Cascadia Song

The End of the Pink Season

2007-04-28T09:24:00.000-07:00

The last of the double-blossomed Japanese Cherry trees are dropping their petals, and blankets of the pink snow are covering the lawns, drifts piling on the edges of trails and roads. We have passed through the gateway to Spring.

Caped Cascadia: Sustainability Superhero

2007-04-27T16:29:00.000-07:00

Lover of the great outdoors, Caped Cascadia fights for environmental preservation and animal protection across the Pacific Northwest. She bravely forwards her cause through volunteering, voting, advocating, tithing to the cause, and walking her talk to lead humanity toward a humane, sustainable culture. Her superpower is her ability, through the powers of informed logic and articulate debate, to transform even the most self-indulgent, irresponsible consumers into mindful, conscientious citizens of the earth.

Note her sturdy runners and walking stick for long hikes, all purpose gloves for organic gardening, kayaking or snow shoeing, yoga tights and leotard, “whale pin” donation thank you gift from People for Puget Sound, short-cropped hair for easy care when swimming, camping, and participating in old growth forest sit-ins, the forest twigs that nonetheless got caught in her ‘do when she was sitting up in the ancient Douglas Fir, belt of quarters for riding the bus, and her “big dog” companion Gifford (all Cascadians love big dogs).

Thanks to Becky at “Girl in Short Shorts”, who clued me into the Superhero Creation Tool!

More NIMBY

2007-04-25T09:44:00.000-07:00

To augment the previous post, a few other NIMBY topics:

toddstanfield.com
cascadiareport.com
seattleworks.typepad.com
seattletimes.nwsource.com
seattlest.com
seattleweekly.com

Obviously, it is an issue AND we do tend to navel-gaze on this topic.

NIMBY

2007-04-23T19:38:00.000-07:00

We folks in the greater Seattle area like to be nice. Generous, caring, proactive… we like to think of ourselves this way and have this ideal reflected in our community: support of a wide range of social safety net services, tolerance of diverse lifestyles, environmentally sound urban planning (e.g. “density”), mass transit. We also, however, like our lives to be nice: pretty, quiet, safe, comfortable… with nooooo threat to our property values.

As a result, we often find these two goals to be mutually exclusive, or at least we perceive them to be. We say (and we vote) that we want such services as housing for chronic alcoholics, methadone treatment centers, domestic violence shelters, and temporary, sanctioned camps for the homeless. But it can be a struggle to find a neighborhood that will welcome such a service with a warm embrace. We don’t want to think of ourselves as prudes, so don’t outright ban strip clubs. But, there is a push to corral all the existing strip clubs into one low income neighborhood. In a misguided effort to protect the delicate sensibilities of the local children, there was even an outcry about the name of a new pet store in the Wallingford neighborhood, called High Maintenance Bitch. (Honestly, if there is any appropriate use of the "B" word, this would be it!)

The zoo (the ZOO, of all non-controversial organizations) is getting severe push back from its neighbors because it wants to build a few outbuildings on its property and a parking garage to prevent parking sprawl into the neighborhood. When the proposed garage was to be on the south end of the park, the neighbors on the north end supported the proposal, but the southern neighbors fought it bitterly. Then, the plan changed for the structure to be on the north end. Well, surprise, surprise… now the north end neighbors are up in arms and the south enders think a garage is a splendid idea.

Granted, it is not as pure and simple as this. But, it is the gist. And it is the hypocritical tradition of this otherwise progressive town. We support all things good as long as our own neighborhood is not impacted. "Not In MY Back Yard!” is the common hew and cry.

Oy. As Popeye used to say, “This is embarrasking.”

A P-Patch Post

2007-04-22T14:01:00.000-07:00

Winding your way over the hills of Seattle, weaving through the neighborhoods, you will inevitably happen upon a small or large plot of land, sometimes in the most incongruous place, overflowing with dahlias and raspberry canes, bok choy, pea vines, and heirloom tomato plants. This is one of the many P-Patches in the city, small urban farm plots tended by local residents

There are well over 50 community gardens available to all residents and another 15 or so specifically for low income housing residents. Many P-Patchers are first generation immigrants and the produce they raise is a significant source of their families’ food. Community Urban Gardening has been a growing tradition in Seattle for over 40 years.

From Historylink.org on the origin of the P-patch tradition in Seattle:
"In 1922, Italian immigrant Ernesto Picardo bought four of the blocks and began raising vegetables. In 1965, the last Picardo retired from farming. Darlyn Rundberg saw the Picardo farm going unused and she envisioned a community garden. With the help of City Councilman Bruce Chapman, she got the city to lease the land and to pay the outstanding taxes of $688. Three acres were turned over to the Puget Consumers' Cooperative and the plot became the 'P' Patch. By 1971 there were 180 plots being cultivated. The land was purchased by the city in 1973 and the program expanded." In 2001, the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods had 38 P-Patches with 1900 plots and 4,600 gardeners on 12 acres of land.

Each P-patch has a different personality based on its location and gardeners. Some are very tidy, ornamental, and artistic. Some are purely utilitarian agriculture. Some are populated by folks wanting the simple opportunity of digging in the dirt, puttering around. Others are a mix of all the above.

The program is supported by both the City of Seattle which helps manage the sites and recruit/organize gardeners, and a non-profit land trust called
the P-Patch Trust which acquires land for the program and works on community development through the program.

This Day

2007-04-03T18:47:00.000-07:00

This is a day when, sitting on a driftwood log on the beach, heels dug in the rocks or crouched in the garden clearing away the winter weeds, the sun warms your back and the heat sinks deep into your bones. The body responds… a sensuous relaxation, a gratitude and quiet happiness.

Gold is coming back to the sun… no longer that sheer, winter white. Even its color is warming. And what, only two weeks ago, was a fragile lace of green in the trees is now growing lush and luscious. Still fresh and clean… not the worn, dusty olive of August.

These waxing days, like a cat uncurling on a porch banister, are slowly, languidly stretching longer. Cold, dark memories of December continue to dwindle, retreating from the light.

