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- 🐹 Spartina Invasion 🌿🌿
🐹 Spartina Invasion 🌿🌿
Good morning, Bellingham. This is your Monday update from The Hamster Wheel.
We’re loving all this gentle weather. Overcast but warm, sunshine with a cool breeze, soft rain. This is Bellingham at its best.
Have fun, and stay safe out there!
~ Val & Evan
Nature, Community, Sasquatch, UAP
Photos From the Hoods
Hash Browns n’ Shadows - 📷 by Chelan Bressers
Triple Rainbow - 📷 by Russ Weston
First Bloom - 📷 by Cathy Angell
Tag @bellinghamsterwheel on Instagram or reply to this email to get your photos in The Hamster Wheel.
Weather Forecast
Friday: 60°F 🌡️ 50°F | 🌧️ Chance of Rain | 🌧️ 70% | 💨 SSE 5 mph
Saturday: 60°F 🌡️ 49°F | 🌧️ Rain Likely | 🌧️ 70% | 💨 SSW 2 to 8 mph
Sunday: 63°F 🌡️ 48°F | 🌧️ Chance of Rain | 🌧️ 20% | 💨 WSW 3 to 7 mph
Moon Phases
Events, Updates & News Around Town
Get off the Hamster Wheel
Invasive Spartina
The Washington State Department of Agriculture posted an update this week about their continuing efforts to eradicate an aggressive invasive cordgrass weed called Spartina. Of course this sent me down a rabbit hole trying to understand Spartina and whether it impacts our coastline here in Whatcom County. Spoiler… it does.
Spartina is a perennial, salt-tolerant grass originating in southern England that was exported widely for use in coastal erosion control. Once established, this species outcompetes local plants, turning saltwater estuaries into monotypic Spartina meadows.
The Department of Agriculture provides this interesting educational resource that includes an interactive map of all current and past Spartina locations in the Puget Sound, including eradicated discoveries on Bellingham & Birch Bays, and an active location on the Lummi Flats. 👆️ And, People for Puget Sound offers a great free field guide (PDF) for Spartina in Washington. Keep your eyes peeled for this unwanted invasive weed.
Bellingham Choir Performs at First Congregational Church
This weekend, Vox Pacifica, a Bellingham-based women’s choir, will be performing I Belong, a program filled with stories and music reflecting the immigrant and refugee experience.
“Included in the program are traditional songs representing singers from Scotland, China, and Norway, along with Cecilia McDowall’s brilliant five-movement cantata, Everyday Wonders: The Girl from Aleppo, which recounts the journey of two young Syrian sisters (one in a wheelchair, one pushing the wheelchair) as they bravely journey across the miles from Syria to asylum in Germany.” Get tickets.
In other news…
🌊 Following a two-year closure, Birch Bay Waterslides announced this week that the park will be opening to the public on June 14. Season passes and single-day tickets are available on their website.
⛏️ Volunteer Opportunities This Weekend: There are a couple of outdoor work parties this weekend.
Memorial Park: Join the Rotary Club, and the Sunnyland Neighborhood Association to clean up the memorials and park grounds for Memorial Day weekend! Saturday from 9-noon. Details & registration.
Stimpson Nature Reserve: Join Whatcom Land Trust and the Whatcom County Rotary clubs to rebuild an aging footbridge, construct new ones, and remove invasive plants along the trail and parking lot. Details & registration.
Garage & Estate Sales
Your Source For Vintage Can Openers
Northfork Rd Estate Sale (Sat, Sun 9 am)
Oh, this one might be fun. Looks like there’s a lot there! Cleaning out a house, garage and barn. Northfork Rd off Mosquito Lake Rd, Deming. map
Food & Drink
Hamsters Gotta Eat
Because it’s fun to be a lookie-loo
Crash an Open House
2301 Henry St (Open Fri 4-6 pm)
This sweet little Craftsman is on our daily walk to and from Elizabeth park. It’s such an ideal spot! Henry is not very busy and Washington is quiet because it ends on West rather than Eldridge. Listing.
