Wannaskan Almanac

And here is the Wannaskan Almanac with Word-Wednesday for July 3, 2024, the twenty-seventh Wednesday of the year, the second Wednesday of summer, the first Wednesday of June, and the one-hundred-eighty-fifth day of the year, with one-hundred eighty-one days remaining.   Wannaska Phenology Update for July 3, 2024 Yellow Mushrooms Amanita chrysoblema , yellow-orange variant, otherwise known as American yellow fly agaric, is happily pushing up from our sodden Wannaskan soils. Growing in solitude or gregariously, this mushroom is mycorrhizal [/mī-kō-RĪ-zəl/ adj., symbiotic in a mutually beneficial fashion] with conifers and deciduous trees. But beware! While squirrels and other rodentia mammals love these shrooms, this species contains ibotenic acid and muscimol, two psychoactive constituents which can cause effects such as hallucinations, synaesthesia, euphoria, dysphoria and retrograde amnesia. Spot the Space Station: Time: Wednesday, July 03 at 2:59 AM, Visible: 6 min, Max Height: 68°,

 Once upon a time in a cozy little town, there lived a cranky chihuahua named Luv. Despite his name, Luv was not very loving. He had a tiny body but a big attitude, and he was known throughout the neighborhood for his grumpy demeanor. Luv lived with his owner, Mrs. Hot Coco, a kind lady who adored him despite his crankiness. Every morning, Mrs. Hot Coco would take Luv for a walk around the neighborhood. Luv would bark at anything and everything that crossed his path - from squirrels to mailmen, and even the occasional leaf that dared to flutter by. One sunny afternoon, as Luv and Mrs. Hot Coco were on their usual walk, they came across a new family moving into the house next door. Among the boxes and furniture, Luv spotted a large, fluffy golden retriever named Max. Max was the complete opposite of Luv - friendly, playful, and always wagging his tail. Luv immediately took a disliking to Max. He barked and growled, trying to assert his dominance. But Max, with his gentle nature, simply

     We are in the middle of a heat wave here in Northern Virginia, unlike the temperate New England summers in the late 50s when I grew up. My mother had a name for hot days like these. It's going to be a scorcher, she would call out from the kitchen, and we knew we'd spend the whole day in the water.      Super hot days are more common lately, and I've been getting up early to walk. By mid-day, the temperatures are up in the nineties, so if I don't get out there by 7:30, I'm in trouble. Of course, some people are okay with the heat. When my son was little, even in July, he wore his favorite purple corduroy pants with cowboy boots. Mom, I like to sweat , he famously replied when I encouraged him to change into shorts. And my son-in-law has no problem running at noon. That's not me.        It's been so hot lately that I spend much of my time outside looking for shade. This newfound attentiveness to the landscape benefits me beyond my need to cool down. Inste