Four Deaths Yesterday, Sewing Machines Needed, Fountain Plaza Tree, Lots More

CONTENTS 5/7/2020
Four Coronavirus Deaths Yesterday
Donated Sewing Machines Needed
Update From An Epidemic
Co-op Curbside Pickup Expanding to Weekends
Flour & Yeast
Columbia Neighborhood
Fountain Plaza Tree Farewell
Masks Available
Hop-Through Produce In Columbia
Trigger Warning: Animal Violence
Free Plants
Columbia Kids Ready To Work
New Homebuyers
Graduate Student Needs Living Space

FOUR CORONAVIRUS DEATHS YESTERDAY
They are the county’s first deaths related to COVID-19 since April 28 and bring the total number of deaths to 31.

https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/coronavirus/article242571121.html?

DONATED SEWING MACHINES NEEDED
Additional Sewing machines can be donated at the Makerspace next to Dick’s Sporting Goods at Bellis Fair. They are open from 12-5 pm, M to F. Access is through the back door from the parking lot. Please tape your name and phone number to the machine in case we have any questions. I will cover the cost of tuning up donated machines and then deliver them to new sewers. Requests from new sewers looking for machines can be made to Rud@RudBrowne.com

UPDATE FROM AN EPIDEMIC
I read what Betsy has to say every night, and almost always come away uplifted and a bit more hopeful. This one was particularly reassuring.

https://betsybrownmd.substack.com/p/may-6-2020

WEEKEND CO-OP CURBSIDE PICKUP
Order online with curbside pickup for groceries, produce, deli to-go, and more. It’s a safe and simple method to shop for your groceries and Co-op favorites such as our housemade deli salads and baked goods. The number of pickup times is limited, and pickup is only at the downtown store on Forest Street. Order one morning and pick-up the next afternoon. I try to place my order early in the morning so I make it into the limited spaces.

https://communityfood.coop/curbside-pickup-order-form/

FLOUR & YEAST FEEDBACK
The Bellingham Food Co-op is reported to have flour in bulk most of the time.

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In response to the flour scarcity, I have found one source that has both flour and yeast. Although the flour is not organic, it is in 25 lb. bags and is bleached, white flour. They also have at times had unbleached white flour in 10 lb. bags. The real score is that they have 1 lb. bags of baking yeast. The store is called Apple Market and is in downtown Mount Vernon. Our Co-op, (Skagit) is still sells flour and has ‘curbside pick-up’ and also senior hours. I haven’t seen their site yet, but you can do your order online. I’ve picked up rye flour and caraway there. You can’t ‘self serve’ from the bulk area, but one of the employees will bag up what you want. (That service is possibly not available online). ~ Dorothy Defremery, Skagit

COLUMBIA NEIGHBORHOOD

FOUNTAIN PLAZA TREE FAREWELL
The big maple tree is coming down this coming Monday, May 11. If you want to tell it goodbye, you’ve got a few days to do that. The decision to remove the tree wasn’t easy. Parks spent a lot of time talking about it. They had a ISA (International Society of Arborists) certified arborist come help determine the long term outlook for the tree, to help weigh their options, back in 2018. The arborist noted heart rot, hollow center, and a life span for another ten or so years. So Parks will remove it as part of the reconstruction to avoid future damage to the brand-new plaza. Salvageable wood will be stored at Squalicum Creek Park for future potential projects and/or artwork. Site preparation started yesterday. The replacement tree selected is a large urban-tolerant disease-resistant tree with a distinctive form and texture in a location allowing room for it to grow, thrive and become a part of the next generation of the plaza. The City is also partnering with the Fountain Business Association on the installation of a mural on the side of the building adjacent to the plaza. See this link for more information.

https://www.cob.org/Documents/parks/Projects/Fountain%20Plaza%20Open%20House%20Results.pdf

MASKS AVAILABLE
Everybody will need at least two masks, and maybe more as our society re-opens. Jane Bryce has sewn a stack of them and would like to make some available. She would like you to donate to the food bank, homeless or children’s meals. First come, first serve, but she’ll set up a wait list as well. She’ll check her email once a day: harmoniousgardens@gmail.com

