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Some of the 2025 fall harvest from Beyers' Bulldog Garden, West Seattle's newest P-Patch Community Garden. Gardeners raise food for themselves and to donate to the West Seattle Food Bank. With news of government budget cuts and the cancellation of programs that help provide a safety net for local residents, many of us wonder what we can do to help them. And with waves of layoffs sweeping through the region, some of us wonder what we will do if we lose our jobs and remain unemployed for an extended period of time. Fortunately, the neighborhoods of West Seattle, White Center, and Burien have many non-profit organizations that provide assistance and offer opportunities for volunteers to help. Some support community in ways you might not have thought of, like organizing teams to clean up trash or hosting an event to raise money to support other non-profits. The problem is that many people are either unaware of these organizations or don't know much about what they do. The purpose of this post is to provide a comprehensive list of the organizations and programs that benefit our community. If you know of more to add, leave their names in the comment section, and I will include them. In the process of compiling this list, I have felt so much gratitude for these organizations, the work they do, and how they bring people together. There's something here for everyone. Note that a few of these organizations have Amazon Wish Lists. Regardless of whatever love/hate relationship you have with Amazon, the wish lists are a good service. Click on the wish list link, select items to donate, and purchase them. Amazon will deliver the items directly to the organization and send you a receipt. Couldn't be easier. Organizations with Amazon Wish Lists are designated with a *. A Cleaner Alki It might seem strange to include a group that picks up trash and removes invasive plant species from public spaces on this list, but there's an important lesson here. When times are tough, we need to be aware of the toll it takes on our mental as well as physical well being. Erik Bell, founder of the group, says that starting the group had a positive impact on his mental health. He began picking up trash on Alki Beach in the mornings at the beginning of the panemic. On top of concerns about COVID, he was facing some personal challenges at the time. What he found was that spending some time outdoors every day, doing something useful, gave him a sense of calm that he could carry through the day. Other people saw him out there and asked if they could join him. He welcomed them. Since then, his team of volunteers has grown steadily and includes projects far from the beach. In the process, they have made friends, created community, done a lot of good, and undoubtedly improved their mental health, too. Want to join the team? Visit their website , scroll down, and sign up to learn more. Burien C.A.R.E.S. Animal Shelter * In difficult financial times, what happens to family pets? Often, they end up at an animal shelter, and sadly, some are euthanized. Unless they go to Burien CARES. From their website: " We are a small, but mighty animal shelter, proudly operating as a boutique, brick and mortar facility in Burien. As a non-profit, our approach differs from larger King County shelters, allowing us to focus on our unique mission. Despite limited resources and funding constraints, we remain steadfast in our commitment to being a no-kill shelter. Our priority is the safety, happiness, and health of the animals in our care as they await their forever homes." You can support this shelter with monetary donations, or by making purchases from their Amazon and Chewy wishlists. Center for Active Living , formerly known as the West Seattle Senior Center, offers many classes, programs, and services for older adults. Here's how they describe their Food and Dining options on their website: " The Center offers two delicious and affordable lunch options during the week. Both are open to the public for all ages. You do not need to be a member to enjoy a meal with us. We also provide two food support services: 1) Meals on Wheels provides nutritious meal delivery at no cost for people ages 60+ who qualify. We operate this program together with Sound Generations. Apply for Meals on Wheels . 2) Food Bank Distribution in partnership with the West Seattle Food Bank. We offer boxes of nutritious food at no cost. Pick up is every Tuesday from 9 - 9:30 a.m. at The Center. No advance sign-up needed. " City Fruit Every year, City Fruit harvests 30,000-45,000 pounds of fruit from fruit trees on residential properties and public orchards across Seattle. This fruit is shared with local food banks and meal programs across the city. During harvest season, they give away fruit at designated Fruit-for-All Farmstands. Learn more about what they do. There are many ways to get involved . Interested in sharing fruit that grows on your property? Find out how . " Last year, P-Patch community gardeners donated 42,031 pounds of organic, pesticide-free produce to local food distribution centers and meal programs." GROW Northwest From their website: "We are the expanded identity of the P-Patch Trust, which for decades promoted and provided services to P-Patches. We believe in the power of gardening to make positive social and environmental changes. We encourage and enable communities in creating gardens and orchards where residents grow healthy food and reap the benefits of working and eating together. Founded in 1973 with an agreement between the city of Seattle, the co-op PCC and a retired Wedgewood farmer named Rainie Picardo, we are now one of the largest and most honored community gardening initiatives in the nation!" There are eight P-Patches in West Seattle: Barton Street, Westcrest Garden, Longfellow Creek, High Point MacArthur Lane, High Point Juneau Garden, High Point Commons Garden, Beyers' Bulldog Garden, and Delridge. When you shop at PCC and "round up," you are donating to this non-profit . This organization is helping to replace the income for farmers lost because of SNAP funding cuts. Here's the description of what they do from their website: "Farmer Centered: Growing for Good supports farmers who receive upfront payment in the spring, allowing them to invest in seeds, soil amendments, and equipment before the growing season begins.   Community Focused: Growing for Good matches hunger relief organizations with farms growing culturally familiar produce—increasing the amount of fresh, high-quality and nutrient dense produce available to their clients.   People Funded:  In the spirit of cooperation, this is all made possible through community donations." Highline Area Food Bank is a Non-Profit 501C3 organization dedicated to the gathering and the distribution of food for those in need in the Burien and greater Highline area. Mary's Plac e * Their motto is: "no child should sleep outside." Since 1999, Mary’s Place has helped thousands of women and families move out of homelessness into more stable situations. Learn more . There are many ways to help including: donating money, volunteering, sharing your stuff, starting a youth action program, purchasing a wish list item , and more. Meals on Wheels Did you know that the cost of one year of Meals on Wheels for a senior costs less than one day in a hospital? Meals on Wheels is just one of the services for elderly adults offered by Sound Generations. You can sign up via the Sound Generations or Center for Active Living websites. West Seattle Nursery offers a 10% discount to P-Patch gardeners. Many P-Patch gardeners donate a portion of their harvest to local food banks and meal programs. The Nursery also offers a 10% discount to City Fruit members . West Side Baby * Here's how they describe their mission: "WestSide Baby meets the basic needs of children to promote safety, security & healthy development. We provide essential items to keep children safe, warm and dry by