Our neighborhood, year and a half long traffic circle project to remove ivy and replant with native plants has reached the end of stage three. Our first mission was to remove the well entrenched ivy that had been planted 30-40 years ago. No mean feat if you've ever tackled a significant swath of that invasive. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of what the circle looked like with ivy everywhere.

The next step was to dig out some tree planting holes and break up the concrete under them so the roots of bigger trees we would be plants would have some room to grow. Then we bark-mulched the whole area. Neighbors went down periodically to do a little weeding. We wanted to wait through the summer to plant so that the annual rains would help out in that department.

Behind the scenes were those who knew how to get the grant from the city for the work done and those who researched the native plants and did the planting design.

Over the past few days, George pruned the Hawthorns as the city gardener advised and today Woody and I cleaned up the results of that pruning. It's looking good. I can't wait to see it flourishing in summer.

Thanks to everyone who has helped out. I look forward to seeing you often in the park for weeding and for fun.

Whenever I hike in the northwest, I carry a plastic bag to pick up cans, plastic bottles and candy wrappers strewn in the Cascade foothills near Seattle. Seems a never ending task. So on vacation in southeast Arizona this week I wanted to do the same thing on the hiking trails there. We hiked on 6 days and covered over 40 miles. Beautiful weather in the 70's. We hiked Sabino Canyon close to Tucson and we hiked out at Muleshoe Ranch...somewhat remote. We hiked in the Chiricahua Mountains and in Madera Canyon.

My haul for the trip. One can and one piece of paper. I was amazed. Kudos to Arizona hikers. Seattlites, pay attention. Pack in in, pack it out.

Last year I joined a group (I say "group" loosely) who meet once a month for two and one half hours and donate work in a neighborhood park. George is the organizer and the go to guy. He knows about plants and weeds and can tell you the difference. He knows when to grab the seeds of the weeds to make next year's work easier. The Friends of Ravenna Ravine gather on the second Saturday of each month at 10:30 and work in the park. Often we remove the ever pervasive Himalayan Blackberry and the always invasive English Ivy. Wild clematis and morning glory are other problem plants and digging these things out by the roots takes some effort.

On occasion George has acquired some native plants or a truck load of bark mulch and with diligence we get them where they need to be. Often students from surrounding high schools or from the nearby University of Washington join us for some community service work or field work for one class or another. There are a few regulars and a few seasonal volunteers.

I work in Ravenna Park when I can as I live only a few blocks from the park and feel it is one of the neighborhoods greatest assets. If you live nearby, please join us some Saturday morning and Pay It Forward for Ravenna Park.

To get on a notice list email George and you will hear from him.