Apr 4, 2009 by Naomi.

Went right to judging contest entries after breakfast. Finished two before I was drawn by bright sunshine out into my back yard. I laid down one hundred fifty feet of soaker hose where they will meet the water needs for most of the trees and big bushes. I want to do a good soaking once a week and will practice for the month of May to see how it works. The object is to be able to leave town and have neighbors turn the water on for me. I won’t begin to water just yet.

The Kennewick irrigation District begins to take water from the Yakima river way upstream on the last day of March. Because of our unusual rainy month the opening date was pushed back. I do not see water in the canals now. Farmers along the river use water on large acreage but many households within the city of Kennewick also have been able to take advantage of the service. Apparently developments were connected as the city spread beyond the downtown area. The water was billed at a different rate than city water. Michael can tell more about that. He lived in the city for years.

An hour of work in the sunshine was tiring. I had a big lunch and laid back for a long nap in my recliner. Then it was back to the contest entries. Five are completed. I am half done. Only five more to go. I feel smug about that. I am ready for bed and moonshine. The moon is shining brightly in on my pillow. Full moon will come before Friday to meet the Easter criteria. Remember Easter Sunday falls on the Sunday after the first Friday after the first full moon after the spring equinox. Nancy call tell you all about the calendar business. We put her May Day articles on salmonriver.com to meet the requests of those who want to have ideas on how to have fun in the month of May.

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Apr 4, 2009 by Naomi.

Upon checking the earthquake page in my favored bookmarks, I found Washington on the list. A closer map marked an earthquake 2.7 on the Richter scale at 03:56, April 4, 2009, located in Yakima, Washington, nine miles north of Richland, less than a mile deep. Now at 4 am I was sound asleep on my bed above the floor of my old house that is anchored solidly in this good old earth. I remain totally unaware of any minor shift of the earth’s skin. I envision the movement to resemble a horse contracting its muscles on the outer skin of its withers to dislodge biting critters. So the shift of the earth is too minor for my notice. It is, however, close enough that I am reminded that all the earth surface is connected.

California is almost daily on the list. The location is specific to northern, central, or southern California which shows Redding and Eureka, both inland and offshore; San Francisco, ranging up and down the bay area; and Los Angeles in a wide inland area. Only once did Daniel and Debra notice any tremors. At the time they were both twenty five miles away from the epicenter which I recall was somewhere in northern part of the County. That inland earthquake was above 3.

April 3, the USGS registered a 3.8 earthquake nine miles offshore at Eureka, 15.9 meters deep. I assume that depth was below the ocean floor. Barely skin deep. Several days before three others were measured farther out and somewhat deeper. And so it is all around as the world turns. The records in science are handy. Information that previously was unknown, is available to all. Before recorded scientific information those who felt the tremors had no way of knowing the truth. Their lack of understanding gave rise to superstition and myths that plague us to this day.

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