collecting and distributing diapers, clothing, and equipment throughout Western King County. WestSide Baby’s model is unique. We receive donations from the community, check and sort those donations, and distribute them directly to 100+ partner agencies, who are experts in their families, and the children they serve. These professionals get the items the children need, and WestSide Baby can focus on collecting the basic essentials." Here's how you can help: Give Joy 2025! West Side Neighbors Shelter * This is the only shelter in West Seattle for our unhoused neighbors. From their website: Morning: The Warm Up Center is open at the American Legion Hall from 7:00 to 11 am, with breakfast provided 8:45 to 9:30 am. Evening: Between November and March, The American Legion Hall opens again as a cold weather emergency shelter at 5 pm. Dinner is served from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Cots and blankets are available for 36 people overnight, first come, first served. The shelter is open 24 hours when King County declares a Winter Storm Emergency. Look for the link to their Amazon Wish List on their website. Select items from it to donate, pay for them, and Amazon will deliver directly to the shelter, then email you a receipt. West Seattle Food Bank How you can help: Go to their website and donate cash Volunteer Donate food Here are   more ideas Here's how to get food. West Seattle Food Bank - Clothesline People know that the Food Bank helps feed the community, but did you know that it also has a clothing bank? Donate clothes Need clothes? West Seattle Food Bank - Housing and Utility Assistance Here's another service the food bank offers. From their website: "We help West Seattle tenants facing eviction or foreclosure, utility shut-off, or high move-in costs. Our emergency financial assistance program is open and accepting applications." Learn more here. West Seattle Garden Tour This is another organization that might seem out of place on this list, but the Garden Tour has deep roots in the community. For decades, it has provided financial support to local non-profits with interests as far ranging as Arts West  and City Fruit . These were the grant recipients  from the 2025 tour, some of whom grow food for themselves and others. And here's what past recipients have to say . When you buy a tour ticket or make a donation, you're getting more than a chance to view beautiful gardens, you are making an investment in our community. West Seattle Mutual Aid Party This neighborhood group operates under the non-profit umbrella of Northwest Hospitality , allowing it to accept tax deductable donations. Here's how they describe what they do. "West Seattle Mutual Aid Party is a self-organized network dedicated to developing relationships with vulnerable neighbors, currently focused in and around the Delridge corridor in West Seattle. We approach our work with the mindset and intention of engaging in mutual aid rather than charity, meaning that we recognize we are neither “saving” nor “serving” anybody but instead are simply acting in solidarity with others. This in turn opens up a world of possibilities for learning, growing, and new opportunities for all parties involved. "Our work began during the week-long snow and subsequent deep-freeze at the beginning of 2022 when we met each other while working to quickly collect and distribute warm clothes and supplies to those still outside in the elements during the storm. From there, the project has quickly taken shape and we are currently focusing on meeting and distributing supplies to several encampments that vary in size because of the city's inhumane sweeps that destroy our friends' belongings and take away what little stability they have been able to create for themselves. Between 30 - 60 people take supplies for themselves and their households during our visits. We slowly build relationships with those that we see and foster partnerships with local businesses that support our work through donations." West Seattle Garden Tour This is another organization that might seem out of place on this list, but the Garden Tour has deep roots in the community. For decades, it has provided financial support to local non-profits with interests as far ranging as Arts West and City Fruit . These were the grant recipients from the 2025 tour, some of whom grow food for themselves and others. And here's what past recipients have to say . When you buy a tour ticket or make a donation, you're getting more than a chance to view beautiful gardens, you are making an investment in our community. White Center Food Bank From their website: Our Mission is to Minimize Hunger... While nourishing community, nurturing self-reliance and embracing our rich cultural diversity.  The White Center Food Bank began unofficially in the mid-1970’s as an emergency response to assist struggling families and individuals in the greater White Center and Highline areas during a major economic downturn. Much like today, many in the community were faced with difficult economic conditions that left them in need of food resources. We were there then. We are here now. Please visit us at the White Center Food Bank if you are in need of assistance. We are here to help.  There are many ways to volunteer! Donate here . Here's what you need to know if you need food or assistance. Note that they have a Baby Pantry that is operated in cooperation with West Side Baby .

I've been called the world's oldest Pearl Jam fan. But it isn't true. Neil Young is a fan and he's 3 years older than I am. Friends my age don't get it. They roll their eyes and shake their heads. Why do I love the band? As the 30th anniversary of the release of their first album, " Ten ," approaches, I want to tell you. It started with my son, Mike, who introduced me to the band. When " Ten " came out in 1991, Mike was in the Navy, stationed in Alameda, California. I went down to visit him. We drove all over the East Bay in his little blue pickup truck, playing that CD full blast. It was a good time, and a memorable send-off as he prepared for the first deployment of his career. Soon after, Mike left for the Persian Gulf, and made me promise to send him new releases of Pearl Jam CDs as soon as they came out. And I did. I went to Easy Street Records the day of each release and bought two CDs each time. One for him and one for me. Mike served for 24 years, so I have a pretty good collection. Holiday display window at Easy Street Records in West Seattle Today, when I hear "Even Flow," it takes me back to that trip to California and hanging out with my son. There is a visceral energy in this song that, even in my 70s, I find compelling. I became a Pearl Jam fan for the energy. But I stayed for the lyrics. (Most of the videos I'm posting here include lyrics, so you can hear for yourself.) Listen to the items on this "Wish List." I wish my imagination was that good. Then there are the relationship songs. " Nothing Man " is a song of lost love and regret. It isn't a victim song. It is more of an introspection. "Caught a bolt of lightning. Cursed the day he let it go." I had the great honor of making a small contribution to this remarkable book. If you are a fan, you need a copy. " Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town " is the poignant story of a woman who has aged in place in a small town. "I changed by not changing at all, small town predicts my fate." When a long ago boyfriend walks into the store, she doesn't recognize him right away. Then she realizes who he is. After all this time, the distance between them feels impossible to bridge - and she can't find the courage to say, "hello." " Better Man " tells an all-too-familiar story - and fans know every word of the song. Listen to their performance at Madison Square Garden. "She dreams in color. She dreams in red." Pearl Jam has never shied away from difficult subjects. " Jeremy " was inspired by the true story of a boy who shot himself to death in front of his