Salmon - The Spokesmodel of the Northwest

2007-03-21T08:07:00.000-07:00

If you played the word association game with “Pacific Northwest”, what would come to mind? Rain, green, Space Needle, ocean…. Odds are, that list would include “salmon,” one of the most enduring icons of the Pacific Northwest, and a creature that has sustained the environment and human society in Cascadia throughout history. Images of the Northwest invariably include salmon spawning in the rivers and being eaten by bears or eagles, Native American totems of salmon, fishing boats heading to sea, plates of gourmet prepared salmon steaks, historical photos of Native Americans spear fishing at waterfalls, current photos of catch-and-release fly fishermen wading in rivers.

Above: Salmon passing through the fish ladder at the Chittenden Locks in Seattle. Film by artist Jeff Hull.

To discuss the role of salmon in historical and current day ecosystem, culture and politics is a daunting task. Topics include: A basic primer on salmons’ life cycle and the species; salmon’s integral role in the Pacific NW ecosystem and the impact of environmental change on salmon populations; tribal culture, mythology, and political history; current politics of resource management and conflicting demands (land development and its impact, farming vs hydroelectric energy vs salmon preservation, tribal vs commercial vs recreational fishing rights, and the wild vs farmed salmon debate); culinary topics; and salmon fishing as recreation.

Cascadia Song is embarking on an occasional series touching on all these topics, providing links to informational resources. To start, educational links on the topics of the salmon life cycle and the species native to the Pacific Northwest are listed below.

Salmon Life Cycle:

http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/pugetsound/species/salmon_cyc.html
http://www.fish.washington.edu/hatchery/education.html

Species of Pacific Northwest Salmon:

http://www.hitime.com/sdscptn.htm
http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/waterres/salmon/id.htm
http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/ESA-Salmon-Listings/Salmon-Populations/

The Pink Season

2007-03-16T13:49:00.000-07:00

There is a fleeting season in Seattle, a brief time when all of the many Japanese cherry trees are in bloom… the pink season. It might be the profound Asian influence on Seattle, due to its Pacific Rim location and long history of Japanese immigration. Or, it could be just that these lovely trees thrive in the Northwest and provide one of the first glimpses of the coming season. For whatever reason, Seattlites though the years have planted and tended thousands of these stunning arbors.

The blooms last only 2-3 weeks, depending on the weather. Some blossom later than others (like the double-blossomed type), stretching the spectacle to about six weeks. Their impact on the early spring season is profound. When the trees are in bloom, one can find stretches of boulevards lined with big pink puff balls. When the petals fall, it is a blizzard of soft, pink snow that drift against the curbs and tree trunks and bunches of blooming daffodils. The leaves are bronze-green, lending a warm, rich tone into summer and fall.

Some folks are not impressed with the city’s fondness for these trees. Maybe these ornamentals are not modern enough, or pink is not chic. Admittedly, these are pretty trees, not dramatic in branching habit, or exotic in leaf shape or color. They have been in the landscape for ages, so are not on the cutting edge of landscape design fashion.
They are old-fashioned like the snowball bush, lilac and forsythia. In that way they are comforting like chicken pot pies and laundry lines filled with blowing linens held in place by wooden pins. And, they mark the coming of a welcomed season when the returning sun warms faces, loosens the soil, rouses flowers and birds, and lingers later every day.

In Praise of Tourists

2007-02-05T20:36:00.000-08:00

I love tourists.

Can I just say that again?

I love tourists. They are so darn cute, wandering around always looking up at the sights or down at their maps. Always dressed in their specially-bought vacation clothes, or corny Seattle swag. They are happy people -- who isn't when on vacation? And 99% of the time, they are so very polite and appreciative.

Yes, they can be a bit oblivious, walking slow four abreast on the sidewalks then stopping to look at a map or take a picture, creating a pedestrian traffic jam. Downtown and the Pike Place Market can be maddeningly crowded in the summer. But that is a small price to pay to see my home town through their fresh, admiring, gleeful eyes. It reminds me how fortunate I am to live here, experiencing it every day.

Last weekend while snowshoeing in the mountains, I watched a group of tourists, whom I believe had never before experienced snow, take turns getting their picture snapped holding a great big hunk of it. One wore it like a hat, another held it high, a third hugged it. They were so excited. It was SO DARN CUTE.

Granted, sometimes what visitors get excited about can be a bit of a head-scratcher. There is always a knot of camera-wielding out-of-towners in front of the original Starbucks store at the Pike Place Market, clicking away at their loved ones swilling latte at the front window. If they were to simply turn around, there is a stunning view of the flower market, but who am I to judge what others should want to remember?

I must admit, I also love tourism. It is a great motivator to a city and region to keep itself beautiful and preserve its history. As industries go, its a fairly clean one and very lucrative to merchants, the hospitality industry, and city tax coffers alike. Frankly, tourists "subsidize" the economic robustness of the city and Cascadians' quality of life as a result.

I like to help tourists, help them find the museum or offer to take a picture they can ALL be in. They are always so grateful. It's easy to make their day. Vainly, I like to play goodwill ambassador. And, it's just fun and it makes me happy... 'cause they're just so darn cute.

Can I just say that again...?

A "Co-operative" Culture

2007-01-30T09:29:00.000-08:00

Cascadia abounds with joiners. There are so many organizations to be members of, and we do tend to jump on the bandwagon: charities, political organizations, and affinity groups (clubs) fill our lives. The Northwest also has a strong history of building and supporting a range of co-operatives. Some of the country’s oldest and largest co-operatives (“co-ops”) reside here in Cascadia.

What’s A Co-op?

Per the International Co-operative Alliance, a co-operative is: “"an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly-owned and democratically-controlled enterprise." They "are based on the values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity and solidarity. In the tradition of their founders, co-operative members believe in the ethical values of honesty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others."

