Blog

July 22, 2024 Jennifer secured an appointment for a ZooDoo pickup recently so off we went, Philippa and I, to the Seattle Woodland Park Zoo even though the temperature was 93 degrees! We actually didn’t notice the heat much, mostly because we had a fascinating conversation with Aarin Wilde, the new Dr. Doo. Phillipa started […]

Our First Financial Contribution is Anonymous

May 27, 2013 Friday night, May 17, there was a party at the Orchard. We noticed the evidence the next day: a branch was torn off the Early Fuji, there were strewn beer bottles and cans, and a small fire was started (luckily, in the wet grass). Also at the scene, there was also a […]

You Meet the Nicest People …

May 18, 2013 I am scything away at the Orchard, readying it for special guests. We will soon host three landscape architects, all of whom want the chance to design our space. Why use a scythe? There are several advantages: You relate intimately with the earth                    It’s meditative and peaceful Scythe maintenance is easy Noise […]

Did we Strike Oil?

April 26, 2013 Three weeks ago, Nancy noticed a sheen over the standing water at the Orchard. We call this our wetland feature (though it’s very dry in the summer). It’s near the blueberries that Justin planted and it’s one of the reasons we always wear boots and roll up our pant legs up. The […]

Seattle Department of Neighborhoods Provides Financial Support

April 15, 2013 We just heard that we have been awarded a grant from the City of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods (DON). This grant is for a design/community engagement process and will take about ten months to implement. Now, more than ever, we need volunteers! The Steering Committee is planning a Grant kick-off meeting in […]

A snippit from the pruning pro

March 16, 2013 Ingela decided that the William’s Pride would be an Open Center fruit tree. To counter the current characteristic of apical dominance (note the tall skyward branch in the Before photo), she bent the tall, central branch to about a 45-degree angle and then tied it down. She kept some small branches on […]

Enlisting Nature to Stem Climate Change

March 16, 2013 On February 27 I attended a panel discussion on, Enlisting Nature to Stem Climate Change: Capturing carbon in our NW cities, farms and forests, co-sponsored by the Sustainable Path Foundation and Climate Solutions. Speakers discussed ways in which forest, urban, and agricultural landscapes can be managed to increase their ability to capture […]