CONTENTS 5/9/2020
Risk Assessment
Beaches Closed To Recreational Shellfish Harvest
Columbia Neighborhood
Fountain Plaza Construction Safety
More Flour
Update On Masks At Goods
Mask Maker Shout-Out
Hop-Through Produce Saturday
Coyote In Lynn Street Yard Thursday Morning
Siding Or General Contractor?
Neighborhood Pottery Stand, Free Clay Art Kits
Looking For A Couple 5-Gallon Buckets
Editor’s Corner
Spare Sewing Machine Needles
Not Exactly A Recipe
You Can Close Your Eyes
VIRUS RISK ASSESSMENT
This looks pretty useful.
https://erinbromage.wixsite.com/covid19/post/the-risks-know-them-avoid-them
BEACHES CLOSED TO RECREATIONAL SHELLFISH HARVEST
Paralytic shellfish poisoning biotoxin has reached unsafe levels in molluscan shellfish in Drayton Harbor. Recreational shellfish harvesting is closed on all beaches from Birch Point north to the Canadian Border, including all of Point Roberts. Shellfish sold in restaurants and retail markets have been tested before distribution and are safe to eat. Check http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/sf/biotoxin.htm or call the DOH Biotoxin Hotline at 1-800-562-5632 before harvesting shellfish anywhere in Washington State. ht/t https://salish-current.org/
COLUMBIA NEIGHBORHOOD
FOUNTAIN PLAZA CONSTRUCTION SAFETY
Improvements to Fountain Plaza resumed this week. As part of the preferred design concept selected through a public process, the big maple tree at the corner of Monroe and Meridian will be removed. Tree removal work will start Monday, May 11. If you plan on coming by the site, please stay on the opposite sides of the streets for your safety and the safety of the workers. Also, please make sure to keep moving to avoid any public gatherings. The decision to remove the tree wasn’t easy. Parks and other City departments spent a lot of time talking about it and coordinating with neighbors and the business district. A certified arborist assessed the tree to determine the long term outlook and help weigh out options back in 2018. The arborist noted heart rot, hollow center, and a life span for another ten or so years. Parks will remove and replace the tree as part of the reconstruction process to avoid future damage to the brand-new plaza. Salvageable wood will be stored at Squalicum Creek Park for future potential projects or artwork. 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. Please see this link for more information.
https://www.cob.org/gov/projects/Pages/FountainPlaza.aspx
Gina G. Austin, P.E., MSC, Project Engineer
City of Bellingham – Parks Development Division
Phone: (360) 778-7000 / Fax: (360) 778-7001
Email: gaustin@cob.org
MORE FLOUR
Cash and Carry (now SmartFoods on Ohio) has always had flour (organic too) and I just went to Costco today and they too have flour again. ~ Kamarie Chapman,
UPDATE ON MASKS AT GOODS
I plan to drop another 30 off Saturday by 9am. Information on sizing: There is a little kids size and sm/med/lg. Note Me, my 10 year old and my 49 year old partner all prefer wearing a size small. All of these sizes can do the trick as long as you size the elastic appropriately. Most people seem to prefer medium so I will be supplying a lot of that size. Please hand wash or machine wash your mask before you wear it! Doing a simple hand wash and hang dry before you adjust the size, will work. I leave the knots relatively loose so they can be retied. If you have questions, please feel free to email me! I am almost out of elastic and it is really hard to find right now so if anyone has a spool of 1/4″ elastic they would like to donate or sell to me I would appreciate it. Take care and thank you for your support and for caring for yourselves! ~ Sarah Guenther lil.bird.salon@gmail.com
MASK MAKER SHOUT-OUT
Debbie Dykas lives over on Illinois Street. She has made over 200 masks just herself. She donated a bunch to the cancer center, naval base, local medical offices, any neighbor who asked her for one. And she still going strong, sewing nearly every day. Thank you Debbie!
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/
COYOTE ON LYNN THURSDAY MORNING
On Lynn near W Illinois at 5:30am. It went back and forth in the front then into our backyard and down the ravine. We have a chunky indoor/outdoor cat luckily she was inside!!! ~ Teresa Botts, Lynn Street
[We’re definitely keeping Vortex in from dusk till late enough in the morning that lots of people are out and about. Coyotes, raccoons and owls gotta eat, but preferably not my cat.~ Fl!p]
SIDING OR GENERAL CONTRACTOR?
