[Phish.net thanks Andrew Rose, @andrewrose, for this piece. All content on Phish.net is volunteer-driven, so if you have something interesting that you would like posted on the homepage, feel free to message @FunkyCFunkyDo or @Icculus with your idea. -Ed.]

I was driving down St Urbain yesterday, on the way to Old Montreal to run an errand. I thought waiting until 10pm or so would help me avoid traffic, but neglected to note that it was a Friday night in July, and the Montreal International Jazz Fest was still filling the air with free programming, and the crowds and cars—on the few streets that were still open for traffic—were plentiful. I didn’t mind much. The air was warm, a little humid but not oppressive. Spring and summer have been beautiful here in Montreal this year. A real contrast to the apocalyptic smog-filled skies that literally cast a cloud over the region last summer, starting with forest fires in Northern Quebec and then making their way down the American seaboard. I know those fires will be back at some point, but I’ve been doing my best to appreciate the relative blessings that this season has had to offer.

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