My friend LeLo (a Master Gardener, don’t you know) sent along the following information in hopes that those interested in traveling to the Seattle for the Garden Show would rather travel by bus with a bunch of fellow local gardeners.

The Northwest Flower and Garden Show in Seattle is the kick off for spring for many of us gardeners. Don’t sweat the drive when you can ride with fellow Portland area gardeners on a comfortable restroom equipped bus. For $60 you get the roundtrip transportation and a ticket to the show. You will have close to 8 hours to see full size gardens, stroll the vendors market and take in a seminar or two. Cameras are allowed. Bonus? Any purchases can be stored on the bus for the trip home.

Multnomah County Master Gardeners have been organizing these bus rides for at least 15 years, and this year is no exception. Why worry about the weather when you can relax the whole way to and back from Seattle?

What: Northwest Flower and Garden Show, Seattle Convention Center. Bus transportation from Portland.
Date: Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Time: Loading of bus begins at 5:45 AM, leaves at 6:00 AM (Fred Meyer, Hollywood: 3030 NE Weidler). Arrive in Seattle by 9am. Reboard bus at 5pm, return to Portland by 9pm.
Cost: $60, includes transportation and show entrance
How: Reserve your seat ASAP: Contact Evelyn at (503) 777-6771

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I’ve known my friend Roger Devine for years, so I’d already be celebrating his birthday in some small way this year. But now? I can invite the rest of you to the huge party he’s now throwing himself!

Why? Roger — one of the partners involved with Tofino Auctions (the product used for the 30 Hour Day auction, among others) — is a truly stellar human being.

(Yes, he’s a friend, so I’m biased. But any one of a number of impartial sources will testify about his stellar-ness, I’m sure!) And he’s decided that he’ll don a tux & throw a party to benefit the recently displaced Marysville School instead of soliciting gifts for his own bad self.

Here, from his email earlier this morning:

This coming January 7 (it’s a Thursday) is my 44th birthday. I’d love to have you come celebrate with me!

I’m doing something a little different this year, and it’s really all Kirby’s fault. (Note: Kirby is Roger’s 11 year old son and also a stellar kid, even though he’s currently driving his parents bonkers in that pre-teen kind of way…!) After the Marysville School in SE Portland burned this past November, he suggested that my company, Tofino Auctions, donate a license to use our software to throw a benefit auction to help in the rebuilding. I agreed, got a bunch of other auction-industry vendors to agree to donate their services too, and recruited a wonderful volunteer team. It’s going to be a great event.

And it’s on my birthday. The Ambridge Events Center agreed to donate the space on 1/7 (it’s easier for them to donate a Thursday than a Friday or Saturday), and I realized that a big event with catered dinner, where I get to wear my tux – that would actually make for a pretty fun birthday party!

Plus it solves the whole gift conundrum – my request to all my friends is to purchase a ticket to the auction (they are $30, and it includes dinner) and attend to help me celebrate and help us rebuild the Marysville community. No other gifts, cards, etc. needed.

Here’s where you can go to buy your ticket:

Thanks!
Roger

I’ve already bought my own ticket. I know that I’ll see some of the usual public school supporters. And yes — you can buy a ticket yet not actually attend if you just want to give to Marysville. But I’d love to see you there as well! (Turoczy, don’t you have a tux….????)

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Yes, we all know the State of Oregon’s revenue is heading south faster than, well – insert your tired hoary old metaphor here. And we’re bracing ourselves for the bad news – how deep will the cuts go? But a few local activists aren’t willing to just sit back and take all of the punches we know are heading our way. Instead, former state senator candidate (and all-around good guy) Steve Novick & Stand For Childrens’ Mike Rosen are urging us to take fifteen minutes to make some noise tomorrow. Mike’s asking you to take a page from Horton’s book — a person’s a person, no matter how small — and let them hear us holler for schools — pull out your pots, pans, whistles, horns, gongs, and any other noise making devices to sound off for the basic services Oregon needs – here’s part of his email message:

On Friday May 15th the final State Revenue Forecast for this year will be released. This is the forecast that the Legislature and the Governor will use as the basis for budgeting for State services for the next 2 years. Unfortunately, we can be absolutely certain that the forecast will show that unless the Legislature and the Governor raise significant additional revenue, there will be terrible cuts to schools – as well as other vital public services like health care and senior services. Legislators and the Governor have been told to expect that school funding will be cut by about one-sixth in addition to the already inadequate level the Governor first proposed a few months ago. That means dozens of school days, thousands of teachers, entire programs would be cut (check out this compelling song that nicely sums it up).

Many of you have attended rally after rally in Salem on behalf of school funding or other public services. It’s a long trip for most of us, and I suspect you may be rallied out. So on May 15, I’m asking you to do something quicker and simpler to send a message that you won’t stand for devastating cuts to schools and that you support efforts to raise some revenue.

