Madison Park Times 01-01-21

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Forage and fodder Page 2

Health is local Page 3

Photo by Jessica Keller Bruce A. Chester, owner of Martha E. Harris Flowers and Gifts in Madison Park, pulls some roses from a cooler at his shop recently. The business, which Chester inherited from founder Martha Harris after she passed, celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2020.

Celebrating 40 years

Madison Park flower shop hits milestone

Diamonds in the rough Page 4

KNOWLEDGE MATTERS

HAPPY NE W YEAR

By Jessica Keller

Madison Park Times editor Although 2020 was a rough year overall, Martha E. Harris Flowers & Gifts in Madison Park celebrated a significant milestone in 2020 when the shop turned 40 years old.

Although they have been unable to do so yet, owner Bruce A. Chester hopes to fete the achievement along with his husband, staff and customers, with a party sometime this year. He said he didn’t want to celebrate without the loyal customers who have supported and sustained the floral and gift boutique through the year and especially the pandemic.

“Our amazing customers have shown such incredible support through this extraordinary year we have all been going through,” Chester said in an email. “A huge

SEE FLOWERS, PAGE 7

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January 2021

Revisiting the Park: Forage and fodder I n the early 1960s, Wonderbread hired me to design floor displays and signs, but the sales manager asked if I wanted to take on a driver salesman job. It offered base pay and commission, which was enough to pay for essentials and even purchase real estate.

The job entailed working nine hours a day with an hour for lunch as mandated by our union. At the get-go it sounded great but a big drawback was Wednesdays and Sundays were to be the days off. Tuesday is not a particularly good date night. There was Friday night, but Saturday was a double delivery day since stores were closed on Sunday. I started running some vacation routes: The first one was Capitol Hill and then several more in my stomping grounds in Madison Park.

The park had three types of grocery stores. Mom and pop grocers were small. The next size were delis, and finally the chain stores like Safeway, Tradewell and A&P were the largest.

Just west of the Purple Poodle Tavern (now McGilvra’s, was Village Foods owned by Bob and Sam Angel — a mid-sized store specializing in meats and home delivery.

Mid-block was a small sized Safeway store, and at the end of the block was the first Bert’s Market, owned by Bert Croshaw, where How to Cook a Wolf restaurant is now.

Bert’s later moved to 41st and Madison to a previously vacant lot that we used to skate on in the winter. Remarkably, another store sprung up: Ken Frazier’s Lakeshore Deli just west of the present Bert’s.

Many neighborhoods had a mom-and-pop store. Where the Madison Park Veterinarian Hospital approximately is now stood a mom-and-pop store called Johnson’s Grocery.

It was small but stayed open for those who worked late.

Millie and John raised boys and lived in the apartment above. Folks headed out to work would start the day there sharing news and coffee as it had a real family feel. On our way to J. J. McGilvra, we stopped in to buy energy food (candy) to get through the school day. We waved at our dentist across the street, Dr. Chris Bendickson, and his wife, Darlene, providing proof that we were poster children for the next checkup. The Johnsons eventually sold their store and built a house on the water in the Canterbury area.

Running vacation routes that covered the entire city and beyond was exhausting yet lucrative and seemed a pleasant time for all in the grocery business. The stores accommodated its customers by filling basic needs; beer and wine was the only alcohol sold. It was the lull before the storm, however.

About nine miles north of Bow Lake Airport (Sea-Tac Airport) on Empire Way (Martin Luther King Drive), a new concept in stores emerged.

Jack’s Payless sold bread, milk and eggs, as well as car tires, batteries and other automobile essentials. A Canadian consort delivered drop shipments of bread to Seattle stores, which then could sell four loaves for $1! This really affected the market in general but didn’t last too long.

Art’s Food Market started in Juanita in the ’30s, and seeing the potential, a second store later opened on Mercer Island staying open late and open on Sundays. Soon this affected mid-size stores, all the chains and sadly was the demise of 800 or so mom-and-pop grocery stores. This

maneuver profoundly changed the grocery business.

