Issaquah Undressed

National Night Out in Issaquah

Issaquah joined the nation in National Night Out, an event that encourages interaction and support between each community and the police, firemen and other public servants. In Issaquah that was an evening well spent.

   Take a look at the events of the evening Tues Aug 4th 2009. Ever had a policeman fix you a hotdog? Cooked on a Pink Pig shaped BBQ? New experience for us.

Free Hot Dogs, Pop, Cookies and Chips

Police men and women of the future?

Nikki Buzzell, Erin Hill and Alex Anderson aren’t in the Police force yet but they are with a group called Explorers that begin learning and training even while in high school.

What kid isn't delighted to sit in a firetruck and even get a red hat!

Dog on the left is THE famous Mishka in Issaquah, The Best Karelian Bear Dog.

Bruce Richards of WA Dept of Fish and Wildlife - Kathleen gets to pet Mishka, he's a love.

Mishka is part of Partners-in-Life program whose mission is to help humans and bears co-exist peacefully and safely without people or bears getting hurt. This program is funded by donations not tax dollars. Mishka was the dog that was the late Rocky Spencers partner. Rocky is a hero in Issaquah. To find out more about this, Partners-in-Life and the bear shepherd click on the link below.

http://www.beardogs.org/rocky.html 

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August Schedule for Concerts On The Green

Issaquah Arts Commission – Concerts on the Green

These events are presented by the Issaquah Parks & Recreation and Issaquah Arts Commission in collaboration with the Issaquah Kiwanis Club.  The concert schedule is below: 

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Chalk Art in Issaquah – Along with a Concert on the Green

Tonight is another Concert on the Green but in addition you can admire the Chalk Art created as well.

Walk the Chalk Walk

Chalk Shark Attack

Click this picture for more!

 These are the winners of the Chalk Art event:

Preschool (6 years old and under)
Aofie Buckley
James Collette
Margot MacInnes

 Elementary (7 – 11 years old)
Sharda Raina
Emily Cluff
Anumita Chopra

 Secondary (12-15 years old)
Laura Charette
Kieran Dong
Shelvin Maharaj

 Adults (16 years old and up)
Rajesh Baheti
Jane Kendall
Sudha Baheti

 Family
The Cluff Family
The Loetscher/Dillmeier Family
The Gerdes Family

Cathy Jones
Recreation Coordinator, C.P.R.P.
City of Issaquah Parks & Recreation

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A Look At Woodinville Garden Club -Tour of Gardens 2009

Where To Go? What To Do? So Many Options. Summer presents many, many choices to those who live in the Greater Seattle Area (that includes Issaquah). Each weekend there are many special events and you can’t go to them all. Last weekend two events really caught my attention, you could “Ride the Wave” on Sound Transit’s Light Rail or attend the Bite at the Seattle Center (especially tasty is The Alley). But I had an invitation I couldn’t refuse from my daughter to go with her to the Woodinville Garden Club Tour of Gardens 2009. Tour is sponsored by Molbak’s Nursery and The Woodinville Weekly.

I’m still going to ride the rail but I think I’ll do it at a less busy time.

The Tour of Gardens was a real treat. We started early expecting a hot day, and a lot of people. It wasn’t too hot and the crowd, being strung out over five generous locations was filled with folks but never seemed crowded.

Alas, this is the kind of event that make you want to go home and throw eggs at your house. Or a total redo of the landscape because of all the ideas and inspiration you get. I will share those with you by photo even though my photos don’t do them justice.

There were 5 gardens. No 1 was not far to travel so we hit it early and 1st. “Topography is Destiny”  (Barbara & Steve Connelly)  was the garden’s name. Can you imagine 4+ acres of beauty, views of the Cascades, an inviting tree house. We stayed at this one over an hour.

An Artists Bridge Amid the Landscape

Edible garden boxes with soft wood chips for feet.

