Greenery

Here's Matt and Frank at the creek down at the end of my short street.  One reason I was eager to move to Seattle all those years ago was that I wanted some place that was green all year long.  It is that here but all those dark days make me wonder sometimes.  I love to go to California where it is LIGHT.

When Ilana, Matt, Frank and Simon got here two weeks ago, they were all on Eastern time.  Since they got up early anyway, we're talking sub 4 am.  So they took some early morning trips.  Dennis is taking the picture here.  They hit the creek around 5 am. 

Photoessay #2565 - Fall Color

I think I put a picture of this tree in my neighborhoodon my blog every autumn.  Every year, it is so beautiful, how can I resist? 

And these mums?  this is a pot of chrysanthemums that I bought last year and look how they've come back.  Flowers even!

And the two buddies, Starbaby and Teddy demonstrate that subathing opportunities do exist in the fall.  Sometimes, you have to search for them and it's not always dry.  But you can still do it.

Photoessay #2920 - Tree-splitting!

My neighbor's maple tree split one afternoon last week.  The whole limb of the tree split from the trunkl.  A big part.  Knocked out part of the neighbor's fence.

No rain, no wind, no nothing.  Nobody messing with the tree.  Seemed like the tree was fine, a maple, been there forever.

Like trees in all of our yards.

We have a huge maple something sort of tree in our backyard which, despite a bunch of cutting back by big men with chainsaws shades most of the entire backyard.  With resultant killing of grass or lawn-like plants (I include dandelions and moss in this category).

This year our grass is 'so much better'.  This means instead of complete brown dirt and mud, the dirt is punctuated here and there with some tufts of grass that are really trying to make it.  I encourage them.  Have even watered them occasionally.

Here people don't water their grass.  Most of the time, it gets through most of the summer green.  But if it turns yellow or brown, just wait until it starts raining again and it will come back.  My new neighbor from Florida was baffled by this approach at first.

But really, why dump a bunch of potable water on your grass?

Because of this tree (and others) our yard is heavily shaded and our house rarely gets too hot.

Question to my readers, should I go out and buy new yard chairs as our current collection has that familiar Seattle mildew look.  I spent some time trying to scrub it off but it's not budging.  Before the relatives come to town?

Luckily nobody was hurt nor any serious damage done when that tree-part came down.  Just took out a section of fence.

Too bad but Kai the big golden retriever has gone back to Whidbey Island.  We kind of liked having him around.  But he did take up a lot of space and had a ton of fur.  Very affectionate.  He kind of took the spotlight off of Teddy who was smaller, has the spray on coat and defers.

Photoessay #1023 - Dramatic

Found this picture in one of those boxes of tons of unsorted snapshots. As if I didn't have a massive number of photographs. I have inherited Dennis' parent's albums AND my parent's collection. Plus my own from when my kids were little. Put them in a bookcase (too many!) and it's definitely impressive. Plus I have a china cabinet upstairs which is also full of photos. I'm very aware that many of the online photos have not been printed. Or they have been printed and I let my mother take what she wanted. Which I probably got back. Some have been put into albums.

Given my difficulty with making order of items, I doubt that it will ever get straightened out. Begs the question, does it really matter? And to who? One of my dog park buddies about my age mentioned all of their online photos; I mused that many of these electronic photos not printed would be lost. She shrugged. 'My husband and I have no children, my brother has no children, they will be much easier to get rid of when the time comes.'

Hmmm, never quite thought of it that way. But what really should I save? I've already tossed some of the albums of my parent's trips. Just took out the shots of the parents themselves.

In my parent's house, I found two rolls of undeveloped film. Couldn't resist getting them developed. Which only reminded me how much money we used to spend on getting film developed. The pictures? One interesting one clearly from their last ill-fated cruise to South America (my father ended up in a hospital in Chile). These must have been from my mother's camera...there were pictures of my brother's cats. My brother didn't start bringing over his cats until after my father's death. He would never have tolerated them. I'm sure those cats would NOT have BEHAVED or followed my father's commands.

This shot tries to manufacture drama through the the sunrise. Or is it the sunset? I'm going for dawn. I admit to be confounded on my directions. Not our front yard, think it's my next door neighbors.

But all will be revealed as the plot unfolds.

Photoessay #1015 - Mountlake Terrace Gardens

I drive the three miles to the Mountlake Terrace Recreation center real often. Almost every day to the dog park (today Teddy had a rousing wrestling session with Leo a german shepherd 40 pounds bigger than he) and two evenings per week to the swim pool (for water aerobics). Modest neighborhood of postwar cinder brick houses built for returning veterans in the late 40s. But, lately I've noticed some colorful gardens that I blindly have been passing all summer. The first one might be a bit past it's prime but still so colorful.