classmates. " Daughter " is about the abuse of a child with a learning disability. " Indifference " is mysterious. Is this a song about determination, or just plain stubbornness? Is it a song about utter disillusionment? Is it about being ready to give up and let go? If so, of what? Is it dawning on him that fighting the good fight doesn't fix anything - it just signs you up for the next fight? Or is this a song that means something different at different times, depending on where you are in the moment? Then again, "How much difference does it make?" "Alive"exposes the impact of family secrets, drawn from another true story. As a teenager, front man Eddie Vedder found out that the man he thought was his father was, in fact, his step-dad. His biological father had died some years earlier. The song is about his struggle to come to terms with that loss, a loss that he considered a curse. The chorus from "Alive" has become an anthem for fans who have triumphed over their own personal challenges. At concerts, fans sing it as a celebration. Vedder has said that their response to the song surprised him, helped him reinterpret his experience, and lifted the curse for him. Pearl Jam band members use their platform to support a variety of good works through their Vitalogy Foundation . This includes organizations devoted to improving health, preserving the environment and indigenous culture, and promoting the arts and education. In August of 2018, Pearl Jam performed two sold-out " Home Shows ," at Safeco Field, to raise money to fight homelessness in Seattle. They "banded together" with over 170 businesses, charitable organizations, and fans to come up with more than $11.5 million , which was distributed among agencies and organizations with a good track record for bringing people inside. Now, as we slowly recover from the pandemic, the need is even greater. I hope Pearl Jam's example of coalition-building will inspire a renewed effort to find ways to make homelessness a thing of the past in Seattle. I'll close with "Around the Bend,"a lullaby. It's a reminder that the boys who recorded "Ten" thirty years ago are now men in mid-life. Eddie Vedder, the baby-faced fellow singing his heart out in the Even Flow video at the top of this post, finally looks old enough to own that deep baritone voice of his. My son, now retired from the Navy, will be 50 next year. These days, I'm more inclined to listen to Ukulele Songs than hard rock. We're all a little mellower now. This old fan is grateful to Pearl Jam for 30 years of great music, heartfelt performances, and community service . The world is a better place for having them in it.

We humans aren't the only ones having trouble finding homes. I bought this little birdhouse 30 years ago from a local guy who said he built these little houses specifically for certain types of birds. I don't know much about birds, so I took his word for it. It's a cute little house and I liked the design. If I got some bird neighbors to nest in it, that would be a bonus. Over the decades, I have lived in three different houses and put the birdhouse up in each of those yards. Never once did a bird show any interest in it. Until last spring. I walked out my front door one morning and, behold!, this little bird was perched on the front of the house, looking around the yard. Fortunately, I had my phone in my pocket and was able to get this photo. I was so excited! Like a doting, first-time grandma, I showed this picture to anyone who would stand still long enough for me to get my phone out. It's the first time in 30 years that an actual bird came to my birdhouse! Of course, I didn't know what kind of bird this is, so I asked my friend, Connie Wurm, the resident bird expert at West Seattle Nursery , to identify it. (Yes, she has heard every joke you can think of about birds and wurms/worms.) She told me that this bird is a black-capped chickadee . Connie asked me how high my birdhouse was from the ground. I told her it was at about 5 feet. She says they like to be much higher up and that's probably why birds haven't nested in it before. Currently there's a shortage of good nesting places, she says. That would explain why my prospective tenant stopped by to take a look. When there's not a lot to choose from, you have to consider all the possibilities, even if the location isn't ideal. Plenty of humans can relate. After my conversation with Connie, I saw my new friend several times. Sometimes it was just perched on the outside, as you see in the photo, and other times it was diving inside the house for a look around. I had high hopes that nesting and baby birds would soon follow. But alas, weeks went by without a chickadee sighting. I assumed the little bird had found a different home. And then, signs of life began to appear! For weeks, I watched as the chickadee parents tended their babies. I hoped to see them fly away when they were ready to fledge. But alas, they moved out without notice. Fortunately, I have this little video memory of those magical days. Are you a bird watcher? This bird feeder, with a solar powered camera, allows you to record images and identify your feathered visitors!

When Sound Transit's ST3 project went to voters in 2016, 54% voted to approve it. Those voters undoubtedly believed that light rail would reduce pollution and improve transportation in the region. And the hefty price tag, $54 billion, seemed worth it to them. Small price to pay to help save the planet. As time goes by, though, it is becoming clear that ST3 does not offer any significant benefit for the environment or for West Seattle. That's why many people now want Sound Transit to adopt the No Build Alternative that was proposed in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). They aren't alone. Even Sound Transit's comparisons between the Build and No Build Alternatives seem to support No Build. What is the No Build Alternative? Note that this does not say that nothing will be built. Only that light rail will not be built in West Seattle or Ballard. Other transportation improvements will continue. Now that the two extensions have been uncoupled, it seems like Ballard could be built, if their residents agree, and West Seattle could go into the No Build category. Additional projects that will go forward under the No Build Alternative: Adopting the No Build Alternative will not require further studies or for people to vote on this project again. The No Build Alternative is a valid choice that Sound Transit can make without having to go to a final Environmental Impact Statement. The tables shown in this post are from the DEIS. These are Sound Transit's projections about what they expect in the year 2042, when they hope to have the entire project built out. They don't paint a very optimistic picture of the future. A major reason people approve of light rail, and mass transit in general, is that they believe it will reduce CO2 emissions. One aspect that gets forgotten, however, is the amount of CO2 produced during construction. Steel and concrete manufacturing creates A LOT of CO2. Let's look at what building the bridge from SODO to West Seattle will emit. When Sound Transit announced their first set of preferred alternatives, they wanted to build an elevated guideway into the Junction. However, people were alarmed by the number of businesses that would be lost, so Sound Transit now prefers a tunnel option. In the table above, the low cost option was the elevated train. The tunnel option that is now preferred is the high cost option - producing a whopping 614,461 tons of CO2! This is just for the West Seattle extension. It does not include Ballard. Here is the Ballard table. If we add the 614,461 tons of CO2 from West Seattle construction to even the low cost option in Ballard, 1,654,311, we get a total of 2,268,772 metric tons of CO2. Proponents say that any emissions produced will be more than offset by the reduction in CO2 once the system is running. The table below, projecting amounts in expected 2042, is for both the Ballard and West Seattle extensions. It amounts to very little savings in CO2 emissions. At the rate of -10,941 tons per year, it would take 207 years to mitigate the amount of CO2 produced in the construction of the WSBLE project! The No Build Alternative is clearly the better environmental choice. Environmental impact is not limited to CO2 emissions. West Seattle, and particularly the Duwamish Greenbelt, is home for many endangered species. Here is a description from the DEIS of some of the critical habitat area that will be affected by light rail construction. The West Duwamish Greenbelt is within the Duwamish Segment. The greenbelt stretches 4 miles south from the West Seattle Bridge along the western side of the Duwamish Waterway. