Archive for the ‘Happenings’ Category

September’s here…

Monday, September 2nd, 2013

…bringing the prettiest sunsets to Soundview.  People who’ve stayed here will recognize this view from the deck.  Usually things start slowing down about now, but not this year. The cottage is booked solid through October!  But I’m offering the low-season special anyway – 20% off for stays between November 1 and May 15 – because I enjoy my guests.

I’ve been up on The Mountain recently.  The last post was a hike to Spray Park on the northwestern flank, and a couple of weeks ago I hiked with a friend out of Sunrise.  The Sunrise road goes up to 6400 ft., the highest road in the Park, and it will close soon for the winter.  This was a beautiful view looking south across the terminus of the Emmons glacier.

And, looking far to the southeast, the Tatoosh Range pokes its pointy peaks into the sky.

Another fun recent Northwest happening for me was an informal fundraiser concert in a Bremerton backyard – for the local symphony.  Yummy BarBQ, amazing music performed live in a clearing in the woods, pleasant people supporting the arts – what more could one want?

Well, I guess if you really take that question seriously, you could answer world peace; freedom from hunger, disease, want and fear for everyone; a loving home for every child; and a true democracy for our country – washed clean from the corrupting influence of money in politics.

Franny has arrived!

Saturday, December 1st, 2012

On October 25, my 6th grandchild was born, my younger daughter’s first-born.  Sweet.  I flew down to San Francisco to join the new little family as soon as I could, and spent two sleepless, heavenly weeks with them, helping to care for little Franny.  She is a beautiful baby, as all babies are.

The quilt in the background is a labor of love.  Each relative or family friend sent a handmade African-animal-based (or whatever they felt like) square with a personal message of love for the new babe.  Elephants, monkeys, and giraffes are popular nursery themes these days – but also Franny’s parents worked in Tanzania for three years, so it’s especially meaningful for them.

New all-electric car!

Friday, March 9th, 2012

My new Mitsubishi i-Car is so cute!  It handles beautifully and has lots of pep, even on the freeway!  It’s all-electric. No gas, no pollution.  It won’t go very far (about 60 mile range), so I’m keeping my faithful Subaru wagon.  Within a couple of weeks, it will sport this graphic to advertise the cottage.  More photos soon!  I can’t wait.  (there’s no orange stripe between the doors – that was just to see where the break would come in the design process.)  My old friend Lari Power did the beautiful graphic.

Democracy, are you still there?

Wednesday, December 21st, 2011

Last October, when Occupy Seattle was only an encampment in Westlake Park, I ventured downtown with a friend to see what it was all about.  We were impressed with the variety and sincerity of the protesters, and their messages resonated for me: we are the 99%, the rich are getting too rich on the backs of the poor, restore American values and the middle class, bring back democracy.

I began participating in meetings, especially the working group called Get Money out of Politics (“GMOP”).  I  joined nationwide conference calls for the national working group focusing on this same issue.  These people are inspiring.  All ages, all backgrounds and income/educational levels – bright, creative, cooperative – motivated by what I call our national values of freedom, compassion and fairness.

Here’s a photo from a recent GMOP meeting – they’re held at our beautiful  Washington Convention Center in downtown Seattle.

Some people may think Occupy Wherever has packed up their tents and gone home, bowing to police or winter or just petering out.  They will see.  The “occupation” of so many public places has served its purpose: to get our attention.  And now the movement begins.

January 20 and 21 will mark the 2nd anniversary of the Supreme Court decision that narrowly (5-4) gave corporations the same “free speech” rights as real people, allowing them to donate unlimited money to political campaigns, anonymously.  Just wait for next summer.  Big Money will drown TV programming with short, shallow ads which will buy the results of many races.

In Seattle on those dates, a coalition of many groups including Occupy Seattle, Move to Amend, and WA Public Campaigns, is currently planning a march, a couple of rallies, some brilliant street theater, concerts, and other events to promote the need to amend the Constitution to clarify that only people are entitled to free speech.  Similar events will happen that weekend across the country.

A Constitutional amendment is the only way to overturn a Supreme Court decision.  Many city councils across the U.S. have recently passed a resolution, which is then passed on to the voters, advocating such an amendment.  So far, the cities include Los Angeles, New York City, Boulder, Missoula, and Duluth.  Voters agree, by around 75%.  We are working on Seattle and King County to get with it!

I know some of you disagree with my liberal views and activism.  That’s fine, this is a democracy.  But I can’t be honest with myself and hide my political views.  It’s time to take a stand.  This is our moment to start cleaning up our government and restoring our democracy.  The Occupy movement is providing the energy and visibility to make it happen.  Count me in!

 

 

Moshier Community Art Center – a local treasure!

Tuesday, May 10th, 2011

People come here from miles around Puget Sound to throw pots, glaze and fire them.  The facility and the artists at Moshier are the best – and it’s only 5 minutes from Burien, where I live and where Soundview cottage is!

I’ve taken classes for years here, made dozens of bowls and mugs, gotten dirty, laughed and sighed and groaned at the clay, and marveled at the way the glazes come out of the kiln.

