Flowers Following Sunny Days

My yard looks like it has been shot with a kaleidoscope paintball gun. Suddenly flowers of all kinds and colors have exploded in the flower gardens in the past few days of intense and enduring sunshine. I'm going to enclose a few flowers for your viewing pleasure.


I love this beautiful little blue flower, but I am not familiar with it, so I can't tell you what it is. I'll consult some friends and see what we can come up with for a name for this little one.


The little buttercups survived the lawn mowing my neighbor just did.


I am very impressed with these sweetpeas. Such a pretty blend of colors.


Vibrant irises showing off their deep purples and blues.


Oriental poppies popping up everywhere. Lots more coming later.

I have more colors and flowers than shown here. The rose bushes (all shades and colors) have positively enflamed the yard. I also have a couple of foxglove stalks growing here and there too amongst other flowering plants.

Editor of AGNADL

Follow Up: Last Titanic Survivor Dies

Millvina Dean, who was nine weeks old when the Titanic set sail, passed away in the county of Hampshire (England) where she was living. She was 97 years old. We posted an article on May 14, 2009 about how several celebrities of Titanic film fame were helping to support her in a care facility.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/hampshire/8070095.stm

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Get Up and Get Outside to Play

Hope your day is as nice the one we're having in the Pacific Northwest.


A convergence of boats on Puget Sound in front of my house.

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Now We Can Have Green Floors Too!

I love that the business world is getting more environmentally friendly. You spend decades trying your best to care for the planet on a personal level, only to discover that your kitchen cabinets, your wall coverings, and flooring are pumping out major toxins into the sacred space of your own home. Only nowadays, we have alternatives. Click on the lick below to read a blog about green flooring choices from my good friend, Barbara Moss, who runs a flooring store with her husband, Ira.

http://sanfordcarpet.blogspot.com/

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Squirrels and Humans Working Together

I came across this video in the Gimundo good news email. It's very sweet and worth watching the triumphant conclusion.

http://gimundo.com/videos/view/give-a-squirrel-a-helping-hand/

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Meditation for Veterans

I think that it would be no surprise to learn that veterans who have seen combat duty might have a lot of emotional and psychological damage that makes it hard for vets to cope once they get back to "normal" life. Chronic pain from injuries can make it hard too to return to a regular routine. The veterans hospital in Seattle is teaching meditation as a way to deal with the stresses that come from having been in a war.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009228919_vetmeditation17m.html

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In the Interest of Social Responsibility

Ever so briefly let me update you on one aspect of alternative ways to power the planet. It turns out that geothermal energy may not be the cleanest alternative out there. Since we have presented it in a positive light, we thought it only fair to post the down side, even though it may not be particularly good news. Being informed is good though and helps us to make better choices about the future of the planet.

http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/39982

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Amazing Story of Courage and Resolve

Never underestimate the power of a woman who has put all her time and energy into making something only to have it smashed before her eyes. Following is the amazing story of a woman in England whose house was literally bulldozed before her eyes and how she rebuilt that house out of pieces left behind.

http://gimundo.com/news/article/may-savidge-the-woman-who-moved-her-house-100-miles/

The following is a link to the book that tells about the restoration of the house by the niece who inherited it and restored it. It is now a bed and breakfast in Norfolk.

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/property/article-1185210/Moving-house-How-little-old-lady-spent-23-years-single-handedly-dismantling-cottage-brick-brick-rebuilding-100-miles-away.html

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Happy Memorial Day

Here at AGNADL, we're wishing each of you a happy and safe Memorial Day. Don't forget that this weekend is about more than barbecues, shopping, and an extra long weekend. It's about honoring the memory of those who lost their lives defending this country. It's not a bad time to thank a living veteran too, while you're at it, and they are still around to receive your gratitude in person for their efforts on our behalf. Following are some articles on the history behind Memorial Day in the U.S.

http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1900454,00.html

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Betty Tisdale Has a H.A.L.O.