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife designates the greenbelt as a Biodiversity Area and Corridor (a priority habitat). It is primarily deciduous forest with bigleaf maples and red alders, and provides habitat elements such as mixed forest snags, downed woody debris, and areas with multi-layered canopy. The Delridge Segment includes the greenbelt around Longfellow Creek (also a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife-designated Biodiversity Area and Corridor), as well as developed open space in the West Seattle Golf Course and the Delridge Playfield and Community Center park. The golf course contains mowed fairways bordered with rows of trees and a few patches of forest. Delridge Playfield has lines of trees and the groundcover is primarily mowed lawn. Riparian habitat along Longfellow Creek is fragmented, but stream and riparian restoration projects, including native plantings and placement of large woody debris in the creek, have increased habitat quality within the study area. These greenbelts, as well as the forested patches within the golf course, provide shelter for wildlife tolerant of proximity to urban areas, including deer, coyote, raccoon, squirrel, opossum, bats, and many species of birds. Voles and other small mammals might also occur in the greenbelts and in portions of the small parks and the golf course that have shrubs or herbaceous groundcover. Great blue herons have established nesting colonies (rookeries) within the West Duwamish Greenbelt in the study area, including at Pigeon Point just south of the West Seattle Bridge. A wetland along about 800 feet of Longfellow Creek (within the golf course) stores sediment deposited during high flows and provides riparian habitat for wildlife including waterfowl, herons, songbirds, small and large mammals, and amphibians. Several raptor species are known to use these greenbelts for nesting, roosting, and foraging. The City of Seattle has historically mapped bald eagle nesting in the West Duwamish Greenbelt. Peregrine falcons are known to nest along the West Seattle Bridge on a nest platform placed on a bridge guideway column (Urban Raptor Conservancy 2019). Osprey may forage in the Duwamish Waterway, and may use trees or utility poles near the waterway for nesting. An artificial platform for nesting osprey is present near Sound Transit's existing operations and maintenance facility on the eastern edge of the Duwamish Segment. The greenbelt trees and golf course trees also provide roosting and nesting habitat for raptors such as red-tailed hawk, merlin, and barred owl, and roosting opportunities for bald eagles. Here's what the DEIS says about some of the construction impacts. Recovery plans for listed salmon identify shallow areas of shoreline as important to migrating salmonids. Guideway columns and pier-protection systems along the shoreline could change the movement patterns of migrating salmon, and navigation lights on the bridge structure could alter the nighttime swimming behavior of juvenile salmonids, which may avoid these areas to avoid potential predation, or seek these areas to feed on prey. The bridge guideway columns could cover up to about 18,370 square feet (about 0.5 acre) of bottom habitat that is currently accessible to fish and benthic invertebrates. The covered area of benthic habitat could reduce the amount of productivity in these benthic locations. Over-water shading from the guideway is not likely to change fish behavior or impact benthic productivity or temperature in the waterway, as the bottom of the bridge would have a clearance of approximately 90 to 135 feet above the water. Some bridge types would require pile cap structures close to the waterline that would prevent daylight from reaching the waters and benthic surface below them. This could reduce productivity and also increase areas for predator fish to shelter that may prey upon young salmonids. Preferred Alternative DUW-1a and Option DUW-1b would cross the north end of the West Duwamish Greenbelt on a mix of elevated and retained-cut guideway. Trees and understory vegetation (primarily nonnative Himalayan blackberry and English ivy) would be removed. Low-growing vegetation may be used to stabilize this slope, but large trees would not be allowed near the guideway for safety reasons. Some of the trees that would be removed in the West Duwamish Greenbelt are within the core zone of the management area for a great blue heron colony, and the guideway would also pass close to a known peregrine falcon nesting site on the West Seattle Bridge. Preferred Alternative DUW-1a would pass closer to the falcon nest and Option DUW-1b would pass closer to the heron colony. Although the falcons are already habituated to an urban environment and traffic on nearby roads and bridges, under either Preferred Alternative DUW-1a or Option DUW-1b the light rail trains moving close to the nest could affect their return to this artificial nest location. Both alternatives would affect the buffer of a Category IV wetland. Preferred Alternative DUW-1a would impact the habitat enhancements that may occur at the City of Seattle's Bluefield Holdings/Wildlands Site 2 shoreline restoration project, and could require modifications to the site. Alternative DUW-2 would cross the Duwamish Waterway on the north side of the West Seattle Bridge, avoiding impacts to the greenbelt, the Category IV wetland, and the heron colony. Alternative DUW-2 may require relocation of the artificial nesting platform for osprey on the eastern edge of the Duwamish Segment; the platform would be relocated in the vicinity to ensure continued use. This alternative could also impact about 600 square feet of the Port of Seattle's proposed habitat restoration project at Terminal 25. Sound Transit would coordinate with the Port to identify to identify potential modifications to the restoration site design. The guideway would be at least 90 feet above the site such that no impacts on vegetation from shading are expected. And here is what it says about the No Build option. Relieving congestion. Another reason people want light rail is because they believe it will relieve congestion. They are tired of being stuck in traffic on the West Seattle bridge. They want more transportation options so there will be fewer vehicles using it. Here are Sound Transit's projections about bridge traffic in 2042. This table shows the difference between Build and No Build Alternatives. During peak hours, there will only be 100 fewer cars. Not enough for you to notice. That's less than a 1% reduction in traffic. The No Build Alternative should be a no-brainer, according to Sound Transit figures. What about ridership? People say they can't wait to ride the train, but will they? Sound Transit doesn't seem to think so. The numbers in this table are for the entire Sound Transit region - King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties. 20,000 new trips is not an impressive increase for that large an area. No Build again looks like the best option, according to Sound Transit. Here is the Draft Environmental Impact Statement if you want to read more about what Sound Transit proposes and the differences between Build and No Build Alternatives.

