Wet

July is usually our driest month, and in fact we've had barely a trace of rain since June.  The lawns around the neighborhood are crispy and yellow as straw, so it was nice to wake up to the unfamiliar sound of rain this morning and the smell of water on dry grass.

Western Washington might have record-breaking precipitation today.  Best of all, the rain is extending across the eastern half of the state. This will help the firefighters and hopefully clear some of the unhealthy air.

Ash and smoke on an central Washington highway...

Every red dot on this map indicates a structure lost in the Carlton Complex fire. You can see the little town of Twisp in the center of the map, thankfully spared from major damage up to this point.  However, the landscape along our familiar drive up the Methow Valley from Pateros will be transformed for many years to come.  This area is known for its beautiful ranch land, and there's been a big loss of livestock and wildlife, along with all the homes and buildings.

Amanda, Tom, and the girls are driving back to Twisp this morning on the North Cascades Highway. It isn't a great day to be out on mountain roads, but they need to get home and back to work this week.  Vaya con Dios.