DOG DAYS OF SUMMER IN PUGET SOUND

"Summer's lease hath all too short a date." William Shakespeare

TODAY'S BLOG FEATURES TEN "OFF THE BEATEN PATH" ATTRACTIONS RAIN OR SHINE IN PUGET SOUND. ENJOY!

I am one of those people who uses a phrase, while also wondering where it came from. The “dog days of summer” is one of them. Webster’s dictionary defines it as the period between early July and early September when the hot, sultry weather of summer usually occurs in the northern hemisphere. In the southern hemisphere they are between January and early March. According to Wikipedia, the roots go back to ancient times when Romans associated hot days with Sirius, the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major (Large Dog). This star was supposedly the cause of hot weather. It was believed by some to be an evil time “when the sea boiled, wine turned sour, dogs grew mad, and all creatures became languid, causing to man burning fevers, hysterics and phrensies” (from Brady’s Clavis Calendarium, 1813). Check that site and others if you share my fascination for how the phrase came to be.

So what about Puget Sound’s dog days? In the opening quotation, Shakespeare could have had Seattle in mind had he known about it. Last week we returned from Fresno and its 100 degree weather to fog, 70 degrees, and now rain. I didn't want to go to Fresno during what is usually a week of "best weather" in Seattle. In fact I moaned beforehand to everyone around me about being stuck in Fresno at the end of July. Little did I know then that those might be the only "dog days" I would get. By the way, now I think back with a twinge of nostalgia to strolling along a path in the Sequoia National Forest in shorts and a tank top, the warm sun kissing me and the earth, the heady scent of evergreen in the air. It also seems like the act of eating dinner out on a restaurant terrace at 10:00 p.m., the air still balmy from the day's heat, is more romantic, lending an ambience one doesn't get on a drizzly day.

We in the northwest often find ourselves defending our much maligned weather by reminding people that we get less rainfall than many other more popular cities. According to the internet's Live Science, Seattle's " annual rainfall of 37.1 does not even put it in the top ten rainiest cities, which might surprise you. It did me. Here are average annual rainfalls for the following cities: Mobile, Alabama--67 inches; Pensacola, Florida--65 inches; New Orleans, Louisiana--64 inches; West Palm Beach, Florida--63 inches; Lafayette, Louisiana--62 inches; Baton Rouge, Louisiana--62 inches; Miami, Florida--62 inches; Port Arthur, Texas--61 inches; Tallahassee, Florida--61 inches; and Lake Charles, Louisiana--58 inches.

The difference, of course, is the color gray. Those places listed above no doubt get their rain all at once during a shorter time with long periods of sun and blue sky in between. We get ours in the form of gentle drops, drizzle or mist especially in November through February. I'm actually looking out my window now, during this first week of August, at the color gray - gray sky with some blue in the distance, and the pewter gray water of the Strait of Georgia, north of Puget Sound. It’s ranging from rain to drizzle, and is not what I expected when I fantasized about Seattle while sweating it out in Fresno during its dog days.

Until 2006 when I was teaching full time in Seattle I would begin to panic about this point in the summer break. The first month was devoted to collapsing, rejuvenating, and taking summer classes. Then I would realize I only had a few weeks before school began again and I hadn’t even started on the list of things I had put off during the school year, much less do local sightseeing and get some much needed sun time.

Even though I’m retired now, I still feel cheated as one gray day follows another, and I wonder what has happened to the “dog days of summer” in our area. O.K. O.K. so let’s stop moping around and think about what you CAN do in 60 degree weather that is within an easy commute. How about these ideas, some of them “off the beaten track”. By the way, that’s another phrase I’d like to check out some time.

1. Park your car in Edmonds, hop on the Edmonds-Kingston Ferry as a foot passenger, and explore the little town of Kingston, having lunch in one of several nearby restaurants. Upon your return spend a tourist dollar or two in quaint downtown Edmonds at one of its many restaurants, wine bars and cute shops. Finish your day with a movie at the Edmonds Theater where you go back in time to an old-fashioned venue, even climbing up narrow stairs to a real balcony.

