West Seattle, Washington
19 Thursday
If you peer at that photo, you’ll see Rob, aka the bee rescuer, who has sent one more followup, after noting the intense interest in the previous chapter of the saga. If you’re just joining us: Monday’s storm brought down trees in Lincoln Park – and one had been home to a wild beehive, found in pieces on the ground, as shown here. The bees were rescued by a West Seattleite who usually keeps bees elsewhere; after he posted an update in comments here, we asked if he would share more info/photos, which he did here – and now, today, even more in a new chapter, involving a box, vacuum, and tunnel:
On Friday, the roads were clear and Thanksgiving well-celebrated, so I was able to fetch some better bee-keeping equipment for the “rescued” Lincoln Park hive. I repacked the hive into the new box, along with fresh comb foundation frames:
I improvised a “bee vacuum” to suck up bees who had chosen to fly around the room instead of letting themselves be moved into their new home:
This was just a plastic gallon jug mounted on a dust-buster, with a mesh bag covering the vacuum intake, so the bees wouldn’t get sucked in. I could then pour these stragglers back into the hive and seal it up.
In order to keep the hive indoors in its weakened state, I constructed a sealed cardboard gangway out a gap in a window:
The girls have found their passageway, but are still not too enthusiastic about how cold it is outdoors. If this configuration proves stable, I intend to keep them like this until perhaps April at which time, they’ll should be ready to move back outside. We’ll see how it goes. For more pictures and video, visit Trileigh‘s “Bees in the Bedroom” collection on Flickr.
The top photo, by the way, not only shows Rob through the window, but that’s also the outside view of the bee box and “tunnel” entry.
(Photo added Sunday evening – the Pathfinder K-8 wreath sales mentioned below)
In contrast to event-laden Saturday (scroll down the home page to see all the coverage!), today is relatively low-key around West Seattle – at least so far as our Events calendar goes. But there’s still plenty to do. Going to the West Seattle Farmers’ Market? The Pathfinder K-8 school community is scheduled to start selling its handmade wreaths today – raising money to help subsidize students’ outdoor education – more details here (scroll down). Also at the market, 10 am-2 pm as always at 44th/Alaska, here’s what the weekly Ripe ‘n’ Ready list says you’ll find. … Also in The Junction: Friends of the Animals Foundation will have adoptable pets at Next to Nature today (still checking on the times) … And in the “not just Small Business Saturday but Small Business Everyday” vein, three WSB sponsors are among the local businesses that can help you savor your Sunday: Skylark Café (3803 Delridge Way) serves brunch till 3 pm and then there’s all-ages, no-cover live music tonight, with Petros (from Foundry Fire) at 7 pm, The Frost Giants at 8:30 pm (full calendar here); at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW), your Sunday-afternoon relaxation will include live music 3-5 pm by Jacob McCaslin (full calendar here); and at Feedback Lounge (6451 California SW), Sunday ribs have returned, starting at 5 pm.
Some of the news we share from local schools is quickly summarizable – a photo, a few words. This report is more verbose – because it’s about words. Just before what became this snow-extended Thanksgiving break (most students have been out since noontime Monday, if not earlier), West Seattle High School language-arts teacher Kira Hopkins shared her news about WSHS and Writers in the Schools, working with her ninth-grade students. Here’s what WITS writer-in-residence Katie Ogle writes about her experiences so far – including a sample of student work:
Writers in the Schools at West Seattle High School
Writers in the Schools, a program of Seattle Arts and Lectures, employs local teaching artists to bring creative writing into King County public schools–and I, Katie Ogle, am delighted to be a 2010 writer-in-residence at West Seattle High School.
I visit Kira Hopkins’ four 9th-grade Language Arts classes each Friday. The early morning classes are usually still waking up and the afternoon classes are sprinting toward the imminent weekend, and yet they still are able to give me astute observations about published work I bring in to examine and push themselves to create stunning responses to my challenging writing prompts.