Dollars overfilled the cash registers at these stores with only two to five employees. Enter: a brand-new business, “Excess Cash Removal, Inc.” and large men with guns who you almost never said no thanks to. My first encounter with this type of entrepreneurship was when I walked in on a situation to which I wasn’t invited, but when a gun is jammed in your back, you really do not decline.

Another prevalent crime was those who took advantage of the crowded stores that had little or no surveillance. On one service call, I noticed a suspicious mother with two little ones in a stroller. On a subsequent call, I saw this scenario again. Finally, the third time, I followed her down an aisle and noticed the tykes were putting baby food under a false bottom of the baby stroller. This day I said, “Well, look at Mommy’s helpers!” She turned and said two words that were not Merry Christmas. The manager thanked me for the forewarning.

Not far from Madison Park were stops in an area with several schools. Three guys wandered in casing each and

knowing it would prove fruitful since the owners were busy with the kids. One of the stops was Johnnie’s on Empire Way (MLK). I ran to the front door, which salesmen never did. In fact, managers and salesmen never got along! The manager would not open and yelled at me. I yelled louder, “You’re going to be held up!” He let me in and called 911.

Moments later, four big dudes got out of a big 1950s Buick, and then there were cops all over. The policeman thanked me and said they were a gang from Portland. The manager also thanked me with a cup of coffee.

Whenever I was in a hold-up, my first thought was how late I was going to be. My last stop was a restaurant where I had coffee and did my books. Behind the napkin holder was a shot of Canadian club that helped ease the nerves.

I liked to joke with the store managers and ask, “May I serve you or are you being held up now?”

Seven years later I found a slower, safer pace of life as a draftsman and was happy to have Saturdays to sleep in again — sometimes without dreaming of delivering bakery goods.

Seattle school board OKs return to some in-person learning Courtesy SPS The Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors in December approved a resolution that directs SPS to begin the process of bringing approximately 9,000 students back into school buildings and classrooms.

The plan, first recommended by Superintendent Denise Juneau and staff at a Dec. 5 board retreat, will initially resume in-person instruction for preschool through first-grade students and students enrolled in moderate to intensive special education service pathways (focus, moderate/intensive, social emotional learning, distinct, medically fragile, bridges, preschool

— Developmental/Seattle PreSchool Program) and continue serving individual students who have had an Individualized Education Program team determine in-person services for resource and access service pathways.

“I’m very pleased that our school board today made the decision to move forward on bringing preKfirst-grade students and students enrolled in moderate to intensive special education services pathways back into our classrooms,” Juneau said in a press release.

“Our entire staff will be getting a lot of work done over the next couple of months to make sure we are ready to greet students in-person.”

Some highlights of Resolution No. 2020/21-4.1: * In-person for students who are preschool through first grade; In-person for students enrolled in Special Education Moderate to Intensive service Pathways: Focus; Moderate Intensive; Social Emotional Learning; Distinct; Medically Fragile; Bridges; Preschool (Developmental/Seattle Pre-School Program); individual students whose Individualized Education Program team has determined in-person services necessary; * Up to five days per week; Beginning on March 1, 2021 for PreK-1 and begin bringing back students enrolled in moderate to

intensive service pathways before or on March 1; * Preparation for bringing back additional students: SPS staff will begin configuring 75 elementary and K-8 schools to support a 1:15 teacher- student ratio; * Expansion of Special Education services in secondary schools; Bargaining new working conditions with the Seattle Education Association; * Hiring additional bus drivers and custodial staff; * Resumption of in-person nutrition services as necessary.

In January, SPS will be conducting a survey of families to enroll students for the in-person model and determine how many will opt

to continue with remote learning.

The district will continue to monitor COVID-19 transmission rates and follow guidance from key public health agencies, including the Washington State Department of Health and Public Health — Seattle & King County.

SPS board action comes after Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and the Washington State Department of Health announced revised guidelines for schools as they consider reopening for inperson instruction.

For more information, go to the SPS website, seattleschools.org.

For more information about the Department of Health guidelines, go to www.doh.wa.gov.

