…by Deborah Stone…

Vision finally became reality for the Tulalip Tribes with the opening last summer of their Hibulb Cultural Center and Natural History Preserve. “It was the vision of the Tulalip people to build a cultural center where we could gather as a community to share our knowledge and stories with one another, a place where we could rediscover our traditions together, and a place that offers our children an educational experience so that they can carry our culture into the future,” explains Mel Sheldon, Chairman of the Tulalip Tribes Board. “And now the time has come when we can also share with the surrounding community our own story in our own words – so that visitors can learn in a place that truly expresses the spirit of the Tulalip people.”

The $19 million center was thirty years in the making and its development was carefully planned and guided by the Tulalip Tribes’ elders and leaders. It was named for a village that the tribes once lived in, which was located at the mouth of the Snohomish River. Translated, Hibulb means “place where the white doves live” or “place of a thousand fires.” The state-of-the-art facility includes a 23,000-square-foot cultural center, a 10,000-square-foot collections and archeological repository and a 50-acre natural history preserve. Within the cultural center, there is a main exhibit wing, a gallery for temporary or rotating exhibits, two classrooms, a cedar longhouse, a research library and gift shop. The museum was created to be highly interactive with a variety of hands-on activities. Themes within the permanent collection include the boarding school era in Tulalip, dating from the mid-1800s to the 1930s, when tribal children were taken from their parents to become assimilated into American society. They were forbidden to practice their ways or speak their language and as a result, the Coast Salish culture and spirituality was suppressed and family life severely compromised during this time. A series of historical photographs and quotations from tribal members describing their experiences helps to illustrate this harsh period. The impact and effects of this era on four to five generations still lingers today, adding urgency to the role of tribal government in sponsoring cultural rediscovery.

A display on cedar honors the tree for its strength, beauty and ability to provide an array of materials for the people. Considered “the tree of life,” cedar was used in all aspects of the tribes’ daily existence. Salmon is also given its proper homage with a colorful display depicting the salmon cycle and various fishing equipment and techniques utilized by the people.

For centuries, the Tulalip Tribes depended on the region’s natural environment for food, clothing, commerce, culture and protection. They hunted and gathered wildlife, seafood, cedar and plant life, and traded and socialized with hundreds of other groups around the area. A large wall map indicating ancestral lands shows the extensive holdings of the Tribes within the Puget Sound region. In a display case nearby, there are clamshell discs and beads once used in trading. Of special interest is a value scale, explaining the worth of the various types of shells. Four Dentalium strings, for example, were equal to one canoe.

The language of Lushootseed, the Tulalip’s native tongue has survived despite efforts in the past to vanquish it and it is now a mandatory subject for all elementary school students. There are about 4,000 members of the Tulalip Tribes, with 2,500 living on the reservation. A genealogy wall within the center lists every tribal member, past and present, providing a detailed ancestry record. Any Tulalip member can learn about their roots by entering an enrollment number into a system, which then lights up the names of their family relations. “Warriors: We Remember” tells the stories of the Tulalip men and women who served the country. A number of these veterans fought for a country that didn’t admit them as citizens (Native Americans did not gain U.S. citizenship until 1924).

Large handmade canoes, story poles and carvings adorn the main corridor of the museum. They are examples of the beautiful craftsmanship of some of the Tribes’ contemporary artists. And then there’s the cedar longhouse, which has been built into the museum. With the assistance of an interactive media system, visitors can sit, listen and experience a traditional Tulalip gathering place, as they learn about the role the longhouse has played in the Tulalip Tribes’ spiritual, political and everyday lives. The Natural History Preserve, which adjoins the center, will eventually include large-scale environmental restoration projects, walking paths, an observational platform above the estuary, a totemic sculpture garden, visiting artists’ accommodations, a carving shed, a canoe storage facility and various gardens that will supply food and medicine to the tribal membership.

“We have dreamt about this day for many years,” says Hank Gobin, Hibulb’s Director. “Words cannot express the joy we feel that our cultural center is open and ready to educate and inform the Tulalip community and the world about our vibrant culture. While our priority will be helping our Tulalip youth and membership with the rediscovery of our traditions, values and life-ways, we will share our dream with everyone.” He adds, “With our service to the community, we hope to remove stereotypes and barriers and promote more understanding and respect for our history, traditions and future direction.”

