For locals – Jake Kupiec

Surviving a freak snow storm: Eight lessons on preparedness

Post author:Jake Kupiec
Post published:February 12, 2019
Post category:For locals Growing
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On Friday, a winter storm moved in and on Saturday it knocked the power out–and it stayed out for the better part of three days. By Sunday, our unheated house was competing with single digits outside and the inside temperature dropped into the 40s. Our hands were unbelievably cold and we started to lose it a little bit. It felt like everything was slowing down. Our short coated dog and cat were shivering. We gave in and packed up for a hotel. We returned on Monday and the power stayed on for the morning and went out again for about an hour. It stayed on for a few hours and then out again. In the meantime, it snowed and snowed and snowed. We were stuck. The power finally came on again this morning (Tuesday) and has thankfully stayed on.

There’s more winter weather in the forecast; we aren’t out of the woods yet. Which is kind of a joke because we live in the woods. We will never be out of the woods. 🙂

I feel like we have been in survival mode. We are trying to learn from this and prepare for future outages now. I think most people don’t think that disasters will happen to them. Not because they are exempt from calamity, but because we are focused on what’s on our plate today. I was not thinking “long-term power outage and no heat” when I saw the weather forecast last week.

Lessons Learned

Lesson number one: it takes us too long to pack and leave. Partly it’s because of having pets, partly it’s because we were trying to save the contents of our refrigerator, but mostly, we just were not as prepared as we could have been. As it turns out, we got out of our neighborhood shortly before the highway was closed.

Lesson number two: a non-electric heat source like a wood burning stove, or a generator or battery backup to connect a heater would have provided a game-changing heat source. A generator or battery backup would have powered the refrigerator, too.

Lesson number three and one we learned: know how to light your gas stove without the electric igniter. This turned out to be easy but it didn’t occur to us until we were on outage number three. It’s a game changer to have coffee, tea and hot food.

Lesson number four: Having a lot of refrigerated backup food doesn’t help you if the power goes out and it just becomes another problem to solve as mentioned in Lesson #1. More canned foods/dry goods would have been better. Snack foods help you cope. You burn a lot of calories when you are cold and shoveling snow.

Lesson number five: Make sure you own more than one shovel if snow is in the forecast. I have a mini shovel for the car that I bought several years ago after having to dig out my truck bed while out of town. That’s it. Additional shovels are a priority purchase this weekend.

Lesson number six: Have backup water. This morning, we ran out of water. We have a well with an electric pump and we used up everything in the lines, I guess. This morning around 8 am, nothing came out of the tap. We did have jugs of drinking water set aside but not water for flushing toilets. So we got to work melting snow in case we needed it. Luckily we did not, the power came on about an hour later. But I was really wishing that I had filled all of my plant watering jugs (old 1.5 gallon vinegar jugs) ahead of the storm just in case.

Lesson number seven: Clean up ahead of a storm. Run the dishwasher and do laundry. Vacuum. Shower. It’s really hard to clean without light and power.

Lesson number eight: Don’t wait too long to cut your hair or any other self-care activity. I have been putting off the haircut and spent the last several days wishing I hadn’t. Taking a hot shower or using styling tools might be out of the question and you may feel lousier than you have to.

Bright Spots

We didn’t get everything wrong and there were some bright spots:
Our laundry was done.
We had a half tank of gas. A full tank would have been better, but still.
We knew the closest hotel that allows pets (and they were great).
We have a vehicle with 4-wheel drive.
We have a manual can opener.
We had hand sanitizer (and we usually don’t).
We have a propane stove and backup propane.
We have a battery backup for our home network that lasts for a few hours. (We plan to buy additional batteries to extend that.)
Our important papers are organized in a grab-and-go envelope; our current papers are in a portable file box.
We have solar and battery-operated LED lights and two heavy-duty headlamps that helped us navigate a pitch black house and yard.
We have extra batteries, candles and matches/lighters.

Do you have a plan?

Think about what you would do if you are without power. Or stranded. Think about food, water, warmth, and even entertainment. How will you power your devices if you lose electricity? Can you leave quickly if you need to? Do you have a plan for pets and livestock? Ready.gov can help you put a plan together.

Having checklists and packing lists for you, your pets and other family members is a huge help. Under stress or duress, you may find you are not as sharp as you are in your finest moments.

Check on your neighbors

Everyone on our street was in a slightly different boat. Be friendly. Offer to help. Share information. Ask if they are okay.

A copy of a copy can be a beautiful thing

Post author:Jake Kupiec
Post published:February 15, 2018
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One of my favorite Michael Keaton movies is Multiplicity. In it, the main character Doug decided that he needs more bandwidth and finds a doctor that will clone him. Unsatisfied with one clone he adds a second. But then his clones get in on it and make a copy of a copy. Things start to go really awry at this point.

It’s been said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and the Tivoli Fountain on the Olympia Capitol Campus is that times two. It’s based on the Tivoli Fountain in Copenhagen, Denmark which itself is a replica of a fountain at Villa d’Este, near Rome. The original fountain is the work of Pirro Ligorio, a 16th-century architect.

