This weekend

I'm not one to consider the overt display of invasive weeds out of the question when it comes to this year's Georgetown Art and Garden Walk on Sunday the 13th. Such is not an affront to the hard working gardeners in the neighborhood, but rather tribute, to those of us who still hopelessly cling to the notion that the place can keep its rough edges, soon to be incorporated into a marketing angle, much like "grittiness". Letting timothy and thistle grow is simply an affirmation of what cannot be controlled, no matter how much edging, weed killer, and that-cloth-stuff-under-gravel one can muster; turning one's back on the weeding even for a few weeks reminds us that notions of civilization merely require a seven day-a-week work gig or an extended and impromptu trip to the woods, to become unraveled--whichever you prefer. Given that, even I have decided to stain my front fence ("Tahoma Brown") a full two years after building it, to show that the unmowed corners amongst the mint, rosemary, and roses are meant to be there. And yes, I am the guy that lets his dandelions bloom to seed, a bumper crop this year. But the scene that I describe will simply be the cracks in between that which most folks will have come to see. And there is even BBQ over at Oxbow at five when it's all over. Well, okay, not BBQ; Field Roast and other goodies, but as we all know, BBQ in Seattle doesn't always mean smoked chicken, ribs, and wieners.

The folks in South Park have been planning their own gigs for that weekend for a while, but theirs fall on Saturday the 12th, and is known as "Crank It Up". CIU "starts with bike decorating followed by a bike ride that begins and ends at South Park's new Caesar Chavez Park. Food, live music, and art stands...Bike decorating 1pm to 3:30 pm, Bike ride 3:30 to 4 pm, Art and music 4:00 to 8pm..." But don't just take my word for it. See you on the Bus #60.