Little Free Libraries in Seattle

Little Free Libraries in Seattle

Six months ago, we moved to this neighborhood and I wrote about my joy in finding a little free library nearby. At the time, this concept was new to me.

Since then, I’ve discovered our neighborhood is full of these Little Free Libraries, and it does help to build a sense of community in the neighborhood.

little free libraries

Gem was particularly fond of this lighthouse themed library. She brought her mermaid so she could check it out, too.

free little library lighthouse design

Another of our favorite libraries is actually two Little Free Libraries: one for kids and one for adults.

little free libraries for adults and kids
little free library

There is quite an active community around these book exchanges. There is a facebook page for local fans and Architects without Borders is sponsoring a design competition for the structures that house these libraries.

Gem decided she would like to donate some of her books to one of the little libraries.

Gem: I want to give these books to other kids who don't have any books.
Me: That's a very nice thing to do.
Gem: Well, these books are bad
Me: why are they bad?
Gem: Well it's not nice to hop on people, its not nice to mess up people's houses, and kids should never cross the street without holding a grownup's hand
seuss books

Camp Sparkle

Camp Sparkle

gilda radner red door - camp sparkle

On the corner of Broadway and Union, on Seattle’s Capitol Hill, sits an old brick building with a red door, and four stately white columns in front. Magic happens in this building.

This building is the home of Gilda’s Club Seattle, and Camp Sparkle.

When Gilda Radner was diagnosed with cancer, she learned first hand how lonely cancer can be. Gilda’s Club was created so no one else would have to go through the cancer experience alone.

Gilda’s Club is not just for the cancer patient, but their family members and close friends as well. A cancer diagnosis impacts the whole family. We all need a place where we can be ourselves, and it feels good to have a place where we feel normal, where others understand what we are going through. Gilda’s Club does this with support groups, lectures, and other helpful events for people with cancer and their loved ones.

Camp Sparkle

Camp Sparkle is one of the ways that Gilda’s Club helps the children of cancer patients.

Sometimes, the world turns upside down when Mom or Dad is diagnosed with cancer, or even dies from cancer. This is complicated when adults reflexively avoid conversations about cancer, life and death, or deep issues are distilled into platitudes that are more dismissive than helpful.

Camp Sparkle provides a safe environment for kids to talk about cancer, and helps provide kids with a toolbox of skills to name and discuss their feelings and to deal with this and other challenges life will throw at them.

And Camp Sparkle is FUN!

Camp Sparkle 2014 Gildas Club Seattle

My girl turned 5 a few months ago, so this year she was old enough to go to Camp Sparkle. She had so much fun. She came home with piles of artwork each day of the week, and at the end of the week she brought home a journal. She went on a field trip every day. She made new friends, learned about compassion, and respect, and self care. And I am so impressed with the questions she’s been asking since camp. Thoughtful questions about things it never occurred to me to bring up with her.

She’s a happy camper, and I’m so glad she got to go to Camp Sparkle.

Gilda’s Club has clubhouses across the country, and Camp Sparkle is free for the children of all Gilda’s Club members, ages 5-18.

coffeejitters border pink

You can find more on the How to Juggle Cancer and Parenting Series here:

manage cancer and parenting
Earth Day

Earth Day

It’s easy to get jaded about the state of the world, and what humans are doing to it: pollution, war, greed, disregard… but there is so much more that’s good about our world.

Sometimes, we just need to step outside to refresh, and reset our perspectives.

I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order. John Burroughs
I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.
John Burroughs
Butterfly
There are always flowers for those who want to see them.

Henri Matisse
There are always flowers for those who want to see them.
Henri Matisse
May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds.

Edward Abbey
May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view.
May your mountains rise into and above the clouds.
Edward Abbey

Nature gives me hope

poppy

Kids give me hope

running

“seems to me, it ain’t the world that’s so bad, but what we’re doin’ to it”
~ Louis Armstrong

Love, Baby, Love… Yeah….

I hope you can take a moment and get outside to enjoy the beauty and magic.

Happy Earth Day

Shrine

Shrine

Every day we take a long walk around our new neighborhood, and every day I find a new reason to fall in love with our new home.

Today, we stumbled across this little shrine

shrine | CoffeeJitters | Judy Schwartz Haley

A plaque inside the shrine had the following invitation:

Leave your thoughts, prayers and wishes.
Twice a year they will be burned and your intentions will join the universe.

shrine | CoffeeJitters | Judy Schwartz Haley
shrine | CoffeeJitters | Judy Schwartz Haley
shrine | CoffeeJitters | Judy Schwartz Haley
shrine | CoffeeJitters | Judy Schwartz Haley

I also enjoyed the inscriptions on the benches:

trust in God but tie your camel first
shrine | CoffeeJitters | Judy Schwartz Haley
he is a good story teller who can turn men's ears into eyes
shrine | CoffeeJitters | Judy Schwartz Haley
A beautiful day in the neighborhood

A beautiful day in the neighborhood

The day started out with a plan, and it was all Gem’s idea. We were going to go on a walking tour of all the beautiful flowers in our new neighborhood. And, I would bring my camera, so we could take pictures and use them for a blog post.

My little unpaid intern is really starting to pay off.

We got off to a good start.

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But, after a while we came across this:

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And inside, they had this:

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They also had books.

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The walls were lined with old classics

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and my little girl was entranced

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We spent hours in the doughnut shop, and I got to share with her some of my childhood favorites.

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The garden tour / photo walk can wait for another day.

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what captured your attention this week?