Sometimes we blindly go along not noticing the wonder around us. Garden pictures posted without permission

Photoessay #1067 - Flowers

I think those pansies were a good pick....

A view of the beatup picnic table in my backyard. Another forced labor event in my household is the planting of the pots. Dennis and the kids have to help with my pots by the front door, on the upper deck and lower deck. About a month ago. Usually I anchor the large pots with the geraniums puchased at Costco that will bloon until October. Some other small plants on the sides. If I'm brave, I use the slug's favorite petunia.

But look at our results on June 9. The pansies are going so nuts, you can't even see the geraniums. An impulse purchase, especially the deep blue ones. But look how gorgeous they are. I'm so glad I got them. Also a big pack of yellow/orange eensy beensy pansies.

Notice the deep green in the background. You California folks, don't you love it? I was heavily motivated to ditch that semi-arid landscape. Looking for a heat wave this week, high of 76. That's considered hot hot around here in this marine climate.

And Starbaby on the left. As Ilana says, this cat does whatever she wants. You can't direct her, heck you can't even make suggestions to this kitty. She's very haughty, bossy, empress of the known universe. She doesn't care a bit about what anybody else thinks. Natsuko really liked her. I asked Natsuko if she would like me to send her anything from Seattle "Starbaby" she replied.

I'm resolving some of my conflicts with this distribution paperwork. Quite a fuss. I asked an extended family member experienced in these matters. He said "I have one question, do you have any problem with the amounts from these trusts?" I said I didn't. "Then sign them and send them in!!" OK.

Photoessay #1007 - Rhodies ready

Rhododendrons rule in the Puget Sound region. They're just coming on, many of the varieties just starting to bloom. And when they bloom, they explode with color. Deep purple, scarlet, candy pink, pale yellow, you name it and you'll find a rhody of that color pouring it on. My personal favorites are the brilliant golden oranges, they look like fire! Most everybody has a rhody bush or two. I have one in my backyard that has wanted to get BIG, and since there's plenty of room, the thing must measure 10 feet tall and 20 feet wide. Some years a lot of pink violet blooms with considerable sparkle, some years not. I've seen rhodys at the arboretum where each individual bloom is as big as a dinner plate. Huge!

Shot from a neglected rhody on the far side of my driveway in front of my house. This poor thing gets no care except for car doors opened on it. But it still gives it's brilliant blossoms. Time to bloom, NOW!

Photoessay #822 - Some more first days

I found these two pictures today, wish I had had them last week. I would have added them to the picture we made for Julie and Hal.

Some more first days of schools for the kids on 34th NE. Of a certain cohort. With Naomi being the youngest and Keith and Aaron being the oldest. Maybe 1990 and 1995?

This cul-de-sac has 12 houses. Of course, there are more kids now. And how can you judge another neighborhood or your own neighborhood at a different time? But during my kid's school years, the neighborhood felt very cohesive to me. A lot of interatcion between the neighbors and lots of helping each other out when we needed it.

The concept of 'desperation backup' ruled. If you called a neighbor and invoked 'desperation backup' usually involving getting a kid somewhere, the obligation was strong. You didn't do it unless you were really stuck.

Here's an interesting and encouraging statistic. for the top picture. 13 kids, the two girls most right in the back row, not sure who thery are. The girl on the left in the back row, her family moved when she was in high school. Of the ten remaining, 8 are attending or have graduated from a 4 year school. All University of Washington or Washington State University. One from the University of Oregon. One completed a multi-year certificate program associated with the University of Montana, 1 went to community college.

That's not bad, not bad at all.

Photoessay #817 - Neighborhood party

Tonight we had the neighborhood party marking the departure of the H family. Julie has been there every step of the way raising my kids and I've been there for her. She'came to my house to take care of my kids when I went to give birth to Naomi. We've been desperation backup for each other all the way along.

When I heard they were actually moving, doing the moving truck thing this very week even though their house has not sold. I knew KNEW that we had to have a party, Non-negotiable, had to happen. So the next door neighbors agreed to host, I made the invitations, brought fruit salad and root beer, conceived the gift (which Becky finished)

Lovely party! Lasagna, garlic bread, 3 salads, and a fancy cake to finish it off. sitting out on the back deck on a late summer evening. At the end, we started the 'I remember the time that' stories. So appropriate and comforting. Becky said she always tells the story which she attributed to me (which, of course, I don't remember) that the first kid knows how to do lots of thing but the last kid only knows how to go to soccer practice. My favorite was Duncan's story about how, when he moved in and got out the lawn mower, Dane came walking over probably around age 4.

