• Vaughn Kreestoe: Musical performance at Graham’s Restaurant, Glacier. 21+ after 10 p.m. Call 599-1964.

SATURDAY, AUG. 28
• Lake Ann hike: Join the Mount Baker Club at this alpine tarn at the base of Mt Shuksan. Hike is 8 miles round trip, 2,000 foot elevation gain. Call Ron at 733‐1183.

• Elites Summer Fun Run Car Show: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Deming Logging Show Grounds. The 30th Annual Collector Car Show sponsored by the 4th Corner Elites Car Club of Bellingham is a fundraiser for scholarships to the Bellingham Technical College’s automotive program and other kids charities. Wide range of cars from the 1920’s up thru the 1980’s, Semi-trucks and other specialty vehicles. Food vendors available. $3 for spectators, $10-$45 for car entrants. Call (360) 380-2733.

• The Explosive History of Heather Meadows: Join Dave Tucker, Mount Baker volcanologist and research associate at Western Washington University’s Geology Department for a geological trip back in time. 1 p.m. Heather Meadows. Free, but parking pass required.

• Saturday Afternoon at the Library: Explore the Past, Enrich the Present in 2010. Laura Jacoby will present local history that was inspired by her grandfather, the late Galen Biery. His original glass slides form the core of her presentation. Too large for a regular projector, the slides will be shown on a rare magic lantern slide projector, also known as a stereopticon).  Everson Public Library, 104 Kirsch Drive. Call 966-5100.

• Summer Reading Continues through August for children, teens and adults! End of Summer Reading Party will be held Saturday, August 28 at 10:30 a.m. with Laurie Dawson and Ken Myhre. Winners will be named for two bicycles donated by the Nooksack Valley Masons, wooden puzzles, and other prizes! Music by Stumpf Family Singers. All ages. Everson Public Library, 104 Kirsch Drive. Call 966-5100.

• Wild About Salmon Campfire Talk: 6 p.m. Douglas Fir Campground Picnic Shelter. Sponsored by NSEA River Stewards. Learn about salmon and stream ecology and the status of wild salmon runs in the Nooksack River while snacking on smoked salmon, cream cheese, and crackers around the campfire.

• Lane Fernando: Musical performance at Graham’s Restaurant, Glacier. 21+ after 10 p.m. Call 599-1964.

SUNDAY, AUG. 29

• Hike to Cow Heaven: Join the Mount Baker Club on this all you can eat blueberry hike with 4,000 feet elevation gain, 11 miles round trip (with optional continuation to Helen Butte). Call Paul at 676‐9843 to register.

• Heather Meadow: Forged by Fire and Ice. US Forest Service and Yellowstone Institute Volunteer Mary Beth Phelan will lead a nature walk on the Fire and Ice trail. This walk is wheelchair accessible. After the Fire and Ice walk, Mary Beth will take interested group members further on to the Bagley Lakes trail. This portion will not be wheelchair accessible. 1 p.m. Heather Meadows. Free, but parking pass required.

• bandZandt: Live music by local band bandZandt at the Blue Mountain Grill, 3-7 p.m. Bring your chairs, bring a blanket for the lawn. Blue Mountain Grill, 974 Valley Highway, Acme. Call 595-2200.

• Noisy Waters: A Nooksack River Walk. 9 a.m. Horseshoe Bend Trail Head, east of Glacier. Sponsored by NSEA River Stewards. Discover the vast aquatic mysteries of the river world and the riparian zone.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 4

• Peddlers Market: Free space, bring a table. Sell your wares. Blue Mountain Grill, 974 Valley Highway, Acme. Starts at 9am. Call 595-2200.

• Is That a Bear Over There? Forest Service Volunteer Mountain Steward Elmer Roomsa shares his knowledge about our local Black Bear population. 1 p.m. Heather Meadows. Free, but parking pass required.

• Giant Book and Bake Sale: Sponsored by the Friends of the North Fork Community Library.  Proceeds will go toward the building fund for the new North Fork Community Library.  10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the parking lot of the Maple Falls Library (7509 Mt. Baker Hwy). Donations of books and baked goods appreciated. Volunteers are needed to staff the sale. For information, call 599-2020.

• 1st Annual Mt. Baker Foothills Car Show: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Maple Falls. Seeking all classics, restored, muscle cars, hot rods, customs, rat rods, trucks, unfinished, and low riders. Starting at the A&R Building, 7463 Mt. Baker Highway, Maple Falls. Cost is $10 per entry, includes one dash plaque and trophy ballot for best-of-show. Live band scheduled (tentative), and 50/50 drawing with 50 percent of proceeds to benefit the Mt. Baker Lions Club. For more details call Dan Graham at 599-2453.

