Showing posts sorted by date for query for the birds. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query for the birds. Sort by relevance Show all posts

Gloria's Birds: Pigeon Guillemot after a successful dive

Friday, June 16, 2023

Photo copyright Gloria Z. Nagler

They swim underwater using their wings! Yes, I do have compassion for the prey, but a seabird's gotta eat, and there were no vegan cafes in sight.

--Gloria Z. Nagler



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For the Birds: Baby Bird Season

Monday, June 5, 2023

American Robin fledgling by Elaine Chuang
note stubby tail and gape at base of bill
By Christine Southwick

Do you have a young, helpless-looking bird hopping or flitting in your yard? 

Great! That means your yard is habitat-friendly enough that birds are nesting in your domain.

If the youngster is basically featherless, it probably fell out of a nest, and needs to be put back, if you can. 

It is probably not a ground nester, so look up. You could make a fake nest where a parent can find it if you can’t reach the nest.

Oregon Junco fledgling being feed by father
(mother is probably on second brood)
photo by Chris Southwick
Does a baby bird really need your help?

If it is already feathered, but can’t really fly, it is called a fledgling, and its parents are nearby. It doesn’t need human interference, unless it is bleeding, or has an obviously injured wing or foot.

Because nests can be a death trap from predators, ground nesting babies have evolved to leave the nest soon after they grow their feathers, and scatter in different directions. The parents bring food to each and every one of their offspring. No wonder the parents look so frazzled.

I was following a White-crowned Sparrow nest for an article and four days after they hatched – one day after they grew their feathers, they were out scurrying through the garden aisles to disappear into the adjacent empty lot, with the parents monitoring from above.

Bewick's Wren nestlings by Peggy Bartleson
They became fledglings later that day
Fledglings may have stubby tails that haven’t grown in yet which makes them flit rather than fly, and their mouths are still brightly colored, a temporary condition called gapes. Fledgling crows also fit this description.

Some of our most common ground nesters are Oregon Juncos, Song, White-crowned, and Orange-crowned Sparrows, and Spotted Towhees. Bewick’s Wrens, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Black-capped and Chestnut-backed chickadees, and American Robins, and American Crows are our other most common nesters.

Keep dogs and cats away from the areas. As much as I love my cat, once I found out that cats are the second leading cause of bird deaths in the US (habitat loss being number one), I started keeping mine from roaming. I even built a small indoor-outdoor area for them.

Oregon Junco nest hidden in raised
flower bed photo by Craig Kerns
Most local birds have two or more broods each year, so expect to see fledglings into late July/August. So, leave some tall ground-nesting areas when you are weeding.

You can help nourish birds by planting native fruiting plants, offering good quality food, keeping your yard pesticides free, and keeping pets away from these delightful bundles of fluff.

See previous For the Birds columns here



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Get Ready for the LFP Garden Tour on June 17, 2023

Friday, June 2, 2023

Sequoias in the Secret Garden Tour June 17

By Beth Weir

Now the calendar is featuring June, be sure to check you have the 17th marked for the Secret Garden Tour of Lake Forest Park. The six gardens on the tour are testament to the Pacific Northwest’s ability to host to a variety of landscapes, not to mention towering trees. For those we can thank Ole Hanson who platted the first lots around 1910 and so established the town of Lake Forest Park and its culture of trees.

Some of these now giant sequoias and sequoiadendrons border one of the ‘tour’ gardens. They envelope you in a warm Pacific Northwest welcome as you walk the long drive and appear to be protecting the plants, the landscape within and you as a visitor.

Its owners have taken upon themselves the care and further development of a classic Northwest Garden with a significant history. It was becoming overgrown when they took it over from folks who had lovingly invested themselves in the property over an extended period. If the enthusiasm of the gardeners for their self-assigned task could be bottled the world would cease to need power plants.

The garden is natural, large and moves effortlessly around a stream and lawn from small rooms and vignettes to larger views. It has touches of the personal, as in little art pieces left by children, new plantings to enhance the existing and areas of wilderness that have their own charm.

The trout will probably be hiding in the stream and the birds will have ceased their dawn chorus when the average visitor will be there. Rest assured, neither will be hard to imagine in such a peaceful and contemplative space.

Discount tickets are available on line at LfpGardenTour.com and in person at Wild Birds LFP, Third Place Books LFP and Sky Nursery Shoreline.


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June 2023 Events Calendar at Third Place Books - Ken Jennings on June 18

Wednesday, May 31, 2023

Third Place Books photo by
Steven H. Robinson
Third Place Books - Lake Forest Park

June 2023 EVENTS

Please note: all times below are Pacific Time.
 
