lavender festival sand sculpture contributed by john orr€¦ · lavender is cultivated all over...

Aug 2015 LINKS web site: www.hhmcsequim.org Editor e-mail: [email protected]

Lavender Festival Sand Sculpture contributed by John Orr


President’s Message --- August, 2015 In the midst of a mostly sizzling summer, we may be looking at a refreshing mid-August rain break. Badly needed to refresh vegetation and watercourses a rain interlude should be welcomed by most North Olympic Peninsula residents. Within Highland Hills we have been taking advantage of the long dry spell by reducing the wildfire danger by mowing heavy weed growth on undeveloped lots (over 100 of them), mowing ditches (over seven miles of them) and mowing, cleaning and otherwise maintaining our (five) stormwater detention basins. Much of the basin maintenance work that goes on with our extensive drainage system likely goes unnoticed by most of our members because it takes place below road surfaces and behind fences, often in manholes! Not always fun work, but very necessary to keep our drainage system in sound operating condition. We recently completed our annual independent professional engineering inspection of our basins, including topographical surveys of each basin to assess water storage capacities. Findings have been reported (and shared with the City of Sequim which receives our stormwater runoff) and corrective actions to inspector recommendations are now in planning or are underway. A couple of noticeable corrective actions already completed are a major basin inlet/ditch modification above Basin #4 on north Fox Hollow Road, and a significant change to the path of the Basin #3 outflow (known as “Highland Falls”) in the Doe Run S-curves leading to Miller Road. Meanwhile, improvements to the basin outflow metering systems continue deep in manholes, out of sight! More ditch and culvert maintenance and improvement work is scheduled for the next two months. Most significant of the annual basin inspection contract work this year was the revelation (a survey finding) that Detention Basin #1 (corner of east Quails Roost & Doe Run roads) has, over decades of use, suffered a significant storage volume loss---cause(s) unknown---perhaps siltation and erosion. HHMC’s Roads & Drainage Committee is now evaluating remedial action alternatives such as dredging or reshaping the basin. This is quite a surprise since we thought we had completed basin restoration with the 2014 dredging of Basin #6; but is a necessary task to get us into full compliance with our County approved drainage plan. While drainage topics were the main topic at the August Board of Trustees meeting, other committees also reported on previous month activities. Architectural Control handled a number of tree removal requests and inspected the beginning of lot preparation for a 2016 new house start (Parcel 77 on Fox Hollow Road). ACC also reported completion of the long-awaited sanitary sewer connection at the new home near Basin #4 on North Fox Hollow Road. Stormwater drainage implementation there is now underway and should be completed shortly, making the home occupiable. Your Beautification Committee is still soliciting ideas to better deliver irrigation water to the plantings at the HHMC entry signs. Any ideas? And the Safety & Awareness Committee will, at the suggestion of a resident concerned with increased drug-crime in the Sequim area, be looking into the pros and cons of placing auto-entry monitoring cameras at the entrances. The Nominating Committee is also stirring, preparing for our HHMC fall elections. The Annual Potluck Committee has been busy organizing the HHMC Picnic/Potluck to be held at Sequim’s Pioneer Memorial Park on Sunday August 23rd. Invitations and response forms have been mailed to all residents. Mowing Committee reported completion of the 2015 HHMC Undeveloped Lot Mowing Program on schedule. Only one mowing invoice remains unpaid. Two

Inside:

President’s Message 2 Picnic Flyer 4 Monthly Weather 6 Corrigan Article 7 Welcoming Committee 9 Photographs 10

Important Dates Board Meeting Sept 2 Board Meeting Oct 7

Potluck Picnic August 23

at Pioneer Park


“delinquent” lots will be force-mowed in August for non-compliance with Board Policy 11-2, with lot owners charged with costs and penalties. Financial results for July, reported to the Board by the Treasurer, were pretty standard. Lot mowing program receipts for 2015 have totaled around $12,500 to date, with payout expected in August. The only non-recurring major expenses in July were related to detention basin maintenance activities of approximately $6000, and $400 for annual picnic costs. Two 2015 assessment late-payers have indicated payments (including a penalty) will be made in August. The Treasurer also submitted a draft update of Board Policy 2-2 (Fiscal Policies & Procedures) for Board-member review and comment prior to the September BOT meeting. He also outlined the process to be used in preparing the draft 2016 HHMC budget for presentation to the membership and is soliciting Committee requests prior to the September BOT meeting. I hope you are looking forward to the Annual HHMC Picnic on Sunday, August 23rd. It should be fun and a great chance to renew friendships and welcome new residents to our wonderful community. There have been a lot of home sales this year and a number of new faces should be present. Come---meet & greet! And keep cool!

Ted Johnson


HIGHLAND HILLS PICNIC

Join us for our 26th annual Picnic/Potluck

August 23,2015 Sunday @ 4pm , **Sequim Pioneer Park **

387 E. Washington St, Sequim

Please respond by August 14, 2015

See reverse side for additional picnic details

We plan to attend!!Number attending:

(including guests)

Please make name tags for:

To RSVP, please email or telephone Peggy Napier

([email protected] or 681-8171) with the information

requested below, or complete this form, fold and tape it closed,

add postage, and mail it to the pre-printed address

Circle food category below:

(cook items before bringing)

A – D Salad or side dish

E-J Main Dishes

K-Q Appetizers

R-Z Desert

I would prefer to bring my specialty dish

( __________________________)


Our Monthly Weather

Back to Normal?