So far we are learning about the autonomy the writer has over language, the efficacy of literary devices, and how to develop honest, interesting poetry and writing. In keeping with Mrs. Hopkins’ course-theme, Identity, we have written self-portrait poems, odes to cherished objects, and poetic memoirs. I am so pleased to share one of many sharp and well-crafted poems that has come out of our short time together:
Click ahead to read that “well-crafted poem,” and a bit more from Katie Ogle:Read More
A second West Seattle Crime Watch report tonight – this one from John and Lisa, asking that it be shared “for neighborhood awareness”:
When: Wee hours after Black Friday
Where: 7000 block of 13th SW, near Riverview Park [map]
Multi-vehicle, VERY aggressive break-ins of cars and house porches, driveways. They stole lots and didn’t restrict their choices and if they saw items on your porch, those were taken too.
Items ranges from work truck oxygen tanks, scooter, backpacks from vehicles, and more. Lots of time spent searching thru cars. Police report made and multiple case numbers issued.
That’s our personal favorite song from the Helmstetler Family Spectacular music-synched Christmas-lights show, which began its second year at 3908 SW Charlestown (map; across from the water tower) tonight. The first number was preceded by an official lighting ceremony – special guest pushing the button, Zack Lystedt, a Maple Valley teenager who suffered a brain injury after going back into a football game in 2006 following a hard hit – that inspired a history-making law signed by Governor Gregoire last year. In his honor, his family chose Pushing Boundaries as the nonprofit to benefit from any donations made during the show tonight. Zach’s dad Victor spoke briefly at the start of our video – the man on the right is Jim Winder, Helmstetler family friend and mastermind of the lighting extravaganza:
If you go watch in your car – you’ll hear the synchronized music on 101.9. Bring a donation for the West Seattle Food Bank – there’s a donation bin right in front of the house. This year the show even has its own website at westseattlelights.com, loaded with information from directions to schedule, and more. And if last year is any indication, we know Jim will soon have much-better clips of the show than ours, so watch for those.
Kenyon Hall is one of West Seattle’s semi-secret magical places, and tonight its doors are open, inviting you inside for a food-and-music (silent auction too!) fundraiser, benefiting former Café Revo proprietor Sofia Goff and her children. It’s continuing till midnight; just before it started, Kenyon Hall’s Lou Magor sent out this final reminder with an overview:
We’ll have lots of entertainment, including Bob White at the organ, singing by Debbie Sweetland, Connie Corrick, Hugh Hastings, Phyllis Stewart, David Parker’s Ragtime piano, Comedy Juggling with Matt Baker, and general silliness at the eighty-eight with yours truly.
All evening we’ll have a silent auction and a raffle. Lots of items have been donated from neighbors, businesses, and community friends.
We’re asking for a $20 donation to Sofia from each person who attends, but will accept other amounts. Everything we take in will go directly to Sofia.
More details at caferevo.com, which also explains the backstory, if you hadn’t heard it before. Kenyon Hall is at 7904 35th SW (map).
Santa Claus has arrived in West Seattle! His four-weekend visit to Westwood Village began today; he’ll be back noon-4 pm tomorrow (and Dec. 4-5, 11-12, 18-19) – bring a food-bank donation; they’re collecting diapers for WestSide Baby, too, and there’s free gift wrapping, with donations accepted for local nonprofits. (Santa’s in The Junction, too, during Hometown Holidays on Dec. 5, 12, 19, 11 am-3 pm, with photos at Donna Ryan Photography, donations benefiting WS Baby.) Speaking of The Junction, on its northern edge the Holy Rosary School Christmas Tree Sale started today in its new location, with the traditional blessing, led this year by Father Mike Raschko:
From there, Father Raschko mentioned he was back to resume watching the Huskies game; perhaps that was an auspicious start to the HR tree season, since as you’ve probably heard, they won in the last minute. As we noted in this Thursday story, the new location is between the Holy Rosary school building and playground, off SW Dakota. Trees have also arrived at West Seattle Produce:
We dropped by today after getting a couple reports of roasting chestnuts. Those, we seem to have missed, but we found Victoria and Eric Straus, up from the South Sound, freshly cinnamon-glazing a few other types of nuts:
They told us they’ll be back at WS Produce (4721 Fauntleroy Way SW) tomorrow, starting around noon, and the weekends of December 11th and 18th.
