We’re doing the best we can

Collectively Palmer is doing it’s best. But that does not mean that everyone is doing the exact, same thing. It’s important to not pass judgment on others who deal with the pandemic in a different manner than you. The critic or judgment factor is what needs to be dropped here. Do you wear a mask? What kind of mask? Do you socialize in small groups? Do you go to gatherings? Are you prepared for the second wave? Will there be a second wave? All of these answers are individual.

More than ever, we need to recognize that individual choice is an important right. Everyone has read or seen the scientific advise and warnings. Most know the safety mandates. How every single person responds to these directives is an individual choice. Let’s not assume we know another person’s story. Instead, let’s make our own safe choices without condemnation of others. That is really the best we can do.

Who Let The Girls Out—It was a crazy and wild weekend for this annual celebration of spring in Palmer. It was virtual and LIVE video and an interesting collection of song, spirit, socialization and shopping. It is nothing like what we have ever experienced. Yet there was still joy and generosity. It’s hard to adjust to these new things but I remind myself we are doing the best we can.

Greening Week—This is it. Palmer’s Greening Week. This is when the color of the season switches in a major way from browns, grays and whites to greens. It won’t take long. In fact you can actually photo chronicle the growth of a leaf from morning to evening. Aggressive green will sprout from hotter microclimates near bare dirt or concrete. Tree buds will be noticeably larger each time you look. The trees on the lower mountainsides have a shimmer of green color and their trunks show the juicy blood sap in their bones. Higher up on the mountain, you won’t see the change quite yet, but in a few weeks the higher elevations too will join the green-up.

Raven Route from Palmer to the Hills—Every night, 15-20 minutes before sunset, large numbers of ravens will finish up their day of scavenging in Palmer and at the landfill. It seems that they generally head north and east to the foothills, where they roost at night. This happens year round but because of the time or the number, it’s easier to spot in the springtime. It’s as if the Ravens wear little wristwatches on their feet which reminds them to head for the hills.

Bird experts call it communal roosting. The ravens don’t all fly together necessarily but there are groupings who seem to travel together. Sometimes there is an orderly string. Sometimes there is just a deliberate pair. Rarely does one see a sole raven on the Raven Route. They fly with purpose. The destination is the roost which some say is a “Murder Tree.” (I suspect the term murder comes from the fact that a flock of ravens is sometimes referred to as a Murder of Ravens. Actually it should be a Congress, Constable or an Unkindness of Ravens and a Murder of Crows. But nonetheless the local reference Murder tree is the destination. Supposedly it is a conspicuous landmark location for the ravens, yet vegetated thickly enough to prevent predators.) Presumably all these ravens live and roost in the tree area and local Palmer folks indicate that communal roost locations may be just beyond the top of Smith Road or near the Lazy Mountain trailhead. Not being an ornithologist, I can’t speak with great wisdom about our ravens but I can comfortably repeat folklore and common observations. They are pretty smart birds and the Palmer ones are definitely the best.

Get Ready for Palmer’s “Drive Your Tractor To Work Day”—It’s next week. Historically, folks gather early in the morning and drive their tractors into Palmer. They congregate at the Train Depot. It’s kind of a parade down main-street and some celebration at the pavilion. Of course it will be different this year. However, it is more and more important to honor Alaska’s agriculture. It will be celebrated next week in some manner. Palmer is proud of its farming and gardening community and history. Buy local and grow local and be safe on your tractor.

Barbara Hunt is both Palmer writer and artist. She works hard to keep the robust pulse of Palmer, Alaska. She shares the good stuff in the weekly Palmer Alaska Buzz Column in the Mat Su Valley Frontiersman and daily on the Palmer Alaska Buzz Facebook Group. Her “Palmer Buzz Community Calendar” is available at Palmer shops and the Palmer museum. Contact at bhunt@mtaonline.net or text 907.315.3222