Both virtual and in-person events require registration in advance. Unless ticketed, events are free and open to the public. See thirdplacebooks.com for details.
 
() – denotes ticketed event
() – denotes event for children or middle grade readers
  
Monday, June 5 at 7pm (Third Place Books Lake Forest Park)
Ann Putnam with Beverly Conner
I Will Leave You Never
Putnam’s new novel is set in our community of Lake Forest Park. In the middle of a perilous drought in the Northwest, an arsonist begins setting fires all around. “An often moving story of uncertainty and loss.” (Kirkus Reviews)
 
Tuesday, June 6 at 7pm (Third Place Books Lake Forest Park)
[SOLD OUT] Ocean Vuong with Angela Garbes // introduction by Sah Pham
Time is A Mother
The beloved MacArthur "Genius," poet, and novelist celebrates the paperback release of his deeply intimate second collection. Vuong searches for life among the aftershocks of his mother’s death, embodying the paradox of sitting within grief while being determined to survive beyond it. Angela Garbes, author of Essential Labor, joins in conversation.
   
Thursday, June 8 at 7pm (Third Place Books Lake Forest Park)
Elizabeth Clark-Stern with Nisi Shawl
The Language of Water
Science-fiction writer and TV screenwriter Clark-Stern presents her new book from local Aqueduct Press. The dawn of the twenty-second century finds women in a new world where water—the lack of it, or the over-abundance of it—shapes their inner and outer lives.
    
Thursday, June 15 at 7pm (Third Place Books Lake Forest Park)
Steve Turner with Jonathan Evison
Mud Ride: A Messy Trip Through the Grunge Explosion
A down-and-dirty chronicle of the birth and evolution of the Seattle grunge scene—from backyard skateboard ramps and underground hardcore clubs to worldwide phenomenon—as told by one of its founding fathers and lead guitarist of the legendary alternative rock band, Mudhoney.
  
Sunday, June 18 at 7pm (Third Place Books Lake Forest Park)
Ken Jennings with Tom Nissley
100 Places to See After You Die : A Travel Guide to the Afterlife
Celebrate Father's Day with the legendary Jeopardy! champion and host. Jennings will be discussing his new book, a hilarious travel guide to the afterlife, exploring destinations to die for from literature, mythology, and pop culture ranging from Dante’s Inferno to Hadestown to NBC’s The Good Place. Tom Nissley, owner of Phinney and Madison Books, joins in conversation. Tickets required. See thirdplacebooks.com for details.
 
Tuesday, June 20 at 6:30pm (Third Place Books Lake Forest Park)
Local Author Open Mic
Due to a scheduling conflict, this month’s Open Mic will take place on a Tuesday in place of its normal Monday slot. Come share your work and develop your craft with other local authors. For consignment requests, see thirdplacebooks.com for details.
 
Wednesday, June 21 at 7pm (Third Place Books Lake Forest Park)
Jennifer Ackerman
What an Owl Knows: The New Science of the World's Most Enigmatic Birds
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Genius of Birds and The Bird Way, a brilliant scientific investigation into owls—the most elusive of birds—and why they exert such a hold on human imagination. Tickets required. See thirdplacebooks.com for details.
 
Thursday, June 22 at 7pm (Third Place Books Lake Forest Park)
Susan Mallery
The Happiness Plan
Susan Mallery’s first in-person appearance at Lake Forest Park! Three women search for joy in the #1 New York Times bestselling author’s new novel of hope, heartache, and the power of friendship.
  
Monday, June 26 at 7pm (Third Place Books Lake Forest Park)
Martha Holmberg
Simply Tomato: 100 Recipes for Enjoying Your Favorite Ingredient All Year Long
Take your love for tomatoes to the next level with this delectable collection of 100 incredible recipes from the coauthor of the bestselling, staff-favorite cookbooks Six Seasons and Grains for Every Season.
 
Tuesday, June 27 at 12pm PDT / 3pm EDT (Virtual)
Maureen Freely, Aysegül Savas, and Merve Emre
discuss Cold Nights of Childhood by Tezer Özlü, tr. Maureen Freely
in partnership with Community Bookstore and the Transnational Literature Series at Brookline Booksmith
This phenomenal panel discusses a newly translated classic that deserves to stand alongside The Bell Jar and Jean Rhys's Good Morning, Midnight. Özlü’s novel is a powerfully vivid, disorienting, and bittersweet novel about the determined embrace of life in all its complexity and confusion.
  
