Honoring Heroes

We didn’t get our NewYorkTimes delivery today but it was kind of a relief not to have to plow through all the news we didn’t really want to read. Our local paper was full of full page ads honoring the firefighters who are still toiling to fully contain the huge fires burning here. The paper itself, the Press Democrat, has a wonderful photographer named Kent Porter who I’m sure took the pictures in today’s montage. We have seen scenes like this every year since 2017, but I marvel every time I see pictures like these how anyone can ever put these monster wildfires out. The courage and bravery of the firefighters, some of whom have come from all over the country, is unparalleled. Although the word is overworked sometimes, these men and women are truly heroes in every sense of the word.

I’m also proud of the way our communities step up to help out in any way they can. Guy Fieri, of Food Network and improbable hair fame, lives in Santa Rosa, and shows up at the county fairgrounds where the firefighters are billeted to turn out wonderful meals for thousands with help from many other local restauranteurs. A picture in the paper the other day showed him holding a giant tray of grilled chicken and talking with the very same firefighters from Kitsap Washington that  I photographed on Monday.

We started our day talking zooming with Lady Findhorn who was in fine fettle. An added bonus was that Dana and Jim came by and Dana was able to say hello to her as well.

The air quality is quite bad today and will probably prevent us from enjoying our Sunday supper outdoors with Jim and Dana and the boys. We have declared ourselves part of the same bubble since there is only so much one can do for so long, all the Covid precautions being cancelled by the fire/smoke precautions.....we’ll eat inside tonight.