"Abandon all Hope Ye Who Climb Further" said the sign at the stair bottm

We then went to Garden # 4, that was the farthest away (Duvall) so we could work our way back to the rest that were in Woodinville. “Pastoral Paradise”, Tom & Leola Hansen

Garden #4 Pastoral Paradise (Hansens)

Whimsical Tree Art

Koi pond, with fish line and nets to protect them from Blue Heron

Shade and sun and imagination make good pot partners

Garden #3 “Organic Permaculture” Karen and Tim Adams

Permaculture techniques, Rabbitat and Serenity

Rabbitat

Broken Pot no reason to cry - incorporate

Outbuilding shop, Is it always this tidy?

Garden # 5 “Reignwood-An Asian Forestscape”,  John and Cyndee Lockwood

This was an amazingly different and interesting garden. I loved it! My pictures do not do it justice. As they say, you had to be there. 

A trail to an unusual garden

Entrance to Reignwood

In this garden, nature becomes sculpture.

Bark designs from trees anchor the landscape

Garden #2 “Hilltop Hideaway ” Susan & Barry Latter

A clematis graces a lantern

 

A tub of many tomatoes

Art incorporated into the garden path.

A garden swing in paradise

The last of our tour but not the last of our photos - see below

CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS

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Model T’s re-enact 1909 Ocean to Ocean Race, Ending In Issaquah

Model T Fords, all 1909-1927 originals, landed in Issaquah for a stop at Issaquah’s History Museum and the Train Depot Museum. The History Museum’s new exhibit about the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Expo in Seattle coincides with the T’s commemorative race of the same Expo. Leaving New York June 14 this was the last leg of the event. The University of Washington is the final destination for the T’s.

These are just a few of the cars that were participating. Each car has a unique personality.

Click here for a Slide Show of the cars.

XXXRoot Beer and Evergreen Ford were stops for the T’s as well.

Comments from The Issaquah Reporter:

More than 50 vintage Ford Model Ts have set off to cross the country along the back roads of 12 states, to reenact the Ocean-to-Ocean Automobile Race. The race was part of the opening festivities of the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific (AYP) Exposition in 1909.

Like the original race, members of the Model T Ford Club International will drive west along nearly 4,000 miles of this country’s oldest highways from New York to Seattle’s University of Washington campus, the site of the 1909 AYP.

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CONCERTS ON THE GREEN – ISSAQUAH 2009

One of our favorite summer events, Concerts on the Green, is back for the 2009 season. It started last night, Tues, June 7th at Issaquah Community Center. Featured were THE BEANBARRY DELIGHTS a 50’s style Rock & Roll Show. It was a blast! The Beanbarry’s put on a spirited, jumpin’ and jivin’ night of fun. If folks weren’t jumping they were sure tapping their toe and movin’ in place.

Rushin' to the Green for the summers first concert

A cool evening, but that didn't stop the fun

Room and reasons to dance for everyone

The energy of youth was evident and delightful

If you missed it, more concerts are coming

For more information on The Beanbarry Delights go to their website www.beanbarrydelights.com or phone Ken Ellis 206-391-5483.

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HAPPY 4th of JULY, Issaquah Style

There are many celebrations today across our nation. Here are some scenes from ours in Issaquah.

Kids and Pet Parade

Triple the Fun

Tap Dancing in the Streets

Ride the Pump Car

Dogs get into the Act

Kids and Dogs Keep Coming

The End of the Ride - More fun Begins

Off to the Rides, Food & Other Things

Happy 4th!  Be Safe at the Fireworks tonight! Fireworks are in many places close by. NOT in Issaquah, they are illegal! You don’t want these guys arriving to put out a fire.

Eastside Fire & Rescue

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Issaquah Highlands Spring Garage Sale – This Saturday

Issaquah Highlands has two garage sales a year. Bargains galore. I have seen some really good stuff. I can’t buy anything unless I throw something else out, so I have to restrain myself. This garage sale is 9am to 4pm. This Saturday June 20th.

You never know what you can find!

Photo – Kristal Kraft & Flickr

Garage Sale Revisited – Same day!