Tuesday, June 27 at 7pm (Third Place Books Lake Forest Park)
Lily Meade with Kendare Blake
The Shadow Sister
A gripping, speculative thriller from a dazzling new voice about a teen who disappears... and returns, changed in ways that trauma alone can’t explain.
 
Thursday, June 29 at 7pm (Third Place Books Lake Forest Park)
Samantha Ferraro
One-Pot Mediterranean: 70+ Simple Recipes for Healthy and Flavorful Weeknight Cooking 
From the author of The Weeknight Mediterranean Kitchen, a new book on how to eat healthy every night with simple and delicious Mediterranean meals that come together effortlessly using just one pot, pan or skillet.
 
Third Place Books is located on the upper level of Town Center, intersection of Bothell and Ballinger Way NE.



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Gloria's Birds: Wow, signed Capri the Black-capped Chickadee,

Sunday, May 14, 2023

photo copyright Gloria Z. Nagler

 if I'm not out hunting for food stuffs, I'm out hunting for nesting stuff!
 
(I'm always impressed by the hard-working lives of our fellow creatures.)

--Gloria Z. Nagler



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Washington now has a state dinosaur - the Suciasaurus rex

Saturday, May 6, 2023

Gov. Jay Inslee signs a bill proclaiming Suciasaurus rex as Washington’s official state dinosaur.

A large, two-legged, meat-eating therapod once roamed Washington state, as paleontologists discovered in 2012.

Paleontologists at the Burke with dinosaur bone found in Washington state
Photo courtesy Burke Museum

They found a partial thigh bone for a dinosaur similar to but smaller than a Tyrannosaurus on the shores of Sucia Island State Park.

The Burke Museum reported that "The fossil is a partial left thigh bone of a theropod dinosaur, the group of two-legged, meat-eating dinosaurs that includes Velociraptor, Tyrannosaurus rex and modern birds. It was found along the shores of Sucia Island State Park in the San Juan Islands.

"The fossil is approximately 80 million years old and is from the Late Cretaceous period. During that time, the rocks that today form Sucia Island were likely further south. How much further south is a topic of scientific debate, with locations ranging between present day Baja California, Mexico, and northern California. Earthquakes and other geologic forces that constantly reshape our planet moved the rocks north to their present-day location."

A decade later, a class project to teach kids how a bill becomes a law led to Gov. Jay Inslee signing a bill to proclaim the Suciasaurus rex as Washington’s official state dinosaur

Students from Elmhurst Elementary in Tacoma engaged their legislator Rep. Melanie Morgan to introduce the bill - both the students and Rep. Morgan were present for the signing.


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Secret Gardens of Lake Forest Park

By Beth Weir

The title of the annual tour around the gardens in Lake Forest Park includes a word that intrigues: secret. 

Tucked inside the dictionary definition is the austere notion that something is to be kept hidden.

Of course, keeping anything secret is almost impossible. Buddha recognized this when he stated that three things cannot long stay hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth. 

The organizers of the Garden Tour would add gardens to Buddha’s list.

The gardens on the Lake Forest Park Tour are secret, only in the sense they are in private hands and not completely visible from the street. 

The people who have loved and tended them have done so largely hidden, in ‘secrecy’ perhaps. 

But, as proven by the generosity of the gardeners in opening up their yards for the public to enjoy, they are not of a mind to keep them secret. 

Those of us who cannot think of life without plants, soil, flowers, and trees are grateful. We have a rare chance to peek at wonders the sun, rain and someone with dirty nails can create.

June 17, 2023 visitors will have a chance to see six ‘Secret’ gardens on the Lake Forest Park Tour. 

As is always the case they vary so everyone can find a garden, a plant vignette, a placement of flowers and art, a particular tree that make the heart beat faster. Here and there, someone looking about may find a little garden secret revealed that will simply delight.

Some examples of what is in store will help. This year a big, beautiful yard is sheltered by arborvitae and junipers that give the area privacy. Within are a variety of maples and vegetables, not to mention a cutting garden. 

Yet other gardens are eclectic with planting islands that host perennials and repurposed art. An English country garden will surely bring forth some sighs, particularly when viewed from the bottom of the driveway.

These are the kind of secrets, once revealed, that make a person, even one who does not like to garden, feel that body and soul are one.

We invite you to visit the 2023 Secret Garden Tour in Lake Forest Park, June 17, 9am - 3pm, to view our ‘secret’ delights. 

Discount tickets online at LfpGardenTour.com and in person at Wild Birds LFP, Third Place Books LFP and Sky Nursery Shoreline.


