Blog

I've been blogging since 2010, with different blogs for different topics. With this one, I'm bringing everything together, gradually moving posts here from older blogs, which is why you see long past publication dates on some of them.

If you click on the ALL POSTS button at the top of this page, you'll see, in chronological order, all the posts on this site.

If you you click on a tag at the bottom of an individual post, all other posts with the same tag will appear here.

The Story of the West Seattle Triangle Park - and a (W)hole Lot More

Marie McKinsey

Mar 18
4 min

The Story of the West Seattle Triangle Park - and a (W)hole Lot More

They say that no good deed goes unpunished. My "good deed,"apparently, was volunteering to participate in the Friends of the Junction's plan

441 views2 comments

Marie McKinsey

Mar 11
11 min

West Seattle's Citizen Urban Planners

Did you know that Seattle's Comprehensive Plan is being updated? Do you even know what the Comprehensive Plan is? If you answered "no" to on

64 views0 comments

A Bit of West Seattle Garden Tour History

Marie McKinsey

May 8, 2022
3 min

A Bit of West Seattle Garden Tour History

In the spring of 1995, a group of West Seattle gardeners brought us the first West Seattle Garden Tour (WSGT).

378 views0 comments

My Comments on Sound Transit's Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)

Marie McKinsey

Apr 24, 2022
9 min

My Comments on Sound Transit's Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)

I am posting my comments here for two reasons: 1) According to "the rules," comments submitted by April 28th that address specific sections

257 views0 comments

How Many West Seattle Businesses Will We Lose Because of Sound Transit's Light Rail?

Marie McKinsey

Apr 16, 2022
3 min

How Many West Seattle Businesses Will We Lose Because of Sound Transit's Light Rail?

Sound Transit's light rail extension to West Seattle will mean the closure or relocation of many businesses. How many and which ones?

3,482 views1 comment

"Because We Said So" - The Latest Episode of West Seattle Bridge Drama

Marie McKinsey

Apr 10, 2022
5 min

"Because We Said So" - The Latest Episode of West Seattle Bridge Drama

When I posted last week's article about the new season of West Seattle Bridge Drama, I thought, "Hey, that's it now, I'm going to go do some

805 views0 comments

Welcome to a New Season of West Seattle Bridge Drama

Marie McKinsey

Apr 2, 2022
8 min

Welcome to a New Season of West Seattle Bridge Drama

now that 700 people in West Seattle have received letters advising them that their properties are in the path of an oncoming train.

1,903 views0 comments

Marie McKinsey

Apr 1, 2022
6 min

The Bridges of West Seattle

When the West Seattle Bridge, which links the peninsula of West Seattle with mainland Seattle, was closed suddenly in March of 2020, it left

725 views0 comments

West Seattle's "Walking on Logs" Sculptures

Marie McKinsey

Mar 26, 2022
2 min

West Seattle's "Walking on Logs" Sculptures

Remember these kids? When the West Seattle Bridge was open, we passed them every time we drove into the neighborhood. Sometimes they were dr

326 views0 comments

Marie McKinsey

Feb 5, 2022
5 min

When It Comes To Transit, Think Small

Think Small. This simple ad, which ran in the 1960s, was part of one of the most successful campaigns of all time. It was clever.

120 views0 comments

Find Out by Zip Code How Much CO2 Your Neighborhood Emits

Marie McKinsey

Sep 24, 2021
2 min

Find Out by Zip Code How Much CO2 Your Neighborhood Emits

We've heard for decades that increasing population density is good for the environment. The theory is that it discourages suburban sprawl,

106 views0 comments

WTF Is a Woonerf? And Where Can We Put One in West Seattle?

Marie McKinsey

Sep 19, 2021
2 min

WTF Is a Woonerf? And Where Can We Put One in West Seattle?

Woonerf, a Dutch word, is translated as "a living yard." It is a street where car use is limited in favor of green space and room for pedest

421 views1 comment

A Fresh Look for the Arboretum at South Seattle College

Marie McKinsey

Sep 11, 2021
2 min

A Fresh Look for the Arboretum at South Seattle College

I was a landscape design student at South Seattle College in the early 1990s. The Arboretum was our outdoor classroom, where we took classes

76 views0 comments

Marie McKinsey

Jul 23, 2021
4 min

The World's Oldest Pearl Jam Fan

I've been called the world's oldest Pearl Jam fan. But it isn't true.

154 views0 comments

Life at Alki Beach: Pirates and Pole Vaulters - Aaaargh!!

Marie McKinsey

Jun 11, 2021
2 min

Life at Alki Beach: Pirates and Pole Vaulters - Aaaargh!!

It appears that the Seafair Pirate landing at Alki Beach is cancelled this year because of lingering issues from the pandemic. This photo es

70 views0 comments

The Alki 11 Row House Project: Density Done Wrong

Marie McKinsey

Jun 5, 2021
2 min

The Alki 11 Row House Project: Density Done Wrong

In 2013, a developer announced plans to replace these three beach houses with an 11-unit row house project in the Alki Beach neighborhood.

67 views2 comments

SkyLink: Rising Above It All In West Seattle

Marie McKinsey

May 18, 2021
4 min

SkyLink: Rising Above It All In West Seattle

Did you know that trains don't run uphill? It's true. On level ground, those smooth metal wheels glide along those smooth metal rails,...

359 views0 comments

West Seattle's Affordable Housing Crisis

Marie McKinsey

May 14, 2021
6 min

West Seattle's Affordable Housing Crisis

Is "crisis" too strong a word for the state of affordable housing in West Seattle?

1,272 views6 comments

The Alaska Junction in West Seattle: A 15-minute City?

Marie McKinsey

May 7, 2021
5 min

The Alaska Junction in West Seattle: A 15-minute City?

Can West Seattle's Alaska Junction become a 15-minute city?

2,804 views6 comments

Marie McKinsey

Feb 10, 2021
1 min

Pandemic Gardening

"'Tis an ill wind indeed, that blows no good." - William Shakespeare For all the pain and suffering brought by the COVID-19 pandemic,...

46 views0 comments

When you buy a book on my Bookshop page, a portion of the sale goes to a fund that supports local, independent bookstores. Since 2020, Bookshop.org has raised over $23 million to help these businesses thrive.

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