“Olympia’s total November precipitation will fall just short of the record books. As of midnight Thursday, 19.67 inches of rain had fallen at Olympia Regional Airport in November. That was just short of Olympia’s record for monthly precipitation – at least going back to 1948, when weather observations began being measured there, said National Weather Service meteorologist Johnny Burg. The wettest month that has been recorded at Olympia Airport was in January 1953, when there were 19.84 inches of precipitation,” quoting The Olympian.

However, Seattle did record the wettest month in history:
“By 9:30 p.m. [Wed. Nov. 29] precipitation had broken the one-month record for Seattle, 15.33 inches set in December 1933, when the official reporting station was at the old downtown Federal Building. By about 10 p.m., the November precipitation total at the current station, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, stood at 15.45 inches, National Weather Service meteorologist Doug McDonnal said. The rain total climbed to 15.63 inches by early Thursday morning. Earlier, the weather service reported a record low of 18 degrees at the airport, breaking the old mark for Nov. 29 of 22 degrees set in 1985. Other record lows included 12 degrees at Bellingham, near the Canadian border; 25 degrees in Hoquiam near the coast, and 2 degrees below zero at Pullman in the southeast corner of the state,” quoting KOMO TV4.

Seattle-based “Alaska Airlines Introduces Spirit Of Make-A-Wish Aircraft to Help Make Wishes Come True for Children with Life-Threatening Medical Conditions
Disney-themed 737, adorned with image of wish-granting Genie character, will fly six wish children from Pacific Northwest to Disneyland Resort on inaugural flight (Nov. 17).

Alaska Airlines… introduced its Spirit of Make-A-Wish aircraft, adorned with the image of the wish-granting Genie from Disneys Aladdin and the Make-A-Wish Foundation logo, to a group of eager Make-A-Wish children at Seattle-TacomaInternationalAirport. The uniquely painted Boeing 737-400 celebrates the long-term partnership between the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Alaska Airlines and Disneyland Resorts to make wishes come true for sick children,” quoting Make-A-Wish.

Right here in the Nisqaully Valley, “The Survival Center is America’s oldest continually operating preparedness business with over 33 years experience. We are providers of family preparedness, health, and survival supplies. Everything from emergency kits to food storage, water filters, first aid and medical kits, solar-powered radios, flashlights to complete under ground shelters and the new above ground and inside retro fit shelters.”

From their website:
America Prepared
It is about the Future
Obvious something serious is happening politically, economically, geologically and environmentally . How you prepare for these changes will determine your well being in the very near future. It is about the Future yours. Are You Ready?

It is our individual responsibility to get ready and be prepared for any emergency that may come our way. We have already seen that no group or agency is standing by to come and “save” us

One by One We Can Be Prepared America
Let’s Do It!
This web site contains a wealth of information.
Please take advantage of it and help yourself to prepare.

We have the Knowledge and Experience to assist you in preparing for most any emergency that may come your way. Here is how to contact us.

The Survival Center
Providers of Family Preparedness,
Health, & Survival Supplies
Voice 1-360-458-6778 Mon.- Fri.
10 am – 6 pm PT.
e-mail us at info@survivalcenter.com
19223 Cook Rd.,
1.5 miles down Cook Rd. past Western Airpark, Yelm.

Listed here are a few of the popular pages within our web site:
Emergency Food Kits, 72 Hour Kits, Food Storage Kits, Hurricane Kits,
Tornado Kits, Emergency Medical Kits, 6 1/2 Day Candles and much more

“This is an Emergency Preparedness Manual [Basic Preparedness] that teaches the reader How To prepare for most anything that threatens their Survival. The idea of preparedness is spreading rapidly among those waking up to the reality of today’s chaotic economic, geologic, political and environmental climate. There are many reference books available that deal with specific areas of preparedness for an uncertain future. That’s the problem. There are too many books. Most of us are busy, and reading time is precious, this is why Basic Preparedness was written. This one book covers the 4 basics plus more. The first Four Basics for successful survival are FOOD, WATER, MEDICAL AND SHELTER. This How To book addresses all of these needs in the first four chapters with easy to understand, simple instructions.

