With all the excitement of the Fourth of July behind us, many people assume the rest of the month will be relatively humdrum. While that is largely a matter of opinion, there is no shortage of activities going on around the Puyallup and Tacoma areas. Follow this guide to an action packed weekend around Tacoma.
Start the weekend off with a classy garden party held at the W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory in Wright Park. Attendees will enjoy hors doeuvres and a glass of champagne as they enjoy a live performance by the Musig-Christensen-Hume Trio. Come dressed in stripes and polka dots and explore the conservatory grounds at this fundraising event. Proceeds from the garden party go toward the advancement of the W.W. Seymour Conservatory Foundation.
Now that youve got the fancy part of the weekend out of the way, Saturday is your chance to break a sweat. The Run to the Top is an annual 5k race through one of the toughest and steepest courses in all of Tacoma. Held at McKinley Park, the event includes a 5k and a Kids Dash, so the little ones can participate. Check in starts at 8:30am, so youll want to get there early.
Now that youve had the chance to attend a classy function like the garden party, then get your sweat on during Run to the Top, youve earned a day of easy relaxation. Head back to the Seymour Conservatory for their Second Sunday concert series . This months performance features Kareem Kandi and his jazz trio. Music is generally played inside the greenhouse, but may spill out onto the grass if it gets hot enough. The show runs from 1:00 to 2:30pm and admission is $3.
The 4th of July is right around the corner and that means it is time to break out your favorite red, white and blue attire and celebrate all things America! If you dont feel like going through all the trouble of hosting an Independence Day BBQ, consider heading out to one of these events in the Puyallup area.
JBLMs Freedom Fest is an obvious choice for those looking for a particularly patriotic celebration. After all, who has more pride in this country than those who have signed up to defend it? This action packed event runs all day, from 11am to 11pm, and features a long list of attractions. Visitors get access to live music, military displays, carnival rides and delicious food. There will even be an aerial demonstration featuring classic planes from generations passed. Parking and admission to the event is free to the public, so you only end up paying for food and rides!
Maybe you want to celebrate the part of American culture that existed before European settlers came to the country? If so, take a trip out to Steilacoom for this years Grand Old Fourth of July celebration . This is another all-day event packed to the gills with things to do. The event starts with a fun run and a street fair at 9:00am. Beer gardens open and music starts an hour later at 10am, along with the Tribal Museum Fry Bread Outpost (my personal favorite part of the event). From there, visitors can explore the historical museum, watch a parade, then enjoy dancing in the street until the sun goes down. After dark youll enjoy an impressive fireworks display over Puget Sound. Like Freedom Fest, this event is free to the public. They are, however, accepting donations to help cover the cost of the fireworks display. Information on how to donate can be found on the event website, linked above.
Do you remember the kid at school who always had his nose in a book, or were you the girl who was a voracious reader? Chances are, shes still reading; and if you like to read too, you can bet that there are plenty of other people in your community who like to read. One of the perks of living here is the use of the clubhouse, and what better place to get together for a lively discussion about books?
Todays blog is about how to go about organizing a book club. One of the marvelous things about book clubs is that they are so flexible. Essentially, two ingredients are necessary for a book club, books and readers (and throwing in some good food is always a plus). Generally speaking, a book is chosen,read, and then the members of the club get together and discuss their opinions, thoughts, and observations about the book.
Book clubs can be formal or informal, focus on a specific genre or explore multiple genres. One person can decide the titles or it can be a democracy where everyone gets a voice. Books can be planned for the year, or month-to-month, or in some book groups, the person who brings the food that month chooses the book too. The gathering can be held the same time every month, i.e. every third Wednesday or on a rotating schedule. Flexibility, thats the name of the game.
So, to get started, first, decide the type of club, formal or informal, the genre/s, when to meet, and who to invite.
Second: Decide on your first book. (It might be a good idea to start with a book youve already read for the first one.) A book that is not too long and is a fairly easy read (and falls within your genre guidelines) is a good first choice. Here are a couple of websites that have lists of books that are currently popular with book clubs:
LitLovers
About.com Resources for Book Clubs, Classes & Reading Research
Third: Choose a date and schedule the clubhouse. Remember, its not set in stone, after your first meeting, you can change the schedule to meet the needs of the members.
Fourth: Advertise - use your community bulletin board (electronic and physical), have the office put it on the scheduled events, word of mouth, to get the word out. Create a FaceBook Group to facilitate communication for the ongoing club.
Many books have book club Study Guides, that have thought provoking questions to stimulate discussion, these can be accessed online, and are sometimes in the book itself. And many libraries have book group loan kits where multiple copies of popular books can be checked out. Libraries also often have books available to lend electronically; this is a great option for people who use Kindle, Nook, or other reading apps. (Check in advance to see if the book you are considering is available electronically for loan.) And there is always the method of passing a book around if only a few copies are available.
Books groups tend to work best when the numbers average about a dozen. Enough people that you get a consistent turnout, but not too many, so everyone has an opportunity to share their thoughts. So if several differently focused book groups are available, the more to choose from.
