Monthly Archives: June 2015

Little Free Library #6267, Tacoma

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imageWooHoo! Two Little Free Libraries in a row. Tacoma has a couple of dozen Little Free Libraries which were part of the Little Free Library Project. This Little Free Library was created by a grandfather/granddaughter team is located on the south side of N. 22nd between North Hudson Street and North Ferdinand Street.

This “Little Free Library” is unusual in that it has a two toned blue paint job and some kind of sports boards attached to the side. Inside there are over a dozen books.

Little Free Libraries is part of a community movement which offers free books. When I considered my first Little Free Library in November 2012, a Wikipedia article informed me that there were over 200 of these libraries. There are now over 15,000!  Each of the libraries is registered and can be located by their GPS coordinates. Per the November 2012 website:

Our Mission

  • To promote literacy and the love of reading by building free book exchanges worldwide.
  • To build a sense of community as we share skills, creativity, and wisdom across generations
  • To build more than 2,510 libraries around the world – more than Andrew Carnegie–and then more. (yes, they made that one!)

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Little Free Library #16986, Lakewood

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19256413431_e5b9895279_kBack in November of 2012, Tacoma had two little free library, which were part of the Little Free Library Project. Now there must be a couple of dozen little free libraries and Lakewood, WA has two.

This “Little Free Library” is located at 10317 Interlaaken Drive SW, Lakewood, WA. It is unusual in that it is attached to a tree stump and has a darling dragonfly handle. Inside there are about a dozen books, but none for me today.

Little Free Libraries is part of a community movement which offers free books. When I considered my first Little Free Library in November 2012, a Wikipedia article informed me that there were over 200 of these libraries. There are now over 15,000!  Each of the libraries is registered and can be located by their GPS coordinates. Per the November 2012 website:

Our Mission

  • To promote literacy and the love of reading by building free book exchanges worldwide.
  • To build a sense of community as we share skills, creativity, and wisdom across generations
  • To build more than 2,510 libraries around the world – more than Andrew Carnegie–and then more. (yes, they made that one!)

 

Skookum Wulge Beach Habitat Restoration

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Driving home from Brown’s Point the other day, I stopped to admire the view along Marine View Drive. The information sign told me that I was enjoying the Skookum Wulge Beach Habitat Restoration, a 1.19 acre parcel of uplands and tidelands of Commencement Bay that had previously been the Meeker Log Storage lease. When the lease expired in 1999, the property was purchased and the title conveyed to the Puyallup Tribe. The site was renamed to Skookum Wulge, which translates to powerful salt water. There are two other sites in this project, Yowkwala and Squally Beach. For more information on the Skookum Wulge, go here.

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Cafe Vincero

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imageToday  I enjoyed an impulsive lunch with my good friend. We went to a new to us place, Cafe Vincero at 714 Pacific Avenue in Tacoma. The Cafe  pictures Italian dining and specializes in wood fired pizza. The space is lovely with the abundant tile working well with the historic building. Our waiter was attentive and funny! Because of a tiny mix up, which was graciously handled, we ended up with two pizzas.  They were both delicious. Really, they were so good I would happily go back tomorrow!

The building is known as the Kaufman-Wolff Building and was constructed in 1888 with Farrell & Darmer being the architects. Occupants have included: Sperry & Spengemann, G.L. Holmes Furniture, Wallerstein Candies, Edwin Chambers Auto Supplies, Soldiers & Sailors Club House, War Camp Community Service, Edward B. Rhodes Post – American Legion, Sutherland Tire Co., B. Wingard &
Sons Butchers’ Supply Co., United Service Organization (U.S.O.) and the Footprinters’ Club (seriously, what is a Footprinters’s Club?!). As of May 2014, the Vincero was in place on the Pacific Avenue level of the building.

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U.S. Soldiers Home Cemetery

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soldiers home cemetery

soldiers home cemetery

The Washington Soldiers Home Cemetery in  Orting, Washington is associated with the nearby Washington Soldiers Home.  There are 2,683 interments. The soldiers that are buried here fought in the Civil War through the Vietnam War and sometimes have wives and mothers buried next to them. While most of the soldiers are men, there are some women also.

Four of the soldiers are Civil War Congressional medal of honor recipients. They are George L Houghton, Alexander U. McHale, Albert O’Connor, and William Sickles (pictured).

For more information on this cemetery, you should go visit the real wonderful associated Facebook Page. The photos below also include one of Mt. Rainier from downtown Orting.

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