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Tips for living with coyotes

Tuesday, April 25, 2023

This coyote ate the nuts that Gloria Z. Nagler put out for birds. 
She reports that the coyote liked them so much it is considering going vegan!
In Shoreline and Lake Forest Park, you can expect that every wooded hillside or green space will have a coyote den. 

The only incident I am aware of was a coyote family which attacked and killed a domestic sheep in LFP. 

It came after a different LFP resident was feeding dog food to the coyotes - teaching them not to fear humans.

The universal reaction from residents spotting a coyote is to grab a camera and get a picture.

Following is information from the Department of Fish and Wildlife

--Diane Hettrick

Tips for living with coyotes

Coyotes (Canis latrans) are present across nearly all of Washington state, from the shrubsteppe to the alpine, as well as many urban and suburban areas. 

They are common in many larger, wooded green spaces and parks within cities including Shoreline and Lake Forest Park.

You may hear coyotes more frequently than you see them, especially when they have pups. Juvenile coyotes are often heard in summer, trying out their voices. Coyote sightings often increase in winter when they are more active, or in late-winter and spring when they may have dens and pups to care for.

Coyotes are most active at night and during the early-morning and evening hours. 

Their diet is diverse and adaptable to what’s around, including everything from rabbits and small rodents to garbage, birdseed, and fruit from trees.

Coyotes can also benefit humans and ecosystems by helping control populations of mice, rats, voles, moles, and rabbits.

Urban coyotes are a good reminder to keep a close eye on children, chickens and other domestic animals, and small pets or to keep them inside or in an outbuilding if unsupervised. Visit our coyote webpage or keep reading for tips to avoid conflicts with coyotes.

To minimize the risk, keep cats inside, keep dogs leashed, avoid early morning and late evening walks with your pet in areas where coyotes are known to be, and generally keep an eye on children and pets.

Never run away from a coyote! Make loud noises, wave sticks, squirt it with a hose, or otherwise “haze” the coyote if it approaches. Stand tall, stare into the eyes of the coyote and shout at it. You also can throw something at it.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) asks not to receive reports of coyotes going about their normal business, as this is a common species and we prioritize reports of species of greatest conservation need.

If residents witness a coyote attack on supervised pets (such as leashed dogs) or backyard chickens and other fowl, or other aggressive behavior, they are encouraged to report it to WDFW biologists and enforcement officers at: wdfw.wa.gov/get-involved/report-observations

In the event of an immediate public safety issue, wildlife violation, or an injured or dangerous animal, call the WDFW Enforcement office at 360–902–2936 or email enforcement-web@dfw.wa.gov

Due to WDFW’s need to focus on fish and wildlife species of conservation concern, in most cases when coyote management is required in urban or suburban areas that management is contracted by the city, town or private landowners to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Wildlife Services.

More information on living with coyotes is available at: wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/species/canis-latrans#conflict

--Information from Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife


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Contest: submit artwork representative of Puget Sound birds - the harassers, the dive-bombers, the beggars and stealers

Monday, April 17, 2023

Puget Sound area artists are invited to submit original artwork representative of Puget Sound bird life to be used on the 2023 Puget Sound Bird Fest poster for promotion of the event taking place Sept. 9-10 in Edmonds.

A $350 prize sponsored by Edmonds Arts Festival Foundation will be awarded to the winner.

The theme is Bold, Brash, and Loud Birds – birds that command our attention not necessarily by their appearance, but by their behavior. These are the harassers, the dive-bombers, the beggars and stealers, bullies and squawkers — boisterous birds that cause a ruckus.

The poster format is 11 inches by 17 inches, portrait orientation and entries must be received by June 23, 2023. No photography or digital art will be accepted. Entrants must be 18 years or older and are limited to one entry per person. More information and entry form available at www.pugetsoundbirdfest.org or email jennifer.leach@edmondswa.gov


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Graphite Arts Center Workshops and Classes April, May and June 2023

Saturday, April 15, 2023

Graphite Arts Center in Edmonds announces upcoming workshops and classes.

For more information and to register visit graphite-edmonds.org

Kids Classes

Put a Bird on It!
Instructor: Sarah Crumb | sarahcrumbart.com
1 session | Friday, April 14 | 10am-12pm
1 session | Friday, May 5 | 10am-12pm
$55 | All supplies provided 
For students grades 3rd-12th

Learn simple techniques and tips to improve your bird drawing skills. 

We will follow John Muir Laws sketching methods and work from bird photos provided by Sarah. 

Adding color to your birds is optional, but encouraged!