The Hibulb Cultural Center and Natural History Preserve is located at: 6410 23rd Avenue N.E. in Tulalip, WA.For more information: 360-716-2600 or HibulbCulturalCenter.org.

Photo Caption: These figures welcome visitors to the Hibulb Cultural Center

Photo Caption: From the mid-1800s to the 1930s, tribal children were taken from their parents to become “civilized”

This article appeared in the February/March 2012 issue of Northwest Prime Time, the Puget Sound region’s monthly publication celebrating life after 50. For more information, visit www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com

Cavalia: A Magical Encounter Between Human and Horse, a unique production combining the equestrian and performing arts, will return to Greater Seattle one week earlier than originally announced. Created by Normand Latourelle, a co-founder of the famed Cirque du Soleil, the show will premiere on January 18, 2012 under the White Big Top at King County’s Marymoor Park at 6046 W. Lake Sammamish Parkway N.E. in Redmond.

“We have been eager to return to Greater Seattle since Cavalia’s Pacific Northwest debut in 2004,” said Normand Latourelle, President and Artistic Director of Cavalia. “The show has traveled across both North America and Europe over the past seven years.”

Already enjoyed by three million people across the U.S., Europe and Canada, Cavalia takes place under an enormous 26,264-square-foot white big top rising more than 100 feet high. The lavish production involving 38 riders, aerialists, acrobats, dancers, and musicians features 45 magnificent horses from all over the world. Panoramic projections onto a 210-foot-wide screen and other visual effects draw Cavalia audiences into dreamlike virtual environments, where they witness a celebration of the bond between humans and horses. Spectators face a 160-foot-wide stage which allows the horses to gallop at full speed, at times running completely free, unfettered by bridles or halters.

At times thrilling, at times poignant, Cavalia explores humankind’s relationship with the horse throughout history. Viewers discover an unbridled life in the wilderness, then early domestication, and ultimately a strong relationship with humans. Cavalia’s horse training is based upon kindness, patience, trust and mutual respect. Audiences have found Cavalia exhilarating in scope yet intimate in the compassion shown by both horse and human.

The New York Times remarks that Cavalia’s theme is “Celebrating horses, humans and their bond” and O Magazine exclaims that the show is “breathtaking!” CNN’s Larry King raves that Cavalia is, quite simply, “The greatest show I have ever seen! Spectacular. Beautiful. Like being in a dream. I loved it!” The Washington Post exclaims, “Impressive, highly refined, indeed a wonder!” And The San Francisco Chronicle raves, “Cavalia takes horse play to a new level, even for non-horsey folk.”

TICKETS – For its exclusive run in Seattle, Cavalia will be presented under its White Big Top at Marymoor Park at 6046 W. Lake Sammamish Parkway N.E. in Redmond. Tickets are on sale now and are priced from $54.50 to $ 99.50 plus applicable fees. For guests who desire an extraordinary outing, the show can be customized for an extended experience from $ 129.50 to $189.50, including a Horse Lovers Package that lets patrons tour Cavalia’s stables after the show, and the VIP Rendez-Vous Package that includes the post-show stable tour, a cocktail/dinner reception and much more. Special pricing is also available for children (2-12), juniors (13-17), and senior citizens (65+).

SHOWTIMES –The show opens January 18, 2012 and performances will be held through March 4, 2012.  For a detailed list of show dates and reservations, call 1.866.999.8111 or visit www.cavalia.net

Copyright 2001-2011 Phileo Music, Inc

“This year we are celebrating 30 years of Christmas concerts in the Pacific Northwest!,” says harpist Bronn Journey, Northwest audience favorite. “How time flies when you’re having fun, and it’s been fun to celebrate the joy of the Christmas season over those 30 years with so many families in the Seattle area and beyond.”

Bronn Journey performs with his wife, vocalist Katherine Journey. Both are highly trained, classically educated musicians.  This duo can be found performing their Christmas concerts throughout the Puget Sound region this December (bronnjourney.com). According to their website, the two logged 47,000 miles in their “harpmobile” on their recent touring season, which took them through 44 of the 48 contiguous states. “Appreciative audiences throughout the country enthusiastically applauded their performances, and standing ovations were the rule rather than the exception!”

View Bronn and Katherine Journey performing “Amazing Grace” on YouTube

Tickets are $24, ($20 for groups). For more information, call 866-959-9699 or visit bronnjourney.com.