Apparently, there won't be Seafair Pirate landing at Alki Beach this summer because of lingering issues from the pandemic . This photo essay, from 10 years ago, is a reminder of the fun we've had in the past and hope to enjoy in the future. Originally published 7/24/2011 The Seafair Pirates landed at Alki Beach recently, marking the beginning of Seattle's month-long Seafair celebration. While pirate invasions are not considered a good thing in other parts of the world, here it is an eagerly awaited event, for children especially. 'Twas a beautiful summer day at Alki Beach, temperature in the low 70s, ideal pirate invasion weather! Folks around here dress up for this event in traditional Northwest pirate garb. This man sports a pirate hat and, of course, a fleece vest. Here one of the littlest pirate fans gets a boost from Dad to watch for the pirate ship. Even though it seemed to take a long time for the ship to get here, there was plenty to do in the meantime - like watch the pole vaulting competition, which was going on at the same time. (I'm not sure why these two events play together at the same time each year.) Seattle is a big time, maritime city and this is a perfect Seafair event to show that off. Here among the sailboats is a police boat that just "did a donut" in front of the crowd. (See the circular wake?) In the background, there's a fire boat demonstration. Then, at last! The pirate boat approaches, in a cloud of smoke from canon fire (or something like it). Within minutes, the boat reaches shore, lowering its ramp amid a flurry of fireworks. The crowd moves aside as the Seafair Pirates storm the shore! Aaargh! The invaders run to the top of the hill overlooking the shore, with the crowd at their heels. Captain Kidd, in the red coat, and his crew stand at the top of the hill, surveying the crowd below. The Seattle Seafair Pirates, for all their costume and theater, are a benevolent bunch. They toss candy and trinkets to the children below. It's all great fun and something for families to look forward to every summer. All over the Alki neighborhood you see pirate flags from this event, black with white skull and crossbones, attached to fences and stuck in flowerpots, where they will stay through wind and rain and snow, until next year's pirate landing -- and new flags can be found. For more information on the Seafair Pirates, visit their website . There you'll find out about upcoming "raids" at various locations in Seattle throughout the Seafair season. You'll also find out how you, too, can become a pirate. Wouldn't that be fun? Aarrgh!

The Seattle Times recently ran an article entitled: " Have you melted the Seattle Freeze? We'd like to hear how you did it ." I wish I'd known they were going to write this. I would have told them about my preferred way to make friends - volunteering. I moved to Seattle in 1989. I've never experienced the freeze. When people brought up the subject, I didn't know what they were talking about. I thought maybe I was just lucky. It took me a long time to look around and realize that most of the people I consider friends are people I have volunteered with at some point. Those shared experiences are part of the bond we have as friends. Volunteering makes it easy to develop friendships. You pick something you want to do. From the get-go, you have at least that interest in common with everyone else who shows up. The focus of time spent is on the volunteer project, not "trying" to make friends. When you work with people on something, you get to know them and they get to know you. Friendships develop from there. One of the joys of volunteering is accomplishing something as a team. There's a shared sense of satisfaction and appreciation that builds a bond. Ready to get started? Here's a list of organizations that could use your help. Most of these are right here in West Seattle or have projects going on here. Know of other organizations that need volunteers? Add them in the comments. A Cleaner Alki Arts West Bikeworks City Fruit Delridge Grocery Co-op Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association (DNDA) Friends of Seattle's Olmsted Parks Heron's Nest Mary's Place Nature Consortium Seattle Giving Garden Network Southwest Boys and Girls Club Southwest Youth and Family Services Tree Action Seattle Washington Farmland Trust Westside Baby West Seattle Bee Garden West Seattle Food Bank West Seattle Food Bank's Clothesline West Seattle Garden Tour West Seattle Junction Association West Seattle Senior Center

Sign on the door of Staples in Westwood Village. Image credit: West Seattle Blog This idea might seem preposterous because Amazon is one of the reasons given for the decline of shopping malls across the country. And saving Westwood might not be something Amazon would ever consider. But hear me out. Westwood has problems, and no one seems to be offering solutions. So in the spirit of Eleanor Roosevelt's famous saying,"It is better to light a candle than it is to curse the darkness," I offer you this blog post. First, let's think outside the box. Instead of a big retail anchor at Westwood Village, why not a big tech company? Amazon has all the resources needed to turn Westwood Village around - by buying the mall, opening a satellite office, and redeveloping the site. Next, let's look at ways Amazon can put the "Village" into Westwood Village. 1. Security. Amazon has plenty of experience securing office buildings, warehouses, merchandise, and fleets of vehicles. That experience and a paid staff could transform Westwood into a place where people feel safe to shop and work. There is no path to success at Westwood without security. 2. Good paying jobs. Westwood currently is a center for low wage jobs. In fact, most jobs in West Seattle are retail, food service, or other low-to-modest pay jobs. Wouldn't it be nice if people didn't have to commute outside the neighborhood for better pay? Commuting is a major contributor to CO2 emissions. Any reduction in commuting is a win for everyone. 3. Housing. A proper village needs villagers. And villagers need homes. Across the country, shopping centers are being reinvented to include housing, turning malls into small neighborhoods. The South Bay Mall in Boston, Massachusetts, is being transformed into a lively, mixed-use community. Image credit: Stantec Amazon has several housing initiatives in the Puget Sound region, including a pledge of $25 million to build affordable housing near public transit. Westwood Village is a transit hub, so it qualifies. Adding affordable housing units, along with larger units for families, would make it possible for employees at Westwood to live where they work. Using a sliding scale, like MFTE properties , rents would be matched to incomes. But unlike MFTEs that revert to market rates in a few years, a certain percentage of units could be kept affordable into perpetuity, assuring an ongoing supply of affordable housing. Shopping center redevelopment projects include a central courtyard area for casual gatherings, events, and concerts. These activities build community and, as neighbors get to know each other, a sense of safety. On the subject of safety, it may surprise you, but adding affordable housing to a community has been shown to lower crime rates , particularly violent crime, such as robbery and assault. Full time residents in the Village will mean more eyes on the street, more of the time, and more people with cell phones in their pockets ready to record and report suspicious activity. 