All Age Classes

Play with Clay
Instructor: Julie Perrine | facebook.com/JuliePerrinePottery
2 sessions | Fridays, April 28 & May 12 | 1:30pm-3:30pm
$105 + $10 supply fee payable to instructor | For ages 10 and up

Unleash your imagination and abilities as an artist and be amazed at what you can create! Different handbuilding techniques will be taught including rolling, pinching and coiling. Session one we will make our clay art. Session two we will glaze & decorate our pieces.

Adult Classes

Collage Open Studio
Hosted by Julie, Sarah and Lisa
1 session | Friday, May 5 | 5:00pm-8:00pm
$40 | All supplies provided | Adults: All levels

Celebrate World Collage Day with us by spending a fun, creative evening experimenting with collage and learning from each other. This is an open studio with minimal instruction. No experience required!

Painting with the Masters
Van Gogh | Instructor: Johanne Friedrichs | johannefriedrichsart.com
4 sessions | Thursdays June 22, 29, July 6 and 13 | 6:30pm-9:00pm
$298 | Student provides their own supplies | Adults: Beginning & Intermediate levels

Students will work from a master painting by Van Gogh to learn techniques including drawing, composition, color theory and brush stroke methods. Supply list provided by instructor. Includes an optional Wednesday, July 19th make-up session.

All classes are held at Graphite Arts Center located at 202 Main Street in Edmonds. Graphite is the home of Art Start Northwest, a non-for-profit organization founded in 2015 with the mission to make art more accessible to people of all ages.


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Sword ferns off to a beautiful start at Darnell Park

Wednesday, April 12, 2023

Photo by Rusty McTaggert
Kaleidoscope Lead/Darnell Park Lead
Beautiful, and also a tenacious slope stabilizer that provides cover for birds and mammals. 

Consult the Washington Native Plant Society or The Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast for the ethnobotany of sword ferns.

Darnell Park borders the Interurban Trail at 1125 N 165th St, Shoreline, WA 98133



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For the Birds: We know we used your Mother’s Day fuchsia last year,

Friday, April 7, 2023

Photo by Christine Southwick

...but we needed to set up housekeeping now.

Oregon Juncos move in with For the Birds columnist Christine Southwick.




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For the Birds: Baby birds are emerging

Sunday, April 2, 2023

Bewick's Wren fledgling. Photo by Elaine Chuang
By Christine Southwick

Baby birds are hatching — Spotted Towhees and Anna’s Hummingbird young have been spotted in my yard, which means Dark-eyed Juncos and Bewick’s Wrens are close behind. 

These are the first breeders, others will follow; Song Sparrows, chickadees, Flickers, Downy, Hairy, and Pileated Woodpeckers, White-crowned Sparrows, finches, and American Robins to name a few.

Nestlings and fledglings need our help — don’t poison them with herbicides such as Round-up which get on their parents’ feet and get brought into the nests and cause them to die.

Bushtit looking for bugs to feed nestlings.
Photo by Elaine Chuang
American Robins are in sharp decline
, and one major cause is the poisoning of their lawns and the worms they eat.

Spraying bugs also kills birds. Parent birds feed their hatchlings a solid diet of bugs. 

Caterpillars, gnats, aphids, spiders, mosquitos, and bugs in leaf litter are the babies’ food. 

There aren’t any fruits to eat until later in the season, so if the bugs are poisoned, then birds perish.

Rufous Hummingbird on nest.
Photo by Doug Parrott
Native plants and trees help provide the bugs birds need and recognize
. More shrubs and less lawn provide cover for the safety of birds, especially fledglings. 

As you start cleaning up your yard, look for ground nests before whacking and mowing weedy areas.

If you find a baby bird on the ground, and it has feathers, it is a fledgling, and doesn’t need your help – its parents are nearby ready to nurture it. 

Keep dogs and cats away from it, and it will survive. 

Many ground birds leave the nest before they can fly — they scurry in different directions to enhance their chances of survival — nests can provide a quick and tasty meal for raccoons and other hungry creatures.

Dark-eyed Junco nest in fuschia.
Photo by Christine Southwick
Here is a yes/no link to determine if the baby bird you found needs your help.

https://www.pugetsoundbirds.org/baby-bird-advice 

Let our local birds take care of the bugs. Smile as a new generation of birds prospers with your help.

---
Note: I carefully watered around the nest in the fuschia. Three juncos. 

Locally if you see a bird flying into your hanging basket, a junco probably has a nest inside. They usually hatch in two weeks, and leave the nest two weeks later.


