I've just finished fixing my morning coffee, and thought I'd watch a bit of the morning news. What incredible devastation we are seeing in Iraq. It became intolerable to watch, and I turned the channel to the Department of Highways, to the traffic monitors. It was foggy out, thick as pea soup. And, there on the Pearl Street Exit, the Union Avenue Exit, and on19th Street, were vehicles rushing forward in two different directions bent on getting somewhere on time. All the cars blasted into the fog and were gone in an instant. Just a thick blanket of grey remained.I thought "that's how many people live". Have any of them protested 'the commute'?
What happened to the good-ole-days, when a man's dwelling was above his shop? Suddenly, the images in Iraq seemed to signal an outcome, of not asking these types of questions. I wondered what would happen if everyone would stop right there in the fog and say, "No More"!On another note, we did have a busy weekend. I'll post something more peaceful here, our hike through the Swan Creek Watershed by Puyullap. It was a marvelous hike along the creek. Uphill, into dormant forest, along a soft spongy trail.
This is about as dormant as winter can be here, all gray with a bit of green moss.
The windstorms caused some of the trails to be almost impenetrable. It was a relief to find some open places with greater spaciousness. 
Here, a tree crashed over the boardwalk. 
Citizens and youth of the Puyallup Tribe and Tacoma’s Salishan and Eastside communities are caretakers of the Swan Creek Natural Area. According to Puget Sound Action Team: "Swan Creek, a tributary to the Puyallup River, is an urban stream impacted by excessive stormwater runoff, fish passage problems, and garbage dumping. This project recruited and trained low-income, minority students and citizens to work with youth to encourage community ownership and stewardship of Swan Creek. The group removed invasive plants and replaced them with native species, picked up trash, monitored to assess the stream’s health, and educated the community."
"Student leaders provided environmental education activities during day camp sessions and provided education to the community. Results: More than 150 students from Chief Leschi School toured the Swan Creek Watershed. Twenty-two teachers from Chief Leschi attended an inservice teachers day to learn about Swan Creek macroinvertebrates and how to conduct simple water quality tests. Citizens and students planted 500 cedar and hemlock trees along the stream."