CEO Mom teaches Business 101. Did you ever have a lemonade stand when you were a kid?  I did, but nobody came. Do it at the Garage Sale. I think these kids cleaned up!

Lemonade and Snickerdoodles, Anyone?! Yummmm

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XXX Rootbeer Drive-in List of Car Show Events

XXX ROOTBEER HOSTS AREA CAR SHOWS

Don’t miss the Blvd. CC Custom Car Show taking place this Sunday, June 14th at the XXX Rootbeer Drive-in in Issaquah (98 NE Gilman Blvd).  The car show will start at 8 am and there will be great music and wonderful food for everyone to enjoy.  For more information, please visit www.triplexrootbeer.com. More upcoming car shows are below:
 
June 21st       Fenders on Front Street & Cruise              8 am
July 5th         Old Trucks, Buses & Station Wagons         8 am
July 12th        All Camero & Chevy Show                        8 am
July 19th        Burgers & Bikes of All Types                    8 am
July 26th        Cascade Cougar Club Prowl                     8 am
Aug. 2nd         NW Corvair & Orphaned Cars                  8 am
Aug. 9th         NW Muscle Car Show                               8 am
Aug. 16th       NWCCC 55, 56, 57 Chevy Show                8 am
Aug. 23rd       All Corvette Show                                    8 am
Aug. 30th       2nd Annual Rat Bastards Rat Rod Show      8 am
Sept. 6th        Mega Cruz Car Show                                8 am
Sept. 13th      3rd Annual All Ford Car Show                     8 am
Sept. 20th      Mopar & More                                          8 am
Sept. 27th      1st Mini Cooper Show                                8 am
Oct. 11th        Magnums, Chargers, 300’s & Challengers    Noon
Oct. 25th        PT Cruisers Pumpkin Bash                        10 am
Dec. 6th         8th Annual Jingle Bell Cruz/Toys for Tots     Noon

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A Few Scenes from Tastin’ n Racin’

We announced on this blog the 13th year of Tastin’ n Racin’.  Just the week before we had temperatures in the high 80’s and low 90’s. What a difference a week makes in the Pacific NW! Cool weather and even a little rain fall came back along with the Hydros. We put off going out to Lake Sammamish State Park thinking the clouds would lift and the sun would shine. Didn’t happen! We decided to go anyway. We are glad we did. The parking lots were still crowded but not full, we found a place (that’s always nice).

We decided to show you what it was like rather than tell you. A picture is worth a thousand words, you know.

Power in These Pipes

Powerful Paint Job as Well

Beer Gardens were Popular in Spite of Cooler Weather

When They Say Fun For Everybody, They Mean It!

Rooster Tail is Far Away But Still Exciting

Duck Families Enjoy Hydros as Well

One of the Big Boys (the Hydro, Not the Man)!

Liftin' Those Babies In and Out of the Water

I'm Always a Sucker For Roasted Corn

Now That's What You Call Miniature Hydros

That's All For Now Folks, Gotta Run!

We attended on Saturday so we missed the Vintage Car Show and the Pirates. Did any of you guys out there get any good picture of them?

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All You Ever Wanted to Know About Veggies, Ciscoe at Grange Supply, Sunday!

How to Grow Veggies

The Issaquah Grange Supply has a special visitor Sunday, May 31, 2009  at 1:00 PM, the popular, fun and informative  Ciscoe Morris. The Grange is at 145 NE Gilman Blvd. Issaquah, WA 98027. 425-392-6469.

Ciscoe to be at the Grange

COME OUT and enjoy and learn at the same time. For more info go to http://issaquahgrangesupply.neighborhoodsundressed.com/.

TO THE GRANGE, HAPPY 75TH ANNIVERSARY!

Happy Anniversary

 

 

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Folks at Folklife Festival – Seattle Center

If you don’t like crowds, you wouldn’t like it but if you like music, song, and dance with an extreme measure of diversity, you would have loved it. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and everything in between was up for grabs. Just taking the path of least resistance around the lawns, the paths, the fountain was the ultimate in people watching.

