Issaquah Undressed

Christmas In Issaquah

Merry Christmas. Issaquah is all decked out for the season. Caroling, shopping, giving, and counting our many blessings.

Click the Photo for Issaquah Christmas Show.

To enlarge to full screen click the box with 4 arrows.

Coming Up, An Issaquah Highlands Christmas Celebration

Snow or no snow: Issaquah Highlands is going to celebrate.

Issaquah Highlands is offering another fantastic event December 9, 2007. The Toys for Tots Christmas Festival. The events hours are 3PM - 6PM Sunday.

Santa, two of his reindeer, and elves will be dropping by to say hello to the children.

Families will have the opportunity to ride in one of 2 horse-drawn carriages or one horse-drawn wagon around Village Green.

Visitors will also get an opportunity to sing traditional Christmas music, led by the Dickens Carolers.

There will also be a Giving Tree, a great way to help those less fortunate.

Finally, the U S Marines will be attending to collect new, unwrapped toys to make Christmas brighter for less fortunate little children in the greater Issaquah Community.

Community Emergency Reponse Team C.E.R.T. in Issaquah

For information on the Blakely Hall Emergency Preparedness fair see our Issaquah Highlands Undressed site. Click Here

Smooth Move???!!!!! Is Any Move Smooth?

We agreed to a two week closing on the house we were selling. What were we thinking! Think very carefully before you agree to this, add even more scrutiny if you have to move both household and office and have to continue to function in both instantly. I had good plans, move all non-essential stuff to storage or things that you don’t have time to go through before the move. We were down sizing, simplifying our life, I thought! Oh, that I manage to survive the simplification.

Moving day was hectic as it always is, but this time we had to be out by 4:00 pm on that Thursday because the new owners were moving in at 4:00 pm THAT same day! Their realtor even called to see if we could get out earlier. I admit to being somewhat of a perfectionist about my house. Any house I have lived in I think needs to be in perfect condition for the new folks, but because of the speed with which we had to vacate and my attendance to leaving the house in good shape I did not get to supervise the moving company as they loaded and unloaded the furniture unfortunately, nor was I able to leave the home quite perfect. Larry says I am like the wife in Fiddler on the Roof, I would clean even if they were coming to burn the house down!

Now we are in the new place, we run around saying “have you seen the………….?”, or where is my……..?! There is very little communication except for this. Murphy’s law has been having a hay day. Our sofa wouldn’t fit through the front door because the ceiling dropped down. Our builder representative John (with Norcon) came to our rescue. I asked if they could take my sofa up on their fork lift and they did! Our dishwasher doesn’t work, my new washing machine is leaking, one of our cars died and wasn’t revived for a week.

Below: Norcon Builders bring our sofa up on a fork lift with help from Kelly Bishop and Larry Cragun supervising.

If I never see another box it will be too soon. Speaking of boxes, we unpacked a box that must have had thousands of cords, computer cords, telephone cords, TV cords and miscellaneous cords of mysterious origin and function. I swear cords must have some kind of strange reproductive process, especially as intertwined and notted up as they get. We still had to go buy a few cords because we could not find the right one. Anyway I’m BACK. I havent blogged for weeks but someone has been.?! Posted by Kathleen PS We still live in Issaquah

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Lavender, at Squak Mt. Nursery, Issaquah

I have a lot of Lavender in my yard. So do my neighbors, but their’s bloom a lot earlier than mine. This is not all bad as I get to enjoy looking at their Lavender until mine blooms, but mine last at least a month after the other blooms have faded. A negative is that our community gardener wants to cut mine off at the same time while the Lavender in my yard is still looking great. Bummer! They did that just once!

Also, I have heard that you should cut them back almost to the ground in the fall. Is that true?

Squak Mt Nursery is having a class where you can learn about the different varieties of Lavender, how to care for and prune, even how to use these fragrant and beautiful plants. 10:30 am Saturday July 21 in Issaquah. For more info go to www.squakmtnursery.com. I’m hoping to learn something there. 7600 Renton-Issaquah Rd SE, Issaquah, WA 98027

Posted by Kathleen

Mothers Day - This Sunday!! A $300 Hanging Basket?

What to get for your Mom. A few ideas. Below a $300 dollar basket at Molbaks!?

Or maybe a do-it-yourself garden present like a shovel - Well, it is a cute shovel! And cheaper.

How about a bird house or maybe an Orchid?

I call this the Darth Vader Orchid. It looks like it might eat your Mom. Kinda scary! Good Luck! Posted by Kathleen

Issaquah/Sammamish Home Tour 2007 April 28th & 29th 1-5pm

This weekend is the Spring Issaquah/Sammamish Tour of Homes. Check out the Issaquah Press or the Seattle Times for more info and maps. Ten major open houses are involved plus many others. www.issaquahpress.com click on the Spring Home Tour. Prices range from $669,950 - $1,875,000.