This article recently appeared in the December 2011 issue of Northwest Prime Time, the Puget Sound region’s monthly publication celebrating life after 50. For more information, visit www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com

Yosh Shiota

…by Peter Langmaid…

Yosh Shiota began volunteering at the Museum of Flight in 1989 and is approaching 5,000 hours of service. A fascination with airplanes, a penchant for education, the camaraderie of his fellow docents, and the joy of interacting with people from every country on earth keep the work fresh for Yosh. Guiding tours and informing visitors about the various exhibits are his main duties, but he is also willing to give up an evening to volunteer for special events. The space exhibit is Yosh’s favorite, because, he says, “It’s about the future.”

Yosh’s father came to the U.S. from Japan in 1897 to see what America was all about, then went back to Japan and brought his mother over in 1904. They settled in Seattle and produced a family of 6 boys and 4 girls. When Yosh’s mother died, his oldest sister, 16, quit school to run the household, while his father made a living as a cabinetmaker. As a teenager, Yosh and his family underwent the upheaval of 3 ½ years in the Minidoka Relocation Center in Idaho.

This October, when he passed 5,000 hours of volunteer service, Yosh received the Gold Barnstormer Award which entitles him to lifetime Museum membership and a Barnstormer jacket. If you happen to have an interesting pin kicking around the house, take it in case you run across Yosh—you’ll have no trouble recognizing him.

If you’d like information about volunteering at the Museum of Flight, or another agency, please contact RSVP at 206-957-4779 x 122.

Veteran’s Day Events

Auburn is celebrating its 46th Annual Veterans Day Parade and Observance on Saturday, November 5. The Grand Parade begins at 11am. Other activities include a breakfast and luncheon, a Remembrance Ceremony, a military fly-over, and the state’s largest marching band competition. For more information, visit www.auburnwa.gov or call 253-931-3043.

Join the University of Washington for a Veterans Day ceremony on Friday, November 11 at the Seattle campus. A ceremony at the Medal of Honor Memorial site will take place at 10:30am, followed by a reception at Kane Hall. RSVP by November 4. For information, call Mary Jean Stephens at 206-221-6719.

This article recently appeared in the November 2011 issue of Northwest Prime Time, the Puget Sound region’s monthly publication celebrating life after 50. For more information, visit www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com

…by Deborah Stone…

When I told people I was going to Stehekin for a vacation, the common response was, “Where’s that?” Most had no idea that this gem of a destination happens to be right here in Washington State. Its remote location has kept it a well-preserved secret, known only to those adventurous travelers who desire to go off the grid to access some of the most rugged grandeur in the Northwest.

Nestled at the headwaters of Lake Chelan, the third deepest lake in America, the Stehekin Valley is the gateway to the North Cascades National Park. It’s connected to the outside world only by foot, boat or plane.

The journey to reach this area is part of the experience. For the majority of those who make the visit, the Lady of the Lake passenger ferry is the mode of transportation. As you travel up lake, you’ll quickly leave civilization behind and enter an unspoiled frontier.

The name “Stehekin” is based on a local Native American word meaning “the way through.” Years ago, it was one of only a few travel routes through the formidable barrier of the North Cascades and served as a trading passageway for tribes. Later, railroad and U.S. Army surveyors came, followed by prospectors who staked their claims. Then came the homesteaders, who left a heritage of independence and self-sufficiency. Today, Stehekin is a community of about 85 year-round residents, scattered over nine miles of valley. They’ve opted to create a life in a place lacking of many of the conveniences that most of us take for granted.

For visitors, Stehekin is a unique destination that offers world-class scenery and a menu of outdoor activities guaranteed to please all ages and adventure appetites. Despite Stehekin’s small size, it features a range of accommodations. Among them include the Stehekin Landing Resort, several housekeeping cabins, and a number of public campgrounds. And then there’s the Stehekin Valley Ranch, where I chose to stay during my visit. I was attracted to this property because of the many options it provides, in accommodations and recreational pursuits, as well as the family-style reputation it has garnered over the years. Located nine miles up-valley from “the landing” (the point of arrival for both boat and float plane passengers and considered the hub of Stehekin), the Ranch offers visitors simple, but comfortable and cozy tent cabins with kerosene lanterns for light and communal bath facilities nearby, as well as cabins with private bathrooms and some that include fully-equipped kitchenettes.