If you had a program you could find your way to one of the theatres that offered productions from almost every culture in the world, some even from the past. Country, Japanese, Jewish, Blues, Filipino, American Indian, Mirimba, Strings and Skins, Hula, Belly Dancing, Storytelling, Chinese Orchestra, Celtic, Zulu, Fiddlers, Nordic………Gargantuan is the word. The ultimate multi-cultural festival.

That’s not all. The Uncommon Market had endless craft booths and art exhibits and lots of choices of food, not quite as extensive as the music but not hard to find something you wanted to try. Donuts and curry and kababs got my attention. Not too balanced, but Heh, this was a day of excesses. Yummy Tummy or Tummy ache on a platter!!

Street Musicians, everywhere, had a heyday maybe even a pay day.

Mural Amphitheater Stage Packed Them In

For addtional pics click anywhere on the image below.

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Memorial Day – Goes Way Back

Memorial Day is a old holiday in the US, beginning shortly after the Civil War.  A time for remembering those who have died while serving our country, it is an emotional, honored tradition for the families of the many who have made this sacrifice for all of us. The real meaning of Memorial Day seems to get lost in the hunt for the three day vacation. Could it be with the elimination of the draft and volunteers who now make up our forces, there are not as many people in diverse social classes who have lost loved ones, tragically in war?

For my mother and father, Memorial Day was a big deal. They honored those who gave their lives for their country, of course, but to them it was also a day to remember all family and friends who were no longer living. As a child, I did not particularly appreciate traveling to cemeteries, hunting for relative’s grave markers and setting up bouquets on each one. This year I have had stong feelings that I would like to place flowers on Mom and Dads graves if only I was close enough to do it.

I appreciate my parents who taught me much, including thinking of and service to others as well. Since I couldn’t go to their cememtery, I visited Hillside Cemetery in our town of Issaquah. It is a beautiful place and many were there placing flowers on graves, some with and some without flags, so I see my parents aren’t the only ones who have a personal reverence for Memorial Day.

Issaquah's Hillside Cemetery

A section at Hillside Cemetery with many flags

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Village Theatre’s Production of Show Boat Begins

Tommorow night, May 13th at Francis J. Gaudette Theatre, Show Boat opens. An amazingly major undertaking by Village Theatre of a musical that has not been seen in our area for over twenty years, Show Boat came from the novel of the same name, written by Edna Ferber in 1926. It has been done in many different versions on stage and adapted for film beginning with silent film, 1929,  and a major MGM Technicolor film version in 1951.

The plot developed from Edna’s interest and research into the floating theatres of the day and the story spans a period of 47 years. It begins aboard the show boat Cotton Blossom as it arrives at the river dock in Natchez, Mississippi and deals with romance, tragedy and how lives are affected over the years by personal issues and attitudes of the day. With all the wonderful songs you will recognize and enjoy, it is not a light comedy.

Edna Ferber, being Jewish and a woman author, dealt with discrimination herself and brings us face to face with racial prejudice issues in the plot.

Gaylord, a riverboat gambler & Magnolia, a starry-eyed 18 year old and daughter of Cap'n Andy. Do you think there is going to be trouble?

Joe, a worker on the boat, who Magnolia seeks advice from, sings Ol' Man River as it appears Magnolia won't listen to his counsel.

Magnolia tells Julie that she's in love with Gaylord!

So how does Julie, a white woman know how to sing "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man"? If you don't know, come and find out. Even if you do, come to Show Boat, you won't be disapointed.

I have always been amazed at the Village Theatre productions. I can’t wait to see how they deal with a 6,000 pound riverboat.

• Show Boat runs May 13 – July 3
• 3003 Front St. N. Issaquah, WA 98027
• 392-2202 or www.villagetheatre.org

See Village Theatre Blog  AND New young professional group  CURTAIN CALL

Production Photo from Show Boat at Village Theatre in Issaquah

 Photos by Jay Koh

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A Different Kind of Art Exhibit

Religious Art is not common in our era, so this is an unusual exhibit. We were invited to this show and were impressed. It features 25 selections of scenes from Christ’s life. The medium used is photography. Uplifting and beautiful music accompany the exhibit. It is in Bellevue, the church’s address shown below, along with hours. On through Sunday May 10. Free of Charge.

