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Rain begins immediately after rain festivalSaturday, February 3, 2007)
The photo shows the pug being felt - the official moment when our Reigning Rain Queen, Diane Phillips, pets Mattie the pug to see if her fur is wet. It was dry - and that prognosticates 7 more weeks of rain. (Wet fur means only 6 more weeks of rain.) Surrogate guardian of the pug, Bill Gorman, cannot hold back a smile of chagrin and amusement at the absurdness of the situation. Ahhh - but within an hour of this ceremony the rain began falling for the first time in almost two weeks. And it came down softly and quietly all the rest of the day - a promising start to our final 7 weeks of rain before our sunny spring in April. We thank Tracie Barrick of The Bunch for these photos.
Some of the distinguished folks attending this 5th annual Official Pacific Northwest Rain Festival. Today was a bone chilling day and, with only a few rain poems to read, the entire event was over by 11:30 am. One couple arrived at 11:35 and could not believe it was over. So we awarded them a prize from a Fairhaven merchant for missing the festival entirely. And for the first time we awarded a prize to an out of town visitor - a Seattle fellow - who had a most perfect rain outfit of Carhartt clothing. By 11:45 am, only Doug Borneman was left on the Village Green as he packed up his sound equipment - all others having retreated in hasty confusion to the fine restaurants and watering holes of Historic Fairhaven. We do enjoy them during these gray rainy days of winter. We thank the following Fairhaven merchants for donating the prizes for rain poems and best rain gear: The Bunch, Quel Fromage, Village Books, Skylarks Hidden Cafe, Four Starrs Boutique, Artesano’s, Haggen Fairhaven Market and Fairhaven Pizza. And thanks to Doug for the sound system and the appropriate rain music. Rain Festival update: Saturday mornThursday, January 25, 2007
Chance of rain during the festival today is: 60%, but only for this afternoon - after the fest. The temperature should be in the 40s by 11 am, the start of the festival. Rain brings warmer temperatures than this frigid sunny cold weather. Looks perfect for the fest. Festival is today, Saturday, Feb 3, from 11 am sharp to the noon prediction - on the Village Green. We still need - and hope for - a live musical instrument or two. A drummer for rolls and/or a horn for announcements. If you have one, we would be delighted if you brought it and helped make the festival more musical. There is a flattering and fun article in today’s Seattle Times about our Rain Fest. With such publicity, I hope we have some good rain poems entered. There is a link to this website in the article - so if any Seattle folks are reading this, please feel invited to show up with a rain poem of your own. This fest is a participatory event - all of us make it happen.
We invite you to attend and:
Something serious - the pug that will predict rainTuesday, January 23, 2007)
This little pug is getting her photo taken for possible use in a Seattle Times article. She is the one who each February, during the Rain Festival, tests the weather to see how many more weeks of rain we will enjoy during the winter. Our fun and goofy celebration is being written up for the Times by local writer Mike McQuaide who is here getting a photo of the mug of the pug. The Festival is a little over a week from now on Saturday, February 3. It starts at 11 am and is over a bit after 12 - one of the shortest fests anywhere. But we invite you to come participate. Write a rain poem, recite it and possibly win a prize. Wear your best rain gear and join the fashion show - and possibly win a prize. And, of course, you will be able to meet Mattie the pug and learn how much more rain we will get.
