Whats new at the Pike Place Market

Read about the expansion:























http://pikeup.org/

Only shows when it rains

This sounds really cool,  especially for a native Seattleite like me.

A rainwork is an interesting design or message on concrete 
that only shows up when it gets wet. Some map marker titles 
are intentionally left vague. Go explore!


http://rain.works/

This shot is from the top of the West Seattle bridge. Seattle traffic, it seems is getting a bit challenging. Did you know you can check out Seattle traffic at these websites?

http://www.wsdot.com/traffic/seattle/default.aspx

http://www.king5.com/traffic/

Living simply in 400 square feet

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lindsay-schauer/8-things-you-can-live-without_b_4776523.html

This link takes you to a sweet blog post. Could I live in a 20x20 apartment? I'm not so sure. Can I let go of the tent I haven't used in many years? Yes.

Tiny Houses

This story in the New York Times about a Portland couple is sweet, except for the part where they will not use a general contractor or a Realtor in the future...of, course I have an opinion about Realtors.

Link here:

Pocket Neighborhoods

Ross Chapin Architects has created several pocket neighborhood designs, read more here about them. It seems like a beautiful and easy idea. Small homes in a cozy setting, with short fences in front and meandering sidewalks to encourage neighbor interaction. I could live in one of these.

Crows in Seattle

I am reading a local woman's book, and noticed three reviews of her work this week. It's a pretty good read, if you like birds, an excellent meditation of the crow's place in city life.

Crow Planet by Lyanda Lynn Haupt is a book to set by your bedside, or take on a trip. Enjoy.

Wood and Relations

My father was a cabinet maker for 36 years. We lived in a house with exotic woods. I joke with my siblings that we should "part out" the house when we sell it, because the wood is now so precious and who could love it as much as we did? ( my siblings are horrified by this suggestion, by the way).

Here is an article in Dwell magazine about a guy who kept all the wood (plywood, mostly, not very exotic) from his grandmother's house in Poland.

Beach Condos Auction

Condos that are coming up for auction in Westport . Photo of the site, and the one they apparently abandoned next door.

And, then across the street, where there is a feral cat population problem, this sign:

CREEPY logo:

Keep your own yacht out front...to go...where...? Over the Gray's Harbor Bar for a day cruise? Whale watching? Out for a dinner cocktail cruise?

Perhaps just staying in, and watching the guys next door unload fish and clean out the fish unloading equipment.

Sewer Warning

This sign warns of sewer overflows in heavy rains...let's see. It's in Seattle! Swimming, anyone?

Here is what the city says about this issue: read this

Bad Builder Neighbor

I know this is just a sample...of the current times. This home builder just stopped working. I hope this builder sends his/her crews back around to finish the job, or at least take a dump run.

Houses on Rocks

This is an interesting article about a summer home in Norway. I see a peek into the sauna in one photo and it had me reminiscing about my years of enjoying saunas. My father immigrated here from Finland in 1947 so we grew up with the (sauna) Scandinavian tradition, at least once a week. Ours included building the fire, and keeping the furnace hot for at least three hours, which gave several hours of sauna enjoyment. This article is all about using available wood, and putting the home on the land with an artist's eye.

Fences

Some interesting fences. So much better than those six foot tall solid cedar fences that we had everywhere in the 1980's...

Garden Chairs

These are a couple of fabulous chairs! One with the willow twigs so tall they disappear into the trees they sit under...the other with fish head and fish tails as part of the design.

Carbon Footprint

I drove behind a car the other day, SUV style...and it was sporting a bumper sticker which read, "I offset my carbon footprint with TerraPass"...

So, I went online to check it out.