Still time to get over to Camp Long Lodge and join in the Sustainable West Seattle Money-Free Shopping Spree. There you’ll find a SWS leader doing double duty today – Stu Hennessey not only is participating in the spree, which is part of “Green Saturday,” he’s also been a leading local advocate for “Small Business Saturday” (his Alki Bike and Board was among the West Seattle businesses featured in TV coverage). The “Shopping Spree” is a chance to exchange handmade items or service offerings, without money, to get holiday gifts – you’ll also find Steve Tracy there with his metal creations:
And this quilted wall hanging is the work of Lin Sierra:
Camp Long Lodge is at 5200 35th SW – look for the trademark Seattle Parks striped sign along 35th.
Out of the WSB inbox, from a neighbor who didn’t want her name used:
Just learned that my neighbor (2 doors down) was (burglarized) this morning in broad daylight. They left their home at 9 AM and returned at Noon and many electronics were boosted. Most of us on the street were home during that time, but didn’t notice anything.
Another neighbor thinks she saw an older model rust-colored car in the driveway during that time. Around 11 AM, I went on a walk nearby … didn’t notice anything at their house, but did take notice of a car fitting a similar description further down the road. It was a 80’s style small sedan, rusty red color with a bit of a loud muffler/engine. I noticed the car because it was older looking and it was driving rather fast and loud down the road while I was walking.
House is between Dakota and Andover on 50th Ave SW. [map]
The city’s “My Neighborhood” map often shows incidents like this within a day or two – but e-mails like this can get the word out quicker. The map’s default view is for reports filed during the week preceding your map view – three West Seattle burglaries are shown on or since last Saturday, November 20th: that date in the 3300 block of Admiral Way; last Sunday (11/21) in the 8600 block of 35th SW; Wednesday (11/24) in the 12000 block of Marine View Drive.
There are many reasons to head over to the Duwamish Longhouse in eastern West Seattle (4705 West Marginal Way SW) this afternoon – and one of them is Duwamish Tribe chair Cecile Hansen‘s famous frybread. She and her granddaughters were in the longhouse kitchen working on it when we stopped by earlier to get photos from the Native Art Fair, continuing till 5 tonight. Close to the main entrance, you’ll find Duwamish artist Virginia Nelson and husband Tim:
She has fuzzy purses and wallets, among other items, while he’s selling an eclectic doorstop made from a paver, decorated like a snowman – and you can even get them in Husky or Cougar garb. (The Cougs outsell the Huskies, the Nelsons insist.) Next to their table, you will find Duwamish Designs by DeAnn – including dolls made from cedar bark and cattails:
She told us, “I’m not a patient person … but making these has taught me patience,” as she shepherds the entire artistic process, starting with harvesting the cattails and bark. (In the left corner of the photo are beaded bookmarks she is also selling.) You’ll also find hats, wall-hangings, even tribal-art Christmas stockings.
Inside the Highland Park Improvement Club – just look for that building, and the signs, at 12th/Holden (map) – today’s Holiday Bazaar is so vendor-packed, organizer Tiffany Silver-Brace says she even had to turn down some would-be sellers. The 20-plus that you will find inside the historic HPIC building include Amy Bradley of DragonTamer Design, who is a beading artist (and offers classes, too):
Amaranta is there too, with Dia de Los Muertos-inspired creations:
(If you miss today’s event, she’ll be at the upcoming South Park Art Under $100, which she’s promoting with mini-flyers at her HPIC table.) We also found treats, dolls, gift baskets, scented waxes, hats, much more, and of course – your chance to show off Highland Park pride:
The bazaar continues till 4 today. There’s street parking alongside 12th stretching north of HPIC if its lot looks full.
On this “Small Business Saturday,” remember the smaller business districts of West Seattle too – like Luna Park, along Avalon Way just south of the West Seattle Bridge, where you will find Avalon Glassworks. Luckie shared photos from today’s glassblowing demonstration, featuring glass jellyfish created by guest artist Richard Lowrie.
You can go watch till 5 pm today – and Luckie also notes that Avalon Glassworks has a food drive under way; bring a donation and you’ll get $1 off a purchase.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
On this first Small Business Saturday, one small business in West Seattle won’t be welcoming customers today.