HOP-THROUGH PRODUCE IN COLUMBIA
Saturdays 9-1 at 2526 Kulshan street. RABBIT FIELDS FARM, Skagit Valley organic produce, already bagged. Prices range from $5.00-30.00 Or pre-order online:

https://rabbitfields.com/

TRIGGER WARNING: ANIMAL VIOLENCE
We found a dead cat in our fenced-in back yard this morning. It was obvious there was a fight because there was fur and flowers scattered around the yard. The cat was our next door neighbor’s. Advice to cat owners would be, keep your cat inside because once they’re outside they become part of the food chain. ~ Carol Blaney, Walnut Street

[Another cat. My heart hurts in sympathy with the cat’s person. That’s two in two days, plus one more that may have had a tangle of some sort and survived it. I keep Vortex inside from dusk to well after daybreak. I wait till there are plenty of people around so that wildlife has retreated for the day. In years past, there have sometimes been new coyote puppies down in the ravine who are being taught to hunt at this time of year. Also, if your pet isn’t chipped, it’s a good time to have it done. Every vet in town will read chips for free if you find a lost pet. Love/Fl!p]

FREE PLANTS

  • Day lilies- smallish flowers, deep rusty color
  • Vinca- a few
  • White Japanese Anemones
  • Love in the Mist
  • Pink Panda strawberry plants that act as a ground cover or in a hanging basket, spreads easily but also easy to remove, they do produce small strawberries that are incredibly fragrant but not overly fruitful

Plants will be off the curb east of the telephone pole. I would be willing to give away more plants if anyone wants to walk around my garden with me. It is time to reduce the crowding. ~ Lorraine Affek, 2325 Eldridge, text/call 360 220 0470

COLUMBIA KIDS READY TO WORK
My daughters are looking for some work to do around the neighborhood! They will mow your lawn, weed eat and blow away the debris. Or would you rather they pull weeds from your garden? Or walk your dogs? Going out of town and need your garden watered or dog watched?

Price is negotiable and anytime of day works for us, since they don’t have school. They do excellent work, but they want to earn more than the scraps that mom and dad pay! Plus, these little over achievers finish their schoolwork and chores and still have lots of free time to fill, so please give them more to do! You can text 360-325-3940 if you’re interested!

Also-they will be masked and gloved and stay 6 ft away from you to get instructions. We prefer Venmo or zelle for payment, so there isn’t an exchange. You can also leave a check in your mailbox though for payment. Just pay whatever you think is fair for what you need them to do. They will be happy with the amount and more importantly, the work to do! Thanks, ~ Bo and Beth McGinty, Williams Street

NEW HOMEBUYERS
My partner and I are looking to purchase our first home in Bellingham. We’re looking for a 2BR or 3BR home in the Columbia neighborhood, or anywhere within bike-commuting distance of downtown. A fixer upper is fine with us, and in fact, preferred! We’re both WWU grads and we have lived in town for over a decade. We put years of TLC into our current rental, including creating an amazing garden, and we can’t wait to do the same in our own home. If you or someone you know is thinking about putting a house on the market this spring, please consider reaching out to us first!  ~ Virginia & Kyle Cleveland

GRADUATE STUDENT NEEDS LIVING SPACE
A person who will begin her graduate studies in Geology at WWU in September needs a place to live. She is moving here from Flagstaff AZ, has a Teaching Assistant position lined up. She is reliable, neat, personable, respectful. She prefers a neighborhood location, not a big apartment complex environment. Her budget is $600 – $650/month, but may have some wiggle room. She doesn’t have pets.  If she could have her own place, that’s preferable.  But would be willing to share, if she had her own room.  She intends to arrive in Bellingham in mid- to late-August for her TA training and general acclimation to The City of Subdued Excitement. If you have ideas or can help, please contact Micki Jackson, micki98226@aol.com, 360 201 7840. Thank you!

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