• Noisy Waters: See Aug. 29.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 5

• Lions, No Tigers, and Bears. Oh My. Forest Service Volunteer Mountain Steward Elmer Roomsa shares his knowledge about our local Black Bear and cougar populations. 1 p.m. Heather Meadows. Free, but parking pass required.

• Monthly Community Pancake Breakfast: Featuring made from scratch pancakes, french toast, sausage, scrambled eggs, juice and coffee, and biscuits and gravy. Cost is $5/adult, $2/kids 6-10 and free for kids 5 and under. 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Rome Grange, 2821 Mount Baker Highway, east Bellingham.

• Giant Book and Bake Sale: See Sept. 5

FRIDAY, SEPT. 10

• Festival 542: Friday, Sept. 10 through Sunday, Sept. 12. Races include cyclocross, running and  Mt. Baker Hill Climb cycling. Band, food, awards. Glacier and Maple Falls. Details at norka.us.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 11
• Mt. Baker the Stories Behind the Beauty: Reminisces of Jake Steiner as told to Virginia Hoyt. Erica Kennedy, a Discover Your Northwest interpreter, will present Virginia Hoyt’s slide show about the road development of the area. Jake Steiner was born in Glacier. His parents homesteaded in the area in the late 1800s. 1 p.m. Heather Meadows. Free, but parking pass required.

• Festival 542: See Sept. 10.

• Extreme String: Impossible string puzzles, games, and art with Catherine Sarette. For school-age kids. 10:30 a.m.  Everson Public Library. Call 966-5100.

• Fall in the Orchard: When is it ripe? How do I store it? These are two of the most commonly asked questions in the fall. This free workshop includes ways to determine if fruit is ready to be picked, proper picking, and best storage methods.10:30 a.m. to noon. Cloud Mountain Farm, Everson.

• 1st Annual South Fork Nooksack River Canoe Clean Up: NSEA, RE Sources and the Northwest Straits Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation will paddle down the South Fork of the Nooksack River from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in an effort to remove litter from the riverbanks. Volunteers needed. Registration  required. Contact Volunteer Coordinator Lindsay Taylor at 715-0283 or ltaylor@n-sea.org.

• 3rd annual Whatcom County Farm Tour: Sponsored by Sustainable Connections. Visit 11 area farms. See www.sconnect.org for more information.

• Whatcom County Dahlia Society Annual Flower Show: Noon to 5 p.m. at Bloedel Donovan Park. Over 2,000 dahlia flowers exhibited from Washington and B.C.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 15

• Basics of Pressure Cooker Canning: Workshop taught by Suzy Hymas, WSU Master Food Preserver and Safety Advisor. Dos and don’ts of using a pressure cooker for home canning projects. 6-8 p.m. Rome Grange, 2821 Mount Baker Highway. $10 per person. Registration required. Call CoCo at 671-5768.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 17

• Deming Friends Fall Book Sale: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Lots of books. A Farmers Market will be held Sept. 18  from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Find fresh fruits and vegetables grown by local farmers from the Foothills area. Sponsored by South Fork Valley Community Association. Deming Library, 5044 Mt. Baker Highway. Call 592-2422.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 18

• Build a Library Benefit Dinner and Dance for North Fork Library: 5:30 – 10 p.m. at Kendall Elementary. Live music from Bentgrass and End of the Road String Band. Hotdog and hamburger dinner provided by the Mt. Baker Lions Club at 5:30 p.m. Music and dancing from 7- 10 p.m. Suggested donation of $5 per person. Proceeds toward new library building in Kendall. Sponsored by the Friends of the North Fork Community.

ONGOING

Bingo in Sumas: Proceeds benefit veterans, charities and local scholarships. Sumas American Legion Hall, 134 Harrison St. Sundays at 12:40 p.m., Mondays and Thursdays at 6:40 p.m. Call 966-4971.

Deming Library: Open Monday-Wednesday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 5044 Mt. Baker Highway. Call 592-2422.

Deming Speedway: Racing every Friday night. $10/adult, $8/senior and junior, and free for kids 7 and under. 4605 Deming Road. 592-5025.

Everson Library: Open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed Sunday. 104 Kirsch Drive, Everson. Call 966-5100.