But not because its proprietor doesn’t want to!
Monica Skov is beyond eager to get her West Seattle Fabric Company open for business at 2210 California SW, where would-be customers are sticking their heads in to ask the big question: When will it be open? Answer: First half of December – Monica’s expecting to announce her grand-opening date sometime next week.
In the meantime, she is stocking the store; many have asked us for a progress report since our original story appeared last month, so we stopped in for an update a few days before the wintry weather started dominating the news. The photo above shows the north wall that’s filled with notions; other shelves in the store were starting to fill with fabrics, from flannel to oilcloth and many types inbetween, including patterns specifically for creating kids’ items (one based on the popular board book “Very Hungry Caterpillar” caught our eye). She plans to carry a “small selection of simple patterns” too. And the step-up section with most of the fabric has a central shelf on which you’ll be able to leave your choices till you’re ready to check out and have them cut into the length you need.
“It’s like the walk-in closet of my dreams,” she smiled, showing us around.
Monica also showed off other spaces in the store – spaces you might not have seen even if you visited the space in its previous incarnations. She is hoping to host classes — and eventually group gatherings — in those back spaces, which even include kitchenette and bathroom access (left over from an earlier life as residential space), describing it as “a place for people to be creative.” Not just experts: “I want to inspire people of all ages that maybe don’t even know how to sew!”
But till opening day, the bolts of fabric are just part of the nuts and bolts of opening a business – inventory, database. Then sometime next month, it’ll be time to welcome those “creative” customers, who have been without a fabric store in West Seattle for two and a half years.
Three West Seattle businesses got a quick spotlight in that KING 5 story aired during last night’s newscast – all because they’re getting the word out that today is Small Business Saturday nationwide, meant to be a counterpoint to the bigbox-store emphasis during Black Friday. Watch the story and you’ll see Alki Bike and Board, CAPERS, and Sweetie. (Alki Bike and Board also is part of the WSB West Seattle Holiday Shopping/Business Guide, which we’re offering as another advertising showcase for local businesses this holiday season. They’ve got special deals; so does Clementine, another participant, which also has a hat trunk show/artist reception today. Also among those in the midst of a sale: WSB sponsor Mountain to Sound Outfitters.) One thing to consider about small local businesses: As Monday’s snow and road/bus woes reminded us, our peninsula can sometimes be more like an island, and a thriving local business community means you can find what you need here, especially during those times when you can’t (or don’t want to) leave!
If you aren’t feeling holiday-ish enough yet – tomorrow could cure that. You have three places to find unique gift possibilities, and two chances to give.
Saturday starts with the second day of the Native Holiday Gift Fair at the Duwamish Longhouse (4705 West Marginal Way SW), 10 am-5 pm; we heard a rave review today about the variety of native art available. Then at 11 am, the Highland Park Holiday Bazaar takes over the HP Improvement Club (11th/Holden) – here’s the latest update on the amazing array of handmade offerings you’ll find there, 11 am-4 pm. From there, you can move on over to Sustainable West Seattle‘s annual Money-Free Spending Spree – bring a handmade item or service to trade, and bring home a special gift – 4 to 8 pm at Camp Long Lodge (5200 35th SW).
Tomorrow also brings Santa’s debut at Westwood Village, noon-4 pm – photos are free with a food bank donation; bring diapers too, since they’re collecting for WestSide Baby (particularly sizes 3-6), and get ready to grab a card off the Giving Tree. Santa’s House is in the heart of WV, across from 24 Hour Fitness and Eats Market Café.
Then tomorrow night is the rescheduled benefit for Sofia Goff and family, 7 pm-midnight at Kenyon Hall – food, entertainment, silent auction, and a raffle – the latest details are at caferevo.com. Newly added: Your chance to pre-order a copy of the forthcoming Café Revo cookbook.
Tomorrow night at 7, the gala lighting ceremony is still on for the Christmas-lights display dubbed the Helmstetler Family Spectacular (if that doesn’t jog a memory, check this story from last year) – but family friend and display mastermind Jim Winder says what you see in the photo above is the reason why it won’t be as spectacular as they’d planned:
Last night we did our first show for family and neighbors…
but then, sometime last night/early this morning my Big Tree broke. There is no way I can have it fixed for the scheduled Lighting Ceremony on Saturday (or probably even this year), but as of right now we are still planning on doing the lighting ceremony … there will just be a LOT fewer lights than originally planned.
