Baker's heartbeat

      The back patio is cleaned up, an ongoing task. That's because most debris comes from bird feeders, seen at top left.    The full moon shined brightly out back as I softly padded down the stairs, trying not to trip although it's pitch dark. My task is to open the dishwasher that had finished its cycle.    I opened it, pulled out the shelves and shook them a little before I headed back to bed in the very early-morning hours.     I slept dreaming of house-cleaning.     This tendency, present to various extents all 63 years of life, has gone into overdrive during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is not a surface or item in this house that can't be cleaned, I think.       What else do I have to do?    One might think that empty-nesters -- only two in a house -- might be able to stay pretty clean. I beg to differ: I choose/need to stay busy so that means I clean and  sanitize items much of each day, ba...

Snow pack in the front of the Baker home, February 2021, in rural Scott County.      There's a pack of snow on the edge of the driveway that I'm hoping to tackle ... maybe after the snow that's expected tonight. It is irritating, to this driver anyway, and in the way of anyone who wishes to approach our house in a vehicle.     As I do this, I'll be thinking of the shoveling done so far. Couple that with climate experts who predict this winter will mirror that of 1978-79.     Oh my!     Do you remember that winter? You must be of a certain age to think of it, but that season is unforgettable to many.  I was a student at Iowa State University in Ames, majoring in journalism and history. I later had a career as a newspaper journalist so have heard many stories from other reporters.     One way the season started was January 12-14 when  a winter storm dumped 18.4 inches of snow, according to archives of the National Weather Se...

Iowa State fans, like the author, were delighted when the Cyclones won the Fiesta Bowl! Easier (non COVID-19) days: Kirstin, age 13, with her parents, in 2003. Granddaughter Myla, now age 2, is a fan of the movie "Frozen."      The month of January started with fear and dismay but ended much better: We survived a bout of the COVID-19 virus and bounced back to normal in a few weeks.     The month ended Jan. 31 with a celebration of daughter Kirstin's 31st birthday; it was a Golden Birthday for sure. Among other activities: "Papa Steve" got granddaughter Myla, age 2, to eat a bit of a Hostess Twinkie, a treat she's not normally allowed. Daring indeed!      The month started quietly as we dealt with COVID. A bright spot was Iowa State's football victory in the Fiesta Bowl. The Cyclones beat Oregon, 34-17, to cap off the most successful year in school history. Thank you, Coach Matt Campbell!      Myla's birthday is Jan. 6; Kirstin thank...

       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...