The rain is back as we prepare for rain celebrationWednesday, January 17, 2007)
Diane Phillips, our Reigning Rain Festival Queen, was checking for rain today - and to the delight of all of us in the Northwest, noted it was again raining. The Midwest can keep its snow. And all our snow should be melted in a couple days as the steady light rain pounds it into water. Diane, who is the proprietor of The Barber Shop on Harris Ave, will reign supreme over our annual Official Pacific Northwest Rain Festival on Saturday, February 3, from 11 am to about 1 pm. We invite you to join us for this fun and goofy mini-festival. Write a rain poem and read it in our contest. Wear your best rain gear and compete in our fashion show. Prizes from Fairhaven merchants, of course. It all takes place on the Village Green. Hopefully it will not be sunny. About that pooch. He lost interest in the photo shoot and ended his potential Hollywood career. Snowing but all open for businessWednesday, January 10, 2007)
Quite the winter. Another snowfall in Fairhaven - where we often go through a winter with no snowfall. Today, a few inches fell but most all businesses continued to be open for business. Centered in this photo is the Pythias Building, built before 1892 and continuously used by businesses to the present day. Today, Pacific Chef and the Colophon Cafe are the principle tenents. And down the block is the new Village Books building. Well, the forcast is for cold through the weekend. Nice time to enjoy one of Fairhaven’s cozy restaurants and maybe a hot chocolate. Opens Saturday - Chispa with scooters and SegwaysFriday, January 5, 2007)
The Segway - those new two wheel gizmos that you probably know about - are now on sale and for rent in Fairhaven. Above, Jennifer McCleve, zips around the test track on the floor of the new dealership in Harris Square. They open tomorrow - Saturday - with hours from 10 am to 7 pm, Tuesday thru Saturday. Yes, you can “test drive” this whizzy gadget. I did and had the knack after one trip around the track. The partners Dave McInnis and Todd McCleve - Jennifer’s husband - will also be selling scooters with famous names like Vespa and Schwinn and new names like TGB, EVT, Izip and EGO. Some electric and some gas. Check them out. Harris Square - right next to the Sirena Gelato at 960 Harris Ave. 10th Street transformation in 10 yearsFriday, December 29, 2006)
As the McKenzie Square apartment building nears completion, the new look of 10th Street becomes clear - three solid blocks of buildings. The above view looks north, with all brick Harris Square condos on the far side of the photo. The photo below looks south from the other end of 10th. Merry Christmas and Season’s GreetingsMonday, December 25, 2006
However we say it, the message is one of good will. We each have a way of wanting to express the best to others and we should all, in the spirit of this season, accept other’s wishes with a generous spirit. This season is special for all and holy to many. For Christians it is a time to celebrate the birth of Christ. For many thousands of years this has been the time of year for a new beginning. A time to reflect on the past year and on ourselves, to make plans for the new year - and to celebrate this time of rebirth with our friends and relatives. The spirit of the season is what we all share and it is in that spirit that I wish you the very best for this holiday season. Merry Christmas. - John Servais Even Historic looking police in FairhavenSaturday, December 23, 2006)
During our holidays and at some events during the year, the police patrol in Fairhaven don their 1914 uniforms. Les, on the left, and Lowell were photographed last night by Gallery West owner Dave Lucas as they paused in front of his shop. We don’t know if they were looking for old Dirty Dan Harris - to socialize, of course. Probably just doing the good job of showing the uniform on the streets as we appreciate our police doing. We invite you down to Fairhaven for your last minute shopping. Some shops will be open till 6 pm on Christmas eve, including Village Books. And if you meet these two fine fellows on the street you can wish them a Merry Christmas. A Lot of Flowers has a lot of wreathsWednesday, December 20, 2006)
Christmas and holiday decorations are in abundance at our outdoor flower shop at 11th and Harris. Penny always has the right holiday flowers, potted plants and wreaths. Lots of wreaths and of many styles. If you are not putting up a tree, consider a wreath and the fine aroma it gives to your home. And potted holiday flowers can give back to you for the rest of the winter. Many other Fairhaven shops also have decorations - some of them unique. We invite you to come to our historic district to shop for your Christmas and holiday decorations. Village Books in the early eveningSunday, December 17, 2006) Took at 4:38 pm - a little too late for the best glow in the sky. this was about 20 minutes after sunset. Should have done it about 10 minutes after.