The fountain in Copenhagen was built by Fritz Meyer of Copenhagen. Peter Schmidt, then president of the Olympia Tumwater Foundation saw the fountain during his visit to Copenhagen in 1949 and believed that the Capitol campus needed a similar feature. The foundation, Schmidt and Meyer all had a hand in bringing the fountain project to fruition. I am always impressed by the sheer force of will that can bring a project together.

The fountain was rededicated in 2017 after extensive repairs. You can learn more about the fountain and other public art and memorials on this Department of Enterprise Services website.

Love,
Oly

Winged Victory Monument

Post author:Jake Kupiec
Post published:February 13, 2018
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One of the many things to see on the Washington Capitol Grounds is Winged Victory. Created by artist Alonzo Victor Lewis (1886 – 1946), Winged Victory honors veterans of World War I. It was dedicated on Memorial Day in 1938.

The impressive Winged Victory Monument depicts the goddess Nike, also known as Victory, hovering protectively over four figures, a sailor, a soldier, a marine, and a Red Cross nurse. More than 21,000 U.S. Army nurses and nearly 1,500 U.S. Navy nurses served in military hospitals in the United States and overseas during the war. There were 116,516 U.S. deaths during World War I.

There are four inscriptions on the monument:

East facing side: “To the memory of the citizens of the State of Washington who lost their lives in the service of the United States during the World War 1917–1918”
North facing side: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend”
West facing side: “Their sacrifice was to vindicate the principles of peace and justice in the life of the world”
South facing side: “They fought to safeguard and transmit to posterity the principles of justice, freedom, and democracy”

Winged Victory in 1938 [Photo from the Washington State Digital Archives]

Public art has the remarkable ability to present a multilayered story adding historical and cultural dimensions to the public spaces that we use every day. You can read more about the importance of public art in this monograph.

Lewis was a painter before he became a sculptor and he created a fair bit of controversy by painting the prizefighter Jack Dempsey. You can read more about Lewis here and here.

If you have ever wondered how monuments are cared for over time, the Washington Department of Enterprise Services provides a fair amount of detail about the upkeep of this monument and other monuments and public art pieces on their website.

Love,
Oly

What time is it?

Post author:Jake Kupiec
Post published:February 11, 2018
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We went to see the newly refurbished Territorial Sundial in front of the Washington State Library, the Joel M. Pritchard Building, on the Capitol Grounds in Olympia. It was just reinstalled in early January and rededicated on January 30, 2018.

The sundial was originally dedicated in January 1959. Sculptor and metal artist John W. Elliott (1883-1971) created the sundial with bas-relief panels depicting Washington’s history. (Elliott also redesigned the Washington State Seal that appears on the state flag.) Originally installed in the 1950s, the sundial was in need of a number of updates. University of Washington emeritus professor and sundial expert Woodruff “Woody” Sullivan was a consultant on the project.

A sundial is made up of a flat plate and a gnomon (pronounced something like “nomen”). The gnomon is the part of the sundial that casts the shadow.

Want to learn how to read a sundial? There are handy instructions near the Territorial Sundial on the Capitol Grounds. Or check out Just Energy’s page.

Did you know that you can make your own sundial out of paper? Check out http://hilaroad.com/camp/projects/sundial/sundial_calculator/sundial_calculator.htm. You can also buy a pretty cool pocket sundial on Etsy.

You can keep up with everything happening on the Washington Capitol Grounds by following Enterprise Services on Twitter and by following the Washington State Capitol Campus Visitor Services on Facebook. You can also sign up for email updates.

The Washington State Capitol Grounds are beautiful; even in February, several things were in bloom. It’s a fun walk with lots to see and mountain and water views.

Shine on!

Love,
Oly

Get thee to the Farmers Market!

Post author:Jake Kupiec
Post published:February 2, 2018
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It’s Groundhog Day (Marmota monax) and you may be wondering if there are any groundhogs in Washington. From this range map it looks like we might have some in the upper northeast corner of the state but none in the Olympia area. And yes, Punxsutawney Phil saw his dreaded shadow so 6 more weeks of winter according to lore. Yay. I am going to don my “Wake me when winter is over” hoodie and grumble a little today.

Where were we? Ah, yes! The Olympia Farmers Market. If you ask anyone in Olympia about places to go here, they will mention the Farmers Market.

The Farmer’s Market is a large indoor/outdoor market that is going into its 43rd year. There are farm vendors, artisan foods, crafts and entertainment. The website has a lot of information about the vendors and you get a good idea of the breadth of offerings. It’s huge and it may take you a couple of times through to see everything. It’s a great place to walk through and you will certainly find something to delight you.

My favorite thing from the Farmers Market so far is the Kiwi Berries. I had visions of putting them on salads but I think we just ate them all right out of the container.

And if your brother wants you to pick up some apples, better get some details because the number of varieties is a tiny bit overwhelming in the fine state of Washington. 🙂

Located at 700 Capitol Way N in downtown Olympia. (360) 352-9096

Hours: Open every Saturday through March, 10 am-3 pm and then Thursday-Sunday, 10 am – 3 pm, April to October. There’s plenty of parking. Don’t forget to visit the demonstration garden on the east end of the market.

