I’m back home and it’s August. While most of the country is in what they call the dog days of summer, as I get back in synch with my dog’s days, I’m reminded that our SE Alaska Augusts can be rough. I flew in from Seattle last night, on a plane filled with triathletes coming in for the Ironman. A cool guy named Andy from Minnesota asked, “Is August your hottest month”? We’re all a bit worried about hypothermia in the athletes as the National Weather Service predicts an “atmospheric river” event the next few days. The better part of two hours swimming in 50-something degree water, 6+hours of riding a bike in driving wind and heavy rain, and then… a marathon. The Lab Days of summer is more like it.

Cedar and I just hit the big trees, my first time on the trail since mid-July. The forest smelled like God’s musty basement. July was hard on vegetation and berries. The remaining blueberries tasted like earthy water; some watermelon berries looked and tasted like an acidy purple grape my grandfather used to grow. And some of the salmonberries appeared to have just dripped back into the ground. Better luck next year.

Maybe most ominous were the few yellow Devil’s Club leaves. It’s as if they’re trading in the green for some striking red berries at their tops (that I need to research). Skunk cabbage seems to be giving up defying gravity, ready to accept its watery-muddy fate.

  • Tall trees made me breathe deep (and I could see my breath)…
  • Old man contemplates Old Man’s Beard…
  • Yellow
  • Red
  • Mottled
  • Wine-dark watermelon berries

It appears Cedar’s dog days have been excellent, much thanks to Tenley, her new pal, who we’ll say good-bye, and gunalchéesh awaa to tomorrow.

We’ve had a few folks plan visits in August this year. The title of this post comes from the old hurricane warning I grew up with, for sailors considering voyages.

June, too soon. July, stand by. August, if you must. September, REMEMBER! October, ALL OVER!

Retooling this advice for visitors might look something like this:

June, too late. (May is the driest month. But there should be a king salmon or two.). July, Come on by (but bring your rain gear). August, if you must (or if you just want to catch fish). September, REMEMBER (I told you not to come this month unless you just want to catch fish!) October, ALL OVER!