I have been hearing about Betty Tisdale for a while from Mary Ellen "Angel Scribe," a woman in Oregon who has a couple of wonderful email newsletters she puts out on a regular basis. One contains animal stories and health tips. The other is for miracle stories and other helpful and fun information. Mary Ellen has been featuring the work of Betty Tisdale recently and I just had to share the marvelous work this 86-year-old woman is doing with orphaned children in Vietnam. She's a great reminder that no matter who you are, or in what stage of life, you can be the miracle in someone else's life.

http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/showarticle.php?num=01OWN170309

http://www.bettytisdale.com/dnn/

If you're interested in subscribing to Mary Ellen "Angel Scribe's" newsletters, here is the link for that as well:
http://angelscribe.com/

I met Mary Ellen years ago while I was working at the Southcenter Mall Waldenbooks in Seattle. She was promoting her miracle books at the time, so I set up an author signing with her. She is a wonderfully positive and warm human being, who also happens to have some famous cats who swim. She taught her beautiful cats to swim because of the pool in their yard. She didn't want them to drown if ever the fell into the pool, so she simply taught them to swim as a preventive action. Mary Ellen and her swimming cats have been featured on television news programs in the area. Mary Ellen's miracle books are available through her website and through Amazon.com.

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Trip to Alki Beach

I got the wonderful opportunity today to meet up with one of my Facebook friends, Kerstin, who lives in Germany. I've only ever interacted with her on Facebook, but she let me know when her airline (Lufthansa) was coming to Seattle so we could meet. I went over on the Bainbridge ferry this morning and picked her up at her hotel. I found out that she loves pizza, so I took her to my favorite pizza place in Seattle (Pegasus on Alki Beach). We walked along the waterfront for a while in the beautiful sunshine, talking and getting to know one another a little bit. I want to share some photos of what we saw today. There are a lot more on Facebook, if you happen to be there too. Thanks, Kerstin, for being willing to meet up with a virtual stranger today and leave at the end of the day with a new friend.


Seattle Skyline from Alki Beach (Photo by Beth Mitchum)

Seattle Skyline (Photo by Beth Mitchum)

Tacoma Narrows Bridge (Photo by Kerstin Oswald)

Mount Rainier from I-5 South of Seattle (Photo by Kerstin Oswald)

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Ecological Wood Processing Method

Scientists in Belfast have developed a new ecological way of dissolving wood using ionic liquids that help break down wood into products such as bio fuels, textiles, clothes, and paper. Since the nineteenth century, wood has been broken down using technology that produces chemical pollution as a waste product. For more info on this new method of dissolving wood, click on the link below:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090520055534.htm

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Bunch of Belfast Babies Born

Wowser. Not as many as eight, but six babies are three times the number of hands I have, so I hope they have lots of hands on deck to help them out. Bless you, Belfast babies!

For more information of the delivery of the sextuplets, click on the link below:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/8063956.stm

An Old Cradle Song
Sleep, my babe, lie still and slumber,
All through the night
Guardian angels God will lend thee,
All through the night
Soft and drowsy hours are creeping,
Hill and vale in slumber sleeping,
Mother dear her watch is keeping,
All through the night
God is here, you'll not be lonely,
All through the night
'Tis not I who guards thee only,
All through the night
Night's dark shades will soon be over,
Still my watchful care shall hover,
God with me His watch is keeping,
All through the night.

The above cradle song and other Irish prayers and blessings can be found at the link below:
http://islandireland.com/Pages/folk/sets/bless.html

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Color Me Green and Surprised

I've never been a fan of fake foliage, so I was surprised at my excitement over the invention of a plastic tree that generates power, while attempting to blend into the surrounding environment. I'm blown away by this great idea for generating electricity using wind power.

http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/39956

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Fuel-Efficient Cows?

Apparently this is the day for funny and interesting animals and the environment stories. Check this one out about reducing the methane pollution from flatulent cows.

http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/39950

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Got Rats? Use Owls, Not Pesiticides

This is priceless. I couldn't resist. I could have used one of these in my backyard for a while there.

http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/39951

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Sales Up on This New & Improved Invention

I used to ride 50-100 miles a week on my bike, commuting to work and living mostly without a car for three years after I moved to the Seattle area. Once I hurt my back at work though, I ended up buying a small car, since there were some days it wasn't safe or feasible to get to work by bike, and for a couple years, I could not walk the couple miles to and from the bus stop because of the pain and numbness in my legs. Although it took a couple years, I eventually got well enough to resume the walk to the bus stop or the trip to work via bike. I could have done this, but part of me was afraid of taking the chance of getting hit on my bike during my commute. I'd nearly had my clock cleaned a few times in the past despite the fact that I am a very careful cyclist, who respects the laws of the road. Since I did not want another back injury, instead of taking up my bike again, I continued driving my very economical 1995 Honda Civic, which I've mentioned before in a blog at this site. I'm still driving this amazing car.

