Walking Seattle Again

  Rain threatened during today's walk in the Green Lake and Wallingford neighborhoods. Starting out just west of I-5 at NE 60th Street, ... ... I came across a work party at Freeway Estates Community Orchard. A bulletin board advertised a request for volunteers and the 13th Annual Cider Fest on October 21st from 2 to 4 PM. I do remember this orchard from my prior walks which started 13 years ago. Continuing north then turning east, I walked under I-5. Walking west along 65th, I could have gotten a tattoo, eaten a tamale or Thai food or stopped in at the friendly Latona Pub by the time I reached Latona Avenue.  I wound up walking some of the northern streets multiple times before ... ... walking south along 5th Avenue from 60th to 50th Street. This was probably a lovely neighborhood of modest homes before I-5 cut through it. For quite a few blocks, trees block views of I-5 but not the noise. Closer to 50th Street, there aren't even trees and I-5 is ever present. The streets are

  Today's walk was primarily in the Pinehurst neighborhood but included a few streets in Victory Heights and Maple Leaf. I observed the progress being made on the building at the old Display and Costume site. 9th and Roosevelt Avenues were very different from what they are a few miles south of here in the U District. There are still streets of single family homes but not as many streets have sidewalks and curbs; there are open drainage ditches; the lots are larger; the trees are taller. Along the way, I noted Halloween decorations, ... ... a dog sculpture near some rooftop solar panels, ... ... some lovely gardens, ... ... and free veggies. There is a newer-looking row of trees in front of Lamp Presbyterian Church (Korean).  Lots of bike routes cut through this area. There is a large Dog Day Care center. The Idris Mosque is here. I spotted a lot with quite a few trees recently cut down. Workers were leveling a lot abutting the I-5 barrier wall on a dead-end street; I wonder if it w

  The Huskies had an away game today so my husband and I thought it might be a good day to take our granddog for a walk in the area around The Center for Urban Horticulture. We started by walking on the boardwalk through the Yesler Swamp. We learned a bit about the site history - Henry Yesler built a sawmill here. We spotted a heron. Winding our way back to the Center, we admired the grounds. We almost meditated while walking the Baltic Labyrinth. We walked as far as the bridge over Ravenna Creek and looked at the UW campus on the other side. Circling back through the Union Bay Natural Area, we read about Climate Ready Landscape Plants. We could see the UW Farm in the distance. Finishing up our 2 mile walk, we came across a bulletin board which listed three separate sightings of a deer and a fawn between the 25th and 28th of August.

  Lots of Apodments and Micro Studios on today's walk in the U District. Across 7th Avenue NE from these newer small units, I spotted a homeless encampment with trash bins, port-a-potties and a sink. No new buildings on Pasadena Place NE. It abuts I-5 and appears to be a popular parking spot but I did notice one car with its passenger side window smashed - don't think I would park here. The area has not been fully redeveloped and it's still possible to find some tree-lined spaces. Near the University Bridge, I admired the Sadako and the Thousand Cranes sculpture in Peace Park. I have never passed this sculpture when it wasn't adorned with paper cranes. Over on Roosevelt, just south or Portage Bay Cafe, resides the Portage Bay Grange Express Pickup facility - an urban farm supply service. The Grange location would be handy for users of the nearby University District P-Patch, nestled in among high-rise buildings. Anhalt Hall, a City of Seattle Landmark, sits at 43rd and 7