Everson Senior Center: Wednesdays and Fridays 12:45 p.m. PINOCHLE; Every Wednesday: 10:30 a.m. Exercise for Women and 12:45-2 p.m. Watercolor Class; Every Friday: 10:30 a.m. Bible Study; Aug. 13: Spinning Demonstration by Linda Bylsma; Aug. 20: 12:45 Bingo; and Aug. 27: Birthday Lunch. Regular hot lunch at noon. Pick up menus at Senior Center. Cost is $3 to $5.50 by donation. Membership dues $10 per year. Open Wed. and Fri., 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., 111 W. Main St. Call 966-3144.

Kept in Stitches: Tuesdays from 6:30-8 p.m. Everson-McBeath Library, 104 Kirsch Dr., Everson. For more information, call 966-5100.

Knit Night at Deming Library: Wednesdays from 6:30-8 p.m. All welcome. 5044 Mt. Baker Highway, Deming. Call 592-2422.

Lake Whatcom Railway: Saturday and Tuesday train schedule for the summer starts Saturday, July 31. 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Advance appointments can be made on other days. Tickets are $18 per adult, $9 under 18 and free for under 2. Call 595-2218 or visit www.lakewhatcomrailway.com.

Maple Falls Library: Open Tues. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thurs. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sat. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 7509 Mt. Baker Highway. 599-2020.

Maple Falls Sew and Sews (quilt group) meets the third Monday at 6:30 at Kendall Elementary School. Quilters of all skill levels. 392-8717.

Sumas Senior Center: Lunch available Monday and Friday. All welcome. Call 988-2714 for potluck dates, lunch menu. 461 2nd Street, Sumas.

Sumas Library: Open Mondays and Wednesdays 12:30-7:30 p.m. and Saturday noon to 4 p.m. 451 2nd Street, Sumas. Call 988-2501.

Sumas Library Knit Night: Enjoy conversation while working on needle crafts. Mondays 6-7:30 p.m. Free, open to the public. Call 988-2501.

Welcome Valley Senior Center: Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 5103 Mosquito Lake Road, Deming. Call 592-5403 for events and lunch menu.

Wickersham Bookmobile: Saturdays from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at the Little Brown Chapel, Wickersham and Royer Streets. Visit wcls.org.

The Write Idea: A writing and discussion club for authors of all ages. Bring pen/pencil, paper, and ideas. Thursdays, from 4-6 p.m. at the Everson Library, 104 Kirsch Drive, 966-5100.

Friday after work, rushing home, grabbing last minute stuff, rushing off again to meet friends and neighbors. Oh yeah, forgot the family so rush back load them in and hit the road again. We’re already late so we have sandwiches packed for after we get there. The goal is to rush up the highway, rush into one of three places we’ve been told we have a place saved, rush to set up our tent and organize our stuff. Then rush to get with friends and see the music. That is see the friends and hear the music.
We drove past the first couple spots saved for us and ended up at the end of the access road in a decidedly relaxed location. Once cleared by security that we could actually stay here we relaxed even more. We set up camp, chatted with folk, then pulled enough stuff together to make it an evening. As we passed through a gate and walked around neighbors playing with strings and enjoying each other’s company, we caught the flow of the night.Smiling to myself and the place as a whole I led my family to a spot in the center of the grassy auditorium.
Friends moved in and out of the dusk as our daughter rose up and shadows turned dark. She was ready to dance to the String Band Jamboree. It may be called “Subdued”, but for our 4-year-old daughter it’s anything but. She loves to swing and twirl as she laughs and giggles, the higher and faster the better. Sweating I was relieved when she asked to get on my shoulders. She needed to see better and was fascinated by the musicians. Especially when they kicked up the slanted stage right in front of us, she thought they were playing just for her.  For both of us the music was fine from whatever location it came, fireside impromptus’ as much a treat as the rest.
Waking the next morn to the warmth of the place, we forgot where we were for a time. Too hot to be home, but then the Log Show grounds, the people and the music were once again familiar. A big pot of camp coffee and we found ourselves again seated amongst friends enjoying the entertainment. This morning brought tales of magic and magic tails, jokes and laughter and thankfulness that it wasn’t me on the tall stilts; the evening before still rested on my shoulders.
We watched as the shade chased the crowd and the grass stretched tall in the sunshine. Always with an ear to the music and a smile to the world, we hoola hooped and swung some more. And thanks to the girl whose hoop we borrowed, I didn’t know where it came from until she asked politely for it back. Sooner than was possible the evening shadows fell for the second time that weekend. But for some reason the dusk didn’t bring any of the bugs you normally see on a warm August night.  Even the bugs were subdued.
After a short social excursion to talk with people I didn’t know and connect with those I did, I made my way through the dark to our family’s spot in the grass. There I found our daughter wrapped up in the blanket like the burrito I’d had for supper, fighting to stay awake so she could still hear the music. It was now that I realized that we’d left the rush far behind, and struggled to recall what all the rushing was about.
The next morning we awoke to more sunshine and hot temperatures, and our daughter asking to go back over to the music festival before we went home. We explained the festival was over and slowly broke camp, in the end reluctant to drive away. She wasn’t really sad, and talked about coming again next year.  She did seem a little subdued, but wasn’t that the point? And it went well with the little smile she had on her face.

