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Falling Trees

Our neighborhood is busy with tree pruning and removal this year – partly because of so much rain and the problems this is causing for the trees. Our huge evergreen trees drink about 500 gallons of water a day, but will send roots into sewers and buckle the sidewalks getting enough space and fluids.   Our [...]

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Thu, June 16 2011 » Discoveries » No Comments

Cascades and Siskiyou Mountain Pass Biking Tour 2011

I thought I would put an update of our most recent schedule for our bike trip this summer into fall.  We started with the trip plan for the spring, but now with all the heavy snow pack and flooding we are very happy to wait until all the passes are open and ready for riders. [...]

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Thu, May 26 2011 » Discoveries » 2 Comments

Design with Life in Mind

I just looked at three street trees that have been topped until they look like high end tutu’s. Today is a sunny day and as the sun moves west the trees offer no shade to the front exposure of the duplex they were intended to cool in summer.  The renter was busy on a ladder [...]

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Thu, May 19 2011 » Discoveries » 1 Comment

Could You Help Me Gear Up for 2011 Bike Tour?

Besides training with longer and longer bike rides each weekend, running the roads, and spinning at the gym, I need to study what gear I have for my 2011 biking adventure. Panniers: I started with Panniers. I have a 12 year old Bianchi Eros bike and I am not sure I can get panniers that [...]

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Thu, May 12 2011 » Discoveries » No Comments

Net Zero 100 + years old House – We are getting closer and closer

With 60 days in a row of straight rain and we out did ourselves on energy production and carbon offsetting in our 100+ years old house. We have only used 2/3 of a tank of gas in our family car since our fill up in February.  We do not use our dryer – we use [...]

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Thu, May 5 2011 » Discoveries » No Comments

Bicycle Commuting Month – MAY 2011

In 2010, our fair city declared May to be  Bicycle Commuting Month and encouraged all citizens in using their bikes, borrowing bikes, renting bikes (from the city) in an effort to make the air cleaner and get folks to and from their work and activities in a healthy style. Many of the offices compete for [...]

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Thu, April 28 2011 » Discoveries » 3 Comments

Greening Up Your Closet

By Lisa Shoreland Sometimes delight just comes right into the inbox, and such is the case of my guest writer for today.Lisa Shoreland was born and raised in Hiroshima, Japan and is fluent in English and Japanese.  She came to the USA to attend St. Andrews Presbyterian College and studied creative writing, history, politics and [...]

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Thu, April 14 2011 » Discoveries, Inspiration » No Comments

What to Do With All This Water?

By Patricia Water is on my mind as it has been raining here for 30 days and 30 nights straight.  As I write we are having a sun respite, so although heavy at times we are getting some variation in the rate. The Images of the Tsunami in Japan and its devastation are still very [...]

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Thu, March 17 2011 » Discoveries » 3 Comments

Thoughts Turn to Spring

We had a couple of truly warm and cozy spring like weeks in a row.  The trees were budding, the crocus and snowbells emerged and several of our neighbors have had blooming daffodils in their yards. Thoughts turned to spring and all the wonderful things I could work on in my yard to prepare and [...]

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Thu, March 3 2011 » Discoveries » No Comments

Kevin Cavenaugh’s Enthusiasm is Contagious

Last night was our annual meeting for the AIA Southwest Washington Chapter.  We met at the Washington State Historical Museum in Tacoma, Washington and caught up on all the legislative progress and chapter events from 2010 and looked forward to 2011. Kevin Cavenaugh, a designer from Portland, Oregon who is just back from being on [...]

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Thu, February 17 2011 » Discoveries » No Comments