Very idealistic, non? Also, very practical. Co-operatives are created by their members to further mutual values and goals such as to create/ensure: access to organic food for consumers, access to commonly-owned processing equipment for farmers, affordable and healthcare. There are all kinds of co-ops. Here’s a sampling of a few you will find here:

Co-operative Banking (Credit Unions): Boeing Employees Credit Union

Started in 1935, BECU is ranked the fifth largest credit union (by asset size) in the United States and claims over 460,000 members. Their mission is to uphold our fundamental responsibility to actively serve people within their field of membership, and as appropriate, the communities they live in. They deliver a range of low-cost products and services to members. As stated on their website, “We will continually, in all facets of operations, demonstrate the value of membership in BECU while we look for better ways to reach out to the under-served.” Providing fair, affordable banking services and a commitment to improve quality of life in the community by reaching out to in-need communities in the area is the core of their purpose.

Consumer Co-operatives, Food: Puget Consumer Cooperative

PCC started as a food-buying club of 15 families in 1953. Today, it is the largest natural food co-operative in the nation. Their mission is to: 1) Provide the highest quality natural foods and products, 2) Create and cultivate the marketplace for locally grown and organic products and are a vital community resource on food, nutrition and environmental issues, and 3) Create and deliver the most satisfying natural foods shopping experience in the Northwest. PCC actively addresses issues such as farmland preservation, genetically engineered foods, organics and sustainable seafood through its buying policies and through advocacy activity.

Consumer Co-operatives, Outdoor Clothing and Equipment: Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI)

REI was founded in 1938 by a group of Seattle-area mountaineers who wanted access to quality outdoor recreational gear at reasonable prices. It has grown to be the country's largest consumer-owned co-operative far exceeding 2 million active members. They focus on serving the interests of our customers through providing high quality clothing and equipment at fair prices with a liberal return policy, promoting environmental stewardship, and giving back to the community. Per their website, REI: “…donates millions of dollars to support conservation efforts nationwide, and sends scores of volunteers to build trails, clean up beaches, and teach outdoor ethics to kids. Through responsible business practices, we strive to reduce our environmental footprint.”

Healthcare Co-operatives: Group Health Cooperative

Group Health Cooperative was opened in 1947 by a community coalition dedicated to making quality health care available and affordable. Group Health is a consumer-governed, nonprofit health care system that coordinates care and coverage. Based in Seattle, the Group Health network serves approximately 568,344 members in Washington and Idaho. Per its website: “Today it is one of the few health care organizations in the country governed by consumers rather than internal executives. Its 11-member board of trustees — all Cooperative members elected by other members — work closely with management and medical staff to ensure that the organization's policies and direction put the needs of patients first.” GHC’s stated purpose is to transform health care, working to improve the care and well-being of their members and communities.

Housing Co-operatives

There are a range of forms of co-operative residences. None are large organizations, but are based on a singe home or small group of homes in the same area. Seattle Wiki has a list.

Co-ops provide viable and competitive options for purchasing goods and services for both individuals and small businesses, like farmers. Since the “shareholders” are the consumers (members) themselves, benefits including profit, is returned. Also, a lack of profit-motive helps ensure that the values and goals the co-ops are founded on do not erode under the pressure to reduce costs and maximize revenue. They are organizations in balance, or least strive to be. Each co-operative is led by a board of directors that represent the membership, ensuring the organizations management and staff operate efficiently and effectively in the organization’s interest. The success of co-ops, despite their relatively minimal marketing and other promotion, in the Northwest proves their relevance and necessity here. For-profit organizations aren’t meeting all needs of a market place that demands values of honesty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others as well as quality products at competitive prices. Viva la co-op!

Get to Know the Locals

2007-01-26T08:29:00.000-08:00

This blog, as well as Seattle Song, are changing a bit. A blogroll of personal blogs by Cascadians is now added to the sidebar. Each is a blog I have found to be thought provoking, funny or otherwise worth a glance or more. Although not necessarily reflective of my own views or interests, each seems to be thoughtfully (or at least earnestly) written relative to its purpose. Some are philosophical, some political, some pursue a hobby, and others are purely personal. The list is composed to provide readers a smattering of perspectives and experiences of the folks who live in this region. The blogroll will be growing, so keep an eye out for new additions.

The Seattle Blogsphere is a-Yapping...

2007-01-25T15:43:00.000-08:00

...about the proposed state legislation to allow bars & liquor-licence-holding restaurants the option to allow dogs (see prior post):

West Seattle Blog
Seattle Metroblog
Seattlest
Horse's Ass

It seems the vote is rancorously divided. (Yes, we have a lot of energy around our pets here.)

A-grrrrrrr.

A Dog's Life in Cascadia Might Get Even Better

2007-01-25T05:55:00.000-08:00

In an earlier post, I described many of the ways in which Cascadia is a dog's paradise, from dog parks to chic boutiques to specialized medical care. It seems that canine quality of life here may get even better, if a piece of proposed state legislation is passed.

It was reported in the Seattle Times today that state Senator Ken Jacobsen, D-Seattle, submitted a bill to the legislature which would give bars and restaurants with liquor licenses an option to allow well-behaved, leashed dogs on premises, providing they stay next to thier owner. Currently only service dogs are allowed.

The bill may face an uphill battle against current code barring animals in eating establishments, which is based on a national food-code standard set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Despite this, there are already a few renegade pubs and cafes in the area that allow dogs in on occasion, particularly in outdoor areas, provided no other patrons complain. Generally, as long as the pooch is well-behaved, Cascadians don't mind.

Hopefully, most of our state Senators and Representatives feel the same. Remember, there is a toll free phone line to your state legistators to voice your opionion on matters such as this: 1.800.562.6000 . You can find out who represents you here.

The Price of a Little Piece of Paradise

2007-01-23T17:04:00.001-08:00

A report has been released by the research firm Demographia on the relative expense of home-ownership in cities across Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and the US. The major cities in Cascadia were rated as some of the most unaffordable in the study, which based its rankings on median home prices in each city relative to its median income.

