Welcome to lilac town

Every year the Palmer lilacs are better than ever. There are thirty foot tall lilac trees, near the Museum, which are probably older than dirt. There are the young, slender Miss Kim lilacs shaped like a manicured topiary. There are white lilacs, pale purple, violet, lavender, fuchsia, magenta, dark pink, and even some blue ones. There are tinker-belles and tiny dancers lilacs. The aroma is intense and heady. It is the old world lilac fragrance, which although fleeting and short-lived, stays with us.

The whole town of Palmer is on full lilac display/alert right now. Take a walk down any neighborhood street and you can capture this moment to revive your senses. However, be careful. I instinctively like to plunge my nose into the blossoms. This is a bad idea for several reasons. One is that lilacs are bees’ destinations. But the other reason is part of our whole new world; think about it. What other noses have previously visited that intoxicating public lilac shrub? As you shove your face into the remarkable flowers, remember you are likely not the first (and others have done the exact same thing, inhaling and exhaling deeply.) In these strange days of Corona, this isn’t exactly the smartest thing to do. Just be careful.

MidJune—Palmer’s floral sequence continues. This week lilacs, wild roses, columbine, irises, dandelions, Jacob’s ladder, blue bells, and daisies contribute to your weekly flower joy, compliments of Mother Nature.

Personal Palmer Calculus—This isn’t about math. This is about your own decision making and the very basic calculation of what is safe for you and others. It also adds in the equation of value. We all have to make important and individual choices on social distancing in Palmer. We see all the gaiety and crowds at the music concerts and the parades. We see the lakesides and busy trailheads. It’s obvious that everyone is following a singular path of their own choosing. Are you wearing a mask? Are you doing the six foot distance? Are you standing in tight lines or eating in crowded spaces? Are you picnicking outside with a few good friends? Be cognizant of what you’re doing, please. We want to keep the Corona numbers down, if we can.

Cumulative Beauty—In Palmer Alaska, we have all of the following “classic beauty spots” simultaneously: beautiful flower gardens; admirable earth architectured mountains; delicate Swallowtail butterflies; and meditative lakes and reflective water features. Any of the above are beautiful in and of their own right. But we Palmer Alaskans get it all.

Now, toss in a few magnificent clouds. Plus an occasional mammal. Plus the lighting of a movie set. Add a perfect double rainbow, stretching from the mountainside to the inlet horizon. We live in the land of superlatives and cumulative beauty. Take advantage of it right now.

This Week in Palmer: There are many outside events which you can choose from individually or collectively. Whatever you choose, please be safe. Friday Fling ramps up this Friday in the pavillion area, across from the Museum. The Palmer Ale House has outdoor concerts on Fridays and Saturdays. There are food trucks all over the place. And there are our solid Palmer restaurants and shops, standing firm and hoping to survive this phase. The bike shop, book shop, and shoe shop, along with the decor and clothing shops, could truly benefit from your Palmer patronage—all of them have developed safe protocols and all of them will honor your needs for safety.

Barbara Hunt is both Palmer writer and artist. She works hard to keep the robust pulse of Palmer, Alaska. She shares the good stuff in the weekly Palmer Alaska Buzz Column in the Mat Su Valley Frontiersman and daily on the Palmer Alaska Buzz Facebook Group. Her “Palmer Buzz Community Calendar” is available at Palmer shops and the Palmer museum. Contact at bhunt@mtaonline.net or text 907.315.3222