2. The eastside provides many locations for outdoor fun. At Marymoor Park in Redmond, you can walk the dog off leash, bird watch, play soccer, baseball or cricket, climb a 35 foot free standing structure, hike or stroll scenic trails and explore 640 acres, with beautiful Lake Samamish nearby. If the weather is not too inclement, bring along a blanket and a picnic lunch.

3. Go a little further east and have lunch in Issaquah’s XXX Root Beer Drive-In located at 98 NE Gilman Blvd. Talk about stepping back in time. Your senses are assaulted, first by a collection of vintage cars in the parking lot, then inside, which features 50s and 60s memorablia including juke boxes, license plates, posters of old time celebrities, etc. Since you’ve gone that far, drive a little further east on I-90 and check out the always spectacular Snoqualmie Falls.


4. Kelsey Creek Farm, located at 410 130th Place SE in Bellevue, contains 140 acres of meadows, woods, and breathtaking vistas. Children have a chance to see farm animals up close, hike and and view wildlife, picnic and play.

5. Rock wall climbing in Ballard’s Stone Garden is an exciting activity, It’s located at 2839 N.W. Market Street. There are lessons for beginners and pretty amazing walls for more advanced climbers. Then check out the adjacent Government Locks, and the always fascinating fish ladder. Watch the sea lions cavort nearby looking for a tasty meal, then head for Golden Gardens to make s’mores or roast hot dogs in a fire pit.

6. If you want to do something really off-beat with your kids, take them to Creation Station at 18511 64th Aveue W in Lynnwood. They call themselves an innovative craft store. I call them a teacher’s dream craft store and more. Here you can have birthday parties, field trips, and just drop in to create whatever your imagination dictates. You will be using new and found objects ranging from craft and specialty kits to glass beads, remnants, pom poms, etc. It’s a great place to while away a drizzly day.

7. Camp Long is West Seattle’s gem of a city park and a “best kept” Seattle secret. Located at 5200 35th Ave. W, you enter a lodge where you can meet naturalists who will tell you all about the park’s offerings. The lodge has a kitchen space and a meeting room with artifacts and wild life information. Find out about renting one of the ten rustic cabins for a family overnight. Two have covered picnic areas, and there is also a group fire ring and climbing rock. The cabins are scattered throughout the woods which surround an immense meadow with ponds and wetlands for exploring. I have taken many of my classes there on field trips - one of their favorites.

8. Country Village, located at 23718 Bothell Everett Highway has a plethora of shops, restaurants and experiences to delight young and old alike. As the name might indicate, the shops appeal to people who love arts, crafts and goods from an earlier time in America. Experiences range from dance and magic shows, pony and train rides, cookie decorating and more.

9. Mercer Island boasts a number of great parks, but one is particularly oriented to children, ages 3 to 8. Dragon Park at 5500 Island Crest Way is a child’s fantasy land of dragons, castle play scapes and woods that might be reminiscent of those experienced by Snow White or Hansel and Gretel. For the grown ups try the Park on the Lid which covers the I-90 freeway and has wonderful views of the Seattle sky line. Play tennis or basketball, or walk and enjoy the park’s many amenities while 60 mph traffic roars below.

10. Crossroads Mall, located on the eastside at NE 8th and 156th will give you a great multi-cultural experience. It is not like any other Seattle area mall, with its ethnic food booths, and cribbage or checker games constantly in progress. While you check out the available events and activities, your ear might hear Hindi, Bengali, Urdu, Spanish, Chinese, Russian, and English with an Irish accent, among other languages. Truly, this is a local slice of the world.

With these ten ideas you can accomplish three things. First, get to know more about our area’s special places, even if you aren’t able to lie roasting on a beach in 90 degree weather. Next, you can give your children some great memories for their summer vacation, while keeping well within a vacation budget. Finally, if you are a teacher, all the ideas provide enrichment and field trip ideas for your students when school resumes in a few weeks.

Finally, dog days be damned. I’ll take Puget Sound’s weather whatever it is and remember that this most amazing gray weather turns the trees and grass to green, the towering mountains to white, and the western sky to incredible, if not daily, brilliantly beautiful rainbow colored sunsets. If you are reading this from somewhere else, please visit as long as you like. There’s a lot to see on one of our gray days.