The report concludes that the cause of unafforability of housing in the high-ranking cities is what they call "land use planning excesses." These include:

1) Land Use Policies that Produce Unaffordability, such as land rationing (urban growth boundaries and infill requirements), extravagant amenity requirements, excessively high infrastructure fees and approval processes that are unnecessarily lengthy and complicated.

2) Ignoring the Economic and Social Dimensions, by which they mean governments imposing restrictive planning policies without fully considering the ultimate impacts on the economy and quality of life.

3) The Emerging Costly Reality of Land Use Planning, by which they mean that restrictive land use policies compromise the competitiveness of urban areas, leading to less economic growth.

Their conclusion is that land use planning erodes (or, as they stated, "destroys") housing affordability. Demographia is self-monikered as "pro-choice" with respect to urban development. This is another way of saying they are a property rights advocacy group. So, the conclusions should be looked at carefully (skeptically?), based on the implicit mission of the organization's work. And, although the research seems to be sound, the scope of factors they consider are very narrow. Cascadia Report highlighted some factors omitted by the report that should be considered when calculating affordability, such as interest rates and robustness of economies as well as other considerations such as efficient public transportation that frees residents from the need for private cars, thus lowering their living expenses.

Further, although the findings of the report may be accurate, the benefits to the long term health of a city through policies and codes to contain urban sprawl, protect environmental health, and maintain cautious review of building and development applications for safety and quality of life standards are effectively dismissed as beside the point.

Yes, living in the cities of Cascadia can be expensive. Part of the cost does have to do with urban planning demands and development restrictions, and the report makes many valid points. However, there are great benefits that come with many of the expenses incurred by urban planning and oversight. If Cascadia were to focus on affordability to the exclusion of concern for the environment and other assets, the livability would erode and with it the economy of the region as its attractiveness to residents and business alike would be "destroyed" over time.

As a final consideration, it should be noted that lowering government-imposed costs on development in a region with a robust economy and high livability would not necessarily make the area more affordable. It is a supply and demand world, and the developers here would likely just reap a greater profit on development leading to equally "unaffordable" homes that are less sustainable and degrade the livability of the region.

The Mountain has Left the Building

2007-01-16T09:34:00.000-08:00

What a difference a day (or two) makes.
What a difference the weather makes.

It is astounding how a change in weather here transforms our world. Sunday was a palatte of oversaturated colors in sharp focus and infinite. Today everything is soft and grey and insulated.

The Mountain is Out

2007-01-15T16:45:00.000-08:00

“The Mountain is out!” If you say this, just about any Washingtonian will turn to look, because they know exactly what you mean. There in only one Mountain (with a capital M). It is Mount Rainier. This is because, on a clear day, it is visible to almost everyone who lives here. Standing over 14,400 feet tall, it is not only the highest peak in Washington State, but in the entire Cascade range. (A unifying symbol of a state with diverse landscapes and communities, the Mountain was chosen to represent Washington on the state’s quarter.)

Left: A view of Rainier from Seattle.

The Mountain is a magnificent place… a wonderland of old growth, temperate rain forest, alpine meadows that bloom like a festival in early summer, and wicked glacier fields and craggy peaks year around. It is a magnet for hikers, climbers, skiers and other wilderness sport enthusiasts. The entire mountain resides inside Mt. Rainier National Park and the vast majority of the park is designated as wilderness, which means it is protected by strict conservation laws but is also accessible for certain types of (non motorized) recreation. Rainier is a live volcano (although there has been no significant activity for over a hundred and fifty years) and lahar (volcanic mudslide) warning systems are installed in towns near the mountain.

It is also, simply, a sight to behold. Rising from surrounding miles of evergreen forest, it dominates the skyline. And, when someone says “the Mountain is out,” it is the best of days. It means the sky is clear and the beauty of the region is in its full glory. Like today.

"Solar Power"

2007-01-12T12:32:00.000-08:00

Every Cascadian, when emerging from his or her home today, peeked up to the sky then danced gleefully in the street. The sun is out again, making it two days in a row of blue sky. Moreover… sun is forecast for the entire next week. Hallelujah. We haven’t had a week of sun for months. Literally.

Left: Early morning blue sky over Bellevue and the Cascade Mts.

In terms of light, this is a tough time in the Pacific Northwest. The sun rises late and sets early. Thick cloud cover is the sky-du-jour just about every “jour” of the winter season. Magnifying the deprivation is that most folks arrive to their offices before sunrise and leave them after sun set. We end up a city of moles, squinting into the glare of the occasional sunny day, sunglasses long misplaced in the weeks of dreary grey. It’s a bit of a shock to the system, albeit a welcome one.

Many folks up here feel the effects of this. SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) sets in with a mild case of the blues, lethargy and a general desire to hibernate. Many of us take a sun trip sometime between January and early March to off set this. It doesn’t have to be warm (although that is the ultimate winter escape). A ski trip to Idaho or Utah can off set the withdrawal. All those sun rays reflecting off all that snow. Some of us get full spectrum light boxes or sunrise alarm clocks Some of us just tough it out.

In the glory days of July and August, when the days are long, warm and lushly green it’s easy to forget this time of year and to remember why we stay. Last week we dared not dream of the sun, it seemed so remote. Today we revel in it.

Wilderness Sprawl

2007-01-10T12:22:00.000-08:00

Two days ago, while walking the shoreline of Seward Park (a city park) I watched a pair of bald eagles cooperatively hunt and catch a grebe in the bay. It was a page out of National Geographic coming alive before my eyes. After making the catch, they flew to a nearby tree to pluck the carcass and have lunch. This morning, I watched a pair commute past my bedroom window, trailed by a murder of livid, squawking crows.

It is common anywhere, when human communities sprawl into a wilderness environment, that wildlife will be spotted. What is amazing about Seattle is that wilderness persists on "sprawling" into long-established urban areas. Bears, coyotes, mountain lions, deer, and eagles are not uncommon in the city and nearby towns. Whales are spotted in Elliott Bay and sealions are a perennial "pest" at the Ballard Locks during the salmon runs.

