Enjoying the great outdoors

This last Saturday, Cathy and I decided we needed to get out of the house for a bit. Since our choices for outings are somewhat limited due to the coronavirus, we decided to get out the snowshoes and drive north. Along the way, we saw families out sledding in the snow. We are a bit old for that now, but it was fun to see them enjoying themselves and it brought back nice memories.
 We ended up by the Tamarack Mill on a section of the Weiser River Trail. The day was gray and cold with a slight wind. But the weather didn’t matter. The snow was powdery and soft. It was still on the pines and firs from the last snow and it was just plain beautiful. We didn’t end up walking that far or spending that much time. Just having a chance to get out and enjoy the fresh air, listen to the birds and the stream, and have a little exercise was well worth the drive.
 I’m always amazed how just a little bit of a break from the normal routine adds to everyday living. I’m also thankful to live where we do, since we have so much of the outdoors available to us with just a little bit of effort.
 On the COVID-19 front, Washington County passed the 1,000 total cases mark this last Sunday. However, for the moment, the rate of new infections is going down.
 At the end of November Washington County was averaging slightly over 12 new cases per day. The numbers went down for a couple of weeks, but rose again to over 11 new cases per day in mid-December.
 Currently, the average is 5 plus per day. This still leaves us in the “red” category, but the lower numbers are a welcome improvement. However, it is too soon to let down our guard. A surge is expected from get-togethers over Christmas. So, please continue to wear a mask, distance, and wash your hands.
 For the businesses, there is new information about the next round of financial assistance from the recently passed COVID-19 relief bill. If you go online to sba.gov you will immediately see a link to information about the assistance programs that are included in the package. SBA is saying in their press release that it will take some time for this relief package to roll-out. If you are in need of assistance, the SBA is recommending that you contact your bank or CPA to prepare now for when the programs become available. As with the relief programs this past spring, funds are not expected to be available for very long.
 As for the city of Weiser, this time of year, the different departments are pretty much in maintenance and repair mode, so it’s pretty quiet around here, other than continuing with alley clean-up.
 Well, that’s it for this week. Hope it’s a good one.