Subdued

Historic Whatcom County agriculture photos, courtesy of the Lynden Pioneer Museum. –PHILIP A. DWYER|THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

So today is cloudy, chilly and looks like rain soon. Fortunately the weather will break later in the week for the Subdued Stringband Jamboree. This is the tenth year for it, although only the first year that I will be attending. I think that I will be camping two of the three nights too. It starts Friday, but I am working at the show in Deming, so I need to go up on Thursday for an orientation followed by a concert later in the evening. High seventies and sunny.

It was a mild winter here in Bellingham and this led to a cooler summer. This morning's Herald mentioned how raspberry production is down 20% this year due to the damp and cold June. Geeze, and I thought it was a typical June. But a few years ago when I was haveing dinner on Montmartre, the owner told me of a saying in France: "Christmas on the balcony means Bastille Day by the fire." I think the same thing could be said here too. But the second half of of summer hopefully awaits, and yesterday's soaking rain was much needed. Now for some much needed yard work clearing the uber-aggressive blackberries. Maybe I will go pick some this week, as they are in high season right now. It seems thet send shoots out the first year that late turn into producing plants the following. That's my observation, at least.