the summer of our discontent

Happy Meteorological Summer, all! We experienced the driest spring on our farm in the 18 years I’ve been keeping weather records. So our island will hold its collective breath even more than usual as fire season and the tourist season start. When Jude and I did emergency evacuation training, we learned that the most likely emergency would be a a fire caused by a careless camper. There’s a regional airport in nearby Campbell River, so we have the advantage of lots of spotters in the air, but we hold our breath until September regardless.

I’m welcoming this June more heartily than usual because of an encouraging bit of news I just learned. John Kasich said recently that the U.S. electorate has usually decided by June how it will vote in mid-term elections. Mitch McConnell has said something similar. If the two prominent Republicans are accurate, I look forward to a Democratic rout in November.

Trump’s doing his part, as well. He continues to put his screwy spin to the Mexican standoff in Iran as his approval ratings dip into the mid-30’s. Since the legislative branch is lacking the spine (or balls or ovaries) to call bullshit on him, the judicial branch is starting to step up. Of all the recent decisions that have gone against him, my favourite is the one telling him to take his name off the Kennedy Center. He has done things much more damaging to the nation, but this one is by far the sleaziest. Is it especially appalling to those of us who vividly remember November 22, 1963.