Above: A blue heron on the peak of my roof.

I think it is a hopeful sign that we've managed to strike a balance, so far, between human and nature's needs... that we've not yet strained nature so much as to destroy the web of life here. Pollution control, daylighting of urban streams, protecting wetlands and watershed buffer zones, and creative land conservency projects all play a part. And these are born out of an appreciation by the folks who live here for the importance of this balance, not only for the sake of preserving the beauty of it all, but preserving our own, human community as well.

You Know You're a Seattlite When.....

2007-01-06T08:31:00.000-08:00

The best of the "You know you're a ________ when" jokes mix self-depricating humor with right-on truth. This is the case for Seattle PI blogger Christina Hyun's list of astute observations about Seattlites. I saw myself in most of these, including:

5. You take your dog to play at a special park just for dogs.
18. You go to a small concrete/glass enclosure on an annual basis to watch fish desperately swim against the current.
23. You stop for pedestrians because you know they don't even look before stepping into traffic.
26. You know which house is Bill's.
31. You recycle everything possible and think people who don't are criminally irresponsible.
33. You don't wear high heels/hose or neckties, pretty much ever.
42. You think beaches are just fine at 65 degrees with ankle-numbing water.
52. You don't need to call a computer specialist for home computer problems because you or someone you know can fix it.
53. You give directions like this: I can't remember what that road's called, but it's just past the hill, after the Shell station. If you start going up another hill, then you've passed it. I think there's some kind of plant nursery across from where you turn, so look for that.
59. You eat at least one kind of Asian food on a regular basis.
61. You do one or more of the following: catch rainwater in rain barrels, compost, and/or use organic pesticides/weed killer.
74. You're polite with people but not too personal.
75. You email way more than you phone anyone.
76. You've visited The Troll, Lenin, and Hendrix.
79. You own your own tent and about a hundred other camping supplies.
84. You've "met The Man".
99. You think the recently suggested state slogan, "Say-Wah" is about the dumbest thing you've ever heard.

Some of these may be cryptic to non-Seattlites. Just ask... I will explain.
Enjoy.....

Pendleton Blankets

2007-01-05T16:21:00.000-08:00

When I was a kid, there was always a car blanket or two in backseat of the Oldsmobile. We would use them on outings to the beach and mountains when, sitting in the car looking out over a stormy Pacific or snowy fir trees, we could have a picnic lunch of tuna sandwiches and carrot sticks and oatmeal cookies and maybe a thermos of tomato soup before heading out to build sand castles or snowtube.

They were always Pendleton blankets; big, woolly sheaths of slightly itchy, warm comfort. They would be on the boat and at friends' cabins, and on my bed at home on particularly cold nights. With bold stripes or bright Indian prints, they were an iconic element of my childhood landscape. They meant excursions and adventure as well as long car rides home. My mother and grandmothers also grew up with them.
The Pendleton Woolen Mills has been making blankets in Pendleton,Oregon since before the beginning of the last century. Originally, the blankets were not only inspired by Native American tribal designs, but manufactured for Native Americans. And, to this day they are prized ceremonial gifts in many tribes.

Pendleton blankets remain a staple in the Northwest. They fit into the sensibility, style and the landscape of Cascadia. (In fact, an early Dale Chihuly project was inspired by the blankets. He made a series of basket-like vessels based on the Pendleton designs.) Sturdy, multifunctional, beautiful, these blankets become family heirlooms, the kind that get used as well as loved.

PS to Organics Post: Walmart's "Organics" may be a Lie

2006-12-30T19:50:00.000-08:00

Yesterday as part of my post on the Organics movement in the Northwest, I noted that Walmart had apparently established an organics section of their grocery departments.

I just read in the news today that a lawsuit has been filed against Walmart by Cornucopia, an organics watchdog group, alleging that Walmart is actually selling non-organic food as organic.

Buyer beware....

It’s a Crunchy-Granola Organic World Out Here

2006-12-29T09:15:00.000-08:00

I have spoken before about Cascadians’ passion for nature as well as their populist ethic of community activism and service. One facet of Northwest living where these all converge is in the organic farming phenomenon.

(Left: Farmland in the Skagit Valley cover cropped to attract migrating snow geese)

By 2004, Washington State alone had well over 40,000 acres of certified organic farmland, with thousands more in transition, producing over $200 million worth of organic food. Organic produce, dairy and meats are in high demand in the Pacific Northwest for many reasons:

Desire to avoid non-natural additives (pesticides, hormones, chemical fertilizer, genetically engineered/modified ingredients)
Higher nutritional value of organics
Perception of better taste and longevity of the food
Recognition that non-organic farming is damaging to the environment and not sustainable (air and water pollution, soil erosion, energy use, etc)
Recognition of the importance of biodiversity, which large agribusiness threatens and organic farming promotes
Farm worker safety
Preservation of family farms

Much of the organic food raised in the Northwest is consumed here, not only because of the demand, but also in recognition of the benefits of eating locally raised foods. Reasons for this are similar:

Fresher, and therefore more nutritional, food
Less energy is used in transportation to market
Desire to support local, family-owned business
Desire to support the organic use of local farmland rather than non-organic to reduce local pollution.

Prior to the recent inclusion by large grocery chains, organic food producers already had established distribution channels in the Northwest through farmers markets, farm subscriptions and through Puget Consumer Co-op, the largest consumer-owned natural food co-operative in the United States, founded in 1953.

Now, due to 20% annual growth in demand for organics nationwide, large grocery chains and national food manufacturers are jumping on the band wagon and one can even find, so it's told, an organics produce section in Walmart. (They are doing this, however, while at the same time trying to quietly erode organic standards and the definition of sustainable agriculture to make more profit, but I digress...)