Our anchor store in Historic Fairhaven is a book store. We are very pleased with that. Here, in a crisp December evening, is Village Books with all its holiday lights on. To the left is Paper Dreams and to the right down the hill is the Fairhaven Village Inn with Bellingham Bay in the background and the San Juan Islands in the hazy twilight. Shopping for gifts at Village Books is helped by the very knowledgeable advice of their staff. They know and love books. And the selection is huge. That lighted second floor is all fiction books. And the basement - yes, they have three floors of books - has all the specialty categories such as travel, sciences, design, business, etc. They also have a section devoted to books of our Northwest area. So - looking for a really nice present then we invite you down to Fairhaven. Village Books is open till 10 pm every night except Sunday, when open till 8 pm. Click their ad at the top of this page for their website. Toys - lots of toysThursday, December 14, 2006)
We all have kids on our gift lists - or we should have. We want you to know that in Fairhaven you have a selection of stores for shopping for children’s toys. Above is the window of the Fairhaven Toy Garden with a real ‘Radio Flyer’ racer in the window. Yes, they also have red wagons - and many unique toys. Wild Blueberries is our second full toy store and is only a block away from the Toy Garden. Academic Outfitters, two short blocks down Harris Ave, has educational games and projects with a wide range of subjects. Village Books has a special children’s book section with a huge selection, plus some fun toys mixed in. Fairhaven Bike and Mountain Sports has tricycles as well as bicycles plus snowboards and more snow fun stuff. Those are the main shops but others have neat kids items also - be it clothing, hiking shoes, or other neat things. Fairhaven shops are all locally owned shops - not a single chain store in the historic area. This gives you more selection because the owner/managers choose what items to carry and you can find many of those hard to find items not available in chains. Which gets us back to that flying racer… every little kid would love one of those. Wouldn’t you have when you were that age? We invite you to Fairhaven for your Christmas and holiday shopping. Shops and galleries stocked for ChristmasThursday, December 7, 2006)
Beautiful hand crafted wood furniture dominates the inside of Artwood Gallery on Harris Avenue. All are created by local crafts persons living in Whatcom and Skagit counties. This shop, one of two in an historic building well over 100 years old, is one of Fairnaven’s premier anchor stores, having been in business for 16 years - long before the current boom in the area. The business is a co-operative of about 20 wood workers and is managed by Erica Hume, shown at the counter. What you should know as you shop for Christmas presents is this gallery also has hundreds of inexpensive hand crafted wood gifts such as quaker boxes, jewelry and storage boxes, bowls, ingenious art for walls, lamps, and many more very imaginative and useful items. They are open till 6 pm except till 5 pm on Sunday. Erica invites you to come in and browse the gallery. Windows along the sidewalks of historic districtSunday, December 3, 2006)
We invite you down to Fairhaven for window shopping - and, of course, we expect you will be enticed into our shops. Here is just a portion of the window at Renaissnce Gallery at Harris Ave and 10th Street. Glass art of all types and for all budgets. With the return of “normal” winter weather, the streets and sidewalks are free of the ice and snow. Parking is plentiful and many shops are open into the evening hours. Fairhaven welcomes you for your holiday and Christmas shopping. The big meltThursday, November 30, 2006)
The warm south wind always follows after a snow and freeze. It started last night in Fairhaven and by this evening, the streets were again busy with cars. With the return of seasonal temperatures in the 40s and rain showers, we should see most all the snow and ice gone by late Friday. As you can see, the shops are open again after the winter blast pretty much closed our village from Sunday through Wednesday. Weather records were set in November for low temperatures, wind and rain. We welcome December. Early winter blows into Pacific NorthwestMonday, November 27, 2006) Ray Dunn braved the weather and sent me seven good photos. Used three.
It snowed all day Sunday and then the temperature started falling and the wind came up. That cold sharp wind out of the Frazer River Valley in Canada when a high pressure system is settling in - the one we usually don’t get till late January. Brrr. Maybe a foot of snow. Most businesses closed. Here is a typical view on our streets - this one on 11th this afternoon. Thanks to Ray Dunn of the Pacific Chef store for going out from his warm condo and taking this and the two photos below. South Hill glows in the afternoon sunMonday, November 27, 2006)
The faint late afternoon sun turns South Hill into a winter fantasy. The tops of historic buildings in Fairhaven are along the bottom of the photo. That’s Wardner’s Castle dominating in the middle and Sacred Heart church on the left. The snow will be around for a week or so, according to the forecasts.
Below we have a skiier and his dog gliding down Harris Avenue past the new Harris Square. And we see that our mailman, Eddie, is getting the mail delivered despite the weather. He is one of the best. We again thank Ray Dunn for these photos.
Warm galleries on a cold eveningFriday, November 24, 2006)
The annual Tour d’ Art Gallery Walk this evening featured a lot of folks talking with artists and craft persons in the cozy shops while there was very cold weather out on the streets. In the top photo, Gallery West was busy all day long. In the lower photo, Artwood had several of the wood smiths on hand to discuss their work with shoppers. The same held true in two dozen other stores.
Folks walked a bit more quickly to the next gallery. And, a personal observtion, there were more food and drink treats this year than ever before. The opening night was a quiet success. Tomorrow, Saturday evening, will see the second night of late open shops with much for everyone to enjoy. We invite you down. Shops are open till 10 pm to welcome you.
