ellen Consolver, Perry Ann Porter Brown.

The topic for this session was “Winter Doldrums and Spring Promises.” Fred asked each participant to identify themselves and tell us where they were. Just about everyone also told us about the day’s weather before launching into strategies for thriving in winter and plans for the coming spring. What follows is a summary, not a transcript. If your remarks need to be revised, let us know.

Perry Ann Porter Brown, Poulsbo, WA, where it is bitter cold.  Between the frosty grass and other frosty this and that, the daffodils are trying to poke up and so are the tulips. March 17, St. Patrick’s Day, is when we should plant potatoes. I am looking forward to warmer weather.

Linda Soderberg McKay, Newport Beach, CA, which was colder than St. Louis on the day I arrived. Now, it’s probably about 60. I think I shared last time that I had three grandchildren get married within twelve weeks. No one got married in St. Louis, so that was intensive and not the doldrums. Right now, I’m going to be here in California, which is a first. We never traveled in the winter, just stuck it out. I’m looking forward  to enjoying Newport Beach and exercising more. That’s what I’m doing.

Glenna Stearman Park, in Gaithersburg, MD. It’s approaching 55 or 60 right now.  I spent three weeks in Rhode Island for Christmas, getting reacquainted with seven of my grandchildren. Unfortunately, I was quarantined there because everyone was afraid of my cold. Got COVID on the way home, but that was a problem only for a day or two. For the spring, I’m signed up for two courses – Foundations of Western Culture and Life in the Middle Ages, two subjects that I included in my own teaching. I signed on with Great Courses and received a pile of CDs that include lectures and reading. I will plow through the CDs. As usual, I have a big stack of books to read this winter and spring.

Kay Ellen Consolver, in San Francisco, where it’s 42 degrees. Back at home in Litchfield, CT, it’s 60. This is sort of a new entry for me into a different life, which is a strange thing to do at 80, almost 81, since my husband died shortly before Christmas. One of my first steps is here in San Francisco.  Last fall, I discovered an extended family cousin named Kinsolving.  Our families all came together in the late 1600’s, early 1700’s, along with Kingsolvers, like the novelist Barbara Kingsolver, all intermarried and married, whatever. They were the fancy side of the family. My side were always the ones who were one hoofbeat ahead of the law on the way out of town.  My new cousin, William Kinsolving, is a very well-known script writer and he’s 86 years old. What do you do during Covid? You write an opera. He has written an opera about a week in the life of Johann Sebastian Bach, who called his very dysfunctional family back together to prompt him to finish his last cantata. Because he hadn’t written a cantata in maybe twenty years, this was a big deal. William’s opera has been recorded by the Minneapolis Bach Society. It is being performed this evening for the first time at the Grace Cathedral here in San Francisco.  So I am going to that and that’s how I am celebrating Spring.

Marilyn Tompkins Bellert, in Sycamore IL. I’ve got on my Icelandic sweater because it’s cold here. It’s snowing big beautiful flakes, but is starting to get icy, so I’m staying in for the rest of the day. We are expecting 4 to 6” snowfall today. I haven’t minded winter, partly because I enjoy the change of the seasons and partly because the winters are not as cold or miserable as they used to be. The spring, summer, and fall are really beautiful here and, as I said, winters aren’t so bad. I’m looking forward to rethinking the plantings in my yard this spring and have been looking at catalogs for gardeners. Also, I’m working on plans for a trip in May. 

Carolyn Wharton Holloway, in Salt Lake City, Utah. The nearest ski resort has 450 inches of snow. The temperature in Salt Lake right now is about 28 degrees.  I agree with Marilyn.  I like the change of seasons.  In spite of all the snow here, we really need it because snow provides the source of our water.  You’ve probably heard about the Great Salt Lake drying up, so we need the water from the rain and from the snow.  Salt Lake City is expecting 100,000 tourists coming in for all-star basketball events. At a meeting last week, I won a prize, which turned out to be two tickets to the ballet. While others are going to watch basketball games and slam-dunk contests, I will be at the ballet. I talked Boyce into going with me. I am going to spend April in Paris. Boyce has a cousin who lives in Bordeaux. We have visited the usual tourist spots before, and we want someone to take us to out of the way places, away from the tourist riff-raff.  We’re going down the Loire River in a little boat to see the sights there.  Boyce’s cousin in Bordeaux is our age, and she was actually a correspondent for The Washington Post. She went to Bordeaux right after college, so she’s been there most of her life.  She knows where to go.  I studied German and Spanish in college, but no French, but she will help us through. So, I’m looking forward to that and life is good. 