Since the costs of non-organic foods are often hidden, organics have a higher price tag than non-organics. This initially created a barrier to the market place. However, as peoples’ awareness and concern over agricultural chemicals and the other impacts of non-organic farming have grown, so has a willingness to pay a higher price to buy better food. The industry is still fighting this uphill battle, as well as the non-organic industry’s use and dominance of agricultural subsidies from the federal government, which creates a further price advantage.

As a result, community activism and volunteerism have been needed to help organic agriculture survive and grow. One way this happens is through land trusts. Land trusts are non-profit organizations that fundraise to buy and hold land for specific conservation purposes. Farmland trusts are one form of this type of organization. The PCC Farmland Trust specifically designates the use of its land for organic farming. It is a great benefit to the community as well as the farmers because when organic farmland is preserved, so is the beauty and environmental health of the environment. Additionally, safe and local food sources are assured.

Another way that organic farms are supported is through volunteer workers. Volunteers commit to living and working on a given farm for a period of time in exchange for housing, meals, the experience and a hands-on education on organic farming. World-Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms is the leading matchmaking organization for farmers and volunteers. Other opportunities (such as academic study programs) also exist.

It may seem hippy-dippy to some, but organics and community support of organic agriculture is mainstream here. It's a win-win all the way around, from the numerous fabulous farmers' markets in town, to the scenic farmlands close to town, to an industry that keeps its dollars in the local community, to a cleaner environment. Life is organic here, naturally!

Campfire Girl

2006-12-18T14:13:00.000-08:00

Well, here we are on day four after the big, Seattle windstorm and parts of the city, including my neighborhood, are still without power. It has been an inconvenience, but not a hardship. My husband and I are fortunate to have a fireplace and a gas-powered water heater. Although there have been invitations from friends to stay with them in heated and lit homes with operative stoves, refrigerators, stereos and DVD players, we have declined. We keep believing that it just CAN’T go on much more than a few hours. We live in the city, for heaven’s sake. But… what do we know? (There are also the pets to consider, and the cat does not cotton to slumber parties away from home.)

Nonetheless, we keep waking up to yet another cold morning. And with flashbacks to episodes of “Little House on the Prairie,” we stoke the fire, pop an enameled coffee pot in the flames, and make our morning coffee by hand. It’s amazing how much energy it takes to keep a room warm with a fireplace in cold weather: gathering and hauling wood, setting/starting the fire, keeping it stoked, gathering and hauling more wood. In some ways the cold temperatures that followed the storm (below freezing at night and not above 40 during the day) are a blessing as all our food is in coolers outside. A lot would have been wasted otherwise. However, keeping ourselves and the animals above freezing has been a continuous task in the mornings and evenings.

Performing this daily ritual has me thinking back to my days as a Campfire Girl. Growing up in Cascadia at the time I did, Campfire seemed a much more relevant girls’ club than Girl Scouts. Campfire was largely focused on outdoor and survival skills. Being outside and in nature as much as I was as a kid, it was truly useful to understand how to use a compass and read a map, to identify plants (what to not touch or nibble), what to pack even if you were going out for a little day hike (whistle, 1st aid kit, jackknife, extra food and water, matches, etc), and how to build a fire, particularly in wet and cold conditions. Terms such as “tinder” and “kindling” have come floating back, as have recollections of how to set a fire the right way so it will start easily without over-fueling it (which is wasteful as well as potentially dangerous in the woods), and how to improvise a cook stove over and around the flames.

Granted, given that I AM a city-girl now and that most of Seattle is back on the grid, we have used our outage as a likely excuse to dine out each night. Another bright-shiny silver lining to our predicament. I am hoping, however, that we won’t be out again tonight. And, with all due respect to my old camp counselors and Laura Ingalls-Wilder, we won’t forgo dining out to bake chicken in tin foil in the embers. I would like my lights back please. I prefer my camping in small doses.

On Wind and Community

2006-12-14T12:22:00.000-08:00

Another storm will be sweeping into Puget Sound and the Seattle area tonight. Officials are exhorting us to have three days worth of ready-to-eat food and battery-powered lights and radio as we will have winds up to 60 miles per hour (90 in some areas) along with another deep soaking of rain. Electricity, phone and other line-based services will likely be taken out by falling trees. That is, the trees that have not already fallen from winds earlier this week.

Left: Looking toward Bellevue. The calm before the storm.

The wind and rain combination is a dangerous one, particularly in the Northwest where up to 100' foot tall Douglas Firs dominate the landscape. Pacific Douglas Fir trees have very shallow root systems. When rain soaks the ground it softens, making it easier for a tree to topple. Ironically, but logically, it is the largest that are at greatest risk of being uprooted.

In the forests this is not such a problem, of course, as it is simply part of the ecology cycle. It is also less likely to happen in a forest, as the trees absorb the force of the wind as a large group. The bulk and root systems intertwine, acting as buffers and reinforcement. In the city and suburbs, these giants are often standing solo or in small clumps, making them far more vulnerable to the elements.

The vulnerability that comes with isolation stands true for our human community as well, particularly at times like this. Caring for and about our neighbors, in both the specific and general sense, uplifts and provides a greater quality of life for everyone, including ourselves. We create connectedness and relationships. The act of reaching out makes others feel not only safer but more willing to reach out themselves. And, in the act of service, we serve ourselves by exercising our integrity, our generosity, our humanity. We become better people simply from the satisfying act of helping.

On Being a Niiiiice Driver (or, Seattle's 6 golden rules of the road)

2006-12-07T21:51:00.000-08:00

When you merge into freeway traffic in Seattle, or when someone lets you into a packed lane (and they will), for the love of God, 1) give them the friendly thank you wave. The friendly thank you wave is a staple of Northwest drivers, as is the 2)"Sorry, yes I was an idiot," apologetic grimace-smile (clearly mouthing, "sorry!") when you've accidentally done something dangerous or rude. They go a looooong way. Trust me. If you don't, the driver behind you who was just then nice enough to let you in, or saved your sorry petutie from a fender bender will say, out loud with no one to hear, "YOU'RE WELCOME!" And next time? You are blocked out. With the "sorry I'm an idiot" response when you've made a mistake, you are immediately forgiven (with a tense smile). But if you don't, a Seattlite might even Honk at you. Seattlites never-ever-ever honk.