A Look at the Emergency Preparedness Fair - Last Saturday

I came home with all kinds of great info. Now I just have to read it and impliment what I learned. If you missed the fair, don’t worry, we will keep you posted on the next one to be held in the fall.

TODAY! Emergency Preparedness Fair 10:00 - 3:00 26529 Duthie Hill Rd. Issaquah,98075

This is a little late but TODAY April 21, Saturday there is an Emergency Preparedness Fair at 26529 Duthie Hill Rd. Issaquah, 98075, LDS Church building. There is a gymnasium full of booths with all kinds of information, such as 72 hour kits, Family Preparedness Plan, Emergency contacts, Food Storage, 3 Days 3 Ways, Being Prepared Financially, Ham Radio Booth, What to do brocheres, Video on Preparedness, World Wide Emergency Relief Efforts, etc. There is fresh homemade bread and a bake sale. Learn how to make an improvised oven you can quickly construct to bake cookies, bread, and almost anything. Larry was just there and was impressed.

Arbor Day in Issaquah - April 28th Saturday 10 am - 4pm

Issaquah Highlands is the host of Arbor Day in Issaquah for the third year in a row. Issaquah has been named a Tree City USA community by the National Arbor Day Foundation. We certainly do have plenty of them. But Arbor Day is not just about having lots of trees. It is a celebration of trees, nature and our great, wonderful outdoors. Blakely Hall 2550 NE Park Drive.

There are Speakers, Kids Activities, Tree Planting, Scanvenger Hunt, BBQ, Informational Booths, Hikes.

10:30-11:00 Low Maintenance/High Color Gardening

11:30-12:00 Container Gardening

12:30-1:00pm WaterWise, Drought Tolerant Gardening

1:30-2:00pm Trees in Storms-What are the Risks?

2:15-2:45pm Kitchen Waste Recycling

KIDS Activities

11am-12pm Reptile Man

11am-3pm Clowns, Bert the Salmon and Face Painting

1pm-2pm Animals in Your Back Yard - Cougar Mountain Zoo

2pm-2:30pm Tots Scavenger Hunt at Village Green.

HIKES

11-1pm Cathy’s Trail - Seattle Audubon aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawck

1pm-4pm Grand Ridge Trail - Washington Native Plant Society For More information on all Arbor Day Activities Visit www.ihwebsite.com or 425-507-1107

Village Theatre’s 2007-2008 Season - 303 Front St. N. in Issaquah

These are the 2007-2008 season’s offering for the Village Theatre. There are more musicals this year due to popular demand.

Million Dollar Quartet - Sept 19-Oct 28

The King and I - Nov 14-Jan 6

Barefoot in the Park - Jan 23-March 2

Little Women - March 19-April 27

Aida- May 14-July 6

For more information www.villagetheatre.org

Calling all Quilters, Come to the Issaquah Community Center - April 14th, 15th

Block Party Quilters will display their quilts Saturday 10 AM to 5 PM and 10 AM to 4 PM Sunday at the Community Center. This organization donates hundreds of quilts every year to the local Ronald McDonald House. New techniques and technologies will be demonstrated. Watch creativity in action.

How Issaquah’s Gilman Village Came to Be. April 14th Saturday

Issaquah History Museums’ Spring History Program will give a presentation Saturday 11:00AM at the Issaquah Depot. If you ever wondered how this quaint remarkable shopping village came to be, Ruth Mohl will relate how she and her husband preserved many historic buildings from being razed and instead were moved together to become Gilman Village.

Saturday Farmers Market at Pickering Barn Opens April 14 in Issaquah

Pickering Barn’s Farmers Market begins this Saturday. 1730 10th Ave. W. 9:00AM to 2:00PM every Saturday until Oct 13th. The market opens with a Spring Arts & Crafts Show, but there are also fresh flowers, fresh Asian and fresh organic produce. Food, of course!

Looking for an Easter Egg Hunt for the Kids? In Issaquah April 7th Saturday

I don’t think you will find them organized like this, but if you don’t know where to find an Easter Egg hunt, here is what I’ve found.

2. At Spoiled by Nana in Gilman Village in Issaquah there is a Baby Bunny Egg Hunt for children under 2! April 7th Saturday 10AM - 2PM. This is a dangerous place for grandmas. Too much cute stuff! 425-392-6507

3. Issaquah Highlands Easter Egg Hunt is April 7th, Saturday 10-11AM at Central Park, 1907 Park Drive NE 425-507-1107