Dane: "You going to mow the lawn"
Duncan: "Yes I am"
Dane: "My dad's lawnmower is bigger than yours"

And always stories about Dave blowing up wasps nests with M80s or similar.

We gave Julie the picture (finished in lovely fashion by Becky). Sweet and cute, a good choice if I do say so myself.

It's bee great for us to have such a warm cohesive neighborhood. A gift.

First picture is Julie holding up the picture. Then the group shot. I'm taking the picture, the first group shot of the neighborhood I can remember

Photoessay #815 - First day of school

No, the first day of school has not arrived. In fact, for the first time, after 21 years, I do not have a kid enrolled in the Shoreline School District. Whoopee! Though, I still, even now get this twinge of panic when I hear about kindergarten signup...."wait a minute, think!" I tell myself, "do I have a kid to sign up for kindergarten?"

We took pictures of the kids in our neighborhood on the first day of school waiting for that school bus.

So the H family will move away. We're planning a party on Tuesday night. For the neighborhood. At my next door neighbor's house. I did the invitations. I wanted some kind of remembrance. When I talked to Julie, we talked of the feeling of loss when you leave a neighborhood. Even though it's a good thing and will work out great. It's still sad. "Yes", murmured Julie, this is where I raised my kids". They've lived here about a year longer than us. I remember Loren was two and she was quite put out when Ilana, then one, moved in and because the 'baby' of the neighborhood.

It made me think of those pictures. So I looked through the piles of snapshots and found these 4 shots. Likely I have more. I cropped and scanned and printed them. I went down and got a frame. Maybe a collage? And then I choked. I knew that I would mess up the artsy craftsy part. I'm good at the big picture but spatial fine motor skills? Nope.

So I pitched my neighbor Becky (who's GOOD at this) to, um, finish it. She said she's do it. It will look great when she finishes it. It can be from both of us, yes!

Photoessay #801 - Very Best Neighborhood

My neighbors are selling their house. They've lived here a year or so longer than we have, 23 years? They raised their kids in this neighborhood, ourselves also. My next door neighbor points out that these neighbors had lived here the second longest, with him being the longest. That puts us in the #2 slot. Can we handle the recognition and the discounts, the honor??

We'll have a farewell party for them, I'm organizing it, the invitations are out. They plan to move the last week of the month whether their house sells or not. These neighbors have extensively remodeled their home, everything inside and out in beautiful shape. On a creek.

Their marine architecture business has taken off, their kids are finishing college. They purchased a home in Bend some time ago plus they'll have a condo in Ballard. All great!

It brings up for me the credo that we've lived by since we moved here in 1987.

"THIS IS THE VERY BEST NEIGHBORHOOD"

Several families had young kids (including ours) that grew up together. We fervently believed that this was the very best neighborhood. And if you believe that, it comes true. I feel I gave my kids a tremendous gift, a quiet stable neighborhood full of neighbors they could trust. If somebody needed something, a neighbor would always help. We've had July 4 and New Year's Eve parties. We had hot summer afternoon with all of the kids in a waiting pool in someone's front yard and the moms putting together a collective supper "I've got some hot dogs", one parent would say. Another would say "I've got a cantalope" Sounds like dinner to me. The kids playing together in the snow. My neighbors took care of my kids when I had babies. We did things for each other, we held together because

This is the very best neighborhood.

When a dad died, after the memorial, the neighbors started bringing over their outside chairs and tables and set up the yard. Nobody had to tell you, you just knew.

Those early July 4th parties stand out. Some of the dads would get a litttttle carried away at the Indian fireworks stands. Back when fireworks were legal. The kids LOVED it. In fact, the neighborhood kids wouldn't dream of being anywhere else but here.

My kids have sold many a box of cookies, chocolate bars, concert tickets, etc etc in this neighborhood. And I've bought from their kids. We helped each other out, modeling for our own kids.

Because

This is the very best neighborhood

Photoessay #744 - Neighborhood July 4th party

Our neighborhood has had the custom of having a party July 4th right here in our very own cul de sac. It's gotten a lot more modest as the kids have grown up and people have moved. New people come in and don't necessarily participate.

At its prime at least in the last 22 years...it was THE place to be for the kids. Fireworks were legal then and some of the dad would really stock up especially at the stands on the Reservations where even more was legal. It could be a real pyro experience as these dads would try to outdo each other. The kids LOVED it. I know some parents might want to go elsewhere but many a young person would say "Mom, you go where you want but I'm going to be HERE for the 4th of July". Often there would be a little softball game with a whiffle balls with many heroics in the outfield. One year Laura T (maybe in high school) got hit in the face with the whiffle ball "A sports injury!" she cried out in delight "A sports injury! I've got a sports injury! I've got to call my friends and let them know"

The adults would build a fire in a portable fireplace and talk into the night while the kids ran around between the houses. A great time.