To get around Stehekin, your options include hopping the bright red Stehekin shuttle buses, which make four runs daily between the Stehekin Landing and High Bridge (about 11 miles one way), renting a bike or hoofing it. There are plenty of places to visit during your stay. Start with the Golden West Visitor Center where you can get maps, books, hiking advice and trail reports from National Park Service staff, as well as hear presentations on the natural and cultural history of the Stehekin Valley. You’ll want to stop at the lovely, misting Rainbow Falls, as well as pay a visit to the historic Old Stehekin Schoolhouse, which dates back to 1921. Down the road is the “New” Stehekin School, which opened in 1988. This year, it had seventeen students, spanning kindergarten through eighth grade. And then you’ll want to make a beeline for the famous Stehekin Pastry Company with its fresh-out-of-the-oven cinnamon rolls and other enticing baked goods.

Choose your own adventures, from river rafting, kayaking, fly fishing, mountain biking, guided scenic trail and hiking opportunities galore. You can do it all, sample one or two activities, or simply do nothing but curl up with a book. Your senses will come alive in this natural, unspoiled piece of paradise and you’ll understand why so many folks make Stehekin their annual pilgrimage.

Cliff Courtney, who was born and raised in Stehekin, and owns the 20-acre Ranch together with his wife Kerry, notes that close to sixty percent of their guests are repeat customers. “Many of our clients have traveled the world and they all agree that Stehekin is second to none. We like to say the Ranch is close to home, close to heaven.”

If you go:

For general visitor information about Stehekin: www.stehekin.com

Stehekin Valley Ranch:

www.StehekinValleyRanch.com or

1-800-536-0745

Lady of the Lake:

www.ladyofthelake.com

This article recently appeared in the September 2011 issue of Northwest Prime Time, the Puget Sound region’s monthly publication celebrating life after 50. For more information, visit www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com

Were you part of the smiling crowd attending July’s grand opening celebration of the Soos Creek Botanical Garden and History Center in Auburn? This lovely 22 acre garden (including 10 acres of woodland) is a gift to the public from owners Maurice Skagen and James Daly, who have been developing the garden since 1967.

The garden sits on part of the original 200 acres that Skagen’s Norwegian immigrant ancestors settled in the late 1800s. Maurice first began acquiring plants as research for his master’s thesis. Later, tours of gardens in England and Japan inspired the creation of “stroll” gardens. What started as a hobby grew exponentially for Maurice and his partner Jim over the past 44 years.

In 2009, a volunteer group joined them to help create the Soos Creek Botanical Garden Foundation to open a public, non-profit garden. The group includes about two dozen volunteers ranging from ages 50 to 85.

The garden is meant to provide the experience of strolling amongst a variety of inspirational and mature gardens which draw from international, regional and historical designs. Publicity chairperson Barbara Nagel says that the garden is divided into several smaller gardens, “including the Heritage Garden with many Old-Fashioned roses, peonies and iris. The Secret Garden is charming and semi-enclosed with benches to sit and enjoy the beauty. The Long Perennial Border Gardens, over 500 feet in length, have a  wide grassy strip, which rolls gently down hill, and ends in a meadow of native plants – Soos Creek flows through this area of the Garden. Bird watchers will enjoy the small aviary and duck pond on the property.” A demonstration vegetable garden to benefit local food banks was added in February.

Photo by Barbara Retelle

Soos Creek Botanical Garden is located at 29308 132nd Ave SE in Auburn. Hours are seasonal, currently Wed-Sat, 10am to 3pm. For information, call 253-639-0949 or visit sooscreekbotanicalgarden.org On September 14 & 21, Soos Creek Botanical Garden will host a slide show and lecture by art historian Susan Olds on “The History of the Flower.”

This article recently appeared in the September 2011 issue of Northwest Prime Time, the Puget Sound region’s monthly publication celebrating life after 50. For more information, visit www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com

Writer and Community Volunteer are Inspiring Seniors

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”

This quote by C.S. Lewis could very well sum up the life views of two very remarkable King County seniors. Last month Senior Services honored Eileen Allen and Tom Kobayashi for their work and their attitude toward life with the Inspire Positive Aging Award.

