Solstice 2017

A Great Blue Heron fishes in Sequim Bay, WA.

All promises of warmer weather by the National Weather Service in Seattle are suspect now. We have been hearing from them that that "tomorrow is going to be significantly warmer than yesterday," for weeks and I don't call a 4 degree increase particularly significant.

The heron takes off for other fishing locations.

The heron doesn't care as long as the fishing is good. But we are under grey skies again and I have to reorder another bottle of Vitamin D - sigh. My happiness factor is not weather-dependent, but my gardening is suffering from limited sun exposure. The bees have been doing their due-diligence in pollinating, but the flowers seem droopy.

Last year, I never even went swimming in Lake Crescent because there was not enough sunshine to warm up even the top layer close to the beach. Coupled with snowpack running off this year, I cannot begin to forecast a day when I might willingly put my toe into the water, much less my entire body.

I was on the Sequim Bay Race Committee on the weekend of June 17th, which by 'normal' (meaning past years) conditions should have been in the 70's. But I was wearing long underwear, a down vest and was still feeling cold in the low 50's under cloudy - and then windless - skies. We were only able to run two good races. And anyone without a motor and no paddles had to be towed back to the marina.

Five boats turned out for the June 17th Saturday races and a good start.

My house in Florida looks more and more inviting except for the bugs, snakes and humidity. Oh, and being too far from the ocean.