Skip Granger in Sun Lakes, AZ. After this call, I will go to the pool for my workout. One of the things that is different here from Salt Lake is that we had a big football game here and did not want to put up with the crowds, so we went to Sedona. It has become our new Carmel, a place we often visited when we lived in California. We love to see our granddaughters. They may come for Mary Ann’s birthday on March 20. My son is receiving an award from the Scottsdale City Council for his long-time leadership as president of the Scottsdale Library Board. We are nice and warm. To Dan Tontz – I’m so sorry we lost Raquel Welch this week. Rather than lowering flags to half-staff in her honor, she wanted Dan to take down his poster of her for a week. (Dan declined)

 

Diane Rusch Zinn, in Lawrence, KS.  As a couple of others have mentioned, I also enjoy the change of seasons. One of the things I especially enjoy around here in wintertime is viewing the landscape without the leaves and foliage, so you see things you don’t know are there in the summertime.  Of course, we enjoy KU basketball games and the Chiefs’ games.  We like to read by the fire, which we obviously don’t get to do in the warm weather.  I use the winter time to do mundane indoor tasks like cleaning files and tax prep and all that wonderful kind of busy work  that I don’t have to do in other times of the year. I’m looking forward to spring, planning trips and family visits, and most of all getting out and cleaning up the flower gardens and watching the new sprouts come up.  That’s always a breath of fresh air.  Our daffodils, tulips and iris are already coming up.  Even though we’ve had a rough winter, spring is definitely on its way.

Lee Ayres, in Fresno, CA. It’s 53 right now with a predicted high today of 60. Two thoughts to share. Linda’s being in Newport Beach brings to mind a question Shelley posed yesterday. If money were no object, where would you want to live?  Newport Beach is the top of the list. I experienced my first February in California when I attended a seminar in San Jose on computers in February of 1976. Spring begins in February in northern California and it is a spectacular experience. A year later, I found a way to get a job in the Bay Area and have lived in northern California ever since. This is a great time of year.

Jane Thompson Olson, in Key West, FL.  We’ve been here for two weeks and we plan to be here another two weeks and then we’ll head toward Gulf Shores, AL, and then head west and maybe get all the way to California. Our kids flew here from Maryland and drove us to Marathon, FL, where we spent a week playing cribbage, gin, and having great conversations. We hiked and boated and now we’re back in our teeny, tiny place enjoying life.  People always ask what I do. I take walks, go biking.  I’m on my 385th day of my gratitude journal, and I’m very proud of that.  I’m writing my life story, and hoping to give that to my grandkids.  So, anyway, it’s great, it’s in the 80’s here, a little too hot for me.  I’d rather it be in the 70’s, but I’m not complaining and I don’t want to make anyone feel bad.

Tom Tatlock, in Appleton, WI. It’s 39 and not snowing yet. I am most excited by getting more daylight at the end of each day. I also enjoy the seasons. Winter has really changed. I remember shoveling and shoveling snow 45 years ago. We were, glad to have antennas on our cars, so we could find them. I remember shoveling the driveway and then having the snowplow come by and fill up end of the driveway. That’s not something I miss. I do miss being able to plant a lot of flowers. Each season has its own special qualities. I wish spring and fall were a little longer up here.

David Robinson in good old Wichita, KS. It’s 28 here. Well, one of the things I enjoy about winter is sitting in front of the fire with my martini and texting with my best friend in Temecula, CA.  I ask if we can enjoy a little cocktail tonight, but we don’t always restrict that just to winter. Two of my other friends who live in Castro Valley, CA are coming in April and they’ve never been here and can’t wait.  I’ll introduce them to the Nifty Nut House, and of course they’ll come to the Allen House.  In the fall, I’m going out to California for probably about three weeks because, having lived in California, I still have many friends there, and customers.  Then I go down to San Diego, where my friend Becky picks me up and I have two nieces in Los Angeles.  One is a lawyer and one claims to be an actress. So, it’s going to be a good year.

Dan Tontz in Dallas, Texas, where the temperature fluctuates between warm and warmer. I usually have something happy to talk about, because that’s the kind of person I am. But – I have gone through a horrible experience this winter. Last night I sent photos to those of you whose contact information I had, showing my beautiful oak tree being cut down because it was too dangerous. The first picture shows the morning of February 3, anniversary of Buddy Holly’s death,  when I looked out and saw that part of my oak tree had fallen. It was a doubletree (meaning, it had a double trunk). One trunk gave out and that part fell into my yard and the street. The next photo shows the remaining half of the tree, which was about four stories high. It was still alive but leaning toward the house. My long-time arborist insisted that it be removed before it fell on me and my house.  At his insistence, I evacuated four rooms, carrying the most important things to safer places. I felt scared and sad at the same time. Then there is a picture of the rest of the tree being cut down. It took four vehicles, a big bucket ladder, and a lot of tools to cut down this huge tree. I learned that double trunk trees are vulnerable. This was very expensive and very sad. I’m looking for better things to happen.