My car gets nearly 50 mpg on the highway and 34 or 35 mpg in town, but that isn't in the same league at all with the vehicle mentioned in a recent newsletter from the Environmental News Network. Below is a link to a new version of the electric bicycle. Part scooter, part bicycle, this vehicle is both economical to own and environmentally friendly. Although I don't really have need of this bike at present, and it certainly wouldn't preclude car drivers hitting a cyclist, it does make the bicycle commuter in me sit up and take notice.

http://www.optibike.com/

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Thinking Outside the Oil Barrell

When petroleum supplies run out, so will the basis for a lot of types of plastic. Some scientists are already thinking outside of the box on that issue by working on plastics produced with environmentally-friendly manufacturing practices that use micro-organisms. For more on this, click the following link:

http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/39934

Editor of AGNADL

Endangered Blue Whales Returning to Alaskan Playgrounds

While they've still got a long way to go before they get off the endangered species list, the blue whales are starting to return to northern waters along their former migratory route. The blue whales were nearly wiped out by commercial fishing in the early part of the twentieth century. I think this return to former migratory patterns is a good sign. Hopefully now they can continue recovery efforts.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009235492_bluewhales19.html

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Green Coke?

Now there's a thought. Coke is greening up its act with a new bottle concept--a plant-based plastic bottle. Hmm. It will still use traditional petroleum-based bottles, but with the new concept, thirty percent of the traditional plastic would be replaced with plant-based materials. To learn more, click the link below:

http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/39926

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Summer Scenes on the Sound

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Schools May Turn Green

The House has passed a modernization bill to make schools more green. Repairs and upgrades being done to aging or damaged schools will be more environmentally friendly. This sounds encouraging. It still has to get through the Senate and so on before it's a done deal, but at least it's on the way. Now if they'll also invest some money in education itself and teachers' wages, we'd be all set.

http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/39915

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Sipping Coffee with the Man on the Moon

Interesting article from NASA about powering a lunar outpost. But what about the implications of using this technology now in places on earth where solar power is limited?

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/15may_stirling.htm

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Car-less in Vauban

Linked below is an article about a town in Germany that has gone completely green and almost totally car-less, an idea whose time has come, if you ask me. Of course, you probably didn't ask me, but oh well. It's still an interesting concept. What's rather silly are the ordinances in the U.S. that require builders to build for two car spaces per dwelling. Seems like they could accommodate a company whose concept is designed for people not having and using cars.

http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/39907

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Celebs Helping to Support Final Titanic Survivor

Thanks to author Lesley Davis for the following link that tells how Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, and James Cameron have donated money to help support the last survivor of the Titanic with her monthly costs at a Hampshire nursing home. She had been auctioning off memorabilia associated with the disaster. At the time of the sinking, Millvina Dean was only nine weeks old.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/latest/2009/05/11/kate-and-leo-help-titanic-survivor-115875-21350341/

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Gimundo is Back!

What is Gimundo? Gimundo is a good news email newsletter that for a time folded. I really felt the gap when they stopped operations many months ago. The void created by the cessation of this good news letter is what prompted me to launch All Good News All Day Long. While I've enjoyed doing AGNADL, it has been a challenge to keep up with it and my other writing too. I still have two novels patiently waiting for me to get busy again.

When I started AGNADL, I was hoping to get a little more input from other contributors, and while I have gotten quite some help (thank you, Flo Harrah, Catherine Moore, Belinda Hall, Lesley Davis, Ginny Hardie, Norma Mitchum, Lee Harris, and Laurie Shiffler), I was spending usually one to two hours a day on entries for this blog alone. That meant that I had that much less time daily to work on my other writing, which includes two other blogs: http://slicesofmylife.net and http://mysticangelhealing.net. While I'm not going to close AGNADL down completely, I will not be making the effort to post one or two entries every day.

In order to get your good news fix, I point you to Gimundo.com to get your good news delivered to your email box. I will still post some items here as I come across them, but I won't feel bad if I skip a day or two or even three. Nor will I feel bad if I want to go on vacation and leave my laptop behind.

Thank you to all of you for reading AGNADL. We will touch noses again (as is the custom amongst my kitties when encountering one another in passing). If you wish for me to add you to our mailing list so you'll know when I post new articles, please email me at allgoodnewsalldaylong@gmail.com, and I'll add you to my automatic notice list. I have room only for a few so you may simply want to subscribe to this news feed by clicking on the appropriate link on the blog page.