After receiving that note, we asked Jim if there’s anything anyone can do to help (since we knew someone would ask):
Right now I am trying to figure out what to do, but it more than likely won’t include putting that tree back up…even though it was going to be the “highlight” of the display.
Don’t think there is much anyone can do, as that tree pretty much took me all summer to build…just don’t have the time or resources to rebuild it. And even if I did, nothing is assured it would not happen again. So…back to the drawing board!!
Given the splendor of last year’s synchronized-to-music display, you’re still likely to be delighted by whatever results – Jim’s been working on it all year. Here are the details of Saturday night’s ceremony; here’s where to find it (3908 SW Charlestown); and here’s the season’s schedule.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Taking a post-Thanksgiving look around the West Seattle Christmas-tree-sales landscape – we start with the Holy Rosary School Christmas Tree Sale‘s big move.
Its most recent home behind Admiral Safeway is now a busy construction zone (seen the webcam lately?), so they’re selling trees on their own campus this year – and since it’s a tiny bit off the beaten track, they’re going all out to get the word out, with the lot opening tomorrow.
One recent windblown, pre-snow afternoon, we stopped by the campus for a tree-site-to-be tour with Holy Rosary’s Sarah Dahleen and principal Dr. Randal Peters.
The parking lot shown above is the intended site for the trees – between the north side of the school building and the south side of the school playground. Might be a bit of a distraction for the students, they acknowledge, but “it’ll smell great.” Also, the lot won’t be open during school hours – it’ll be open 3:30-9 pm weekdays, 9 am-9 pm weekends (with candy canes and cocoa for tree-shoppers on Sundays), through December 22nd.
The entrance will be from the alley off SW Dakota, between 42nd and 41st SW (map), and there’s parking in a lot west of where you’ll find the trees.
One thing hasn’t changed: 15% of the Holy Rosary lot’s proceeds will benefit three local charities: The Salvation Army’s Hickman House, which provides shelter to women and children getting away from domestic abuse; West Seattle Helpline; and the West Seattle Food Bank.
Not only has this long been the only tree lot with its own website, it’ll also have extra marketing this year to spread the word – signs are out around West Seattle (we saw them by Walking on Logs this morning), billboard space was donated in The Triangle, and someone in a Christmas tree costume is likely to be found waving at you nearby when the lot’s open.
If you can’t wait till tomorrow, you can buy a tree at several other spots around the peninsula, including West Seattle Nursery (California/Brandon), Tony’s Produce (35th/Barton; the photo above is from Thanksgiving afternoon), Junction TrueValue (44th/Edmunds), West Seattle Produce (4721 Fauntleroy Way), The Home Depot (Delridge/Webster), both Rite-Aid stores, and Westwood Village QFC. And tree info will be available throughout the season on the WSB West Seattle Holidays page.
Toward that goal, we just launched Version 1.0 of the West Seattle Holiday Shopping/Business Guide – an extra advertising showcase for local businesses to invite you to stop in and explore gift possibilities this holiday season. It’ll be updated frequently, both with additions and with updates/new deals from participating businesses. Today, you’ll find some Black Friday deals (ones you didn’t have to wait in line pre-dawn to get!), among other things. Check it out here. Happy shopping! (Don’t forget to keep an eye on the Coupons page, too.)
If you don’t have the day off – note that the roads are clear, but since we’re in the midst of a four-day weekend, there are still some changes – Metro is on a “reduced weekday” schedule today; the King County Water Taxi and its shuttles are NOT running. As for Sound Transit, its express buses have some downtown rerouting this morning because of the Macy’s Parade.
Just received that photo from David Rosen of SlickPix Photography, who says he’s been in line at Westwood Village Target since 11 pm. David says the line’s still growing – despite the rain – and the first person in line has been there since 6 pm. According to the ads we’ve seen, Target’s opening at 4 am. (photo added – by the time Target opened, the line stretched all the way around the corner past Barnes and Noble and alongside Chico’s!)