Skip asked what about the insurance on the tree? Dan responded: Bad result, but the one I expected. They don’t cover tree damage unless it falls on the house.

Lee added that this kind of tree has a “double leader.” Usually something else is wrong if they go, but they are vulnerable. Dan was really lucky that the side by the street fell first.

Dan continued – I was trying to figure out what to move out of the four rooms first. The most important stuff had to be moved immediately. Some of the things in those rooms that I left behind, I have now decided that maybe I don’t need those things any more.

Fred Elder in Madison, WI, where it is currently snowing. I just want to pick up on Tom’s comment.  Winters are getting better in the northern part of the world. I for one am glad, so for those of you who are in places that are warmer, there you go.  Weather doesn’t have an equal hand.  It’s been a particularly good winter for me because I’m not shoveling.  I was in the hospital, so no shoveling. In terms of spring, actually summer, I’m looking forward to hiking.  I think I’ll be able to start hiking again and that’s my goal.  I’m getting close.  A few of you know what Menard’s is, and for those who don’t, it’s a large big box hardware store.  I was there today and did my 10,000 steps.  So, I’m getting closer.  They are big places, and I’ve been there so often, Security has quit following me around.  So that’s sort of my spring-winter thing for now.  They have Cadbury eggs and gun safes.  It’s pretty amazing how much they have.

Miscellaneous Conversations and Comments

Steps and Walking.  Marilyn commented about the number of products in big box stores; you see things that you never knew existed.  Skip uses his Fitbit, a gift from his best friend, to track steps, but doesn’t walk nearly as much as some others do. Kay Ellen estimated she took 5,000 steps yesterday in Terminal 1 at the San Francisco airport.  Linda was in the Chicago airport in the “L Wing.” She decided that “L” stood for Long; she had a long, long walk for a connecting flight.  There were no moving walkways in that part of the airport.

More Travels. Kay Ellen added that she’s going to Los Angeles to see her sister, then on to Carlsbad to see nieces and nephews.  She’s always been a great aunt, but now she is a great Great-Aunt.  Linda invited her to stop in Newport Beach for a visit.

More Trees. Tom recalled having a yard full of big trees. When one had to be cut down, he bought a splitter and cut up about three years worth of firewood. “It was very satisfying. You could see what you accomplished. Then we had to sell the house. The people who bought it inherited a huge supply of oak logs. Snap, crackle, and pop. They have been drying on racks for four years. We did not get as much heat from the logs as we did from the splitting.”

Marilyn had a different experience when cutting down oak trees. She agreed with Dan that it was very expensive. There were no logs from several of those trees, because millions of termites lived in them and ran in waves all over the neighborhood when the trees came down.

Diane has several kinds of trees on their 15 acres, especially Black Walnut and Osage Orange, commonly called “hedge apples.” They had about 20 pine trees removed due to a blight. “We have tree-trimming crews out several times every year.” Diane asked whether anyone had Emerald Ash Borers. The city of Lawrence has cut down 8,000 Ash trees. Linda has experience with successfully treating Ash trees and recommended it. Many on the call had experience with Ash borers.

Carolyn cited a different problem. “Due to very heavy snow in the mountains, herds of elk with about 60 in a herd are coming down from the mountains in search of food. They cross Interstate 80 as they move toward lower areas in the canyons where food may be growing. The elk create big problems by tying up traffic and when drivers hit a big animal, which can cause a lot of damage.”

Glenna asked whether Carolyn had gone to the Sundance Film Festival. Glenna had gone in the early 90’s when the festival was fairly small and she could watch four films a day. Carolyn explained that showings were now distributed across the area, so it was easier to see the films despite the big crowds.

Tom asked Diane whether she had wildlife. She responded, yes – coyotes, deer, rabbits, and turkeys. One year they had 5 f turkey hens and 34 poults. They still have tons of raccoons and last week she had a possum in her garage. The numbers of many types of wildlife have diminished considerably. Turkeys, doves, quail, and deer have been disappearing.

Marilyn asked Jane about seafood in Key West. Jane, with bright blue sky and the ocean behind her, said yes. She went on to mention that she had visited Dallas Crump Stephens in Jacksonville on the way south. They watched the Space X launch from Dallas’ balcony. Jane highly recommended visiting the museum at the Kennedy Space Center.

Last Words. Carolyn was heading to a nearby community center to walk on the track. David Robinson added that Wichita’s YMCA’s have wonderful facilities for walkers and for all kinds of activities.

Skip’s last words: “None of you folks look 80.”

David: “Wait a minute. If we don’t look 80, do we look younger or older. Maybe 90?”

Perry Ann: Have a good tomorrow!

Tune in for the next Zoom call on March 16 at 2:00 p.m., Wichita time.