You may remember the great Dr. Seuss book “Horton Hears a Who,” in which an entire city of very small creatures, the citizens of Who-ville, save themselves from destruction by all screaming their lungs out at the same time. I ask you to do something similar. I ask you, between 10:30 AM and 10:45 AM on May 15, to take a break from work, go out into the street (hopefully with a few of your co-workers), and just make some noise. Bring a pot, pan, whistle, horn or any noise-making device to work on Friday, May 15th, and at the pre-determined time, in every part of the state, head out of your offices and Make Noise For Needed Basic Services. (Learn more about our efforts here)

And Novick’s turning it into a downtown event:

But in Portland at least – maybe in other places too, if people organize it! – we’re also going to have a more traditional rally-type-thing (although it will also involve noise-making). We will convene at 8th and Salmon in the Park Blocks behind the Schnitzer (map/directions), gathering at 10:30 and doing the actual rallying at 10:45 -11. I hope to see some of you there.

The Governor will be speaking to the Portland City Club at the Governor hotel (map/directions) at noon. Some of us (after leaving the rally) will march around the building with handmade signs showing our support for public services, starting at maybe 11:45. The idea isn’t to protest the Governor, just to show him there is support for revenue to offset the cuts. (I think I’ll make a sign saying “I’ll pay more for schools / health care / safety.”) I hope to see some of you there, too!

And from “Horton’s” own FAQ:

My high school age children want to participate, but if they miss school won’t I be doing them a disservice? Julia R..

Julia R. – Kids missing school to save school days does seem counter-intuitive but consider this. If we don’t make a bold statement Friday these kids will be missing 30 or more school days next year. Also, should that happen, it might be good for our communities to start getting used to roving bands of aimless young adults. -h.

Guess that means I’m giving my teen permission to skip school tomorrow…!

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Have you started your Victory Garden yet? I’ll admit that I tried, but I got to the tomatoes and peas then got all distracted by the pretty flowers on the seed envelopes, and now have 4 flats of seeds started, only one of them of any use to eat. I’ll get there, I guess, it’s only March.

Anyway, OurPDX got a nice note from the folks at Hot Lips Pizza, who say they’ll be giving free packets of Wheat seeds to customers during the month of April, and that they have about 2,000 to give away.

Now, I grew up in Eastern Washington before they ripped up the wheat fields to plant grapes for winemaking, and we always put our wheat in the grain elevator and went to the store to buy our flour and bread. However, I’m not always so domestic, and I know the wheat would look pretty in the back of the garden. I think I’ll stop by and get a packet; it’ll make me feel like I’m home.

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I had a taste of some Kick Ass coffee this morning. Literally.

While I was cruising through Zupan’s, a very nice young lady offered me a sample of coffee from Kicking Horse Coffee, Canada’s #1 organic Fair Trade coffee roaster. Kicking Horse offers a variety of blends, including:

• Kick Ass – a dark roast and their most popular blend
• 454 Horsepower – their darkest roast, “rich with earthy and cocoa tones”
• Three Sisters – medium roast
• Cliff Hanger Espresso – a medium espresso roast
• Decaf – a water-processed decaf blend

Kicking Horse is big on using only organic, shade-grown beans, and purchasing beans under the Fair Trade model. Sounds like a perfect match for the left-leaning sensibilities of the average Portland coffee fiend. They even sell their beans in recyclable steel containers.

But how does it taste? Really good, actually. The Kick Ass was flavorful, rich, and complex, but not at all acidic or bitter. Most importantly for my taste buds, it didn’t taste burnt, charred, or cremated, like some popular coffees.

Where can you get Kicking Horse Coffee? ONLY at Zupan’s, my friend. So if you want to try this tasty Canadian export, get yourself down to your local Zupan’s Market and grab some.

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Ryan Williams (creator of Local Signal, an excellent RSS aggregator of local content) dropped me a line via our contact us form earlier today to ask our help spreading the news about a good cause.

I like Ryan and love Local Signal, so I’m more than happy to help here.

“Believe In Me” Sale and Silent Auction benefiting the Northwest Rett Syndrome Foundation in honor of Ella Farnum (3yrs. old, Sherwood,OR)

22997 SW Saunders Drive
Sherwood, OR
Fri, Sat, and Sun; 9am-4pm

HUGE Fundraiser sale with everything from a stroller, bassinet’s, ride-on toys and tons of other kid/baby toys, to home decorations, furniture, antiques, brand-name baby/child/adult clothes (Gap, Ann Taylor, Gymboree, Carters, Abercrombie, Eddie Bauer etc.), movies, children and adult books, bean bags, cookware, small kitchen appliances, sets of dishes, framed art, and SO MUCH MORE!!! This is a High-Quality Sale!!!

Also, having a Silent Auction Fri-Sun. with over 25 items up for bid, including packages from Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club, Clinique, Lisa Dillon Photography, Dental Care of Sherwood, Gymboree Play and Music, SoccerTots, Inn at Spanish Head, Big Sky Brewing Company (Moose Drool), Kenzie Klips, Hannah Jane Creations, IPOD Docking Station from Digital Trends, Chehalem Glen Golf Course, Tolovana Inn & Mo’s, Al’s Garden Center, Portland Beavers&Timbers, Seattle Mariners, Silverwood Theme Park, & Portland City Grill and so much MORE!!!. Some AMAZING prizes!

For more details, visit Craigslist: http://portland.craigslist.org/wsc/gms/734442654.html

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