January 2021

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2021

Wishing Everyone To Stay Safe And Well!

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The pandemic is global, but your health is local F rom March to December, 2020 will be remembered for many years to come.

The global pandemic has reached into every aspect of all our lives and taken away our sense of predictability and security, but not without glimmers of hope on the horizon.

We all hope that an effective and safe vaccine will bring us back to a sense of “normal” once again, but until those glimmers of hope become bright and shining beacons, we must continue to focus on what we can control in our own lives, homes and communities.

As we all venture into 2021, it is my hope that we all take the time to focus on what matters most in this global war against COVID-19: the health and wellbeing of ourselves, our families and our communities.

Our global health starts and ends at a local level, within in our own homes, our own inner circles and our own local communities.

What can you do right now?

The most important thing that you can do in any crisis is focus on what you can control: your health, your actions and your home and work environments.

In terms of health, we all need to be creative in terms of how we can safely stay active and fit, eat and drink healthfully, find ways to move well, and take care of our mental health, too. But most importantly, we need to address any and all health concerns when they arise, immediately, because neglecting your health right now will ultimately put more strain on your health and support system in the long term.

Health problems do not often

resolve on their own without effective intervention, so ensure that your health is at the Dr. Dan Michael top of NW Sports Rehab your priority list this coming year. Indeed, being in the best health condition that you can possibly be is what we need from everyone, now more than ever before.

For the safety of our loved ones and our communities, we must find a way to abide by all government issued public health directives, especially as it pertains to our own family, closest friends and loved ones.

If you are missing your loved ones and are considering making an exception to current CDC and government issued guidelines, please reconsider.

Consider the front-line health workers who have been working tirelessly since March of last year to save the lives of those who would not have survived without their help. Consider your personal safety and the safety of your loved ones who may unwittingly become infected and could spread it to you or someone you love.

Consider that a negative COVID-19 test could be a false positive. Consider that COVID-19 can cause long-standing chronic and incurable health conditions

for the young and old, no matter how fit and healthy. And consider that these events can unknowingly be caused by you or even by someone you know, love and trust, even if they appear to be “healthy” and “safe.”

During these uncertain times, we need leaders like you. Sure, we need global leaders, national leaders and regional leaders, but most importantly, we need leaders in own our communities. When uncertainty threatens our lives, we often look to those leaders around us to help restore order and safety once again. In these times, our leaders are parents, children, teachers, doctors, friends and neighbors, just to mention a few, whom we believe have our best interest at heart.

In March 2020, I took a professional risk in launching telehealth services for our chiropractic rehab clinic for those who felt more comfortable treating their condition from home. It was one of the most difficult challenges I have had, but I knew that it was the right thing to do for my patients’ health and safety, and I had to take a lead in the local health community to do this.

In this time of crisis, we have all fallen back into our own tightknit community folds to seek refuge from the threats we face today. So, alongside the efforts of the scientists making a safe and effective vaccine, alongside the health care workers who are fighting to save lives, we all need community help and leadership; and therefore we need you.

— Dr. Dan Michael is a chiropractic physician at NW Sports Rehab in Madison Park.

Seattle Parks and Recreation reopens Cal Anderson Park Seattle Parks and Recreation announced that Cal Anderson Park reopened with more activities, maintenance and services planned for 2021.

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According to a news release, SPR and other city departments have worked with community members to identify next steps and to develop a plan for key changes within the Capitol Hill neighborhood to create a safe and welcoming environment for all including ongoing outreach for individuals experiencing homelessness on Capitol Hill. SPR will also begin to bring new activation activities to the park.

Several city departments have been engaging with community, business owners and neighbors to re-envision this park and the surrounding blocks to be safer, more welcoming and inclusive, and to honor the protests that took place at the park, according to the release. This month, SPR will announce additional engagement opportunities for the public to provide more feedback and suggestions on what they would like to see at Cal Anderson. Check SPR’s website, www.seattle.gov/

parks/, for updates on the meeting and how to join.