3249 Robertson Road (Open Sat 9-12, Sun 2-5 pm)
This home is all about the location. Step off the back porch and onto the beach, looking north over the Lummi Sea Pond. The house is totally rad if, like me, you’re into fun period homes. This one’s straight out of the eighties. Love it!! Listing.
Performance Arts This Week
Dance of The Hamsters
LIVE ARTS & FILM
Nooksack Valley High School
Into The Woods | Mon-Sat 7 pm
New Prospect Theatre:
The Catastrophist | Thurs 9:30 pm; Sun 4 pm
FireHouse A&E Center:
A Trio of American Opera | Thurs, Fri, Sat 7:30 pm; Sat, Sun 2 pm
Mount Baker Theatre:
David Cross | Fri 7:30 pm
Blaine Community Theater:
Let's Bump Up the Lights | Sat 3 & 7 pm
Blaine Performing Arts Center:
Mother Earth Danzas | Sat 6 pm; Sun 1 pm
The Upfront Theatre
Space Trek | Fri 7:30 pm
Movie Mayhem | Fri 9:30 pm
Space Trek | Sat 7:30 pm
Punch Line | Sat 9:30 pm
PARTICIPATORY DANCE
Salsa & Bachata
Salsa Collective - The Majestic - Sun 5:30 pm
Other
Belly Dance - Bham Senior C. - Sat 10:30 am
Country Night - Bar 211 - Sat 8 pm
Contra - Fairhaven Library - Sat 7 pm
Help Spread The Word
Refer three Bellingham friends to join our newsletter community and we’ll include a birthday callout to one person you specify on their B’day 🎂. Get your referral link here. Your current referral count is: 0. You’re so close!.
Events & Nightlife
Spinning Into The Night
Feature an Event. Reach out.
Tell us about an event. Use this link.
FEATURED
Catch the Bellingham Roller Betties this Saturday at the Lynden Skateway. It's an all-ages event, but with a beer garden, concessions for sale, and gift baskets up for raffle. Grab tickets.
FRIDAY
Girls on the Run Fish Fry Fundraiser, Boundary Bay - Enjoy free live music, a delicious fish fry menu, craft beer, and a silent auction supporting Run Like A Girl. Where the music is rockin’ and the fish is fryin’.
Southside Comedy Hour w. Adam Tiller, Corner Taphouse - A special night of live stand up comedy in the heart of Fairhaven Village. Grab tickets.
Stargazing 101: What You Can See in the Sky, Blaine - An evening under the stars and learn how to spot constellations, planets, and other celestial wonders with the naked eye. Register to gaze.
SATURDAY
Run Like a Girl 3/6k, 10k & Half Marathon - The Interurban trail, with all of the sparkling bay views, will be exploding in gorgeous spring-green glory for the half marathon and 10k and the Hundred Acre Woods for the 3/6k. Register to run.
The Art of Needle Felting - Join artist Janie Pemble and to learn about the wool, tools, and techniques of needle felting through creation of a sculpted Chickadee. Get felted.
Eagles Tribute “Take It To The Limit” - A night of live music as some of Canada’s most talented musicians and vocalists bring to life your favourite Eagles hits, including classics like “Hotel California,” “Heartache Tonight,” and “Take It To The Limit.” Snag one of the remaining tickets.
SUNDAY
Mystic May Psychic Faire, Karma Kards - Spring is blooming, energy is rising. It’s the perfect time to connect, awaken, and manifest at our Psychic Faire! Tarot, Crystals, Magic & More!
Blue Room Comedy Night - Samuel J. Comroe, a Los Angeles native, is a stand-up comedian who performs at over 100 clubs and colleges annually. He made his TV debut on TBS’ Conan, BET’s Real Husbands of Hollywood with Kevin Hart. Tickets for the show.
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Have a great weekend!!