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Hurray for Safe Shuttle Launch

Although there was minor damage reported after the Space Shuttle Atlantis was launched yesterday, the launch itself was successful. The shuttle is off to work on upgrades to the Hubble telescope. We wish them a successful mission and a safe return to earth.

http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2009/05/12/NASA-Shuttle-dings-appear-minor/UPI-35861242176959/

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A Reasonable Call to Action from Robert Redford

I came across this article by Robert Redford in The Huffington Post yesterday. It is thoughtful. It is reasonable. It is feasible. It's about breaking our addiction to fossil fuels by harnessing the remarkable power of earth's very renewable resources: the wind, the sun, and water. There's not a bunch of scientific jargon in it, but there is a lot of logic in his argument. Below is a link to read it for yourself.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-redford/harnessing-natures-power_b_201605.html

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US-Iranian Reporter Released from Prison Today

Although she has been banned from working as a journalist in Iran for five year, US-Iranian reporter, Roxana Saberi, has been released today from her controversial incarceration. To learn more, click on the link:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8044193.stm

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Calendar Girls are Back Baring All

If you've been living under a rock for the past ten years and have no idea who the "Calendar Girls" are, then I urge you to read on, watch the videos, and be amazed at what a group of brave Yorkshire women have done to change the world in so many ways. This year's calendar marks the tenth year anniversary since the original calendar was created to raise money for a local hospital in the wake of the illness and early death of one of the calendar girls' husbands. Their charity efforts have gone on to raise two million pounds for Leukaemia Research. In 2003, a movie was made about their story, starring Helen Mirren and Julie Waters. The story has now also come to stage, bringing this touching and funny story to the Noel Coward Theatre.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8043687.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/north_yorkshire/8025460.stm


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/7755797.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/breakfast/7998150.stm

Editor of AGNADL

Celebrating Animal Mothers

There are mothers all around the world and some of them live in your backyard or at the zoo or the aquarium or in the park. While we are celebrating Mother's Day on this side of the world, All Good News is going to focus on images of mothering in its many facets, including mothers of another species nurturing someone else's babies. Having spent years and years of my life nurturing other people's children, as well as my own pets, I know firsthand that mothering is an instinct that is not restricted to biological parents. Enjoy.


http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=44490183


http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photos/pod-animal-mothers-babies.html

http://images.google.com/images?q=animal+mothers&sourceid=navclient-ff&rlz=1B3GPCK_enUS324US325&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=kUcHSrvNIZPksgPCuNnXAQ&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&resnum=1&ct=title

http://www.voanews.com/english/Science/2009-05-08-voa12.cfm

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Reaching Out a Helping Hand

Once again Nicole Brodeur, Seattle Times writer, has a struck a responsive chord in an article that posted yesterday. She talked about all the needy families and individuals being helped during difficult times by the local area food banks. She also reminded her readers that the "Stamp Out Hunger" food drive is happening today in King County. They are doing a food drive here in Kitsap County as well. The postal deliverer left a plastic grocery type bag in my mailbox yesterday. I put in my nonperishable items for them to pick up again today as they go around delivering the mail. I even got out early this morning and strolled down to the mailbox to make sure I got it ready in time.

Even if you don't have a food drive event like that going on in your neighbor this week, I hope you'll use this blog as a reminder to share what you can spare for those in need. If we all do a little, a lot of people are benefited.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nicolebrodeur/2009194119_brodeur08m.html

Editor of AGNADL

Some Green News Clippings

Using green energy to run green technology makes perfect sense to me. To learn more about generating hydrogen fuel using green energy, click on the article below:
http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/39862

Ever wonder how on earth to recycle styrofoam? Well, apparently other people have too, which led them to the following solution:
http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/39868

This link takes you to an article about generating electricity using the power of waves and sea snakes:
http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/39867

Editor of AGNADL

Three-Year-Old Found Safe after 2 Days Alone in the Woods

Linked below is a remarkable story about a three-year-old who "went on a hike" and got lost. All Joshua Childers was wearing when he left was a T-shirt, sneakers, and a pull-up diaper. After a massive search, Joshus was found after two days on his own.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30608210/

Below is another link to this story, which also provides information of finding missing persons and on how to survive on your own should you get lost. I highly recommend this sensible article as must-read information for everyone.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ben-sherwood/lost-how-a-three-year-old_b_198883.html

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No Ugly Ducklings Here

My friend, Lee Harris, author of Never Let Your Cat Make Lunch for You, sent me a link yesterday, which I'm including in today's blog. It's an amazing story about humans and wildlife working together to get things done.

