Monday, June 27, 2011

Summertime!

We Bellingham residents have been wanting a weekend like the one we just had for quite awhile. This picture was actually taken on Memorial Day, the unofficial first day of summer, but then the cool wet weather returned to dampen more than just our spirits. The official first day of summer, though, came last Tuesday and then... we had an absolutely lovely weekend. Although it was cool and a bit cloudy to begin with, Saturday got nicer and nicer. And any day we see the sun and the rain doesn't fall is a good one.

I went walking early Saturday morning with the Fairhaven walking group, after having skipped it the week before because it was raining when I woke. Yesterday we walked about five brisk miles down by the bay and ended up at the Adagio Cafe for coffee afterwards. I then moseyed down to the Farmers' Market with a new friend, Karen, who I've seen before with the walkers, but we both headed down to the market together and I got to know her a bit better. I introduced her to the Rabbit Field Farms booth, where the vendor was expecting my usual purchase of baby kale. It looked good to Karen, so she bought some too. It's especially tasty early in the season.

Then I walked over to the Y and swam a half mile, feeling like a million bucks after swimming, showering, and heading back home. After the exercise and being ready for a good lunch, I felt the weekend had an auspicious beginning. The squirrels were on the porch when I got home, and after I shoo'd them off and swept up after the birds, I realized that they aren't intimidated any more by my Super Soaker antics (which I wrote about here), because the water isn't anything that hurts them and now they know that as crazy as I look, I'm not likely to harm them either. Sigh. They have had babies, and now I have two families, a black set, smaller and native to the area, and a family of gray squirrels. I went out one day after having chased one particularly persistent guy off the porch three or four times and hurled an apple I was eating after him as he ran away. Immediately he turned and inspected it, and of course hauled it back to his den. Or maybe her den. Now I occasionally throw an apple core onto the lawn and it is gone within minutes. As long as they aren't on my porch I don't mind them. My brother-in-law used to remark that squirrels are rodents, after all, just rats with a better wardrobe.
However, I just read an article about sitting still too long in one place, that it's bad for your health. Even if you get lots of exercise otherwise, it's important to take breaks often from sitting, stand up and stretch, even for a minute. I guess these guys are doing me a favor as I snatch up my Super Soaker and run out the front door, pumping the trigger with mad abandon. They run, too, but just as soon as my back is turned, well, you know the rest.

And then yesterday, Sunday, was a brilliant day, filled with sunshine and reaching 72 degrees F. I drove down to Snohomish and ended up making four skydives before heading back home. They were all good ones, too, playing in the air with my friends and having just the best time. All my landings were good, and I'm still learning how to pack this parachute to open consistently nice and soft. I am convinced, however, that once I figure it out, I will be happy with it for the rest of my skydiving career.
Many of my apartment neighbors on the ground level (I'm on the second level) have flower gardens that are simply amazing. That's one thing I do have to say about the rain around here: everything is lush and green, and the flowers are extremely happy to show their stuff. This weekend was the beginning of what I hope will be a truly wonderful summer. And my dear virtual friends, as I read about your lives, I get to experience what your little corner of the universe is like. It means a lot to me to have such a community.
:-)

29 comments:

  1. You are a wonderful member of this online community, and I'm glad you are finally experiencing some actual summer weather. Cheers, my friend.

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  2. I have to agree with blissed-out Grandma....you are a wonderful member of the online community. I feel privileged to have the chance to blog with you.
    Glad you had some good weather out there. My son was telling me yesterday that in your area they call the month of June...'June Gloom' because of the cloudy drizzly weather. I think I'd love it in the PNW where you are...especially if the flowers love it so.
    Hope you get a chance to get right back out there skydiving asap. It seems to light up your life. xo

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  3. happy summer djan....walk,coffee, farmers market and sun...that makes for about a perfect day...smiles at the squirrels they are some of my favs...they might enjoy the super soaker if it gets hot enough...

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  4. I chuckled when I read about your super soaker and the squirrels. Seemed almost like slap stickish comedy. Enjoy the summer, DJan. We have lots of it here in Hawaii.

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  5. Yes, indeed, you are a super special member of our on-line community. Anyone who jumps out of airplanes and chases squirrels with super soakers is a person who has interesting adventure to report!

    I read in this month's Sunset Magazine that the Bellingham Farmer's Market was one of ten of the best farmer's markets from Durango, CO to Portland, OR. It had a very nice write-up and stated it is "one of Washington's biggest, most beloved markets." Lucky you for getting to visit this place as often as you like.

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  6. The columbines in the last picture were gorgeous. Also the squirrel, I have never seen one in the wild and they do look cute, though I accept that they have some less than endearing habits.
    It sounded like a great weekend. Now send that rain to us.

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  7. Where's the article about sitting still too long in one place?