The Survival Center Catalog – 56 pages of Family preparedness and Survival Supplies. 1000s of items. Use in conjunction with our web site, this shopping cart, and the book “Basic Preparedness”. $2.00 USA only. ( Most USA catalogs also come with additional bonus items, a $10.00 gift Certificate, information etc. )”
Ed. Note: This writer now has a catalog!

The Business Examiner of the South Sound ran a terrific story about our area’s Christmas Trees being shipped all over the world. Here are some facts as presented in their article titled Holiday Harvest:
“From field to foreign:

– Trees are ordered in the fall and planted early in the year. Depending on the variety, trees take between eight and 20 years to mature into a 6-foot tree.

– Trees slated for South Pacific ports such as Hawaii are harvested three weeks before they are scheduled to arrive on the lots.

– Before they leave South Sound farms, the trees are taken to an on-site farm processing yard by helicopter sling or transport truck to be shaken and inspected. The trees are then baled and loaded into refrigerated cargo containers, where the temperature is dropped to freezing to slow the trees death.

– The trees are driven to shipping ports in Washington and Oregon where they make the several-day journey oversees. Retailers in Hawaii often display just a few trees at a time from the containers in order to keep the trees fresh.

Washington trees at a glance:

-25,000 acres of trees are tended to by 300 growers.

-2.3 million trees are expected to be harvested this year and will bring in an estimated $51 million in wholesale retail dollars.

– Counties with the greatest production include Kitsap, Lewis, Mason and Thurston

-92 percent of trees exported, with California being the largest market.

-Oversees and foreign markets include Japan, China, Hong Kong, Philippines, Hawaii, Alaska, Mexico, Guam and Puerto Rico.

-Major destinations include California (47 percent); other western states (11 percent); Gulf states (9 percent); Mexico (13 percent); and Atlantic states (2 percent).

Source: Pacific Northwest Christmas Tree Association”

The Farm Bank Project
presents our Farmer Appreciation Event
Community-Farm Raising Forum
(10 am6 pm Forum & Films 7-8 Local Food Feast)
Cost: Donation – Money or Time/whichever is easiest
& Music Benefit Concert
8 pm 10 pm (Donation $3-$10) Farmers Free
Work Trade and Scholarships available upon request

Sunday, December 10, 2006
Eagles Hall (Downstairs)
805-4th Ave. E., Olympia, WA
(corner of Plum and 4th)

An opportunity for us to come together as a community all around farms, food, films, fun, and a sustainable future. Workshops, demos, focus groups and lots of local produce to create with and enjoy. Meet your local farmers, shop for your CSA, help develop Bountiful Table events, farmland preservation efforts, and a time to celebrate and honor our outstanding community in Olympia.

This is an organized and impromptu/spontaneous event…
bring your hopes, dreams, visions and brainstorms on
our community’s next steps to sustainability.
Let’s make it happen.

Films: The Real Dirt on Farmer John, Future of Food, Broken Limbs, Sweet Soil, The True Cost of Food, and more.

Schedule of Films
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Eagles Hall, Olympia, Downstairs

10-11:30 a.m. Broken Limbs Eastern WA Apple Farmers
12:30 1 p. m. The Real Cost of Food Cartoon
1:30 3 p.m. The Future of Food A Must See
4 5 p.m. The Real Dirt on Farmer John
A Treasure of a Film and a Must See
5:30 6 p.m. Sweet Soil Local Farms in Berkshire Mtns.
6:30 8 p.m. The Future of Food or popular request

info@winlockmeadowsfarm.com or 360-785-4927

Ed Wiltsie, BSCE, MSCE, PE (Professional Engineer) has announced he will be holding a lecture titled:
“Earth Changes, Part 1 – Global Climate Change & the Systems At Work”

Where: Yelm Mill Pond Intermediate School
When: Saturday, December 16
Time: 3pm – 5pm
Cost: $10 at the door

Mr. Wiltsie has a vast amount of experience in geology & soils and will share his observations to be prepared for the days to come – days that are here.

You will not want to miss his unique perspective.
Tell your friends & family to join you for this fantastic knowledge Mr. Wiltsie is bringing to his Yelm neighbors.
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!