http://www.snopes.com/photos/animals/amazingduck.asp

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Happy Cinco de Mayo

For historical information on Cinco de Mayo, check out the links below:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/05/04/cinco-de-mayo-history-of_n_195769.html

http://clnet.ucla.edu/cinco.html

http://www.vivacincodemayo.org/history.htm

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Gates Foundation Funding Global Health Research

Bill Gates (Microsoft mogul) and his life Melinda have a wonderful organization called the Gates Foundation, which provides grants and funding for various projects that might otherwise not reach fruition. The Gates Foundation is one of the largest philanthropic organizations in the world. It handed out nearly three billion dollars during last year alone. Click below to learn more about the research being funding by the Great Challenges Exploration, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation project focused on health-research projects that might prevent or treat infectious diseases.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009174221_gatesfoundation05.html

Editor of AGNADL

Fashion Fun Supports Research for Genetic Diseases

My favorite Seattle Times journalist brings us a story today about how a fashion fundraiser (Thaw) is fueling research for cures for genetic neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington's and Lou Gehrig's disease. Click below for more information about the fun fundraiser as well as the UW clinic that is benefited from what has become a hot scene. Thanks, Nicole, for bringing this important event to our attention.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nicolebrodeur/2009174220_brodeur05m.html

Editor of AGNADL

S&P Stocks Jump High Enough Today to Erase Negatives of 2009

The S&P 500 rose so high today that all losses from earlier this year were erased and a healthy increase was posted. The Nasdag also had substantial gains. Meanwhile the increase in the Dow hasn't completely erased this year's negative numbers, but they made it looked a whole lot better for the financial year thus far.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/05/business/05markets.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&src=igw

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Spring Continuing to Unfold

The first two photos were submitted by Catherine Moore of Norwich, England, Jasper's mum.


Jasper of Norwich, England joins us this week in celebrating spring by tiptoeing through or, at least, past the tulips.


Jasper enjoying stretching out on the lawn.

The following photos were submitted by Flo Harrah near Vancouver, B.C. Thank you, Flo for sending these. Apparently she's had skunks living in her yard for years. She went out this morning and got a new photo for us. I suspect that the fact she is feeding them might explain why they stay around.


Skunk Visitor


Bee & the Pear Blossum


Magnolia Flower

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Hometown: Poulsbo, Washington

(This entry was meant to post on May 2, 2009)

I have lived in a number of interesting and somewhat unusual places. While the place I'm going to tell you about today wasn't the first place I lived when I moved to Poulsbo, Washington, it was the only place where I've lived inside the city limits. I was in fact in the heart of the downtown area of historic Poulsbo, a Norwegian village not far from Seattle. I had an apartment right on Front Street on the Liberty Bay side of the road. If you've ever driven down into the heart of historic Poulsbo's downtown area, then you drove right past where I used to live. Just as you get to the four-way stop downtown, you come to the Olympic Outdoor Center, which rents kayaks and sells all manner of Northwest sports gear. I've provided a link to the shop so you can check it out if you'd like.

http://www.olympicoutdoorcenter.com/store.php

Above that shop there are two apartments. I lived in the one that was street side. If you looked out my front windows, you had a view of Front Street. If you looked out my side bedroom window, there was a view of Liberty Bay and the Sons of Norway meeting house. If you look at the building at their website, all the windows on the top half front side would have been mine because my apartment covered the entire front side of the building. On the side of the building, the first two windows were mine, the third was for the joint laundry room, and the last window was for the rear apartment, which was the larger of the two apartments.


View of Liberty Bay January 2004


View from front parking lot of Olympic Outdoor Center


View from across street, looking downtown


View of downtown Poulsbo from in front of my apartment


My car buried in snow in front of my apartment

The population of Poulsbo is about 7500, which is several hundred more than when I moved there in 2002. The sudden growth in population was caused by an expansion of the incorporated area of Poulsbo, rather than by a sudden influx of new people. During the year, various festivities occur in the downtown area. My absolute favorite is the art show in the summer. Some people get a thrill out of the 4th of July fireworks display (which generally occurs on the 3rd of July so as not to compete with Seattle's display, I suppose). Viking Fest, which happens mid-May, is also a big attraction. Below are links to Poulsbo websites:
http://poulsbo.net/downtown/
http://www.cityofpoulsbo.com/
http://www.gonorthwest.com/Washington/puget/Poulsbo/Poulsbo.htm

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Lots of Wind Power

The wind industry installed over 2800 megawatts worth of electricity producing wind generators in the first fiscal quarter of 2009. This brings the nation's overall total to over 28,000 MW of installed generating capacity.

http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/39821

Editor of AGNADL