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  8. What a wonderful day...month...summer! Beautiful weather, exercise, nature and good, fresh, local food. Enjoy and I hope the great weather stretches through the summer.

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  9. Glad to hear you finally got a little summer over your way DJan. It sounds like you had a busy but fun weekend.

    The squirrels have figured out what the super soaker is and now they think you are playing with them. Apple cores are a treat for the little guys, I do that sometimes too.

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  10. Squirrels are part of my life too, eventually they learn the porch is off limits, but every spring the new young ones have to be convinced! I enjoy the since of fun and appreciation in all your posts, DJan!

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  11. Just curious. What is it that the squirrels to to the porch that they need to be banned??

    I had never seen a black squirrel until I was up in Canada back in the late 60s...and haven't seen one since. We only have the grays and reds here in Minnesota and North Dakota and Wisconsin, I guess.

    Lovely flowers--but I'm still wondering about the banned squirrels?? LOL!

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  12. Okay, answer to two comments: first, the squirrels leave their little pellets of poop and are, after all, RODENTS. I'm not a fan. So I try to keep them to a minimum, which means not more than a dozen on my porch every day. :-)

    And that article about not sitting still too long is now linked to the blog, but here it is!

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  13. Thanks, Djan!
    Being a squirrel lover and general all-around rodent lover, I had to know. ;) LOL!

    My dad, on the other hand, seems to hate them with a passion and has had an ongoing squirrel war for as long as I can remember. His reason is he wants to feed the birds and not the squirrels--therefore, any squirrel is automatically his enemy.

    With you it is squirrel poop and being a rodent. I was just curios. :)

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  14. It was a lovely weekend, and today started out so warm and mild, I was surpirsed to look out and see rain. It has been a muggy day. But the cold seems to be gone for now anyway.
    We used to love the squirrels when we first moved to this property, but now not so much. We sort of consider them fuzzy tailed rats. They dig up and eat plants and bulbs, the green apples off the trees, even the cherry tree blossoms. They are a pest.

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  15. I'd say you had a great week end! Keeping active is the way to go.

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  16. What a nice patch of grass Bellingham provides for its citizens. You got a nice picture of the squirrel. If we lived in the same town I would walk right beside you to the Farmers Market. The young kale sounds like my kind of eating. We don't see anything like that here. But when we do go to another town for something, I can find the veggies there. It is giving me the strong urge to grow a few veggies next year. You are one of my blogger friends who give me the little shove to be more active. I have begun walking every morning and made a commitment to myself to be more active.

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  17. Ditto, DJan!
    Glad things are drying up and you can enjoy all the bounty that water brings to the Pacific Northwest.

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  18. I enjoy the photos you post on your header and the latest is beautiful. You must be thrilled to have a bit of dry weather for a change. We are seeing an abundance of fresh fruits and veggies in our area. Blueberries and tomatoes from the local farmer's markets are tasty this summer. Maybe continued good weather is due for your area.

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  19. Happy summer, finally! The photos of the flowers always brighten my day!

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  20. I am finding your posts very hard to read your posts.

    An early morning walk, going to the market, going for a swim and all before lunch? what kind of whirlwind are you, woman?

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  21. They say one should get up for no reason and walk to the other end of the house, for no reason. They say you live longer, for no reason.

    The reason I tried to understand religions and beliefs was that I was trying to imagine why a person becomes a Methodist or a Jew or a Catholic and why one religion seems to have more appeal than the others. To do this I had to learn as much as I could about them and then decided none were right for me. It was quite a trip that lasted for about ten years.

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  22. Isn't it great when the sun comes out after weeks of cloud and rain! However, we have just had two very hot days, followed by a thunder storm and I was quite glad when today was cooler. Sounds like you're enjoying the summer over there (smile).

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  23. Apparently the real summer is suppose to arrive on Friday. Admittedly, I'm not looking forward to it. This Pixie's wings melt in too much heat.

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  24. Your weather sounds so much better than mine. We use to have 80 in June, and 90's July and sometime upper 90's in August. Now we just have August all summer. It's too hot to even enjoy the outside.
    We are having a problem with the deer eating our flowers. Not sure what we are going to do.

    Oh btw.........you've rubbed off on me........I've worked out almost everyday since I've been out of school. Thanks:))

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  25. some good weather lifts the duldrums doesn't it

    love chasing squirrels with water guns :)

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  26. hey - did you see the time you signed this post? 12:22. Nice!

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  27. It sounds like a perfect summer weekend. I appreciate that you took me along with you. Baby kale? That sounds wonderful.

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  28. You are reminding me that I need to get up right now and move around. I am guilty of sitting here at the computer MUCH too long!

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  29. The promise of summer gives me encouragement. I love the Summer.

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