Seattlites are passive-aggressive drivers (Among our many PA tendencies). There are several unwritten rules of "nice driver" etiquette, and you best be minding them. If there is a merge 1/4 mile up the road and the main lane is filled with cars but the merging lane empty? 3) Merge now. If you cruise on up to the merge point, no one will let you in. No one will look over to acknowledge your existence. They will link bumper to bumper and make you sit until someone back behind decides you've been blockaded long enough to learn your lesson, waving you in with the tense smile.

Note: If you realize your mistake half way to the merge, slow waaaayyy down, turn on your blinker, and give the driver next to you the "Sorry, I'm an idiot" smile while pointing to their lane. She will let you in. Then, for the love of God, give the friendly,"Thank you" wave.

4) Do not tailgate. If you do, it's likely the person in front of you will simply slow down further. However, alternatively 5) do NOT hold up traffic in the fast lane. If you do, a string of cars (even the Volvos) will pass you on the right and merge back into your lane RIGHT in front of you. The pickups and SUVs will (justifiably) tailgate.

6) Do not cheat in the HOV lane. Calling the 800-RAT-FINK line to the state patrol is a favorite pass time of Seattle drivers stuck in rush hour traffic. We are a community of rule-followers and want to make d**n sure everyone else is too. You also risk the bumper blockade (see rule #3) when the lane ends or if you come upon the state patrol.

There are more rules, of course, but these six are crucial if you want to avoid disapproval. And, that is something one wants to avoid in Seattle: disapproval...tsk tsk tsk.

A Dog's Life

2006-11-29T07:22:00.000-08:00

Cascadia is a dog's utopia. Dogs are tremendously popular in the Northwest. You see dogs everywhere, with runners and hikers and cross country skiers and in cars and boats. They're at the parks, waiting outside the coffeehouses, and even at work. It seems that on just about every other Volvo or Subaru in town is the bumper sticker, "Dog is my Co-Pilot."

(Left: A neighborhood Sunday Morning "coffee klatch")

There is strong public support for animal services. Not only does this region have a powerful network of animal rights advocacy and rescue groups, but also very strong animal protection laws.

Dogs are well cared for (some may say, well, spoiled rotten) in Cascadia. In Seattle, and other Northwest cities, there are areas set aside in public parks specifically as off-leash areas for dogs. These areas are given extra support through service and fundraising groups such as COLA and SODA. Some even have special sections for small dogs only! There are doggie-daycare facilities, dog ranches (free range dog boarding), dog walking services, chic shops and groomers, and do-it-yourself grooming facilities.

There is phenomenal veterinary care as well, from general clinics, to emergency clinics, to specialty care. You can even find naturopathic vets and massage therapists for dogs.

(Left: My dog Sophie on her big bed with her basket-o-toys)
If you are traveling around Cascadia with your co-pilot, here are a few places to stay that are dog-friendly. Dogs are even allowed on the public buses in Seattle, you may need to pay a fare however, and they must keep all four paws on the floor.

I believe the number of well loved and cared-for dogs (and other animals) reflects well on Cascadia. It is suggestive of a humane, loving community... and a happy one. Dogs give back 10 times what they receive.

"Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring--it was peace." - Milan Kundera

When it snows in Seattle

2006-11-28T16:08:00.000-08:00

Snow in Seattle, and most of the lowlands of Cascadia, is rare. We get approximately 3 non-consecutive days of snow a year. Usually it snows at night with the first bit melting, and a layer of snow covering a film of ice. By evening time the next day, the weather has warmed and the snow has melted. The marine air and proximity to such large bodies of water keep the temperatures temperate here.

As a result, when it does snow it is an event. It is a meteorological event, a community event, a news event, a personal event. Seattle pretty much shuts down in the snow. Part of it is because snow is so rare. We are unprepared, as a city and as individuals. Why invest heavily in snow equipment when it's such a small part of our lives? We never really learn how to drive in it in the city, as we get no practice. There is also the progression of a snow event itself, with the melting and refreezing comes ice. Then there is the geographical reason. We live on a city of hills. Trying to get to work becomes a carnival bumper car ride with less control.

(Above: Looking Southeast from Madrona Park across Lake Washington to Mt. Rainier)

So, we have a tendency to just give in to the weather at these times. It is self-serving as well because we become kids in the snow. Go for a walk and everyone is smiling. Seattle is so pretty in the snow, and it's a holiday. Everyone is walking or riding the bus, happily jostling to let just one more person on as, "we are all in it together." We use it as an excuse for cooking big, comfort-food meals and making hot, spiced cider and wine or walking to a neighborhood pub to share stories with neighbors.

Visitors be forewarned, the city shuts down in random fashion. Stores and museums may be closed. Buses may take alternate routes. Driving can be treacherous. And with the microclimates and convergence zones here, one neighborhood may have only a trace of snow, while the next on over may have 6". My recommendation is go with the flow and live in the moment. Soak in the childlikeness of the city on days like this.

(Above: Looking North along the shore of Madrona Park)

The city parks are the place to be. Seattlites gather in city parks and make communities of snowmen, let their kids and dogs race around, and take pictures.

Evergreen

2006-11-22T06:11:00.000-08:00

The recent storms in Seattle have stripped fall from the trees. What bright yellow and red leaves there were left now lay in soggy piles over storm drains, blocking the rain water which "piles up" in turn, creating small lakes along the side of and into the roads. The loss of the color makes the days feel even more dreary.

What I tend to forget is how much color -- green -- is left. The majority of trees in Cascadia are evergreen. No matter the time of year, the landscape never looks stripped. It is dark color, but color all the same. When I appreciate this most is when I am seperated from it... when I am in an alternate winter landscape of bare deciduous trees, lacy forests of brown-grey branches holding up the monochrome sky.