John McKnight has been exploring Whatcom and Skagit counties for over 25 years. He can be e-mailed at john@foothillsgazette.com.

Pruning perennials often confuses gardeners. Which perennials do I cut back? When do I cut them back? What do I cut back? It seems like a lot to remember! Sure, one could write a whole book on the subject….Some perennials have finished blooming for the year, some have just started to bloom, and some have yet to bloom. Now is a crucial time of the year when your garden can “fall apart” if certain perennials miss the care they require. So here are a few helpful ideas for summer perennial pruning.
As I have said many times before, the first step to any aspect of gardening, especially pruning, is to know your plant.  First be sure you know whether your plant is evergreen or loses its leaves during winter. If the plant retains its foliage year round, (e.g. Lavender, Germander, Rosemary, Heather, Azalea) you’ll likely never want to cut it to the ground. If a plant loses its all leaves for a portion of the year, (e.g. Echinacea, Columbine, Aster) you’ll be cutting it back to the ground at some point during the year.
As you learn about your perennials, be sure to also know when a particular plant is expected to flower.  The timing of flowering is usually the key to knowing when to prune. One general rule of thumb for most plants is to prune after flowering (e.g. prune Rhododendrons and Lilacs in late spring). An exception would be fruit trees which are typically pruned right before they bloom.
All small leaved, mounding, evergreen perennials like Heather, Lavender, Germander, and Thyme must have the flower spikes sheared or removed every year after blooming to ensure a nice tidy mounded shape.  Failure to do so will result in that all too familiar flopped-over, bare center, wild sagebrush look that most gardeners tend to find unappealing.
Some spring blooming perennials like Columbines, Lupines, and Bachelor Buttons can be cut back to the ground now.  A new set of summer leaves will emerge soon after.  Some perennials that have finished blooming, like hardy geraniums, spring pansies and delphiniums, should be cut back hard now.  You will get a new set of leaves and perhaps repeat blooming.
Certain spring blooming perennials should only have the spent flowers removed while leaving the remaining foliage.  Bearded iris, Siberian iris, and Peonies often maintain attractive looking foliage until fall when the remaining leaves can be removed.  Wallflowers and some Salvias should not be cut to the ground, because, with fastidious deadheading, they will repeat bloom for many months.
Late summer and fall bloomers like Echinacea, Black-Eyed Susans, Helenium, and Asters usually are cut back to the ground after blooming. By the time they’re finished flowering they will be going dormant shortly thereafter anyway.
Lastly, and slightly off subject, staking is as equally as important as deadheading and pruning for a tidy looking garden. Staking helps flower spikes remain sturdy and erect and prevents other plants from getting smothered by leaning stems. Staked vertical flower stems visually lend a tidier appearance than leaning, unstaked stems. Perennials that must be staked typically include Delphiniums, Meadow Rue, Valerian, and Monkshood, to name a few.  Be sure to use an appropriate sized stake for the plant, and again, know your plant!

Chuck has a Master’s Degree in Botany and is the owner of Fantastic Gardens where he helps others solve their gardening dilemmas.  He may be reached at orchidfruit@hotmail.com.

(Editor’s Note: A previous online update stated the meeting was scheduled for Sept. 9. Our apologies for the error.)

Canoes will launch at the Acme Bridge and paddle to the Van Zandt Bridge. Volunteers are also needed on land to help launch boats and unload collected trash. Pre-paddle refreshments and garbage collecting materials will be provided.

The event is sponsored by the Acme General Store, Everybody’s Store, Wild & Scenic River Tours, and Yeager’s Sporting Goods.

Registration for this event is required. Participants can contact Volunteer Coordinator Lindsay Taylor at 715-0283 or ltaylor@n-sea.org.