4. Encourage local businesses. What if instead of boring, cookie-cutter, corporate chain stores, Amazon featured local West Seattle businesses? They could start by inviting businesses that will be displaced by light rail. The Alki Beach Academy , Mode Music and Performing Arts , Ounces Taproom and their local food truck partners , Skylark , Sound Physical Therapy , and others. At a time when arts programs are being cut from schools, Mode Music and Performing Arts (MMPA) plays an important role in the community, bringing arts education to young people. Maybe there could be second acts for certain businesses. Who misses Lee's Asian? Or West 5? Or the Alki Arts Gallery? Amazon is no stranger to this kind of development. Take a look at the local businesses that are part of Amazon's HQ2 in Alexandria, VA. 5. Health care. West Seattle needs a 24-hour emergency health care facility. We don't necessarily need a hospital. According to the CDC, only 13% of ER visits result in hospitalization. If an emergency care facility has real-time bed census numbers from area hospitals, and ambulances close by, that should allow for direct admission when needed. If Amazon expanded its One Medical service to Westwood Village and added 24-hour emergency care, that would be a game-changer for this community. 6. Transportation. Westwood Village is a transportation hub. Both Sound Transit and King County Metro buses have stops in front of the Village. Two are Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lines, the RapidRides C and H. If Amazon employees need to go downtown for a big meeting, the RapidRide lines will take them there. Amazon employees currently taking the C or the H downtown for work will use the same lines to get to Westwood for work. No new routes or infrastructure needed. Amazon could partner with Sound Transit and KC Metro to find ways to make Westwood more accessible for people throughout the neighborhood. Large swaths of West Seattle are transit deserts. Bus lines have been eliminated, or run only certain hours, or don't run on weekends. Light rail will never reach any of those areas. Amazon built a global empire with its mastery of logistics. If Amazon can get a package to you overnight, they can design a system to deliver people, too. And it turns out that they have. Credit: KentOnline Photo: WilliamjlPhotography Amazon opened a huge fulfillment center in the UK in 2021, employing 1,300 workers. But there was a problem - there was no parking for all those people. So Amazon created a variety of transit options for workers, including the shuttle you see above. The shuttle serves the public as well as Amazon employees, so it is a win for the community, too. Read the full story . 7. Combating Climate Change Given Amazon's Climate Pledge goal of powering operations 100% with renewable energy by 2025, the reimagined Village would be a model of sustainable development, and perhaps an inspiration to others considering similar projects. With a satellite office facility at Westwood, Amazon employees who live in the West Seattle/White Center/Burien corridor would have shorter commutes, thereby reducing emissions, and traffic congestion. If a One Medical facility is added to the Village, West Seattle health care workers currently commuting to Burien, First Hill, or Capitol Hill would not have to leave the neighborhood for work. That also means less traffic, and fewer cars on the West Seattle Bridge. In fact, it might be that bridge traffic will be reduced much more by keeping residents in the neighborhood for work than by building light rail. According to Sound Transit, West Seattle Link Light Rail is expected to reduce WS Bridge traffic by only 100 cars during peak hours by 2042 . Improving transit throughout the neighborhood, and making it available to the general public as well as workers, has the potential to reduce emissions further by giving more people an alternative to driving. The Bottom Line: Creating a Village at Westwood Is Equitable Redeveloping Westwood would go far beyond giving Amazon employees an alternative to the commute downtown for work. West Seattle is a big, diverse neighborhood. But too much of the "good stuff" - arts, entertainment, higher-paying jobs, unique shops, proposed light rail - goes to the affluent north end of the peninsula. Politicians talk about equity, but nothing changes. It's as if they expect that prosperity at the north end of the neighborhood will somehow "trickle down" to the south. A bold reimagining of Westwood Village would change that. Transforming a prime example of urban decay into a prosperous urban village will benefit everyone, especially those in West Seattle who need it most. If Amazon isn't interested in taking on the challenge, I hope someone with the imagination and resources will.

Updated 12/11/22 Originally posted 7/28/14 Here's a question for you, Outlander Gardeners: What do mint, rosemary, oregano, lemon balm, basil, sage, hyssop, thyme, lavender, bee balm, catnip and coleus all have in common? Answer: They are all members of the Mint family. (You get bonus points if you said that they all have square stems, opposite leaves and lipped flowers.) A few members of the Mint family - top row from left, Purple Sage ( Salvia dorii) ; Pineapple Mint ( Mentha suaveolens 'Variegata' ); Chocolate Mint ( Mentha X piperita 'Chocolate Mint' ); Golden Oregano ( Origanum vulgare 'Aurea'); at bottom is English Lavender ( Lavandula angustifolia ). The "true mints" are those in the genus Mentha; this is the clan I'm going to focus on in this post. When we say the word "mint," these are the plants that first come to mind - especially spearmint and peppermint. Diana Gabaldon Herself grows a variety of these mints in her garden. In THE OUTLANDISH COMPANION , she says, "... I collect exotic mints (did you know that there are varieties of mint that smell like pineapple, bergamot, orange, apple, grapefruit and chocolate?)." Are you a fan of audiobooks? Listen to books in the Outlander series with Amazon's Audible service. Start your free trial here . I once found a "basil mint" in a local nursery. I was excited because basil is hard to grow in the cool maritime climate of the Pacific Northwest. Basil likes warm overnight temperatures and tends to sulk, at best, or turn black around the edges and die, at worst, if it is moved outdoors too early in the season. Mint, on the other hand, loves it here and runs rampant unless it is confined to a pot. I thought that if this "mint" really did taste like basil, the finicky plant problem would be solved and I would have a perennial source of basil. I snitched a bit of a leaf to see what it tasted like - and sure enough, there was that spicy basil flavor! I brought the plant home and asked my husband to taste a leaf and tell me what it was. "Mint," was his reply. I said, "No really, try again." He did. Still, "Mint. Not a hint of basil." I was so disappointed. I planted it anyway, of course. And then spent the summer asking people to try tasting a leaf and telling me what they thought it was. Invariably, the women said "basil," and the men all said "mint." Go figure. Botanical Information