Even the undergrowth stays green in the Northwest, with the sword ferns and rhodedenderons and moss. It is more spare, but it is not bleak. And rarely is there snow in the lowlands. This time of year we bring it inside as well... cedar and fir bows, swags of holly, laurel, and pine. We are surrounded by green, that lovely, dark, winter green.

Crows

2006-11-19T13:40:00.000-08:00

This is the time of year when, from mid-afternoon until dawn, the crows flock together to roost. It is an eerie, rather unnerving, sight to walk beneath trees studded with hundreds of those large black birds. (Thank you Hitchcock.) They swarm like starlings. This presence in the winter landscape feels metaphoric of the dark grey, stormy season. As much as sea gulls, the crow (often called raven, but being a smaller cousin) is a bird that characterizes Cascadia. They are ubiquitous here and, being scavengers, their society is tightly interwoven with the human one.

They are integral to the cultural landscape as well. A prominent totem in Northwest Native American culture, the crow (raven) is seen as wise and a trickster, and is a central character in many creation stories.

As much as modern society often reviles crows as aggressive, thieving birds, they practice a noble community and family life. Mating pairs are generally together for life. They are very protective of their family (ever been dive-bombed by a crow in the spring? You were likely near a nest or a fledgling on the ground). The young stay with the family group for the first 2 or 3 years of their life, helping their parents raise their younger siblings before heading out to make a nest, and life, of their own.

There are innumerable stories about the intelligence of crows, from using tools for foraging to adaptation of scavenging behavior to respond to others to problem solving and teamwork when dealing with predators. I regularly see crows (or even a single crow) chasing off a bald eagle.

They are “old souls” with a sense of humor and a low threshold for BS. I admire that.

Quality of Light

2006-11-15T14:49:00.000-08:00

In my last post, I mentioned the water-laden air here. Light in Cascadia is heavily affected by this. There is often an iridescent or opalescent quality to the light, particularly on sunny days from fall equinox to spring, when the sun is lower on the horizon. Sunlight shines through the moist air, adding a soft quality and depth to the landscape. The moisture that coats the trees, basalt rock, ferns, everything, deepens their colors as well. The result is visually transfixing. The environment seems to glow. Colors are oversaturated. Capturing this phenomenon has long been the obsession of Northwest artists. (The book, “Iridescent Light,” which tracks the evolution of modern Northwest art through its artists, describes this well.)

(Left: Lupin on Mt. Baker)

Bodies of water in the landscape, large and small, affect the light and the environment’s color palette as well. When the sun appears, the glare off the Sound, the ocean, the lakes, and even the puddles can be blinding. Yet, late in the day when the low sun cuts across the landscape under a bank of heavy clouds, the effect is stunning… like a movie set.

Then, on days like this the steely sky is reflected by the water, and both turn grey. Everything is shrouded in muted tones. Color withdrawal sets in….

The Element and Force of Water

2006-11-12T11:01:00.000-08:00

Water defines Cascadia. Rain, rivers and lakes sculpt and feed the landscape. Puget Sound and the Pacific Ocean are our west wall. Salmon, traveling from mountain streams to the sea and back again has sustained human culture here for eons and remains an icon in NW culture. Cascadia, by one definition, is delineated by the rivers that empty into the Pacific.

We live in a temperate rain forest. The trees and undergrowth of the forests are as lush as many in the tropics, and stay equally green year around.

(Left: A rainy November Sunday afternoon in the Seattle Arboretum.)

Cascadia is renown (or infamous) for its grey skies and puddles. We have almost as many terms to describe rain as the Inuits have for describing snow: spitting rain, mist, sprinkles, showers (and its variations such as stattered and thunder), downpours, soaking rain, blowing rain, etc.

This reputation is well earned eight months out of the year, from November through June. The rain and water not only mold our geography but our style and culture as well. Fishing is a major industry here. Part of the Washington State highway system is a fleet of ferries that carry commuters across Puget Sound. Water sports, from fishing to boating, to skiing and swimming are hugely popular. Opening Day is a big Seattle event. Even the Northwest style of contemporary art is based, in part, on the study and expression of the quality of moisture-laden light in this region.

The soft grey color palate, low clouds, and the sound of the rain insulate winter days. In contrast to the frenzied outdoor culture of summer and early fall, days in winter and early spring are spent in libraries and bookstores, cinemas and theaters, coffee houses , museums and other gathering places... that is if you are not off skiing, boarding, or snowshoeing in the mountains, or out eagle-watching or winter sea kayaking or surfing (crazy loons!).

Like all natural forces, the rain and the tides are humbling as well. Winter storms and high tides wash away salt-water-front homes and heavy rains (like the recent ones) wash away river-side homes and lowland farms.

Water colors and channels life in Cascadia. It is one of the forces that shape the culture. We are fortunate for it, although on gloomy days like today, with weeks of rain in the past and more to come, its easy to forget.

Cascadia

2006-11-11T13:44:00.000-08:00

Cascadia is an euphemism for the Pacific Northwest, but it's more than that. Cascadia refers to not only a geographical region, but also to the temperate rainforest and coastal environment of this part of the world, and the style and lifestyle typical of folks who live here.

I love where I live. It is beautiful and comfortable and accessible. Mountains are never more than an hour's drive away. In Seattle, the beach, or at least views of the water, are only a few minutes walk or drive away.

Seattle is a city with a strong sense of self. There are unifying values such as love of the outdoors, community activism, and progressive politics. And there is a range of passions that are expressed through all kinds of well-supported affinity and cultural groups: literary and political lecture series, multiple film, music and cultural festivals, a host of sporting groups and events, a strong and diverse net of social service, community, arts, and activist organizations. Even the neighborhoods have their own personalities.

(Above: A November sunrise in my neighborhood)

If you want to learn about life in Cascadia in general and Seattle specifically, check in once in a while. I have a few thoughts to share. Cascadia Song will explore art to manners, the natural environment to style, life outdoors to in, our love of dogs to our love of co-ops, culture to politics, and insights into daily life here.