Cascade

My housemate just got her film developed from the trip to the North Cascades. In the middle of this picture you can see a rushing waterfall that drops probably a hundred feet. There could be seen and heard throughout our hike from the snow and glacial melt from high above. I look forward to getting back to the mountains - maybe in a few weeks. I now realize why they call these mountains The Cascades.

But right now there is much happening in Bellingham. Tomorrow (Saturday) is another garden tour (like the one we had in March) and the weather looks fine, although a bit chilly. It has actually been colder than I would expect in the summer. I like it in the mid seventies, and the last few days seems to be more in the sixties. But at least it is sunny.

And speaking of water, I like to think Bellingham is very progressive city. But today I rode to a client's up on Lake Whatcom - our city's water supply. I've never (ever) lived in place where there is such extensive development immediately on the lake and its watershed. And to further complicate things, the lake's water quality is deteriorating at alarming levels. It makes me realize that Bellingham in some ways is nothing more than an ignorant, hillbilly logging town. I realize greed has much to do with it also, as development is a huge business in Bellingham and many people with money and influence live on the lake. So building, development, fertilizers, and big powerboats are a fair trade-off for jeopardizing our city's water supply. Let our children deal with our stupidity. (Actually your children, as I have none.)

This is sad that we are destroying our water. Next to Lake Tahoe, Bellingham has the best municipal water I've ever tasted. It is funny how so many people buy bottled water that comes out of a filtered spigot from god-knows-where when they have this yummy water coming from their taps. And are willing to pay thousands of times more for bottled it. Gullible consumers.