“Cal Anderson Park has been an epicenter for activism and social justice movements for decades and is the heart of the Capitol Hill community. As we move into 2021, Cal Anderson will continue to be a hub for the entire community — neighbors and park visitors alike,” Mayor Jenny Durkan said in the press release. “As we reopen the park, the community and the City will continue its ongoing conversation to provide services to those who are unhoused, create new ongoing activities to support diverse community needs, increase safety, and restore the vibrancy and inclusivity of the Capitol Hill neighborhood.”

Prior to the park reopening, SPR crews completed maintenance to address backlogs in grounds maintenance, building repair, graffiti removal and litter pick-up, including the removal of 100 tons of debris.

4

January 2021

Happy New Year

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Photo courtesy John Lorton Columnist Steve Lorton’s grandchildren are learning about gardening by taking on projects good for teaching children about gardening.

Diamonds in the rough

By Steve Lorton Tree Talk

T

he new year stimulates visions of resolutions: “I’m going to organize the kitchen, the garage, my desk.” Or, the big one, “Starting today, I’m shedding that 20 pounds that’s been bugging me.” Sometimes the musings are more conceptual, more global, “I want to do something to make the world a better place.”

If that last quote resonates with you, I’m here to make a suggestion: Take on the joyful task of getting a child interested in gardening. You’ll be introducing them to a lifetime of fascination, an avocation that will connect them to the wonderful natural world surrounding us. Most importantly, you’ll be grooming a soldier in the vast army it’s going to take to save the planet.

When I look at my grandchildren, I see, as I did with my son a generation ago, diamonds in the rough. Gently remove the rough

edges of this raw material, polish it carefully and a dazzling gem emerges to cast light on everything around it.

Getting a young horticulturist launched is easy. Start with a small clay pot and saucer, some good, clean planting soil, a window sill and three or five seeds from the orange or grapefruit they ate for breakfast or the lemon you squeezed. The vaunted avocado pit, spiked with toothpicks and suspended half way into a glass of water is a classic. There’s a bonus here. In these housebound pandemic days, everyone in the family will have an additional project, a happy focus. All it requires is genuine enthusiasm.

“Think we can get this to grow?”

“Yeah!”

“OK, let’s plant it and see. But you’re going to have to water it a little every day. Can you do that?”

“Yeah!”

So it goes. It’s called imprinting. A couple of weeks pass, and suddenly there’s a little sprout of

green in the pot, then a leaf, then two and ... Ta-da! A gardener is born! Cement the relationship between plant and child with anthropomorphism. Give the plant a name: Olivia Orange, Leon Lemon, Gilda Grapefruit, Aubie Avocado.

In late March or April, implant windowsill pots with tomato seeds or sunflower seeds. Nothing thrills quite like seeing a seedling cherry tomato turn into a robust plant, which, transplanted into a large pot and set outside in full sunlight, produces edible fruits.

The excitement that this produces is akin to having a puppy, and the plants won’t chew your slippers.

Once a sunflower goes into the ground outdoors and begins shooting skyward with Jack-inthe-Beanstalk speed, do a weekly photo shoot with child and sunflower. The visual record will go from ankle high to a leafy, dwarfing pillar. Then comes the flower,

SEE GARDEN, PAGE 6

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To our valued customers As we open the new year we can’t help but reflect on 83 years ago, when Bert Croshaw opened his first store in Madison Park.

How excited our family was when we opened in 1948 at the present location. In 1948, Seattle’s city-wide newspaper reported that Bert’s was Seattle’s first Super Market. In 2017, Bert’s was awarded “Grocer of the Year”,

by Washington State Food Dealers Association.

Then, until now, what a pleasure it has been for our family to serve you and your families.

As our family business is now in the fourth generation of Croshaws, all of us and our extended Bert’s families want to wish you a happy and healthy new year.

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January 2021

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January 2021

GARDEN, FROM PAGE 4 followed by seeds for birds or for snacking.

Save a few of those seeds for planting next year and you’ll be teaching the cycle of life.

