November 23, 2010
The only thing that stands between below freezing temperatures and having the Missions main 
waterline busted is a simple heatlamp in the pumphouse. Last Thursday, as we unwound last winter’s lamp (it got itself broken over the summer) the innards of the ceramic light base came out with it. With those insistent warnings of cold temperatures from the evening news ringing in our ears, the next morning we went to the lumberyard in Toppenish, bought a new lamp base, and went back to the Mission and pumphouse and replaced the base and the light.
Today, as we watch snow fall and can’t seem to get out of the twenties, we’re feeling better all the time knowing the light in pumphouse is glowing.
© David B. Bell 2010
Chewing the Cud 