🐹 Perseids & Moonlight 🌠🌔

Good morning, Bellingham. This is your Monday update from The Hamster Wheel.

It’s going to be hot this week friends! Bring extra water for you and your pets when you’re playing outside.

Have fun, and stay safe out there!

Nature, Community, Sasquatch, UAP

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Weather Forecast

Monday: 86°F 🌡️ 64°F | ☀️ Sunny | 🌧️ 1% | 💨 WNW 2 to 9 mph

Tuesday: 84°F 🌡️ 62°F | ☀️ Sunny | 🌧️ 6% | 💨 WSW 2 to 9 mph

Moon Phases

Events, Updates & News Around Town

Get off the Hamster Wheel

Perseids and Moonlight

I stepped outside last night to see what aircraft was flying overhead. I’ve been curious about flyovers since the F-35s made an appearance last week. To my delight the long tail of a meteor streaked across the night sky, followed a few minutes later by a another, and more after that.

These occurrences are part of the Perseids Meteor Shower, an annual event that’s been active since July 17, with a forecast for peak viewing on Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.

There’s a catch though. The moon will be nearly 84 percent full on the night the Perseids peak raising the ambient nighttime light levels and obscuring some dimmer meteor activity.

Western University in Canada maintains an excellent Meteor Shower Flux Monitoring tool that shows the current number of meteors per hour. It reads 83/hr as of my writing this newsletter and should rise to more than 100/hr by Tuesday night.

The NASA website describes how meteor showers “happen annually as the Earth passes through the trail of dusty debris left by a comet.” Tiny particles, often as small as grains of sand, enter our atmosphere and burn up, creating bright streaks of light in the night sky.

Weather predictions over the next few days look favorable for sky gazing, so find the time to get outside and look to the stars! 🌠⭐️ 🌠⭐️

In other news…

🐮 Remember back before Slothy captured everyone’s imagination? There was a cow named Mabel roaming free around Barkley Village, dodging capture for weeks and becoming a bit of a legend. Well, great news from the Whatcom Humane Society—Mabel has made her big MOOve!

She’s now settling into her new home at Heaven on Earth Animal Retirement Sanctuary on San Juan Island, where she’ll have room to roam, pasture to graze, and the company of other cows. Mabel is now living her best island life.

🏊️ Whatcom County Health and Community Services has announced the lifting of a no-contact advisory for Wildcat Cove in Larrabee State Park. “Recent tests have shown lower levels of bacteria at the shoreline.”

They remind us that conditions can change, and recommend “check[ing] the WA BEACH closure map before your visit.” and to “keep an eye out for any signs at a beach before you jump in.” Find the beach closure map here.

Food & Drink

Hamsters Gotta Eat

Performance Arts This Week

Dance of The Hamsters

LIVE ARTS & FILM

Uisce Irish Pub
Guffawingham | Mon 9:00 pm

New Prospect Theatre
Cabaret | Fri 5:30 pm, Sun 9:00 pm

iDiOM Theater
A Tourist's Guide to the End of Magic | Thurs, Fri, Sat 7:30 pm

The Upfront Theatre
Various performances.

PARTICIPATORY DANCE

Salsa & Bachata - Viking Union - Mon 7 pm
Bellingham Embodiment Collective - Majestic Ballroom - Mon 6:30 pm
Beginning Cuban Salsa - Cof& - Tues 6 pm
B’ham Hop - Crystal Ballroom - Tues 7 pm
Int. Cuban Salsa - Cof& - Tues 7:15 pm
Tango Practica - The Majestic - Wed 6:30 pm
Summer Heat - Presence Studio - Thurs 6:30 pm
Sunset Silent Disco - Zuanich - Sat 7:30 pm
Salsa Collective - The Majestic - Sun 5:30 pm
Open Floor Movement - Presence Studio - Sun 10:30 am
Family Dance Party - Boom! - Sun 10 am

Events & Nightlife

Spinning Into The Night

Feature an Event. Reach out.

FEATURED

Catch County Highway’s Summer Roadshow at Village Books’ Readings Gallery tonight, August 11, at 6:00 PM, with author Lee Clay Johnson reading from his darkly comic novel Bloodline, and discussion with County Highway fiction editor Gary Fisketjon. Snag a seat.

Rick Baunach of the Song Wranglers and Guitars And Gratitude, joins forces with Mark Isenhour of Double Trouble for an afternoon your of favorite rock and pop songs, a few originals, and sing along tunes at the FireHouse Arts & Events Center. Today, August 11, from 3:30 to 5 pm, and it’s free!

Local author Cheryl Grey Bostrom will celebrate the launch of her new novel What the River Keeps in conversation with Susan Meissner at the Lynden Library. Set in the Pacific Northwest, the story follows a biologist returning to her childhood home on the Elwha River, where she confronts long-buried memories. Book purchases will be available through Village Books at the event! Register to attend at 6:30 pm on Tuesday.

MONDAY

Lynden PRCA Rodeo, Northwest Washington Fair - Two thrilling nights (Monday & Tuesday) of classic rodeo action and 20th anniversary celebrations. For two decades, this event has showcased top pro rodeo talent, and this year features award-winning clown John Harrison, announcer Jody Carper, and C5 Rodeo stock, with Women’s Breakaway Roping back for its second year.

Line Dancing, Northwest Washington Fair - Yeehaw! Swing by the Northwest Washington Fair and learn to line dance. Look forward to beginner-friendly lessons and country tunes. Kick up some dust, meet new friends, and dance your heart out between rides and fair food! 4:30-5:30pm Clocktower & 6-6:45pm Rodeo Grounds

Monday Music & Trivia →

TUESDAY

JP Falcon Grady Band, Barkley Village - A free concert with JP Falcon Grady. Bring your lawn chairs and picnic blankets. Dance up an appetite then get food from one of the several food trucks that will be attending. Tunes kick off at 6 pm.

Jenn Ryan, Beach Cat Brewing in Birch Bay - Boogie out to Beach Cat Brewing in Birch Bay for a night of live music with Whatcomite Jenn Ryan, who will be singing a mix of country, pop, and everything in between—from 80s favorites to today’s hits. Grab a drink, enjoy the beach vibes at 6 pm.

Tuesday Music & Trivia →

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