Sempervivums and sedums are also good gardener-starters. Hens and Chickens send off shoots with tiny, leafy “chicks” at the end. These have “Wow value.” Sedums come in great foliage colors, produce nice blooms and withstand a bit of neglect.

When bedding plants show up in nurseries, grow some marigolds, zinnias, pelargoniums or begonias. Again, giving the plant a name fortifies the relationship. You’ll also be inspiring responsibility. The sight of wilted leaves on a limp plant teaches vigilance. Seeing the green pet rejuvenated by a good soaking is a lesson in cause and effect and problem solution.

Suddenly it is spring. So you map out a little plot in full sun. Don’t make it too big, 3 by 5 feet is plenty. Meticulously tilling the soil is a family project. Add some amendments. Coffee grounds and finely chopped kitchen waste are perfect and enhance the lessons of organics and sustainability.

Edge the plot, carefully. Sow rows of the easy things: radishes and carrots, lettuce and kale, onions, and set out some tomato plants.

Water, weed, watch and await the glorious day of harvest. Imagine the excitement of the first salad.

You’ll soon see an interest growing in nature and its cultivation. But, you must add one more crop of components to the equation: perpetual nudging to stick with the project, frequent praise and, finally, understanding and a window into the future when things go wrong. I have a favorite story about this last one.

My son was 8. I was in my early 40s and at the top of my game in publishing. A good share of my work was writing about

gardening. Gifted horticulturists from all over had given me choice, sometimes rare, plants that I grew in my Madison Park garden, dutifully and, I’ll confess, with more than a modicum of vanity.

I came home from work. My son, excitedly met me at the front door. “Dad, come see what I’ve made. Close your eyes.” He led me through the house, to the kitchen door, and I heard him scamper down the stairs to the rear garden. Then he shouted, “Look!” I opened my eyes to see my garden completely cut to the ground and he was standing there, proudly, in the middle. “I made a baseball diamond!”

I was speechless. I stood there, stunned for a moment. Then I heard an angel speak.

“Dude, you’re at a crossroads, here. You can have a happy, well-adjusted kid or you can try to whip him into what you want.

You choose.” I gulped and said, “Well, great.

Let’s play the first game.”

Summer came. Swimming and soccer eclipsed the baseball diamond that had been used, maybe, six times. When late autumn arrived, I cut everything back, scattered some 12-12-12 around and top dressed everything with compost. Spring emerged and the garden did what gardens do. It roared back, more robust and floriferous than ever. That Mother’s Day we went out to cut a bouquet of flowers for Mom’s breakfast tray.

Now, my son sends me pictures of what he’s snapped on his walks, asking me to identify plants he wants to add to his garden. My grandkids grow seeds on the window sill and eat radishes and tomatoes under the tutelage of their green-thumbed mother. Our world is as leafy and green and blossom-filled as ever.

The baseball diamond is a distant memory, and I gaze in awe as I blink at the beauty of all the dazzling diamonds I see that were once in the rough.

Denny-Blaine resident has first book published Stewart Riley, a 45-year resident of Denny Blaine, and first-time book author recently had his book, “Helena Star: An Epic Adventure Through the Murky Underworld of International Drug Smuggling,” published by Robert D. Reed Publishers. It will be released for purchase in bookstores and from Amazon Jan. 8.

The book is a nonfiction work and documents events that took place primarily in the Northwest in and around Seattle. The book details events in April 1978 when the U.S. Coast Guard seized an aging freighter off the Washington coast. According to the press release, the freighter’s hold was filled with 37 tons of marijuana — the West Coast’s largest pot bust — worth an estimated street value of $74 million. Riley, the attorney for the Helena Star, provides an insider’s account of the case.

The 230-page book is already available for purchase on Kindle and will be available at Madison Books. People can purchase it beginning Jan. 8 on Riley’s website, stewriley. com.

Riley graduated from the University of Washington Law School in 1969. He practiced law in Seattle as a senior deputy prosecutor in the King County Prosecutor’s Office for three years before becoming a criminal defense attorney.