Every year Senior Services recognizes inspiring seniors whose lives exemplify positive aging. Eileen Allen, 93, the author of I Like Being Old, and Tom Kobayashi, 94, who has dedicated seven decades of his life in voluntary service to the poor, were the 2011 award-winners.

Eileen Allen

Eileen Allen: “I am 93 and I am madly in love with life”

At 93, Eileen Allen believes that for the first time in her life she has grown to know herself wholly and wholeheartedly. “Now I can look at the mirror and say: ‘You’re OK, old girl,’” she says. Her joy and enthusiasm are contagious and everyone who gets to meet her keeps asking the same question: How can you be so happy and cheerful?

Eileen is at peace with herself.  Not only has she accepted the physical limitations of old age, but she has worked hard to make the most of them and turn them into new opportunities. And in her case the limitations were dear: an almost total loss of vision, very bad hearing, and the need to constantly use a walker. When she started dealing with severe arthritis pain in her sixties and her doctor advised her to cut out the daily three-mile-walks around her favorite Green Lake, she took up swimming; when her eyesight failed and she was no longer able to read, she developed an ability to memorize poetry, and discovered a whole new world.

For Eileen there are always alternatives if you are open to them. She enjoys learning something new every day and believes that old age has to be a process of growing old, not of getting old. “It isn’t so much that I like being old, but I like what we can do with this life. Nobody can stop us from being happy,” she says.

Eileen is the author of I Like Being Old: A Guide to Making the Most of Aging, a book about her personal journey in adjusting to the changes old age brings, and living one’s last years to the fullest. She finished the book when she was 90, and has since become a popular public speaker. “I am absolutely convinced that if you put your mind into it, aging can be a time of great reward, of growth, and, perhaps the most important thing of all, getting to know yourself.”

Tom Kobayashi

Tom Kobayashi is still running at 94

Looking healthy and cheerful, walking a mile a day, and frequently visiting his local church, Tom Kobayashi can easily pass for your typical retired Seattleite. Yet, Tom’s life is anything but ordinary. At 94, he is in his 75th year of a remarkable volunteer service. For seven decades Tom has provided the poor and underprivileged in Washington State and abroad with food, clothing, home visits, and personal assistance as a volunteer at the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Seattle.

The oldest of six children, Tom Kobayashi faced the burden of poverty early on in his life. His Catholic upbringing reinforced his compassion for the poor, and in 1936 he became a volunteer at the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, a charitable organization, dedicated to providing person-to-person service to the poor.

1942 found Tom Kobayashi among the thousands of Americans of Japanese descent forcefully detained at the infamous “War Relocation Camps.” He was first sent to the horse stables in Puyallup and later transferred to the Minidoka relocation camp in Idaho. Yet, instead of turning him into a resentful outsider, the experience strengthened Tom’s spirit. While in confinement, he collected food and clothing for those in need, visited and empowered the internees, and kept active correspondence with the St. Vincent de Paul Council of Seattle. After the end of WWII, Tom helped the Society of St. Vincent de Paul send two hundred boxes of food, clothing, and medication to families in war-devastated Japan.

In 1970 Tom Kobayashi became the first president of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Western Washington. He also served on a number of national committees of the Society, which has grown to help 20 million people in distress, bringing them services, valued at nearly $500 million annually. Tom also received the first-ever “Least of My Brethren” Award from the Society for outstanding volunteer service.

At 94 years of age and going strong, Tom is still active in all areas of his life. He keeps making occasional home visits to the poor, and until just a few years ago he provided homecare for his younger sister, who had suffered a stroke. Aside from his volunteer service, Tom had a successful career in accounting and worked for various government agencies, including the Veterans Administration, U.S. Air Force, and Port of Seattle. He also has a degree in Accounting and Business Administration from Seattle University.

Inspire Positive Aging Award nominees are individuals over 65 whose lives exemplify positive aging through community involvement, relationships, healthy living, endurance, and balance. To learn more about the Inspire Positive Aging Award or to nominate a senior whose life has been an inspiration to others, please visit www.inspire-award.org.

This article recently appeared in the July/August 2011 issue of Northwest Prime Time, the Puget Sound region’s monthly publication celebrating life after 50. For more information, visit www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com

Earl Reilly, the “Mad Man’ of northwest radio and television, has written a lighthearted account of his colorful life and career, According to Earl: Untold Humorous Stories and Bloopers from Early Radio and TV. The book takes you through 60 years of behind-the-scenes stories of local radio and early television history and includes many names probably familiar to you such as Stan Boreson, Dorothy Bullitt, and Wally Nelskog.