Family: Lamiaceae or Labiatae Genus: Mentha Species: True mints include: Mentha X piperita (peppermint), Mentha X piperita 'Chocolate Mint' (chocolate mint) and Mentha X piperita 'Citrata' (many common names: orange mint, lime mint, bergamot mint, eau de cologne mint); Mentha spicata (spearmint) and Mentha spicata 'Crispa' (curly mint); Mentha arvensis (corn mint); Mentha requienii (Corsican mint); Mentha pulegium (pennyroyal); Mentha aquatica (water mint); Mentha suaveolens (apple mint) and M. suaveolens 'Variegata' (pineapple mint) Spearmint ( Mentha spicata ) Mints have been in cultivation world wide for thousands of years. Ancient texts from Chinese, Sumerian and Egyptian cultures describe the cultivation and use of these herbs for both culinary and medicinal purposes. Mints are easy - most people would say TOO easy - to grow. Planting them in pots to confine their root systems, rather than in the open ground, will keep them from overtaking your garden. True mints spread by way of underground runners or rhizomes. They are easily propagated from cuttings or by dividing the plant. Mints seem to need more water than other members of the Lamiaceae family. You can ignore lavender and rosemary, but if you want healthy mint leaves for your tabbouleh or juleps, don't let the plants dry out. Most of us pick leaves as we need them for cooking or garnishes. But if you want to dry spearmint or peppermint leaves to use for tea, the best time to harvest is on a sunny day, just before the flowers start to open. That is when there will be the highest concentration of oils in the leaves. Most of the true mints have upright growth habits, but Corsican mint and pennyroyal can be used as ground covers. Do you have arthritis, like me, and dread watering because gripping a nozzle is painful? Try this Melnor RelaxGrip nozzle. It has been a game changer for me. Instead of gripping the nozzle to keep water flowing, a simple thumb slide lets you turn the water on and control the volume. No more pain! Eight different watering patterns make it adaptable to different watering needs. Medicinal Uses Mints have been used for centuries to relieve a wide range of complaints including: indigestion, coughs, colds, headaches, burns and nervous conditions. It was used to make teas, tinctures and poultices for both internal and external use. It is used widely today in soaps and shampoos and to flavor toothpastes and mouthwashes. I always keep a box of minty Altoids on hand to use for stomach upsets. Menthol and other compounds derived from mint leaves relax the smooth muscle in the digestive tract, which relieves nausea and eases cramping and pain. Mint is a carminative agent, meaning that it inhibits the formation of gas - a very welcome benefit, especially during dinner parties! "The menthol in peppermint also destroys bacteria, parasites, and viruses in the stomach without harming beneficial intestinal flora." - Mary Preuss, author of THE NORTHWEST HERB LOVER'S HANDBOOK Mint has antiseptic properties. In DRUMS OF AUTUMN , we find Claire Fraser preparing for the worst as she follows Jamie on another of their adventures. "I likely could not prevent damage; but I could try to repair what had happened already. Disinfection and cleansing - I had a bottle of distilled alcohol, and a wash made from pressed garlic juice and mint." (page 174) Not all mints are safe to eat, however. Barbara Perry Lawton, author of MINTS, offers this warning: "Corsican mint ( M. requienii) , Japanese mint ( M. arvensis var. piperascens ), and the pennyroyals ( M. cervina, M. pulegium ) all contain a toxic oil that can cause convulsions and coma." Best to stick with peppermint and spearmint leaves for your medicinal and culinary needs. Culinary Uses There are many ways to use mint in foods and beverages. Mint adds a zing to salads and fruit punches. It brings balance to the richness of fatty dishes. A cup of mint tea is a soothing finish to a meal. Mint leaves make an attractive and edible garnish. There's mint jelly and mint candies - the list goes on. Because mint is such a prolific herb, I'm always on the lookout for new and interesting ways to use the bounty. Here are a few ideas. Want a hearty dish for supper? In her popular cookbook, Outlander Kitchen , Theresa Carle-Sanders offers a flavorful alternative to haggis: Lamb Sausage with Fennel, Mint & Preserved Lemon. (This was the recipe that inspired me to start making my own sausage for which I am most grateful!) Need a refreshing cocktail for an Outlander happy hour? Amy Stewart, aka THE DRUNKEN BOTANIST , says that you should start with spearmint. She suggests varieties such as 'Mojito,' a Cuban import, or 'Kentucky Colonel,' an important ingredient in her Classic Mint Julep . And here is my recipe for Quinoa Tabbouleh , a summertime staple at my house. I prefer the sharper flavor of peppermint over spearmint for this dish. I suggest making this the day before you plan to serve it in order to let the flavors blend. Quinoa Tabbouleh 2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained 4 cups vegetable broth or bouillon 4 green onions, thinly sliced 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley 2-3 Tbs. chopped mint 2-3 Tbs. chopped cilantro Juice of two to three ripe lemons 4 Tbs extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or chopped walnuts 15-20 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half Salt, if needed Pre-heat a large stainless steel or non-stick saute or frying pan on medium heat. Add rinsed quinoa and let the heat from the pan dry it out, stirring often to keep from sticking. When the quinoa is dry and starting to get toasty, add the vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat so the mixture simmers, uncovered. It will take about 20-25 minutes for the quinoa to cook and absorb the liquid. When it is done, you will see that the grains have expanded, forming tiny corkscrew shapes. While the quinoa is cooking, slice the onions and tomatoes, and chop the herbs. Toast the nuts, using whatever method you prefer. I put them into a shallow pan and "bake" them in my oven set at about 325°. I stir occasionally, and let them toast slowly - I've burned far too many batches trying to use the broiler. Some people like to toast nuts in a skillet on the stovetop over medium heat, shaking often to keep them from sticking and/or burning.

When people find out that a tomato is a fruit, not a vegetable, they are usually surprised. They think of fruits as being sweet and vegetables as being savory. Since tomatoes are commonly used in savory dishes, why aren't they called vegetables? The answer is simple . What distinguishes a fruit from a vegetable isn't whether it is sweet or not. It has to do with which part of the plant we eat. Botanically speaking, a fruit is the fleshy part of the plant that surrounds a seed or seeds. So apples, peaches, plums, grapes, pears and bananas, which we commonly call "fruits," indeed are. And so are tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and squashes. A vegetable's edible parts are its leaves, stems or roots. So lettuce and spinach are vegetables, because we eat the leaves. Asparagus is a vegetable - we eat the stems. And beets, carrots, potatoes and onions are vegetables, because they are "root crops." That's your botany lesson for today.

