Baker's heartbeat

       The first public vaccination clinic offered in Scott County, Iowa, quickly filled up. Meantime, it's safest to wear masks (of course!)      Residents of the Quad-Cities -- which includes both Iowa and Illinois municipalities -- see first-hand what COVID-19 vaccine distribution looks like from state-to-state.     As this blog post is written, those eligible for a vaccine are offered a drive-through clinic in Milan, Ill. It is made possible by a partnership between Rock Island County, Illinois, public health officials and a business owner who offers his large property for the clinics. In addition, grocery stores and drug stores are poised to give out the vaccine in Illinois.     There is a more measured pace in Iowa.       On the Scott County Health Department website Thursday, Jan. 28, a clear message was given: The supply of the vaccine was described as "VERY limited," and the amount that comes i...

Masked-up Steve Baker hiking in the Grand Canyon, in September. A clean freak, I wash our masks, weekly.      So how was it, dealing with COVID-19 the first two weeks of January? Not fun, to say the very least.      Both Steve and I received the news that our virus tests, taken a few days earlier, were positive. It was Dec. 31, our 33rd wedding anniversary.        First reactions are a terrible fear, despair, worry and concern. What if Steve ends up in the hospital? What then?        Steve, 70, was sicker as well. He started not feeling well on Dec. 30, and was not the least bit surprised to learn he tested positive the next day.        About that test: I thought my husband would take off the steering wheel as he sat in the SUV at the former Sears auto service station in NorthPark Mall. He was tremendously affected by the long Q-Tip inserted up the nose. The nurses could not have been...

       The pods (at right) hold the George E. Ohr exhibit; the structure at left is the City of Biloxi Center for Ceramics. An ancient live oak tree is in the center. Frank Gehry continues his use of stainless steel on the campus of the Ohr-O'Keefe Art Museum. The architect's stainless steel works here as it reflects the majesty of the live oak trees.      What does one of the world's great architects have to do with four acres of land along the Mississippi GulfCoast?     Frank Gehry, Los Angeles, was introduced to the unusual property in 1998 and subsequently designed the Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art campus in Biloxi. He was entranced by the site which included ancient live oak trees that had to be preserved.    In addition, Gehry was familiar with  George Ohr, a native of Biloxi who was a creative pioneer in the art of ceramics. He had respect for Ohr, who's collections are now owned by artists such as Jasper John...

       Steve Baker opens a Christmas present at a Dec. 26 gathering. Granddaughter Myla Rodewald and Buffy, the family dog, on Dec. 20. The National World War II Museum, where the writer spent her 63rd birthday Dec. 12.            It was a normal start to December: I stayed busy getting ready for the holidays, what with buying and wrapping gifts, writing the annual Christmas letter and the like.     We did decide (at least, I eventually agreed) to take a short trip south to the Gulfcoast. This time away compressed our holiday preparations but the biggest "hit" came to holiday baking, which was almost non-existent in 2020.     A few days away from frigid Iowa was restorative, however; we were able to eat outdoors, and take long walks along the Gulf of Mexico. An additional bonus was fulfilling a hotel commitment for an upgrade.       My 63rd birthday was spent in New Orleans, one of my fav...