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April author events at Third Place Books

Friday, March 31, 2023

Photo by Steven H. Robinson
Third Place Books 
Lake Forest Park
April 2023 EVENTS

Please note: all times below are Pacific Time.
 
Both virtual and in-person events require registration in advance. Unless ticketed, events are free and open to the public. See thirdplacebooks.com for details.
 
() – denotes ticketed event
() – denotes event for children or middle grade readers

 

Tuesday, April 4 at 7pm (Third Place Books Lake Forest Park)
Elana K. Arnold and Martha Brockenbrough
Harriet Spies and To Catch a Thief
It’s a joint book launch! In Elana K. Arnold’s Harriet Spies, the unforgettable star of Just Harriet returns for another mystery on Marble Island. In Martha Brockenbrough’s latest middle grade novel, To Catch a Thief, a thief steals Urchin Beach’s precious dragonfly staff, which is the source of all its good fortune and the most important part of the upcoming Dragonfly Day Festival.
    
Monday, April 10 at 7pm (Third Place Books Lake Forest Park)
Sisters in Crime Night
Hosted by Marty Wingate
We’re pleased to welcome this long-standing Lake Forest Park writing group, Sisters in Crime, for an evening of readings from group members. Readers will include Catherine Linka, Joyce Yarrow, Jeanne Matthews, Alice K. Boatwright, Cynthia Baxter (Cynthia Blair), Curt Colbert, and Kate B. Jackson.
 
Thursday, April 13 at 6pm (Third Place Books Lake Forest Park)
Angie Thomas with Christine Day
Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifestor Prophecy
Internationally bestselling superstar author Angie Thomas makes her middle grade debut with the launch of a new fantasy trilogy inspired by African American history and folklore, a story that Rick Riordan calls "one of those rare books that will instantly become the best friend you didn’t know you needed." Christine Day, the author of I Can Make This Promise and The Sea in Winter, joins in conversation. Tickets required. See thirdplacebooks.com for details.
  
Monday, April 17 at 6:30pm (Third Place Books Lake Forest Park)
Local Author Open Mic
Calling all local writers and poets! Come share your work and develop your craft with other local authors on the third Monday of every month. For consignment requests, see thirdplacebooks.com for details.
  
Tuesday, April 18 at 7pm (Third Place Books Lake Forest Park)
Susan Meissner with Kate Quinn
Only the Beautiful
Meissner’s latest historical novel is a heartrending story about a young mother’s fight to keep her daughter and the winds of fortune that tear them apart. Kate Quinn, author of The Diamond Eye, joins in conversation.

 

Thursday, April 20 at 7pm (Third Place Books Lake Forest Park)
Jeannette Walls
Hang the Moon: A Novel
The author of the bestselling memoir The Glass Castle returns with a new novel, about an indomitable young woman in Virginia during Prohibition. You will fall in love with Sallie Kincaid, a feisty and fearless, terrified and damaged young woman who refuses to be corralled.
 
Saturday, April 22 at 11am (Third Place Books Lake Forest Park)
Storytime with Katherine Roy
Making More: How Life Begins
Join us for storytime! Lucid, informed, and illuminated by beautiful paintings, Making More weaves a story that seamlessly explains life’s most fundamental process, answers children’s questions, and provides an essential tool for parents, caregivers, and educators.
  
Tuesday, April 25 at 7pm (Third Place Books Lake Forest Park)
David Nikki Crouse
Trouble Will Save You: Three Novellas
In these three deeply observed novellas, the award-winning author and director of the Creative Writing Program MFA at UW dramatizes the lives of women living in Interior Alaska. Each novella acts as an extended meditation on grief, loss, and the nature of imagination.
 
Wednesday, April 26 at 7pm (Third Place Books Lake Forest Park)
Gretchen Rubin with Jon Mooallem
Life in Five Senses: How Exploring the Senses Got Me Out of My Head and Into the World 
One of today's foremost observers of the condition of happiness, and host of the popular podcast Happier with Gretchen Rubin, discusses her layered story of discovery filled with profound insights and practical suggestions about how to heighten our senses and use our powers of perception to live richer lives. New York Times Magazine writer at large Jon Mooallem joins in conversation. Tickets required. See thirdplacebooks.com for details.
 
Thursday, April 27 at 7pm (Third Place Books Lake Forest Park)
Tove Danovich with Kelly Jones
Under the Henfluence: Inside the World of Backyard Chickens and the People Who Love Them
Since first domesticating the chicken thousands of years ago, humans have become exceptionally adept at raising them for food. Yet most people rarely interact with chickens or know much about them. Culture reporter Tove Danovich explores the lives of these quirky, mysterious birds. Kelly Jones, author of Unusual Chickens, joins in conversation.
 