I am in the process of getting bids to have my house siding replaced. If anyone has recommendations I would be very grateful. ~ Miriam Cisternas, miriam@mgcdata.com
NEIGHBORHOOD POTTERY STAND
AND FREE CLAY ART KITS
With the Bellingham Farmer’s Market closed to crafters right now, we’ve gone rogue! We’ve set up a walk-up pottery stand on our street, selling our pieces that are cosmetic ‘seconds’ – pottery that has a blemish or small flaw or maybe we just didn’t like how it turned out – at half price (or better!) of normal cost. We’re putting out around a dozen pieces each day, from about 8 am to 8 pm. Sometimes I’ll post on Facebook or Instagram a picture of what is on display. We’ve got hand sanitizer at the booth, and payment is on the honor system with Venmo, or there’s a phone number to call or text us to come out for other payment methods.
I’m also restocking our Clay Art Kits as fast as I can! These kits contain some information, a small took kit, and 2 lbs of clay for building and squishing. It’s great for anyone who needs a little hands-on art or something for the kids to do. We aren’t currently ‘firing’ or finishing your creations, but Burnish Clay Studio has resumed drive-by drop off and pick up, and they can bisque fire your art. The Clay Kits are free to pick up and are at the Pottery Stand. We’re on Vallette, between W. North and Jefferson. Our phone is 360-303-0282. ~ Megan & Jeremy Noet, Blue Water Pottery
https://www.facebook.com/Bluewaterpottery
LOOKING FOR A COUPLE 5-GALLON BUCKETS
I’m hoping someone in the hood has buckets they do not need. If so, please contact me at penny.chambers@gmail.com. Thanks! ~ Penny Chambers, Victor Street
EDITOR’S CORNER
SPARE SEWING MACHINE NEEDLES
I have a package of 5 singer needles. Any mask makers need them?
NOT EXACTLY A RECIPE
More of a meander. I made Don’t-Waste-It soup! We had some stewing beef in the freezer. The leeks in the garden were beginning to sprout – time to harvest them while they were still edible. Use up what’s here. So I excavated the last cup of barley from the back of a cupboard, borrowed a couple carrots, and played with our new Instant Pot for the first time. Chopped a couple onions. Pulled out some mire poix Zeke had sauteed and frozen a month or so ago. A little salt on the meat, which Zeke sliced across the grain when it was half-thawed, and sauteed in a bit of saved bacon fat. Big handfuls of oven-roasted garlic cloves. Good thing that Zeke and I both believe in garlic as an ingredient not a flavoring! Lots of ground cardamom and a little bit of ground cloves, two bay leaves. Some turkey broth and way more white wine (cheap box stuff from the Grocery Outlet) than I would usually have used (I don’t drink but I do cook with it). Lid on, and pressure cook! Half an hour later, check the barley. It had been in the cupboard a long time. Not soft enough. Another 20 minutes. YES. Chopped lots of parsley & chives from the garden to add some bright green. Sent a potful of soup across the street so Bea wouldn’t have to cook dinner. Ate way too much – I could go to bed now but I’ve gotta get the Update out. Plenty of soup left for tomorrow and maybe a few servings to freeze for I-Don’t-Wanna-Cook days. I may add some sauteed mushrooms from the freezer to the leftover soup for tomorrow. Time to eat down the freezer a little so there’s room for fresh stuff. Comfort food. No photo: the left-overs aren’t worth showing off. I’ve been eating 3” squares of homemade pizza (from the freezer) for breakfast: no tomatoes for this girl, so pesto, parmesan, mozzerella, feta, artichokes, black olives, and LOTS of roasted garlic. I oven-roasted a pound and a half of peeled garlic last month. I’ll need to roast again soon. Zeke and I are eating salad and stir fry from our own garden already. (Gotta get more Pok Choy – the first batch bolted. I’m still learning to garden.) I love staying home even though I miss making music with my friends. I kinda feel like I’m still here with all you readers. Thank you so much for that! (If anyone is headed for Haggens or the Coop this weekend I’d love a few items…)
YOU CAN CLOSE YOUR EYES
James Taylor & his kids sing in close harmony. I needed a little comfort today. How about you?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNjHk9Y36u0&feature=youtu.be
Love/Fl!p