Amazon Spheres

 Amateurs, employees and King5, and more all love to show and talk about  photos of the Amazon Spheres here in Seattle. They are amazing structures and make a fun field trip for out of town visitors. 

The idea behind the spheres is to create a space where employees and nature can co-exist. They do house over 40,000 plants from over 30 countries. 

You can visit the spheres on two Saturdays a month. You do need a reservation that can be made by using this line Amazon Spheres Reservation

Check it out, I think you'll find it fascinating. 

It's Farmer's Market time here in Seattle. A great place to find locally grown fruit and vegetables, handcrafts and more. I love the atmosphere, the food trucks and the people watching. I love the lettuces, the kale, the radishes and the rhubarb. I love to wait for the local raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries. Sometimes there are blackberries and later in the season, peaches, pears, apples, apricots, cherries and more. There are fresh herbs and even artisan cheeses.

I love the buskers and the mimes and the children in strollers.  I love the smells of fresh coffee, food and the fresh air.

What are you favorite sights and sounds at the local farmer's markets?

Local Farmer's Markets

This photo is by Matt Roth for the New York Times.

Saturday, February 27, 2016, there was a fabulous article about continuing care communities. We have several options here in the Seattle area. I've toured some, I know others more because I have friends who moved into them.



read the article here:


New York Times Article

Pricing to Sell

http://www.inman.com/2015/03/20/the-one-item-needed-to-sell-a-home-for-top-dollar/

great article about pricing homes to sell for top dollar.

Whats new at the Pike Place Market

Read about the expansion:























http://pikeup.org/

Subdivide the land

In Ballard, the neighbors were all upset about a home being added to a "backyard" when the land use signs went up for a subdivision, making one space into two. It turns out, each lot has it's own tax parcel number and that is good enough for the City of Seattle. Each may be sold separately, or changed without further zoning changes or lot line adjustments. 

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:

Urban Farms

My neighbor in Ballard has an urban farm. Goats, chickens and rabbits are her animals of choice. It's a meeting place for neighbors and the local kids (human children) have a good time stopping by, because the alley is open for them to wander in to see the creatures.  She says she is teaching her children the circle of life.

Aging in place

This is an older article, but still timely. Many people, as stated in a newer article in AARP (85%) of "older" people want to remain in their homes. This kind of remodeling can make that possible.

Greening Seattle

I finally stumbled on the answer to my question,  "who is behind this Greening of Seattle?" I've seen the volunteers and piles of ivy ripped out of urban forests, especially along Admiral Way SW, in West Seattle.

Here is a link to a video on how to make a compost pile in the forest...

Anastasia Faiella

This woman used to be a painter, now an interior designer. I see how that can work for a visual artist.

her website:  http://faiella-design.com

The Thank You Economy

I've been reading this book, The Thank You Economy by Gary Vaynerchuk, and thinking about reading and connecting with people online and off. He has many great ideas in the book, including this: "the person who posts a negative comment is a customer you can talk to." (page 71)

I recently sent a comment to a man who makes soap locally, about his new packaging. His company: Ballard Organics. His soap, my favorite: Ubermoist.

This is what I said to him:




"I am a huge fan of your soap, which I found originally at the Ballard Sunday market. I recently was very disappointed to not find it at my local store. I was shopping at the Ballard Market.

I wanted to find Uber Moist.

I looked and looked and decided to by an alternative brand, which said it was FRAGRANCE FREE, hoping that would do.

I was AT THE CHECKOUT counter before I realized it was your soap, and Uber Moist.

The new packaging had me completely lost. I can't read the Uber Moist without a serious squint or my glasses. I miss the old package,and really don't like the shiny paper. It looks like the kind of paper that is coated and not recyclable.

A fan"

*************************************************************************************************************

AND TO MY SHOCK, this is what he said back:  "Can't please everyone I guess."

**************************************************************************************************************

On his site, it had a link for feedback. I think it should say, positive feedback only.

Some Home Remodeler's Blogs to look at

Lauren and Kyle Zerbey from Seattle

Morgan Satterfield in Hemet California

Vilde in Norway

Anna and Evan Dorfman in New York's Hudson Valley

Profits Again by Reducing Mortgages

This New York Times article hit a nerve.

knitting vegan

Knit out of Bamboo for my vegan niece. It feels nice. Not sure how durable this yarn will be.

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.

neighborhood signs of spring

dandelions

Now here is a yard full of weeds, or is it? I finally ate the great mashed potato recipe from Mark Bittman, which you can find here:

So this yard looks like a field of possibilities, although not harvested quickly enough. The green mashed potatoes were very tasty, and easy to make. All you need are potatoes, olive oil, and dandelion greens.

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