But the best time was early the next morning. The kids were responsible for cleaning the fireworks debris out of the cul de sac. They competed to see who could get out there first to get the really cool burned up stuff. Nobody could beat Susanna, she got out there at the crack of dawn.

Well, this year, it started out a little slow. Ilana and Teddy are there at the appointed time ....

Later some folks came and we did water balloon volleyball which we've done for at least 10 years. Really fun, I know I've written it up before. You get lots of water balloons. You play in pairs each holding the end of a beach towel. You use the towel to launch and catch the water balloons. Mike G, a neighbor, and Narronika, age 12 (?) in the foreground are throwing up a water balloon. I remember Narronika distributing the water balloons when she was about 2.

Photoessay #465 - Birthday party for mom - mid 1990s

When Ilana was about 7 years old, she discovered that I had a birthday and she felt very strongly that I needed to have a birthday party. In fact, she would take care of that, she would make me a party. So she wrote up invitations and distributed them around the neighborhood. She did this for several years. We had a cake in the freezer and we're always collecting party plates. This particular year, she scored some party hats.

So when the appointed time came on Saturday afternoon, Ilana welcomed the guests. If some didn't show up, she went and fetched them. They opened the door to a very determined little girl who expected you to come to her mom's party NOW. NO EXCUSES. She didn't take no for an answer, you were supposed to come.

So the neighbors dutifully came to my birthday party put on by Ilana. We look like we're having a good time. Check out that crown!

Photoessay #238 - Crown College 1973

A different neighborhood...different place and different time.

Since we have returned to Phase I of the scanner life cycle, I am taking this opportunity to scan the cover of a 'yearbook' put out by students at Crown College of University of California, Santa Cruz for 1973-4. I believe the credit for the photo should go to Mark Zemelman, the person behind this publication all those years ago.

The pictures in the book depict Crown undergraduate students in their college. Perhaps, I will feature some pictures, how likely do you think that people in the pictures will see them and scream?

A few months ago, Dennis, Ilana and I flipped through the pages. I remembered some of the people and the places and sometimes I could remember how I felt at that time. In that time and in that place. The young people in the pictures looked relaxed and at ease. Engaged with their peers, lots of social interaction going on. Very few electronics at that time, a phone on each floor seldom used. Communication meant face to face, directly personal. No hiding in your dorm room (or your basement) typing away or interacting with data, machines, networks, blogs. *with* people, ok maybe you were making out but *direct* interaction just the same.

As I now live in another state, most of my peers grew up here and didn't have the same experiences as I, attending high school in California in the 1960s and UCSC in the early 70s. A different cultural phenomenon. They did not see the same things as I.

This particular arty photo, c'mon it IS pretty handsome, shows one of the Crown residence halls at dusk. Is that moonlight illuminating the clouds? I would say it was Harvey House from the third floor balcony of the Library but the apartment is on the wrong side. I can't recall where else you would have such a high vista, but the mind dims. I like the juxtaposition of the light from the windows and the light of the moon. Likely done in a darkroom, no photoshop or other photo tools.

We took Naomi there just about two years ago in our 'tour of colleges you will not be able to attend'. We hit Crown College at dusk, she really liked it, she tried to hatch some ideas how she could go to UCSC. Cal and Stanford also featured, Pac 10 schools hosting the Oregon schools in conference softball that weekend. JJ accompanied us most of the time, of course, University of Oregon softball playing in the Bay Area, wouldn't everybody attend? What else could you possibly have to do?

As Susanna is likely coaching, Dennis talks about going down for that series even this year....

My neighborhood - a description

I'm planning a series about my neighborhood. Modest but rich in stories and background. A legitimate place!

Description: Twelve single family houses built around an L-shaped cul de sac in 1973 in a residential just north of the Seattle city limits. The community itself developed as a summer home suburb in the 1920s bordering the lake and known for its tall trees. The community is between the Seattle City limits and the King/Snohomish county line. In the late 1940s, some local community types sponsored a contest in the schools to name the area. A middle school student suggested

Shoreline
because it was between two shores on the east and west (Puget Sound and Lake Washington)
because it was between two lines one the north and south (County line and City limits)

Our neighborhood has no water view but there are some interesting territorial vistas from various sides of the court. Lyons Creek, a salmon spawning creek runs on the east side. Another small creek ran through the parcel but the develpers apparently diverted it during construction re-routing it around the edge of the north lots into Lyons Creek. Fine, except for when the rains come pounding down heavy and the excess water reverts to it's previous channel. It flows harmlessly through my back yard but can flood out the basements of the houses on either side of us.