Rain begins immediately after rain festival

<< Back to archives | Saturday, 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.