WHITE PINE POLLEN

POLLEN CONES ARE BURSTING...

...WITH COUNTLESS BILLIONS OF POLLEN GRAINS CLOUDING THE ATMOSPHERE

WHILE THE GARDEN PROGRESSES FROM SPRING TO SUMMER

 Friday, 8:00 AM.  59 degrees F at both the ferry dock and on the back porch.  Wind NW, light with occasional stronger gusts.  The sky is crystal clear, the humidity 68%.  The barometer is rising, now at 29.58".  The weather prediction for the next ten days calls for highs in the 60's to 70's, with mixed skies and chances of rain.  It looks like the cool, damp spring is continuing into a cool, damp summer.
   The annual release of  pine pollen from male cones is here, clouding the atmosphere with golden yellow dust.  The preponderance of the pollen is from white pines, but red and jack pines add to the onslaught.
   When the west wind blows strongly it triggers  an event of truly Biblical proportions, the pine trees from thousands of forested acres releasing untold billions of pollen grains. If the wind is calm and we get some rain conditions are ameliorated somewhat, but in any case I am sneezing.