Important NSWP Event - September 22, 2016

Ecology - Life Cycle

Bureaucrats like to play Orwellian word games ... such as naming those giant concrete blocks that block the entrance to Wellington Hills Park... "Ecology Blocks". Yeah, sure.

Ecology, by definition is "the branch of biology that deals with the relations of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings."

In Wellington Hills Park, on the north side of 240th St., towards the western boundary, there's a dead tree. I think of this tree as the High-Rise Restaurant and Condo of Wellington Hills Park ... a lot of birds, bugs and wormy things are customers and tenants. 

A dead tree might not be ideal for most homes and gardens - but here in the park, it's part of the natural cycle... a dead tree has value - perhaps not to bureaucrats and politicians - but it has great importance and value in the natural order of Life.

Photo 1 was taken February 2014
Photo 2 and 3 were taken July 2016

Noticing Nature

This post has nothing to do with the Park issue, I just wanted to share a small thing.

The photos were taken along side the rail tracks where 240th Street ends at Route 9 (Woodinville Washington).

The 240th & Route 9 intersection, as we know, can be a tense driving experience.

There are many dump trucks going to and from the concrete recycling plant ... there's ebb and flow of Aboda and Primus ...and traffic launches w/ velocity in and out of Costco ... and there's almost perpetual bumper to bumper traffic on Route 9.

I doubt most drivers have the time to glance at roadside vegetation.

Late May I did a walk along Route 9 and the railroad track area, looking for photographic possibilities. I noticed one plant which seemed tenacious in a particular location (photo 1).

 I suppose it could be called a weed ... to me, the plant was visually interesting; I decided to revisit the plant after a few weeks passed.

Yesterday morning (Father's Day) the sky was clear and sunny so I revisited the edge of the rail tracks, looking for that "interesting" plant. It was easy to find.

Here are a few locations photos... and then a closer look at the plant.

Nature always provides something worthwhile. In this case, well, you can see for yourself.

The vew from 240th Street SE - Wellington Hills Park to Route 9

This past Thursday I walked westward from the blocked Wellington Hills Park entrance to Route 9, it's less than 1/2 mile.  I did this around 2 PM.

The first photos are what you see as you drive through the park

Once you leave the Park boundary, 240th Street steepens and then goes through several businesses until the street ends at Route 9. On the opposite side of 240th St. is Costco.

Quite a difference - Wellington Hills Park and the commerce and traffic of Route 9.

Why the difference? The Urban Growth Boundary is a big, big reason.

Just as oil spreads on water, there are special interests wanting to spread eastward up 240th St.

Guess what they see as the prize?