Category: Local Events

The flying ambulance

We went to a special training event on Saturday for our Sequim Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) group. CERT is our community effort to prepare for large scale disasters such as a major earthquake. Saturday’s program was an all-day event designed to enhance our monthly training meetings. It included a visit by a helicopter and crew from Life Flight Network, a new local emergency transport service. CERT members had training sessions designed to facilitate landing and loading of emergency helicopters.

Minutes matter in an emergency and the first hour can mean life or death. Although we have a local hospital, as I showed you yesterday, it is not equipped to handle serious injuries. Serious trauma, or level 1 emergencies, require specialized intervention such as orthopedic or neurosurgery, and high level critical care. In these cases patients are referred to larger hospitals in Seattle, a road trip that could take a couple of hours plus a ferry trip. That’s where this helicopter comes in. Its pilot is shown above.

Life Flights provides an air ambulance by helicopter that includes two skilled nurses to transport patients to a Seattle trauma center in as little as 10 minutes. They base a helicopter at an airport in Port Angeles for fast local response.

This is a small, nimble craft designed to get the job done. But it doesn’t come cheap. A trip in one of these babies can cost from $10,000 to $25,000 a flight. It may or may not be covered by health insurance. Life Flight offers yearly family memberships at a reasonable cost. It looks like a good idea for locals who want to cover all the “just in case” bases.

Steve’s baby

This Mustang at the Sequim Prairie Nights show last Saturday prompted lots of car related memories. Like most boys of his generation — ones who learned enough to rebuild and maintain cars — DH (my Dear Husband) had and loved a long procession of 1950s and 1960s cars, most of which he acquired for less than $100.

He had his favorites. And now he has his fantasies. If he were to win the lottery he wouldn’t buy a fancy new car. It would be one of several golden oldies. “What car would you have if you could?” he asks me. A 1966 Mustang comes to mind.

I know this 1966 Mustang. Over many years I’ve seen it in various stages of rejuvenation as my friend Marilyn’s husband has restored it. This was the first time I’ve seen it out and on show since it’s gotten finishing touches.

But I don’t think it would be for sale if we won the lottery. This is a love child, pure and simple.

Car curves and nostalgia

Nearly every vehicle on display at last Saturday’s Sequim Prairie Nights show was polished to a mirror finish (do you see my selfie?) and many had beautiful pin striping that set off chrome and other details. (This is a 1940 Buick. )

I loved the lines and grills of these late 1930s and 1940s cars, accentuated by their sheen. This is a 1939 Buick Special.

It’s no surprise that in the U.S. we call the back cargo area of a car a “trunk” when you look at the hind end of a Pierce Arrow.

And this is from the front end of the same 1929 Pierce Arrow. Those drops you see are from the rain showers we had on Saturday morning.

Memory lane

Sequim Prairie Nights showed off a gorgeous array of restored classic cars and trucks last Saturday, parking them along two blocks downtown. There was a plenty appreciative audience for the show.

I loved the photo ops offered by the lovingly pampered vehicles, from whitewalls to hardware. This is an old Packard (1940, I think)

The cars on display ranged from the early 20th century through DH’s “I had one of those!” era of the 1950s and 60s. As befits our local culture it focused on beautiful golden oldies rather than breathtaking luxury cars of today. The shot above is of a 1929 Pierce Arrow headlight.

Scented scenery

One of Sequim’s longtime nurseries, Peninsula Nursery, changed hands a few years ago. The new owners have made many improvements, including the addition of a pretty lavender field.

Not all of our lavender operations are large farms. Earth Muffin Lavender is a modest operation at a busy intersection that many visitors pass.

Sequim does lavender

Many of Sequim’s lavender operations are ready for photo ops. The scale of this extra large chair at Olympic Lavender doesn’t translate as well as it does when two to three adults or several children are seated in it, smiling for photographs. (The farm was closed when I dropped by.)

The Lavender Festival is in full swing today. The open space here will likely be filled with craft vendors and a small stage nearby will feature live music. Recent grey days are giving way to sunshine. Summer has arrived in Sequim.

Lavender fields forever

Most of the lavender farms in Sequim have been designed with an eye toward its beauty in the landscape. This is one of Sequim’s largest and oldest operations, Purple Haze. It’s gorgeous.

The farms offer photo ops galore, even in the rain. Who doesn’t want a picture in the midst of such beauty?

Over this Lavender Festival weekend Purple Haze and other venues offer live music. Many present demonstrations or short classes in growing and distilling lavender. If it has to do with lavender you can probably find it here.

Purple Haze, incidentally, is for sale. It would be a dream to be surrounded by such beauty. Just don’t forget you have to go to work when you wake up.