A doe and her fawns indulged in a backyard sprinkler bath.
I think it’s safe to say the word “unprecedented” has been used more this year than perhaps ever in the history of the English language. First the Jan. 6 raid, the pandemic, vaccination rollout, and now this record-breaking blistering heat wave — truly unprecedented.
I have to admit, as this goes to print, I will be escaping to an air-conditioned house in Seattle and part of me feels a bit disappointed to not experience what 111 degrees feels like. Having never been to places like Death Valley or Phoenix in the summer, my experience with triple digits is limited. I have, however, lived where cooling off in water wasn’t an option because of parasites and hippopotamuses. Therefore, one thing I am grateful for: our clean, precious, free-flowing rivers and deep cool lakes.
Twenty years ago, I spent two years in Kenya as a volunteer and clean surface water was non-existent. It’s what I missed the most during my two years away — the simple luxury of dipping in fresh clean water. It’s easy to take it for granted, having grown up in the Northwest, but most of the world lives in communities with compromised water. Being able to plunge into water that won’t make you sick or isn’t’ home to lethal animals is one reason among many to be thankful for our clean water.
The Town of Twisp recently sent out its annual notice regarding the quality of the municipal water, and thanks to the ongoing diligence of the Public Works staff, they report our water meets and exceeds all the state and federal thresholds for contaminants. Indeed, the town has invested in upgrading many main water lines in the past few years to continue to make sure we have reliable, efficient, safe water right to our homes. Even in much of the U.S., tap water can run amok and many don’t drink what flows freely from the tap due to unsavory smells, tastes or pollutants. Twisp water has never tasted better and now is the time to drink up and stay hydrated.
It should go with needing to say, making sure your animal friends have access to water during this heat wave is critical. My dog likes to walk out to the sprinkler, drink directly from the head like it’s a drinking fountain, then stand over it to get her belly wet. It turns out, so do the deer. Right outside our window on Sunday, a doe and two fawns took standing baths over our sprinkler, soaking their coats. The wet, matted little fawns stood there with an innocent dazed look as we managed to get a few shots in.
Twisp will be buzzing once again on the Fourth of July with the annual Independence Day parade at 11 a.m., followed by live music throughout town. Immediately after the parade, local band Danville will be playing at the TwispWorks Pavilion and live music will going all day at the new Twisp River Taphouse featuring Roger Arnold, Filament with April Peterson, the Family Vibe, Bitterroot Beets, and Wes Wil with DJ Mantis. The “Reveal Celebration” is a sneak peek before their grand opening on July 8. With 12 beverages on tap, kid-friendly options, and brats available, the Taphouse will be open from 11 a.m. — 11 p.m. on July 4.