Saturday, April 29 at 11am (Third Place Books Lake Forest Park)
Storytime with Kobi Yamada
The popular children’s book author of many inspiring gift books—including Noticing, Feeling Grateful, Maybe, and Finding Muchness—joins us for a special Independent Bookstore Day reading and craft extravaganza for kids.
 
Saturday, April 29 (All locations)
INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE DAY!
Come celebrate your neighborhood bookstore at our favorite annual event! In addition to participating in the Seattle Bookstore Day Challenge, visit your favorite Third Place Books locale to win prizes, browse staff picks by local authors, and make your own TPB bookmark.

Third Place Books is located on the upper level of Town Center in Lake Forest Park, intersection of Bothell and Ballinger Way.


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"Mountains, Birds, and Dinosaurs" – Philharmonia Northwest Presents Children's Concert with KING FM's Lisa Bergman

Friday, March 17, 2023

KING FM announcer Lisa Bergman joins Philharmonia Northwest and Music Director Julia Tai for one of the orchestra’s most beloved traditions: their annual Children’s Concert.

This year’s program, titled Mountains, Birds, and Dinosaurs, takes place Sunday March 26, 2023 at 2pm at the Shorecrest Performing Arts Center in Shoreline, 15343 25th Ave NE, Shoreline, WA 98155.

Bergman will narrate The Mountain That Loved a Bird, a piece by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Caroline Shaw based on the children’s book by author Alice McLerran and illustrator Eric Carle. 

This beloved story balances messages about friendship and renewal, but also loss and trying to hold onto things that will inevitably change.

The program also includes Night on Bald Mountain by Modest Mussorgsky, an ode to Russian folklore and literature, and well-known for its appearance in Disney’s Fantasia; and music from John Williams’ score to Jurassic Park, a favorite among film buffs and dinosaur fans of all ages.

Lisa Bergman
Bergman, also an acclaimed pianist and teacher, is a veteran radio broadcaster, best known for hosting KING FM’s Explore Music series as well as her decade-long tenure at Leavenworth’s KOHO FM. 

Her past appearances as narrator with Philharmonia Northwest include their 2017 performance of Peter and the Wolf, as well as the 2021 world premiere of The Goose Egg by Seattle composer Angelique Poteat.

Tickets are available online at philharmonianw.org – $30 adult, $20 for seniors/students, and $10 children under 18. They will also be for sale at the box office.

This is the fifth of six concerts in Philharmonia Northwest’s 2022-23 season. The final concert, Perspectives: Fauré and Hagen – a collaboration with Kirkland Choral Society – will take place April 23 at Edmonds Center for the Arts. (Please note, this concert has been rescheduled from April 22-23 at Bastyr University)



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Garden Guy: New plants for 2023 to start dreaming about now

Monday, March 13, 2023

Bruce Bennett, Garden Guy
By Bruce Bennett

New plants are usually improvements on existing plants and offer better disease resistance, or more flowers or larger leaves, or……Well, you get the picture.
 
Sometimes it’s just a new color or a different size. New plants aren’t always better, but, to a gardener, they are always exciting and noteworthy. 

As in past several years, I offer readers a very short list of plant introductions that I’ve seen at test sites, growers’ fields and nurseries, not to mention the Northwest Flower and Garden Festival, plants which will begin to show-up at local garden centers. 

The problem with most ‘new introduction’ lists is the plants may be just coming on the market and finding them is a catch-as-catch-can situation. If nothing else, gardening teaches someone new to the hobby and adventure the development and virtues of patience. 

Gardeners not only experience the ‘thrill-of-the-hunt,’ if they wait long enough, they also experience the thrill of ‘saving a buck.’ The $50 daylily I just had to have from a specialty hybridizer eventually appeared on a Flower World display table at $15. It was definitely a case of instant gratification over-powering my economic common sense (and, yes, it was worth it). 

Whether or not I buy, it’s always fun to see what plant breeders have come up with and imagine where I would place it in my yard or a client’s.

During my travels, I look for plants that have more than just one reason to purchase them

A long bloom time is great, but I’d also want, drought-tolerance, or new colors or evergreen status. Considering what plants, especially new ones, cost these days, I want as many enhancements as can be added. 

So, for your general consideration, here's my thumbnail list of new plant introductions with multiple notable attributes, from the major plant groups of trees, shrubs, perennials and, even, an annual which may pique your developing horticultural interest…..