Here are some photos of the teachers (who are also friends) with their work at a recent show/sale, and of me at the wheel.

Winter at Soundview

Monday, February 21st, 2011

The  full moon woke me up Thursday night, shining on the Sound through the wispiest little clouds.  I love winter here. Sometimes it snows, but usually the snow melts pretty quickly. The views are even more amazing in the winter, because some of the trees are bare now and you can see more of the water.

(this photo is from a few years ago – this much snow is really unusual!)

But a couple of weeks ago, when I was supposed to lead a group of middle shool girls on a snowshoe trip, the weather turned warm and rainy and we had to suddenly switch to Northwest Trek instead of going up to Snoqualmie Pass.

NW Trek was a lot of fun and a perfect Plan B.  We were able to stay out of the drizzle most of the time, riding the heated trams that carry you through the wildlife habitat in the foothills of Mt Rainier, to observe deer, bison, moose, elk, swans, geese – totally oblivious to the human visitors.  In other places in the park, separated from the grazers, are predators like wolves and bears. My favorite are the beavers, which you get to observe swimming underwater through a glass wall.

The girls were adorable – they loved taking photos of each other, and kept pulling me into the picture!  This day was an activity of the Sierra Club Inner City Outings program, where I’m a volunteer leader for two Tukwila schools.  Tukwila is just on the other side of the airport, and it’s said to be the most diverse school district in the nation.  I believe it!

A day in the snow

Tuesday, January 25th, 2011

I took a friend up to the mountains at Snoqualmie Pass last week – just for the day.  It was glorious.  Lots of fresh, clean snow, azure sky.

The Pass is only about 1.3 hrs away, and there are 4 downhill ski areas, snowshoe and cross-country trails, restaurants, lodges, gas station, 2 little markets, a delightful gift shop, and ranger-led snowshoe tours on the weekend. There’s a bigger, higher ski area called Crystal Mountain on the east shoulder of Mt Rainier, but it takes another hour to drive there.  A little farther still, Seattleites can also ski at Stevens Pass, Mt Baker, Mission Ridge, and White Pass – and there’s even a little rope tow at Hurricane Ridge on the Olympic Peninsula.  I love Seattle!  It’s so close to so many different kinds of recreation.
Coming home to the hot tub at Soundview on a clear night is the best!   I keep the hot tub ready for guests all year, and sometimes if the cottage is vacant I use it myself.

The full moon was shining on the Sound that night, with little wispy white clouds glowing all around it.

Our President Inspired Me Last Night.

Thursday, January 13th, 2011

“We must communicate in a way that heals, not wounds….
our task, working together, is to constantly widen the circle of our concern so that we bequeath the American dream to future generations.
I believe we can be better. Those who died here, those who saved lives here – they help me believe. We may not be able to stop all evil in the world, but I know that how we treat one another is entirely up to us. I believe that for all our imperfections, we are full of decency and goodness, and that the forces that divide us are not as strong as those that unite us.”

At first, I was quick to blame this unspeakable tragedy on the wave of hate rhetoric that has almost drowned our country. But last night in his memorial address at the University of Arizona, our President rose above this kind of divisive finger-pointing. He brought us together in a moment of hope and inspiration, even as we mourned the senseless loss of such fine people. Please let us heed his call and move forward together, for the future of our children.

The peace flag that flies at Soundview Cottage has taken on an additional meaning.

Soundview Cottage Goes Mobile

Wednesday, October 6th, 2010

If you visit SeattleCottage.net from a mobile device, like a Blackberry or an iPhone, you’ll see our new mobile website. Our mobile site is streamlined for on-the-go reservations inquiries and at-a-glance information about the cottage. To view our new mobile site, visit www.seattlecottage.net from almost any mobile device. Here’s a quick look at our new mobile-friendly menu as viewed on the iPhone 3GS:

seattle cottage mobile website

Weekend in San Francisco

Tuesday, April 13th, 2010

Friday night I boarded a plane to San Francisco to visit my younger daughter and her partner, who live in the city.  Fun, relaxing weekend.  It rained most of the time I was there, except for our touristy “Sunset Bay Cruise” on Saturday night, which was really delightful.  Most of the photos are from that cruise.  The cruise offers a moving vista of the bay and its skyscrapers, bridges, parks, neighborhoods, marinas, maritime industries, hills, and morbid history (Alcatraz and Angel islands).  The on-board entertainment (two live singer/guitarists) was high quality but charmingly informal.  A proposal/engagement happened right before our eyes and of course we all celebrated, even though we didn’t know the young couple. Passengers receive a free glass of wine and an abundant buffet of light fare, including sandwiches. Of course, since we were in San Francisco, we went out to eat twice on Sunday (brunch and dinner).  We also stayed IN and played Bananagrams a lot, and watched two episodes of the stunning series Life that Allison and Peter had stored on their TIVO.

It’s good to be back in Seattle, though.  I always marvel how handy the airport is here, yet how peaceful and quiet it is. Our cottage guests are always surprised at the restfulness of Soundview.