Spring is coming — it might just be taking the scenic route.

Love,
Oly

Sylvester Park: End of the Oregon Trail Marker

Post author:Jake Kupiec
Post published:January 27, 2018
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Stop by Sylvester Park in Olympia to see the End of the Oregon Trail marker, dedicated in 1913 by the Sacajawea Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. You might wonder, “How did this get here?”It’s probably an example of good old-fashioned marketing and seizing an opportunity to lend historical importance to the area. It helps that there was not a set path for the Oregon Trail. And it was the idea of Ezra Meeker who eventually made the trip by plane, train and automobile — and covered wagon. Meeker was an advocate for preserving the history of the route.

Location: Capitol Way S and Legion Way SE, Olympia, WA 98501. Hours: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the winter and 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the summer.

There are free concerts during the summer months in Sylvester Park. The concerts are held every Wednesday at 7 p.m. Check the Olympia Downtown site for details.

Love,
Oly

Eld Inlet and Mud Bay

Post author:Jake Kupiec
Post published:January 19, 2018
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We have started to pull over and read all of the historical markers and interpretive signs that we come across. We recently checked out the one at Eld Inlet and Mud Bay.

Eld Inlet is about 6 miles long and is located at the southern end of the Puget Sound, between Totten Inlet and Budd Inlet. (What’s an inlet?) The southern end of the inlet is Mud Bay. If you drive by at low tide, that’s exactly what it looks like.

Although originally called Friendly Inlet by Peter Puget (he probably deserves his own post), it was later named Eld Inlet after one of the midshipmen on the United States’ Exploring Expedition, Henry Eld.

Driving on Highway 101 in this area you can see the outrageously large and rather comical group of metal cattle sculptures created by area artist Gary Vig.

J.B. Jackson would have loved them.

Building community and inspiring a love of reading: Free Little Libraries

Post author:Jake Kupiec
Post published:January 4, 2018
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Free Little Libraries (LFLs) are small libraries that can be found in front of homes, businesses and in public spaces. The idea is to build community by sharing books with your neighbors. Watch this great explainer video to see how LFLs work! These little libraries vary widely in terms of size, style and decoration. As of November 2016, there were over 50,000 Little Free Libraries registered worldwide — in all 50 states in the U.S. and 70 countries! — including more than a dozen in Olympia.

Local residents and the Friends of the Olympia Library sponsored a Little Free Library at the Griffin Fire Station on Steamboat Island Road. We checked it out recently and even picked up a book. There was a good selection of titles and it was easy to find and there’s easily accessible parking out front.

Some Little Free Libraries also serve as seed exchanges. Some have taken the same concept and built free pantries to share food items. The Little Free Library organization recently gave away 100 LFLs to police stations. And the U.S. Girl Scouts have installed 500 LFLs!

Coming soon! A second Free Little Library on Steamboat Island. We are putting up our own Little Free Library. We plan to have a seed exchange and a game exchange.

Today’s weather: I didn’t notice any rain until after 12 noon and then it was off and on. I have three categories of rain: light rain, raining cats and dogs, and please make it stop or I’ll need to build an ark. Today was really a light rain day and totally manageable. Also, not as cold and in the 40s around noon.

Burfoot Park

Post author:Jake Kupiec
Post published:January 2, 2018
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We checked out Burfoot Park, a Thurston County Park. This 50-acre park includes saltwater beach frontage on the Budd Inlet near Boston Harbor. From the park, you can see the Washington State Capitol and the Olympic Mountains. The park is right off Boston Harbor Road and is clearly marked.

There’s a large green space with picnic tables and playground equipment. With a few parking areas, there is plenty of parking. The park includes three picnic shelters that can be reserved online. One of these is really in the woods–not your typical city park shelter. There are also bathrooms with sinks and flush toilets. Nothing fancy but an upgrade from port-a-potties and outhouses. We also saw several joggers running the perimeter of the green space.

Dogs are permitted but need to be licensed and on a leash. For everyone’s safety and comfort, please observe leash laws even if your dogs are friendly. Burfoot Park is open year-round, 9am to dusk.

There are several marked trails: we took the trail marked “Beach.” We could not find a trail map at the park, but I’ll update the post when I find one.

Location: 6927 Boston Harbor Rd NE, Olympia WA 98506

Difficulty Rating: Beginner+
I am truly a novice hiker and parts of this trail down to the beach and back were challenging especially because it was wet and a bit muddy. I noticed a couple of hikers had poles and that seemed like a good idea. I recently started the 9-minute workout from the New York Times, so a couple of muscle groups complained. We saw small children to senior citizens during our visit.

What to see: Definitely worth the trip down to the beach. Even with low visibility, we could see the Olympic Mountains.

How long does it take: We walked down to the beach and back at a leisurely pace in about 40 minutes, taking time to enjoy the beach.

We are trying to visit every city, county and national park in the Olympia area this year. It’s beautiful here! Get outside!

Love,
Oly