Lummi Island Wine Tasting Sept 7 ’13
Another Drydock
Okay, here’s a wild and crazy idea— a little late for this year, but hey, suppose that next year when the Whatcom Chief goes out of service for three weeks of drydock maintenance, instead of having the whole complicated passenger boat, bus shuttle, parking hassles, and so forth, we took the opportunity to “try out” possible replacement ferry designs. Would that be fun or what? We could play around with different schedules, maybe even try out a boat that would go all the way to Fairhaven so we could see what that would be like! While we’re at it, maybe sometime we ought to try out a floating bridge, too…! If Alaska can build a “bridge to Nowhere,” certainly Washington State can build a bridge to Lummi Island, where there is a lot more “here” here than there is “there” there. Pass it on!
Lummi Island Run Reminder!
As we mentioned a few weeks ago, the Beach School PTO is doing an ambitious fund-raiser on September 8 that should appeal to many of you who read this blog. It’s a Run on the Island, a bit more grand than the “Run on the Rock” events held a few years ago. See the complete brochure online for all the ways you can participate and make the event a success. You youngsters (you know, under 60!) should go easy and sign up for the half-marathon, and maybe a bunch of us geezers can sign up for a nice long walk that day…! Seriously, there are several options, and to add a little incentive, we will give all of you who participate a free “thank you” tasting to help you recover!
Start times
14-mile: 8:30am
7-mile: 9am
3.5-mile: 9:30am
100-yard dash: 9:45am
The Obscure County Election That Could Change the Planet–OMD, it’s OURS!
It has been national news for some months that the upcoming Whatcom County Council election may have global (No, I am not making this up) environmental and social implications. This is of course because the next Council may decide whether or not to allow the huge, proposed Peabody Coal Train/Port development project to locate here. As this article points out, our job as voters is particularly complicated: “here’s the kind of Twin Peaks twist you find only in local politics: The council is designated as a “semi-judicial” body, a sort of mini-court. That means candidates can’t disclose whether they would vote for or against the terminal, leaving voters in the dark about whom to support.”
The picture shown above is of Richards Bay, a comparably sized coal port in Africa to that proposed for our area. I am mentioning this here and now because this is a serious issue that deserves serious consideration by all of us who vote here. As mentioned above, our candidates are, perverse as it is, not allowed to say whether they support or oppose the coal port and all its implications. That means that we as voters must look deeper than rhetoric and slogans when marking our ballots. We must look at candidates’ track records, and make some inferences about their values. Candidates who have strong environmental credentials are likely to oppose the coal port. Candidates who have shown strong business, development, and property rights affiliations are more likely to support the coal port. Whatever your point of view, I urge you to get informed and to take this particular County Council election very, very seriously.
This week’s tasting
Cottat “Grand Caillou” Sauvignon Blanc ’11 France $11
Offers a light, crunchy feel, with lemon peel, thyme and tarragon notes, showing a flash of gooseberry on the finish.
Eguren Protocolo Rosado ’12 Spain $8
Bright, mineral-accented aromas of redcurrant and strawberry, with incisive citrus fruit and red berry flavors that gain weight with air. Finishes dusty and long, with lingering spiciness.
Venta Morales Tempranillo ’12 Spain $8
Bright purple; pungent aromas of cherry, blackcurrant and dark chocolate. Supple and juicy in the mouth, with spice-accented cherry and fresh herb flavors, finishing on a tangy note.
Montes Classic Cabernet Sauvignon ’10 Chile $10
Medium- to full-bodied; delivers solid varietal character, with cassis, ripe plum, graphite and medium tannins adding grip to the finish.
Bieler Lou Ven Tou Rouge ’11 France $10
(84% grenache, 13% syrah, 2% cinsault and 1% carignan): Dark ruby. Spicy red fruits on the nose and in the mouth. Juicy and easygoing, with good energy on the clean, peppery finish.
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2072 Granger Way