In an early chapter, Reilly tells of being forced to host a country music segment during his pop tunes radio show, so he adopted an alter ego, “Spike Hogan” who spoke with a screechy falsetto twang and was known for goofy stunts. Little did Reilly know, but Spike became such a hit that the show lasted for years, and “Spike” made many special appearances at events throughout the region.

Reilly continued to play stunts and pranks throughout his career and lifetime. Always the jokester, his tradition with Christmas cards tells the story (conceived not in irreverence for the proper meaning of Christmas, but as a response to today’s secular cards). About 50 years ago when his friends started saying, “We’re not sending cards this year,” Reilly sent out plain empty envelopes marked on the outside, “We’re not sending cards this year.” The next year he sent “postage due” plain cards (with a stamp inside). And so the tradition began.

Reilly’s self-published memoir is available at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com, or can be ordered through your favorite bookstore.

Photo Caption: Earl Reilly’s memoir – According to Earl – tells  of the wild early days of Seattle area broadcasting. Photo courtesy of The Herald, photo by Mark Mulligan

This article recently appeared in the June 2011 issue of Northwest Prime Time, the Puget Sound region’s monthly publication celebrating life after 50. For more information, visit www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com

The throaty warble of a Black-headed Grosbeak sings in the evening light, the bright yellow flash of a Western Tanager flits through the branches, the unique whir of a hummingbird – wings beating 50 times per second – darts past as you relax in the morning sunlight … One need not escape to a countryside bed and breakfast to enjoy these sights and sounds of springtime. Many suburban gardeners and city dwellers are learning how to create a paradise for wildlife in their own backyards.

Pam Linder’s love of gardening is immediately evident when you enter her highly planted, lush acre along the shores of the Duwamish River. Pam’s garden is one of six properties featured on a garden tour that concludes the 11th Annual Backyard Wildlife Festival in Tukwila on Saturday, May 14. The Festival runs from 9am to 3pm; the tour of certified wildlife gardens begins at 3pm.

“Gardening is my stress release,” says Pam. When she moved in, the property was a large, flat rectangle of lawn. With her busy schedule you wonder how she found time to create this verdant wonderland. “Being able to watch the birds flock to the yard is wonderful.” The fountain and pond her husband installed for her is one reason birds love the property, along with the fact that she uses wildlife-friendly practices. “I use no pesticides, for example,” says Pam. “I am the compost queen,” she adds proudly.

Back in 1998 when Pam Linder learned that she could certify her garden as a wildlife habitat through a National Wildlife Federation program, little did she know that her efforts, along with those of a dedicated group of citizen activists, would lead her hometown of Tukwila to become Washington state’s first certified wildlife habitat community.

Since that time, Washington leads the nation in the National Wildlife Federation program, with a total of twelve certified community habitats and sixteen more on their way to achieve certification

Pam, who worked both as a Metro bus driver and as a Tukwila City Council member, helped scores (if not hundreds) of neighbors certify their yards as part of the community certification goals. “This project has neighbors talking to neighbors over the fence or through the hedge about what different birds they’ve seen lately,” says Pam. “School children and seniors alike are learning and enjoying together.” She also convinced local businesses to certify their properties and business leaders to donate generously to support the grass-roots effort. In her role with the city council, she led the city to support the annual Backyard Wildlife Festival, now enjoying its 11th year this month.

“Achieving community certification was a big deal for Tukwila,” says Pam. She made sure (usually by visiting the yard in person) that the mayor, all city council members, and the city administrator certified their properties. “Even our Sister City of Ikawa, Japan is certified!” exclaims Pam. “The city really embraced this project.”

Pam continues working on city-wide projects. And when not gardening, she watches her grandkids and other children, too, since her property is a magnet for the neighbor kids. “Our yard is their yard,” she adds.  Oh, and she is currently running for Mayor of Tukwila!

Meet Pam Linder, Ciscoe Morris, and a host of other garden and wildlife enthusiasts at the Backyard Wildlife Festival on May 14.