And there you have it. A fun, friendly way to use the clubhouse in your community and an opportunity to read a book genre you may not have tried before. Leave a comment today and share your favorite book with us.
At Willow Hill we love our dogs! Cats are cool too, but there is just something to be said about the loyalty of dogs that has earned them the title of mans best friend. Between belly rubs, new chew-toys and the occasional table scrap, few things seem to bring my two mini-dachshunds as much joy as running around outside. And, while the grassy areas around Willow Hill work well for short bouts of daily exercise, I try to get them to an off-leash park at least once a week to let them socialize and run, unrestrained to their hearts content. Here is a list of my favorite dog parks in and around Puyallup, WA.
Puyallup Dog Park is a small, fenced park not far from Willow Hill apartments. Located between Clarks Creek Park North and Clarks Creek Park South, fully fenced park sits on 2/3 of an acre and provides local pups a place to run around off the leash.
At less than 2 miles away, South Hill Park is perhaps the closest option for off-leash play time for dogs living at Willow Hill. While this proximity certainly makes the park a convenient choice, it is not fully fenced, so beware if your pup is the type that likes to sprint off and find their own, unsupervised adventure.
Wapato Park is a bit further away than the others, but is a great option if your small pup has a hard time getting along with larger dogs. They two separate areas: One for large dogs and one for smaller breeds. This is perfect for my two pups that seem to think that they are the biggest dogs in the yard until a larger breed puppy tries to join in and play.
The parks listed so far have been selected because of their proximity to Willow Hill. That said, they can leave much to be desired from an aesthetic standpoint. If you want thicker grass, a larger play area and slightly more maintained grounds I suggest packing up the pups and heading out to Fort Steilacoom Park in Lakewood. This park comes almost universally recommended due, in part, to how well it is maintained. The beautiful scenery provides an incredible backdrop as you and your four-legged friends enjoy the parks large, open areas. It takes about a 30 minute drive to get there, but if your dogs are anything like mine, they wont mind a trip in the car.
Did I leave out your go-to Puyallup area dog park? Leave your favorite in the comments below!
One of the best place for kids to enjoy is the playground; knowing something about Playground Etiquette will help create better community relations for everyone.
Tip # 1 Keep an Eye On Your Children
Its something that should go without saying, but we all know that one parent or caregiver, the one who reaches the playground with the kids, and immediately sits down on the bench and proceeds to be glued to her/her phone, oblivious to the kids who are monopolizing the swings. Please, be aware and keep track of what your kids are doing. Kids, especially young ones, need constant supervision. Take time to join them in their play.
Tip #2 Let Everybody Have a Turn
We know little Johnnie loves to swing. But if a line is forming, waiting for a chance to use the swings, too, thats a good indication that you need to finish soon. Give your child a couple of minutes warning that you are going to play on something else soon, and use the situation as an opportunity to teach the child about sharing.
Tip #3 Clean Up after Yourself
Its happened to everyone who uses playgrounds, coming across that sticky spot, stepping on a piece of chewed gum, or trying to find a picnic table to sit at that doesnt have bits of trash from a meal still there. Simply taking the time to throw trash in the can, and wipe up sticky spills (or report larger ones to maintenance) will make the playground more pleasant for everyone.
Tip #4 Be Prepared
Making & taking a playground pack, including tissues, wet-wipes, band-aids, sunscreen, insect repellent, and a plastic bag can help you avoid the little emergencies that can happen at the playground. Scraped knee? A quick wipe down, a bandaid, and a kiss, will get a kid back to the slide in no-time. And if you have sunscreen and/or insect repellent, you wont have to cut your visit short.
Tip #5 Be Courteous
When you are asking another parent or a child for cooperation, you DONT want to get involved in a screaming match. So, rather than telling another parent to make their annoying child stop his annoying behavior, gently suggest to the child, an appropriate behavior he can do. For example, My daughter would like to use the slide, too, and if you dont move, you may get hurt when she slides down. Rather than Get off the slide, now! The old saying, you get more friends with honey than vinegar applies to this situation.
Playgrounds are awesome places to get outside, let kids get some exercise, and to socialize and get to know your neighbors.
AKC Summer Dog Show at Sleep Country Showplex
This weekend, dog owners from all over the state joint together to strut their stuff and see who is best in show. Head to the Western Washington Fairgrounds from 8:00am 5:00pm for one of Washingtons largest AKC dog shows!
Summer Reading with Author Brian Doyle
On Thursday, June 12 the Puyallup Public Library will kick of their Adult Summer Reading program with Brian Doyle. Doyle, an Oregon-based author, will be presenting his latest literary work, The Plover. This is a rare opportunity to get behind-the-scenes information about the book from the author himself. The reading starts at 7:00pm and seating is available on a first-come, first served basis, so youll want to get there on time.
3rd Annyal Reality Sports 5k Fun Run
If you want to get your blood pumping, consider signing up for the Reality Sports 5k. The event will be held on Saturday, June 14, and follows a course through Ft Steilacoom Park. This is a fun run AND walk, so you wont need to worry if youre not exactly an avid runner. The event is designed to bet local residents out and about in a fun and active way. Start times and registration information is available on the Reality Sports website.
