Oops-a key sentence from last week's column was left behind on the editor's desk or dropped to the floor, unnoticed, at the printing press. I was writing about the exceptional collection of woodland plants that can be found at the Bovee's Nursery in Portland, Ore.: "Along with the woodland treasures, the nursery is also noted for their world-famous collection of tropical, semi-hardy Vireya Rhododendrons." With this information included, perhaps the last sentence of the column might make more sense.
One of the reasons Seattle has become more and more popular with refugees from the American east is, no matter how bad it has gotten (the days of Number One Livability are a distant memory), it is still always better than from when they-we came: Cincinnati, New York City, Boston, Dallas, Atlanta, Philly, etc. Seattle is not quite Jesse Jackson's vaunted Rainbow Coalition, but racial discord, although it exists here, doesn't carry the weight of a couple of centuries of hate and oppression. Many eastern locales do.
The banner, above-the-fold headline in the Jan. 25 Seattle Post-Intelligencer could not have been more definite: "Husky Stadium funding dead." Only one problem: it's not true.
February is Valentine month, and Taproot Theatre is offering a month-long bit of romantic fluff to encourage all you lovers out there. Shakespeare's "As You Like It," one of his frothiest comedies, winds up with four weddings. That's right, not one, but four. In this play, love conquers all, an apt concept for the month of hearts and flowers.
Maybe it's the trauma of the writers strike. Maybe it's a presidential election year with the prospect of worthy candidates on both sides. Whatever's hit the membership of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the slate of nominees for the 2007 Oscars reads more like a tally sheet from the National Society of Film Critics Awards than the typical Tinseltown ballot.The only Oscar season like this was in 1996, when just one film among the five best-picture nominees bore the logo of a Hollywood major, and even that was an "indie" movie at heart: Cameron Crowe's "Jerry Maguire," nominated along with the Coen brothers' "Fargo," Mike Leigh's "Secrets & Lies" from England, the Australian "Shine" and "The English Patient," which won.
Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, six weeks before Easter. All sinful and indulgent food should have been used up on Shrove Tuesday. All wild oats should have been sown at carnival at this time before settling down to the six austere weeks of lent preceding Easter. Shrove Tuesday-known in the United States as Fat Tuesday and also time for Mardi Gras-is Pancake Day in England. It all started long before Betty Crocker and Aunt Jemima, allowing housewives to use up all the white flower and other ingredients forbidden during lent by making pancakes. At a time when everything was governed by the church bells, tradition has it that a pious Olney housewife was frying her pancakes way back in the year 1445 when the church bells rang to summon the faithful to pray. Not wishing to be late and not wishing to waste her pancake, she rushed to church, frying pan in hand, thus starting the famous Olney Pancake Day race.
Lamb chop, sweetie pie, cupcake, sweet pea and honey: we use all these culinary terms to describe our loved ones. So it seems appropriate, on Valentine's Day, to give from the heart and prepare a sumptuous, romantic meal for the ones we love. Perhaps it's because I have worked in restaurants my whole life, but I prefer to cook at home on special occasions. Valentine's Day in particular is one dinner that I feel is best served at home. An intimate dinner for two is more appealing to me than being out on the town with thousands of other couples, vying for the waiter's attention and the best table. For parents, ant-home, intimate meal after the children are in bed removes the stress (and added expense) of finding a sitter.
Christine Marie Branham, a resident of Queen Anne for half a century, died Jan. 19 in Yreka, Calif. She was 88. She was born Christine Marie Meyers, the youngest of eight children, to Joseph and Anna Meyers on May 30, 1919, in Fargo, N.D. Eventually she migrated west to Seattle, where she settled with her mother and three of her five sisters on Queen Anne Hill. It was a family affair living across the street from her eldest sister Betty and her husband Walter Strecker, as well as next to her sister Sue and her husband Ralph Warrick. As Aunt Chris to Pam and Brett Warwick, and mother to Tim Gregerson, Mrs. Branham was also caregiver for her sister Anne and mother Anna, who each preceded her passing from cancer.