As for other WV bigboxes – Bed, Bath & Beyond is also opening at 4 am, Staples opens at 6 am. And if you’re shopping at the Westwood Barnes and Noble today, there’s a Bookfair benefiting Roxhill Elementary School – use the coupon that’s linked here (which is good at the store through December 3rd) and tip the gift-wrappers (tips benefit Roxhill, today only).
IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT THE BIGBOXES: Many West Seattle independent stores are rolling the welcome mat out further than ever; we’re rolling out Version 1.0 of a special local holiday-shopping guide in the next few hours – stand by for details!
SEALTH BAND IN MACY’S PARADE: The big downtown parade later this morning is scheduled to feature the Chief Sealth International High School Marching Band again this year, according to the lineup in a news release from parade sponsor Macy’s (which also describes the parade route). The parade starts at 9 am; doesn’t appear anyone’s televising it.
In addition to the eroded shorelines we’ve shown you, Monday night’s fierce wind also brought down trees – and as seen here Tuesday afternoon, a wild beehive came crashing down with one of those trees in Lincoln Park. In the comments on that story, we all learned they’d been rescued … and their rescuer Rob added a comment a day later with an update. We e-mailed Rob to ask if he might share new photos and more information on how the bees are doing; he obliged, with some background:
By the path along the bluff of Lincoln Park, a tall fir tree grew and a half dead maple tree had grown with its trunk wrapped around that of the fir. In the space between these trunks and in the rotting maple a wild bee-hive made its home. I have watched this hive over about the past four years, but last year I had concluded that the hive must have failed during the long wet spring.
I was wrong, and the hive must simply have made itself another entrance from the one I had been watching, because when Monday night’s wind took down the fir and the rotted maple with it, there was the hive smashed up on the ground in among the tangle and rubble of the shattered trees. The temperature was in the teens Tuesday morning, so I was utterly astonished to see bees still alive and clustering around the broken fragments of honeycomb.
I keep bees, but all my good equipment is stored at my bee yard on Bainbridge. Still I had an old box lying around, so I scooped up all that I could of this hive, thinking it was a lost cause, but worth the try for the sake of sentiment if nothing else.
Amazingly, this tough old hive seems to be making a comeback. At the moment I just have the boxed fragments in the spare bedroom keeping warm, but the level of activity and work around the old combs makes me think the ladies may be viable. I have long felt that different hives have distinct personalities, and this one is certainly a rugged, determined survivor.
This weekend I’ll be able to make a trip over to Bainbridge and bring back a proper home for the girls, along with some fresh frames and comb foundation, and set them up so they can make a go of it. I’ve long wanted to make an observation hive, so I think I will set this up indoors for the time being with a sealed gangway out a window. That way, in their weakened state, they will have a better chance and will be less likely to starve for energy to keep warm.
Thank you to WSBlog and all the followers and commenters who have taken an interest in this little saga. I will send updates of news of their progress. Happy Thanksgiving to all!
“Where did all that driftwood go?” asked Anne and Clarence from Ventana Construction (WSB sponsor), sharing that photo from the north-facing Lincoln Park shoreline. Note the bulkhead wall, which appears to now be fully out of the sand. As shown here earlier this week, same thing happened to the north-facing Alki shoreline; here’s one previously unpublished photo of that, courtesy of David Hutchinson:
We know the city replenishes Alki sand from time to time (remember the chunky-sand trouble earlier this year?); not sure about Lincoln Park, but we’ll check in with Seattle Parks post-holiday weekend.
Regionally and nationally prominent West Seattle Realtor Dan Murphy has died, according to an announcement on the Washington Association of Realtors’ Facebook page, which says he died at a hospital late last night, adding, “Dan was an active leader with the Realtor Association on the local, state, and national levels.” He also was a member of the Washington State Real Estate Commission. Mr. Murphy worked from the Windermere Fauntleroy office. Thanks to Larry Nitkey (from West Seattle’s other Windermere office) for the tip. No word on services so far; we’ll add that information when it’s available. Mr. Murphy was 60 years old.
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