Tour d’ Art Gallery Walk on Friday & SaturdayTuesday, November 21, 2006)
Walking the streets of Fairhaven this week is to walk around merchants putting up long wreathes and lights and decorations on their shop fronts. All are getting ready for this Friday evening and the start of the annual Tour d’ Art Gallery Walk. Artists and crafts persons will be in many shops and galleries to discuss their works and help shoppers make the best buying decisions. Shops will all be fully stocked. Tis the season for shopping - and Historic Fairhaven makes it fun. Most any shop you first visit will have a two sided flyer with a map and list of participating merchants to help you find what you are looking for. You can also download it from here and print it ahead of time. It is in two files - for easy printing on your home computer. The map side - shown reduced above. And the list of galleries and shops side. But the map is only the beginning. At 5 pm the lights all get turned on - something we try to coordinate each year and it always results is the lights all being on by 5:30 but is definitely not a staged production. Many shops will have tasty treats for your enjoyment. There will be more music this year with live chorus groups. Don White will turn on the thousands of lights in the large tree behind his Skylarks restaurant on the Cobblestone walkway. A fun two evenings. We invite you down. Shop windows ready for Gallery WalkMonday, November 20, 2006)
This coming Friday and Saturday evenings - Nov 24 & 25 - are the annual Gallery Walk in Historic Fairhaven and the shops are getting their windows ready. At 5 pm on Friday, all the holiday lights get turned on along with the thousands of lights in the tree behind Skylarks Restaurant on the Cobblestone Walk. Paper Dreams already has Christmas and Holiday cards in abundance, ready for shoppers. Fairhaven has shops for every sort of gift - toy shops, art galleries, craft shops, book stores, even furniture stores - and you can find most any gift on your list. Plus the enjoyment of buying from shopkeepers who own their own businesses. There is not a single chain store in all of Historic Fairhaven. Not a single franchised restaurant. All are locally owned and managed. And all very much appreciate your patronage. You get personal service from shop owners themselves. So - join us this coming weekend for the beginning of our holiday season. We will have music, treats at different galleries and lots of warm spirits. Historic Fairhaven - a fun place to shop. Halloween photos are ready at pharmacyTuesday, November 14, 2006)
The hundreds of photos that Gordy Tweit took are now available for pickup. Free. Here, Kayla is looking for the photo of her cousin from about 100 photos on a couple large boards. There are several of these boards standing in the aisles of the Fairhaven Pharmacy. With hundreds of photos of little goblins, ghosts and monsters. And even some older ones. Just drop by and browse till you find the photo of your little one or yourself. it is an annual contribution to the community by the Fairhaven Pharmacy and Gordy - with help this year from Quick Silver Photo Lab. The pharmacy is open 9:30 am to 6 pm, Monday through Friday, and 9:30 am to 4 pm on Saturday. But do come by - as the staff will take the remaining photos down at some time later this month. Sideways in FairhavenThursday, November 9, 2006)
Skylark’s restaurant has wine tastings one or two times a month, a fine diversion during our long winter evenings. Here, Taimi and Hamilton do the appropriate motions on one of six Chardonnays at last night’s event while servers Jon and Allison watch for the expected approvals. Generally, there is a tasting from 5 to 7 pm the first Wednesday of each month - with some extra dates added as owner Don White has good selections to present. Check the Events page to track the future events you might want to attend. Of course a modest fee is charged. Photos posted in Fairhaven Pharmacy windowsFriday, November 3, 2006)
Hundreds of photos of little goblins, ghosts, cowboys and cowgirls and kids in every imaginable costume are on display. As with every year for decades now, the photos that Gordy Tweit took on Halloween are on display in the windows of the Fairhaven Pharmacy. They will only be on display for 7 days and then they can be picked up by the parents. Free. Starting next Friday, November 10 and for a couple weeks after. All this is a contribution to the community by Gordy, the pharmacy and Quick Silver Photo Labs who did the processing. (Quick Silver is in downtown Bellingham at 1130 Cornwall Ave). We thank them all. I invite you, gentle reader, to take a few moments and browse these windows. It will bring a smile to your face as you see all the seriousness that these little ones put into their characters. Great Halloween fun on Historic Fairhaven streetsTuesday, October 31, 2006)
The autumn sun, the crisp air and hundreds of little ones all made the streets of Historic Fairhaven a very fun place this afternoon. Here we look down Harris Avenue with its historic buildings dating from the 1800s. The kids didn’t care about that as they led their parents from shop to shop collecting treats. We have a set of six photos here that barely capture the magic of today. |
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