The Moss Bay Recorder Society’s Christmas Play-along/Sing-along at the Kirkland Public Library is a highlight of my Decembers in Kirkland. This year’s event is Dec. 13 at 2 p.m. The program includes lovely music, most of which is not well known, nor disseminated as muzak in malls or elevators. All singers and players of recorders and of other compatible (acoustic) instruments are welcomed to sight-read the music. Rhythm instruments and bells are also provided to encourage participation. If you do not wish to join in as a singer or player, just come by to listen and enjoy!
Another favorite local Christmas event is the Christmas boats. When I first moved to Juanita I did not know of this tradition, but I heard faint Christmas music one crisp night, so I stepped out to listen. Nowadays I walk down to Juanita Beach for the bonfire and community party. This year’s Juanita Beach Park concert and bonfire is Friday, Dec. 19 at 8 p.m. As a bonus, if it is a clear night you can actually see many stars from the breakwater walk, where there is less light pollution than in the neighborhoods.
One year I happened to be in downtown Kirkland for Christmas shopping when the sailing from Marina Park was around sunset. We were having a rare clear December night. The lights, boats, music and sunset were magic and remain vivid in my mind. I walked down Lake Washington Boulevard parallel to the boats, enjoying the music, the sunset, and the clear, crisp air. This year’s near sunset sailing from Marina Park is Saturday Dec. 6. I hope it features another spectacular sunset!
November in our Parks:
Juanita Bay: You never know for sure what you will see in our wildlife park. The wintering duck numbers are building up, and the eagles are back. The snipe (yes there really are birds called snipe) are playing hide and seek with visitors, mostly along the shore off the west boardwalk’s main observation deck. The park was graced by a visit from a rare trumpeter swan mid-month, and it had many admirers. A Northern shrike was another notable November sighting for this Park.
Kirkland Watershed Park: The third Saturday nature walk in November happened to coincide with a workday for one of the students involved in the gravel pit restoration study, so the group was able to learn about the project. The soil is being amended differently in three study plots, and native species planted. The site will be monitored for the new plantings’ success. One question under study is the relative ability of the different soil amendment proportions to impede reinvasion by Scotch broom
Local Green Calendar Dec. 3-17:
First Sunday walk, Juanita Bay Park, Sunday Dec. 7 at 1 p.m. from kiosk next to the parking lot. Free, no pre-registration required. This is a monthly walk, led by Juanita Bay Volunteer Rangers.
Sustainable Futures Book Club meets at 7 p.m. the second Wednesday of the month, (Dec. 10). The group will meet in the small conference room at Redmond Regional Library, despite the library’s remodeling work in process. The featured book is any book by Frances Moore Lappe. The two latest published by this author are Democracy’s Edge and Getting a Grip. All are welcome to join in the discussion.
Sustainable Kirkland Community group meets the second Thursday of the month (Dec. 11). For information, visit their Web site at www.SustainableKirkland.org. This group held its organizational meeting this September (disclosure, I was one of three people who planned and scheduled the initial meeting), and is growing fast. It is already working on several projects. It is affiliated with the umbrella group ScALLops (Sustainable Communities ALL over Puget Sound).