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You Are Never Too Old to Ride a Harley!

Note: We have been requested to remove some pictures and information in this post because of important privacy issues with which we have respectfully complied. We apologize for any inconvenience.

A local nursing home lives up to their reputation to be more than a nursing home. Saturday was not an ordinary boring day for the residents. The local Harley riders club donate their time, skill and motorcycles to give those willing and daring enough to give it a try. This is a happening that occurs every six months. 

Residents wait to ride with great anticipation

Hoist and great helpers get things set up

And off they go!

Many folks took the challenge and those who didn’t choose to ride enjoyed watching those that did.

Nice Jacket

Fun and Freedom for both the biker and the rider

Congratulations to the Harley riders who made this event possible. You don’t need to be afraid of these bikers! There were many there and I didn’t get to talk to them all, but thank you guys, you are great!

Dave Jones shown here with Molly and Miles Jones. His wife Shay, was helping too.

These Are My Church Clothes.

Dig those Harley duds on Miles, or is that Molly?

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Farmers Market & Hobby & Volunteer EXPO Sat April 25th 9am-2pm

The Issaquah Farmers Market opened a few weeks ago. It is now open each Saturday through Oct 10. Each Saturday there is an event in addition to the Market. This week enjoy the Hobby and Volunteer Expo and take in the market at the same time. Food, Fun, Flowers, Crafts, Veggies, Fruit, etc.

Issaquah Farmers Market OPEN NOW each Saturday 9am-2pm

All at Pickering Barn accross from Costco. Best Parking behind the barn.

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Almos Crashes Taj’s Birthday Party!!

Two adorable Bengal Tigers, Taj, a Golden Bengal and Almos, a Royal White Bengal are both turning Two years old. Taj and Almos have lived at the Cougar Mountain Zoo for all but a few weeks of their lives; The zoo is in Issaquah, WA 98029. Taj celebrated his 2nd Birthday last Saturday. Robyn Barfoot and others created cardboard animals (animal scented) so Taj could hone his hunting skills. Yummy birthday cakes also awaited Taj and Almos who were kept away while the zoo keepers set up the party.

The animals arrive, snakes, penquins, and is that an alligator? DO these animals know what awaits them?

Robyn brings in more presents and welcomes a green zebra guest

With the green zebra the party is ready to begin

OOPS, not quite, the birthday cake arrives! Bones, meat and feathers!

Almos goes for the Zebra right away!

Taj thinks, what the heck is Almos doing, this is MY PARTY!

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreat Zebra!! Yummmmmmmm!

 Taj will have the chance to crash Almos’s party. It is coming up May 3rd. 1:00pm

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Wild Saturday Ahead. What Are YOU Gonna Do?

WOW, I don’t know how to choose, I want to do them all. April 11, 2009!

Taj ( Tiger) Birthday Party at the Cougar Mountain Zoo – 1:00pm

Taj is Two, Little No Longer!

Easter Egg Hunt at Issaquah Highlands – Village Green & Blakely Hall – 10am to Noon

Last years Easter Egg Hunt in Issaquah Highlands

Chocolate Eggs at Up Front Gallery on Main St. They go fast!

Chocolate Eggs at Up Front Gallery

2nd Saturday Open House Tour in Issaquah Highlands. Larry Cragun and Scott Gibbons of Plateau Real Estate, Connect Realty have a exceptional condo with an exceptional price on the tour at Timarron. NEW Listing. 1601 NE Katsura St #704, 1-4pm Open House!

Timarron Open House

 

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HAPPY ST. PADDY’S DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Click on the Dog!

This is a card from www.JacquieLawson.com. There are many ecards and are very creative. They have cards for every reason you have to send one. It is not expensive. Check it out! Just click on the dog and follow the directions. AND Happy St. Paddy’s Day!

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