Updated 12/11/22 Originally posted 11/24/13 We are days away from Thanksgiving, and as we prepare for our annual feast, the perennial question comes up - is a yam the same thing as a sweet potato? I've wondered about this for as long as I can remember and this year, I decided to do some research. As it turns out, yams and sweet potatoes are not related botanically. Yams are monocots , related to lilies, and belong to the family Dioscorea. Sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) are dicots , from the Convolvulaceae family, the same as morning glories. As near as I can tell, true yams are not grown in the United States, at least not commercially. They are a staple crop in West Africa, where 95% of the world's production is cultivated. There are many varieties of yams, including those that produce tubers over 4 feet long, weighing over 150 lbs! I've never seen any of those at the grocery store. Sweet potatoes, on the other hand, are grown in the US: with North Carolina, California, Louisiana and Mississippi leading the way in production. Apparently, those "candied yams" that people serve on Thanksgiving are in fact sweet potatoes. So now the question is: Why do we call sweet potatoes "yams?" It makes no sense. We don't grow them in the US, so most of us have never seen, never mind eaten, a true yam. I found the answer on The Library of Congress website. It happens that sweet potatoes resemble certain varieties of yams that are native in Africa. When slaves were brought to the US from West Africa and saw sweet potatoes, the tubers reminded them of the yams they were familiar with, and that's what they called them. The name stuck - and now you know why.

Botanically speaking, roses belong to the Rosaceae (ro-ZAY-cee-ee) family. This is a huge family , encompassing over 2800 species of plants, including fruit trees, shrubs, berries and, of course, roses. There isn't a single set of characteristics you can use to identify all members of this family, but there is one identifier that several genera share: a star-like shape at the base of the fruit. Here you see cotoneaster berries with those distinctive "stars" on the bottom. Once you know to look for this characteristic, you will begin to recognize other relatives in this family. These include: Hawthorn, Pears, Rowan, Cotoneaster and Pyracantha. Fall is the best time of year for this , of course, because that's the season when these fruits are ripe. Here you see the "star" at the base of an apple, another rose relative. You'll find stars on the bottoms of pears, too. And notice the stars on rose "hips" this time of year. (Pictured here are Rosa glauca hips.) Beyond this bit of botanical trivia, it is useful for gardeners to be aware of these family relationships . Many members of the Rosaceae family share a susceptibility to fungal diseases, such as black spot on roses and scab on apples. Knowing this, a gardener can be prepared to take steps to keep plants healthy, which might include the use of dormant oil sprays, good sanitation practices and companion planting with members of the allium family (garlic, chives, onion, etc.) So there's your mini botany lesson for today. Now go out and do your own version of "star search."

"As with many of the ancient families, scribblers down through the centuries have been ever ready to establish invented or speculative origins for the Frasers. Some have stated categorically that the Scottish Frasers have derived their name from La Fresiliere in Anjou, France, while others have insisted that the name was accorded on a hot summer day when the King of France, thirsty from a day of hunting, was presented with a plate of succulent strawberries by one of his companions, who was immediately awarded with a coat of arms bearing three fraises and the command to take the name of Fraser as a surname." -- " The Outlandish Companion " by Diana Gabaldon, page 208 Are you a fan of audiobooks? Listen to books in the Outlander series with Amazon's Audible service. Start your free trial here . Of these possibilities, I believe the first one sounds most likely. However, a different, and perhaps more plausible, version of the strawberry story can be found on the Frizelle Family Tree website . However the name was derived, it isn't much of a stretch to see a similarity between the name Fraser and the French word for strawberry, "fraise." And a quick internet search for "Fraser coat of arms," will bring up numerous images that contain five-petaled strawberry flowers. In Drums of Autumn , Jamie tells Claire this story, "Strawberries ha' always been the emblem of the clan - it's what the name meant, to start with, when a Monsieur Fresiliere came across from France wi' King William that was - and took hold of land in the Scottish mountains for his trouble." Botanical Information Family: Rosaceae Genus: Fragaria Species: F. x ananassa cultivars are grown for their fruit; F. chiloensis (beach strawberry) F. 'Lipstick' , F. ' Pink Panda' and F. vesca (alpine strawberry) are primarily ornamental, used as ground cover. Strawberries are not true berries; botanically speaking, they are aggregate accessory fruits . Origin From Wikipedia : "The garden strawberry was first bred in Brittany, France, in the 1750s via a cross of Fragaria virginiana from eastern North America and Fragaria chiloensis , which was brought from Chile by Amedee-Francois Frezier in 1714. Cultivars of Fragaria x ananassa have replaced, in commercial production, the woodland strawberry ( Fragaria vesca ), which was the first strawberry species cultivated in the early 17th century." Once I read this, I had to find out the origins of M. Frezier's name and sure enough, there's a strawberry connection ! (And a little different version of the Fraser family history than the one Jamie told Claire). Amedee-Francois Frezier was not a plantsman, he was a military officer, with education in mathematics, architecture and engineering. In the course of his military career, he was an explorer and a spy. He had a life of intrigue and adventure - but he is best known for bringing 5 strawberry plants from South America to France. Perhaps with a name like Frezier, that was his destiny. Cultivation Strawberries like well drained, yet evenly moist, slightly acidic soil. If you plan to grow F. x ananassa varieties, buy bare root plants in early spring. If you have sandy soil and good drainage, install plants in level rows. If the drainage is not good, mound the planting rows and plant the strawberries on top - the reason for this is that the plants are susceptible to crown rot if they get too wet. Fertilize June-bearing plants twice a season. First when new growth appears in spring and then after harvest to help the plant renew itself. Everbearing varieties appreciate light feeding throughout their growth and production cycles. Renew your strawberry beds by cultivating the runners that are produced each year. Let those new plants replace the older ones, which should be removed after the third season. Like most plants, strawberries will not produce well if they are too crowded. If you are interested in planting the ground cover varieties, you will find that they do well in sandy soils. They don't need a lot of care if they are happy. Enjoy your strawberries. I know that from now on, when you see these luscious bright red fruits, you will think of our favorite red-headed hero, Jamie Fraser.