The high temperatures of July were alleviated by a few cloudy days with a little rain at the end of the month. Except for a couple of days, August seems to be a normal August. One day was a scorcher, the other an unusual overcast and sultry day. The overcast was the result of high altitude smoke spreading north from a large forest fire in Northern California. This also gave us some beautiful red sunrises and sunsets. The long range forecasts are for a much more intense El Niño condition over the Pacific than normal. This should result in heavy precipitation in California and another warm wet winter for the Northwest. Hopefully, there will be a lot more mountain snow than last winter. The prognostication for this is dim. Bell Hill seems to have a few micro-climates. One day in July, .20 inches of rain was measured on Owl’s Nest and over .50 inches on Hawk’s Way. This was all in one downpour. I’m sure there a big variances between the Sequim and Happy Valley sides of the Hill.

2015 2014 2015 2014 2015 2014 2015 2014

Precipitation Precipitation Snowfall Snowfall High High Low Low

(In.) (In.) (In.) (In.) °F °F °F °F

January 2.59 2.64 0.0 0.0 58 52 28 31

February 3.20 2.89 0.0 1.0 54 54 35 18

March 3.27 1.47 0.0 0.0 53 58 34 37

April .66 1.07 0.0 0.0 67 71 37 39

May .41 1.29 0.0 0.0 82 79 43 37

June .40 .67 0.0 0.0 92 78 47 47

July .52 .32 0.0 0.0 91 90 51 51

August (thru August 13th) .21 1.13 0.0 0.0 90 90 52 52

Year to Date (thru August 13) 11.26 12.88 0.0 1.0 92 90 28 18

Running Year Total (07/14/14 - 07/13/15) 22.62

3.6

92

20

All measurements are taken at 600’ except for temperatures prior to 11/1/14, which were taken at Washington Harbor in Sequim.

Electronic Consent Progressing

Progress in getting more HHMC members to participate in electronic notice distribution and voting has been encouraging. We have now gone past the 66% mark with subscribers. Electronic participation saves time, money and clutter. State law requires that you request/consent in writing with your personal signature to participate in e-distribution. An E-consent authorization form is available on the HHMC website members-only page. If you have not yet done so, please sign up. Join the majority!


Fields of Lavender in Sequim

Sequim and the surrounding area are particularly known for the commercial cultivation of lavender. Our sunny dry climate in the Sequim-Dungeness Valley is similar to the south of France, making Sequim one of the best places in the country to grow this beautiful, fragrant herb. It makes Sequim the "Lavender Capital of North America", rivaled only in France. Folks from all over the country come to here to see the beauty and usefulness of this sweet-smelling herb annually during its peak bloom season in July. The Sequim Lavender Weekend includes three days of lavender farm tours, community fairs, and other special events. Did you know…

Lavender is cultivated all over the world: Bulgaria, England, United States and France are historically known for

producing the essential oil. Essential oil is extracted by steam distillation from the fresh flowering tops.

Lavender has many important properties. It is antibacterial, anti-convulsive, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory,

analgesic, anti-rheumatic, antispasmodic, anti-toxic, antiviral, anticoagulant, carminative, cholagogue, cicatrisant,

cordial, cytophylactic, deodorant, decongestant, diuretic, emmenagogue, galactogogue, hypotensive, insecticidal,

nervine, parasiticidal, rubefacient, restorative, sedative, sudorfic, tonic, vermifugal, and vulnerary.

July 1996 saw the first harvest of the lavender planted here in 1995.

By 1997, there were seven farms with a total of 10,000 plants, and the community celebrated its first lavender festival.


Today Sequim lavender produces “value-added” employment for tourist facilities, marketing firms, printers, web

designers, and others.

Here is a YouTube link to a video I produced showing some of the local fields of lavender. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPIYRSvx_34

John Corrigan

Owls Nest Road

If there any more aspiring poets, writers, photographers, restaurant critics, news reporters, or other talented members who would like to give our community the benefit of their talents, WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU at [email protected]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPIYRSvx_34


Welcoming Committee Reception

A reception for new residents was hosted by the HHMC Welcoming Committee on July 11 at the home of Committee President Barbara Orr. The party ended up being a packed house with new and old residents getting acquainted. HHMC President Ted Johnson gave a talk explaining the history and purpose of the HOA, reiterating the need for volunteers. Committee members Deborah Groesbeck, Audrey Gift, Marilynn Elliot, Davi Witt, and Barbara Orr deserve our appreciation for staging a great event.


Photos and Comments

Another Bambi and Thumper video: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/08/12/deer-and-rabbit-play_n_7975334.html Railroad Bridge update:

Chris McDaniel/Peninsula Daily News

In order to allow the free passage of spawning salmon, a portion of the Dungeness River trestle, seen here, was removed by a demolition team over the weekend. For full story: http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20150805/NEWS/308059997 Horse Rescued from Creek in Dungeness:

For full story: http://www.sequimgazette.com/news/320951321.html Lisa Hopper, Animal Control Officer for the City of Sequim, and Tim Johnson with Clallam County Roads Department, work with a large crew on Thursday morning to rescue J.D. the horse from Meadowbrook Creek. — Image Credit: Sequim Gazette Photo By Matthew Nash

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/08/12/deer-and-rabbit-play_n_7975334.html

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20150805/NEWS/308059997

http://www.sequimgazette.com/news/320951321.html

lavender festival sand sculpture contributed by john orr€¦ · lavender is cultivated all over...

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