Fahnstrom’s 86th Avenue Community Garden is open. Steve and Stephanie were concerned about the effect of too much “junk food” on their children. They decided not only to grow some of their own food but to invite neighbors to do the same on their large lot.
Self Reliant members helped, and soon 9 x 9 foot beds about 15 inches high were filled with Washington Quarrie’s donated topsoil.
Give Fahnstroms (Emerald Landscaping) a call at 777-7739.
if you’d like to use one of the community beds to try growing your own food.
Easy! Plant a pizza seed and a pizza grows! Seriously, your kids will enjoy the new taste of carrots and red potatoes grown fresh.
Mayor Strickland: Tacoma’s mayor proclaimed the last week in March to be Community Gardens Week and opened seven new gardens.
(Holly added the following links)
http://www.cityoftacoma.org/Page.aspx?nid=927
http://www.metroparkstacoma.org/page.php?id=699
http://www.growlocaltacoma.com/
A Castle in Graham? Amazing! Ron’s home really IS his castle. He never lost the fascination he had as a kid with knights and castles of the Middle Ages. So, nearly twenty years ago, he purchased property here and, sitting in his truck, sketched out the beautiful turreted castle of his dreams. The completed castle I was invited into last week was very much like the sketch. The basic construction took 18 months with the help of a professional Tacoma stone-mason and thousands of cobblestones from old Tacoma streets. Gargoyles to repel evil spirits adorn the 18 inch thick walls resting on a two-foot-wide foundation. It took another 13 years, with delays and cost overruns, to finally finish it, though Ron continues to improve it every year. It has been featured on HGTV and used to create a 1 ½ hr. film, “Prince of Darkness”.
Inside, square handmade nails fasten the floorboards. Every wall is covered with more swords, battleaxes, and lances than I will ever see again. Suits of armor, actually worn in mock medieval combat, stood in various corners. Pictures and decorations adorned even the ceilings. Yet every room was also wired for modern electronics and conveniences. The main turret – the “KEEP” – was, Ron explained, where food and weapons were stored to “keep” the people in case the main walls were breached. I climbed spiral steps, originally deliberately made uneven to impede enemies, passed up through two small rooms, and stepped gingerly out on the tiny balcony of the 57 foot high turret to view the countryside for miles around. No enemy in sight!
Last, Ron led me down and down, then through a squeaky iron-clad dungeon door, and across to the low-domed wine cellar. At the other end of that pillared dungeon was a marvelous sight – a modern garage door! Amazing! It brought me back to the realization that one persevering man let nothing get in the way of making his life’s dream come true, and now he is, for the first time, sharing a bit of his very private and wonderful family residence with his Graham neighbors. Welcome, Ron!
Graham Community Theater now forming. Needed are
not only amateur actors but “behind the scenes” workers. The first play will be fairly easy and fun. Talk to Gloriann Calvert, 1-253-326-8307 or email grcwriter@gmail.com
Three young walnut trees (2 ft.) free to a good home. Phone Arlene at 466-3495
Grazing in Graham will be Saturday, July 24th, at Frontier Park. More and more, new businesses and groups are becoming an important part of the Graham scene and this is your chance to get acquainted with them.
Want a well-kept 1930 Chevrolet four-door sedan? Runs well. Ask Wayne at 847-4614 for information.
The GAP (Graham’s Amazing People?) group enjoyed a great trip to Wolf Haven. On the second Thursday of May, they plan to meet at the library again and carpool down to see the Aberdeen Bird Migration. Phone Carol at 847-9755 if you woulod like to join a fun group.
Growing Grain (your own bread) in your “backyard” has recently become more possible. Check for the Graham website in June.
“…The fate of dirt and humans has been intimately linked.” Dirt is more valuable than gold, for without it we cannot eat.