Photo courtesy of Beyond the Ordinary.net

When the Ramtha School of Enlightenment (RSE) was first established in Yelm in 1988, Mail Unlimited (MU) was opened in its present location by a woman making services available for the people moving here to be students. She received their mail and established a phone service.
In 1995, she sold Mail Unlimited to Fran White, who renamed this store Lemuria and has carried on the tradition of MU, expanding by doubling the floor space to include books, gifts, clothing and other services such as FedEx, UPS, photocopy machines, and interesting videos for rent. Lemuria is also a great place to drop off a letter or package for patrons for a very small fee to be held for pick-up.
Ms. White has also been the first to support the crafts of RSE students.
Customers can walk into this enchanted shop to find students’ books, artwork, soaps, jewelry, candles, clothing plus other goods too numerous to list. When you are in Yelm, visit this magical Lemuria and say hello to Fran White and Yienan Song, her customer services representative. If you can’t find what you want, they will be most happy to assist you in fulfilling your requests.
This is one of Yelm’s treasures. Lemuria is located on 1st Ave. across from the Yelm City Park.
Call 458-2699 for a list of weekly artisans.
Coming, Saturday, December 9th:
11am-1pm Myra K. Hansen – Author of GRANDMA’S GOD

1pm-3pm Marilee Wallace – Wool spinning sheppardess

3pm-5pm Amber R. Wiltsie – Author of RAMTHA AND ME

“Introducing a new business in Yelm that has something for everyone. Please stop by and take the time to browse.
We are located next to the Dollar Up store in the Sunbirds-QFC Complex. Our name is SIMPLY HEAVEN.
We are open Tuesdays to Sunday 10.30 to 6.30 p.m.

Virginia Hupponen wrote this poem to announce our wonderful store’s opening.
Please spread the word and keep us in mind if you need to purchase. Items are changing all the time so you are bound to find something ‘just right.'”

SIMPLY HEAVEN

Christmas time is here again.
Sigh! Sigh! Sigh! is what we hear.
Can this be delight at the Time of Year?
No, it’s the whisper of shoppers’ fear!

Where, in all this land about
Can one find a store that has it all,
With gifts unique that bring delight
And do not make your savings pall?

Has no-one told you of a place called Simply Heaven?
New in Yelm, ‘a gift from above’!
It’s the store you’ve long been dreaming of,
And it is filled with gifts of joy and love.

So this Christmas be one of the Wise
And shop in Heaven – akin to Paradise.
And you’ll be pleased to find the store
Where shopping is fun instead of a chore.

Where is this wondrous place you ask?
To find us is not a hard task . . .
We’re right next door to Dollar Up.
Now Santa’s been – so hurry up!

Heaven’s doors are open to all
But you will find the best time to call
Is Tuesdays to Sundays, mid-morn till late,
But come in early to avoid the wait.

Ah, Christmas time is here again!
Oh! Oh! Oh! is what we hear.
“This is just what I’ve been looking for”
Rings triumphantly throughout our store!

Simply Heaven, 1010 Algiers Avenue (next to Dollar up in Sunbirds-QFC Complex)
Tel: 360-400-8025
Hours 10:30am to 6:30pm Tuesdays – Sundays.
Virginia Hupponen, Cari Von Sternberg
heaven@fairpoint.net

Dear Readers;

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you in the USA & around the World who read this blog!
We ALL have much for which to be thankful, wherever you reside.
I sincerely thank all of you for your interest in local stories printed here.
The numbers of “daily visitors” indicate there is an ever-increasing interest in this blog.
For that, I am grateful. And all by word of mouth with little advertising.
Even the local newspaper publisher wrote me and quoted from Yelm’s first community blog,
indicating he reads these pages as well!

This is a fascinating look at the History of the American Thanksgiving from the History Channel. May you & your family be blessed with health, joy & laughter this holiday season!

“It’s the wettest November in Western Washington on record. But now we have also reached a new milestone: wettest month ever.

KING 5 meteorologist Jeff Renner said Sea-Tac Airport recorded the record for wettest month at 5:53 p.m. Tuesday at 12.94″. By 10 p.m., the number was up to 13.05″. The previous records was recorded at 12.92″ in January 1953,”
quoting KING-5 News.

Olympia Regional Airport recorded 16.57 inches of rain as of 11:59pm November 21, breaking the preivous November all-time record of 15.51 inches set in 1962. January, 1953 marks Olympia’s wettest month in history at 19.84 inches.