Anyway, there are a lot of things going on out there right now. First of all, reader Sylvia Campbell needs help for one vital outdoor skill: brewing great camp coffee with an old-school percolator.
"I didn't want anyone to think I couldn't survive a camping trip without a great cup of coffee," Sylvia wrote. "The fact is, I do feel that way. It's the one thing I will not leave home without: coffee beans, coffee grinder and some kind of coffee maker."
I'm not a coffee drinker -- I'm a barbarian, so I drink cold Coca-Cola while in camp -- but many of you are coffee addicts! Please write, e-mail or call with help for Sylvia. I'll collect all the advice and put it in a column.
Wait, I have more to say!
The shellfish folks at the state Department of Fish and Wildlife are asking for public comments on the fall razor clam season this month. The meeting dates are:
Sept. 18 at Fife High School, 5802 20th St. E. The meeting starts at 7 p.m.
Sept. 19 at the Ocean Shores Shilo Inn, 707 Ocean Shores Blvd. The meeting starts at 7 p.m.
Sept. 20 at the Ocosta High School library in Westport. Ocasta High is at 2580 Montesano Blvd. The meeting starts at 7 p.m.
Sept. 21 at the Long Beach Super 8 Motel, 500 Ocean Beach Blvd. The meeting starts at 7 p.m.
Sept. 22 at the Olympic Natural Resource Center in Forks. The address is 1445 S. Forks Ave. The meeting starts at 7 p.m.
I know that thousands of you love to dig -- and eat -- razor clams, so let Fish and Wildlife know your suggestions for clam seasons. If you can't make a meeting, you can send written comments to:
Dan Ayres Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife 600 Capitol Way N Olympia, WA 98501-1091
You can also send e-mails to fishpgm@dfw.wa.gov
Finally, a lot of you are sending in terrific wildlife photos for our new contest. I fumbled the ball and forgot to put my contact information in the contest announcement -- but it is always at the bottom of my Tuesday and Friday columns. Anyway, you can send in electronic images to callen@theolympian.com. You can also mail photographs to The Olympian Attention: Chester Allen P.O. Box 407 Olympia, WA 98507
And it's always OK to just drop them off at the paper. We churn out this paper at 111 Bethel St. N.E. Olympia, WA 98506.
We'll talk again in a day or so -- and let's not forget about Sylvia's camp coffee.
