A Garden Long Ago

Day 259: When in my late 20s I married for the second time, I convinced my husband to let me tear up our suburban back yard to put in a vegetable garden. Togerher, we dug the sod by hand, screened out the larger rocks and worked in some fertilizer, and at that point, he decided gardening wasn't his cup of tea, turning over the tasks of planting and weeding to me. I have to admit I wasn't as dedicated to the task of pulling weeds as I would be today, but by mid-summer, the corn was shoulder-high, the squash had spread its leaves and vines, and the bush bean plants were in flower, shading out all but the most vigorous of the undesirables. No garden is complete without a few sunflowers, and mine soon towered over me. Then as now, they were grown specifically with birds in mind, and a good thing: they were so full of earwigs that after picking one or two heads for our own enjoyment, we abandoned any idea of keeping a few for human consumption. The soil proved too rocky to grow carrots, and the radishes were riddled by worms, but shallowly rooted crops kept us in fresh veg right up to the final zucchini. But my initial foray into growing produce was short-lived. The following year, we moved. The ground at our new abode was nothing but rocks, large and small, and although I eventually coaxed a few beans from it and some potatoes from a bedding of straw, the only thing which ever did well was a slip of Greek oregano I'd been given by a neighbour. It eventually covered a patch ten feet on a side, more determined than even the prairie grass and weeds.

Doctor Kevin And The Daleks

Day 255: Obviously having won out over Doctor #4 as evidenced by possession of his famous scarf, now the Daleks face off with Doctor Kevin and his trusty sonic...um...Smarties packet. Look out, Kevin! There's another one behind you!

The Daleks were just one of over three hundred entries in yesterday's Pride Parade in Seattle. The National Park Service was represented by rangers from Mount Rainier, Olympic, Klondike (Seattle), the Regional office and San Juan National Historic Park. There were easily two dozen of us, some in uniform and others not, marching in support of human rights. It seemed like it took forever for us to begin the walk from our position near 4th and Madison to the Seattle Center, but those below us in the queue had an even longer wait. As I walked the mile back to the light-rail station at Westlake, the parade was still making its way through downtown.

Seattle March For Science

Day 191 (bonus post): Rain and wind were not enough to deter thousands of people from turning out for the March for Science in Seattle today. The day started out dry, but once the speakers had finished and we actually started marching along the route, rain fell steadily for about half an hour. Gusty wind had it difficult to keep signs aloft. Fortunately, I'd had the foresight to wrap mine in plastic. I had met up with several people from the Morris dance group and marched with them from Cal Anderson Park on Capitol Hill to Seattle Center. I believe we were near the middle of the group which must have extended at least three-quarters of a mile on either side of us. I've heard one rough estimate of 24,000 attendees, the stalwart Pacific Northwesterners who won't let a little rain stop them!

Sound & Fury

Day 5: Last night was Morris dance again, my second session with the Seattle side, Sound & Fury. It was held in the Phinney Neighborhood Center, a beautiful old building which although modernized retains its early 1900s feel through preservation of the original dark wooden staircases, trim and fittings. The rooms have been brought up for various purposes, including this large hall where another dance group was in session ahead of us.

Sound & Fury's squire (leader of the group) introduced a new and fairly simple dance, possibly because they had a "new kid on the block" (yours truly) as well as rehearsing several which everyone knew except me. The squire invited me to participate in all but the most complex dance so I'd learn even if I made mistakes. The woman who danced opposite me was very helpful, advising me in advance as to what steps or moves I would be doing next. I was made to feel that I was a part of the group despite my lack of experience. That said, Seattle is a long way from home. Attending practices every week is out of the question, but even at once or twice a month, I think I'll learn a lot from these patient instructors.