Queen Anne resident Woodrow Bryan "Woody" Whitfield died Jan. 17. He was 90. Mr. Whitfield was born 1917 in Itasca, Texas, to Bryan and Elsie Whitfield. The oldest of four children, he was involved with the rest of his family in the operation of their cotton farm, and long hours behind the working part of a mule taught him that education was his ticket off the farm. He excelled in sports and, in particular, football, which led him to Texas A&M; he graduated in 1942. Mr. Whitfield was drafted into the United States Army and served in the Medical Corps. As a Staff Sergeant in World War II in the ETO, he was decorated with the Bronze Star medal.
It isn't easy going 18-0, being ranked No. 2 in the country (NCAA Div. II) and staying unbeaten. Those who witnessed the Seattle Pacific University (SPU) womens basketball team's 68-67 win over a resolute Northwest Nazarene squad in Nampa, Ida., on Feb. 2 can attest to that. Opponents invariably bring their best when playing highly-ranked SPU. The Crusaders did not disappoint, leading often in the game and up by 5 points with just 2:50 remaining. It was a classic nail-biter, with nine ties and 23 lead changes. But SPU somehow pulled out a win, literally in the last second of play.
e temperature dropping, but Magnolia Little League (MLL) is preparing for the 2008 season.A huge part of MLL is the fastpitch program. Since it began 1996, Magnolia Fastpitch has grown to be a competitive asset to District Eight, while at the same time encouraging fun and fair-play with all girls involved.
Students provide childcare for parents who want a special evening-without the kids Valentine's Day, usually just another night at home for most parents, is romantic once again thanks to 8th-grade students from Catharine Blaine School who are set to provide childcare services for appreciative parents. With the goal of raising enough money to send Blaine's entire 8th-grade class to Camp Orkila, student baby-sitters are volunteering their services on Feb. 14, between the hours of 5 and 9 p.m., so parents can enjoy a few cozy hours away from child-rearing duties. Baby-sitting will be supervised by adult chaperones and will take place on-site at Catharine Blaine School, 2550 34th Ave. W.
Fifth-grade students from Lawton Elementary School are limbering up their vocal chords in preparation for Feb. 7-8 performances of "Theft of Gold: The Ring Begins," an adaptation of Richard Wagner's classic opera, "Das Rheingold."The performances are made possible by the Seattle Opera's "Our Opera Goes to School" outreach program, which places professional singers, teaching artists and musicians from the opera company in local-area schools. Lawton students will practice with the professionals during the week of Feb. 4. They will then perform the opera with the Seattle Opera artists at a school assembly on Feb. 7 and at a public performance at Lawton on Feb. 8 at 6 p.m.
PANCAKE DAY: IHOP, 10002 Aurora Ave. N., is offering a free short stack of buttermilk pancakes on Tuesday, Feb. 12, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., to raise awareness and funds for the Children's Miracle Network at Sand Point-based Children's Hospital & Regional Medical Center. IHOP guests, in return, are encouraged to make a donation toward the $750,000 goal of National Pancake Day.National Pancake Day usually takes place on Shrove Tuesday (Mardi Gras), because pancakes are made with all the dairy ingredients that are prohibited during Lent. However, this year's Shrove Tuesday fell on Tuesday, Feb. 5, when many states held their presidential primaries (Super Tuesday).
VALENTINE'S DAY PROMOTION: BiZi Bee Floral, 12304 Lake City Way N.E., is selling gift baskets featuring flowers, chocolate and sex toys during the week of Monday, Feb. 11 as part of its Valentine's Day promotion. According to the store's owner, BiZi Bee will be the first florist to offer sex toys as part of its product line.Sex educator Raven, of Raven's Gallery Erotic, will kick off the promotion with a free, informal Sex and Romance Q&A; on Friday, Feb. 8, from 6 to 9 p.m. at BiZi Bee.