As trees have a longer development phase, not as many new stars reach the marketplace each year as do, say, annuals. However, that doesn’t mean there are no new candidates. 

New specimens that have caught my eye include….

Crabapple
I thoroughly like crabapple trees in the landscape.
They are of a size that is appropriate for most yards and street sides and are moderately fast growers. This year, Malus transitoria ‘Royal Raindrops’ joins the family. This crabapple has multiple aspects about it to like. The first is deep purple cutleaf foliage that does not move to a green coloration during the season. 

For those who eschew the use of chemicals in the yard, this sweetie has superior disease resistance to rust, mildew, etc. Like most established crabapples, ‘Royal Raindrops’ is drought tolerant. With our summers, that is a good thing. The value-added elements of this tree bookmark the growing season. Spring brings with it eye-popping magenta pink blooms that cover the tree. Autumn brings with it little red apples. 

As the fruit are just ¼” in size, birds will love them and will provide homeowners with a month or two of avian aerial aerobics as the birds devour the seasonal morsels. The two- and four-footed members of the family enough the free show for weeks on end. 

Honorable Mentions go to: Birch ‘Emerald Flare’, Parrotia ‘Golden Bell Tower’ and Cercis ‘Black Pearl.’

In the category of new shrubs, you can usually find something interesting to grace an underused spot in the landscape. For this year, what has spoken to me ……

Daphnes
Daphnes are always a value-added inclusion to an area near the front door or along a walkway.
 

The mid-winter fragrance of winter daphne is not to be missed. The same can be said for the spring-blooming cousins. 

In this case, the winter variety, Daphne odora ‘Perfume Princess’ is the one I came across. This long-blooming cultivar, with purplish buds and clusters of soft pink flowers, is a winner. 

Expect the traditional intoxicating daphne fragrance but with distinct citrus undertones. The Princess grows to about 3’ tall and as wide. Honorable Mentions include: Hibiscus ‘Valentine’s Crush’ (Rose Mallow), Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Cherry-Go-Round’ and Ilex verticulata ‘Gold Winterberry’

In the world of new Perennials, among the many that caught my eye……

Salvia greggli
Salvia greggii ‘Ultra Violet’ is a new hybrid western sage
that is more cold hardy than the standards. 

It is also more compact than so many of the S. greggii that are on the market. It has iridescent, deep purple flowers that add a pop of color to the yard, especially in ta late summer garden. 

It starts blooming in July and will continue through autumn. This 18” x 24” sage is a top perennial for dry sites, establishes easily and is both rabbit and deer resistant. Watch as it attracts bees, butterflies and other pollinators. 

Honorable Mentions include: Euphorbia x ‘Miner’s Merlot’, Veronica prostrata (Creeping Speedwell) ‘Aztec Gold’ and Sedum ‘Little Shine.’

Finally, in the Annuals category, ……..

Rex Begonia
Jurassic Heartbeat
I am not a gardener who usually has an interest in annuals, but I couldn’t resist adding this Rex Begonia ‘Jurassic Heartbeat’ because…. well, just look at it! Whether on a shelf in the house or in a shady outdoor container, this amazing plant will be a ‘WOW’ moment for any who see it

There are so many plants which will be vying for your attention at garden centers and nurseries this year. Remember to look past the first visual impression they give you. What other value-added qualities can they provide to you, the landscape and/or the beneficial insects who inhabit your yard? 

A bit of observation and Google research will help to provide you with the best bang for your horticultural buck. 

Happy gardening! If you have a question about this column or your own landscape, or care to suggest a topic to be discussed, contact Master Gardener, Bruce Bennett, at gardenguy4u@gmail.com.



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Gloria's Birds: Identified my first Barrow's Goldeneye the other day on Lake Washington (which, for this photog, counts as a banner day:)

Sunday, March 12, 2023

Photo copyright Gloria Z. Nagler

These two are a female and male taking off. 

Photo copyright Gloria Z. Nagler

Startling here is how the couple synchronizes their wing positions!

Photo copyright Gloria Z. Nagler

ID stuff: He has more white markings, and an all-black beak. Hers is orange!



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Worm moon and the end of winter

Friday, March 10, 2023

Worm moon photo by Lee Wolfe

This was the Worm Moon on Tuesday morning, March 7, 2023.

“The Worm Moon is the moon for March, and for some, it takes its name from the fact that earthworms begin to reappear around this time of year, bringing birds back out to feed. It signals the end of winter and the start of regrowth in nature.”

Photographer Lee Wolfe says "I’m all for the end of winter!" So say we all.



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