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

Ciscoe Morris is the featured speaker. His talk, “Hummingbird Madness” at 1:30pm, discusses how to attract hummingbirds to your yard and garden.  Other events include a variety of speakers and demos, on-hand experts, native plant sale, a guided bird walk, the tour of certified wildlife gardens, arts & crafts, fun kids’ activities, and more. The Festival, garden tour and all activities are FREE!

WHEN: Saturday, May 14, 2011; 9am–3pm

WHERE: Tukwila Community Center, 12424 42nd Ave S, Tukwila

For additional information, visit www.backyardwildlifefair.org or call 206-768-2822.

Photo Caption: Pam Linder’s garden, and five other certified wildlife gardens, are on display following the Backyard Wildlife Festival on May 14

This article recently appeared in the May 2011 issue of Northwest Prime Time, the Puget Sound region’s monthly publication celebrating life after 50. For more information, visit www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com

…by Diann MacRae…

2011 is Seward Park’s one hundredth year: its Centennial. This Seattle park has a long and interesting history. It has been a haven for wildlife in the midst of a large city and a place for people to walk, run, swim, study, and relax.

The 300-acre Bailey Peninsula on Lake Washington’s west side became Seward Park in 1911 named after William H. Seward, Abraham Lincoln’s Secretary of State, the gentleman who also managed the purchase of Alaska for the United States. The area was once an island, but when the Lake Washington Ship Canal was built in 1916 the water level dropped nine feet creating the peninsula.

While there are open spaces and pathways designed by the Olmsted Brothers’ landscape firm of long ago, the park is heavily forested. 120 acres of remnant old growth forest, the Magnificent Forest, is the largest grouping of ancient trees in Seattle. Some trees are older than 250 years and many line the park’s three miles of Lake Washington shoreline. The dominant tree is Douglas-fir, with western hemlock, western red cedar, madrona, and bigleaf maple well-represented.

Once a road for cars, a 2.4 mile path for walking and biking encircles the park now and beckons enthusiastic outdoor people.

The Friends of Seward Park have planned several interesting events for this Centennial year including new trail dedications and signage and movies in the amphitheatre after dark.

On April 23rd, between Earth Day and Easter, there will be activities such as prairie walks to view the flowering blue camas, a native plant sale, and cultural events around the blooming Japanese cherry trees.

The weekend of July 16th and 17th an art festival hosted by the Clay Studio will be held. A 5K walk, classic car parade, a display of older hydroplanes in Andrews Bay, and a vintage fashion show are also in the works. During the coming fall a judged art show is planned and there will be the release of a book on the history of Seward Park.

The Seward Park Environmental and Audubon Center is also celebrating a birthday: its third. The Center is located in the renovated Annex and Hatchery buildings. In 2003, the Tudor-style Annex was declared an historic landmark building by the Seattle Landmarks Board. The Center includes exhibits, library, and gift shop, and has programs for school, youth, community, and special events.

The Audubon Center will offer bird box building, a celebratory birthday cake, and bird walks. There will be Eagle Walks on April 23rd to view the park’s nesting Bald Eagles along with an Owl Prowl that evening to see the park’s owls: barred, great-horned, saw-whet, and screech owl are possibilities. There once was a large flock of wild conures (parrots) in the park, and even though their numbers have declined, you may hear their loud calling. Birdbanding and Toddler Tales and Trails will also be featured throughout the summer.

Bring your grandkids! The park is a wonderful place to teach youngsters about nature. Join in the interesting array of events that have been planned and help celebrate one of Seattle’s great parks.

•   Seward Park is located at 5895 Lake Washington Blvd. South

•   Park information: 206-684-4396; Open 6am–11pm; www.seattle.gov/parks/environment/seward.htm

•   S.P. Environmental & Audubon Center is open 10am-5pm, Wed-Sat; 206-562-2444, http://sewardpark.audubon.org.

•   To read up on the very interesting background of the Seward Park area, visit www.sewardpark.org/

•   Other activities available in the park include concerts at the park amphitheater, Bicycle Sunday, picnics, walks in the woods, throwing pots at the Clay Studio, and much more.

Photo Caption: Celebrating its 100th year, Seward Park has long been a haven for wildlife and people in the midst of the city

This article recently appeared in the April 2011 issue of Northwest Prime Time, the Puget Sound region’s monthly publication celebrating life after 50. For more information, visit www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com