Mayor signs Cultural Space Agency charter Mayor Jenny A. Durkan recently signed the Cultural Space Agency Public Development Authority charter to create the first new PDA in nearly 40 years.

According to a press release, the Cultural Space Agency’s purpose “is to develop cultural space real estate projects in a way that reflects the needs and desires of communities that have borne the burden of institutional racism; build community wealth through investment opportunities in cultural real estate projects; and partner with commercial real estate developers and cultural community stakeholders to create real property projects that reflect the interests and priori-

ties of both.”

The Cultural Space Agency will seek long-term site control on behalf of and in partnership with community cultural organizations representing communities of color. The organization will acquire properties and create property ownership opportunities in communities historically denied ownership options.

The City of Seattle has dedicated $500,000 each year for two years for initial operating costs and anticipates leveraging philanthropic investments to secure millions of additional dollars in capital investment in community-based projects.

January 2021

Pacific Publishing Company – Queen Anne & Magnolia News • Madison Park Times

FLOWERS, FROM PAGE 1 thank you to them.”

Founder Martha Harris started the her floral business in her garage 40 years ago before it moved to a storefront in University Village and then to its current location at 4218 E. Madison St. In 1996, Harris hired Chester as a floral designer. Chester already had extensive experience in the industry, having gotten his start in it as a young teenager, and was working somewhere else when he applied to work for Harris on a whim.

“It all just fell together in a day, basically,” Chester said.

When Harris was diagnosed with cancer, she began turning more duties over to Chester. She later told Chester she wished to leave him the business in her will, and when she passed, he formally took over the business.

“It was just kind of a natural transition to me, taking over,” he said.

Chester said the adjustment was fairly seamless, in part because he and the staff had worked with each other for a long time, and there hadn’t been much turnover.

“I was more than willing to do it,” he said. “It’s a legacy to carry on.”

Chester said turning 40 years is significant for any business, but it is especially so for floral shops and boutiques.

“I believe florists and any business dealing in perishable items have an even more difficult time

Photo by Jessica Keller Martha E. Harris Flowers & Gifts owner Bruce A. Chester (right) stands outside the Madison Park shop he inherited from founder Martha Harris and runs with his husband, Enrique J. Aguilera-Calzadilla (left), and staff. The business, 4218 E. Madison St., Seattle, reached its 40th year in 2020, which Chester hopes to celebrate this year with a party. as our product must be sold right away,” Chester said in an email.

He said, while movies and TV shows often make floral shops look like romantic enterprises, running one is hard and demanding work.

“As much as every day is wonderful working with beautiful gifts from Mother Nature, the business requires long hours, flower shop-

ping at five a.m., working past midnight on holidays, (and) the sacrifice of any personal life, time with friends and family around the holidays,” Chester said in an email.

When new floral shop owners realize all that, accompanied with lots of lifting, stressful deadlines and more, they frequently get out of the business quickly.

“Luckily, I am a person that thrives on this, and it is my passion for it that keeps me going on five hours of sleep nightly and one day off, sort of, between Thanksgiving and Christmas,” Chester said in his email.

Initially, while the floral shop started with three components — floral, event and retail, Chester has largely scaled back the event part,

which has allowed him to focus his efforts more. That has served him well, especially during the pandemic. Currently, the business is offering delivery services and curbside pickup while keeping the storefront open with added safety measures.

While Chester will incorporate new merchandise and flowers based on popular trends each year, he said any changes he makes must make sense for his business and reflect his customers’ tastes.

Otherwise, Chester said very little has changed since he took over as owner and still reflect the classic style and image first begun

by Harris.

“It’s a fine line to walk where we don’t lose our identity, but don’t lose our clientele,” he said.

Chester said he feels honored to carry on Harris’s legacy.

“Martha built a strong foundation for our business with loyalty, respect and dedication to every customer, whether they are spending five dollars or 5,000, and that’s my commitment also,” Chester said in his email.

Chester said he has been fortunate to be able to work in so many aspects of the floral business with many knowledgeable people, through the years, including Harris. He said that knowledge and the bond he shared with Harris has served him well since taking over the business, and he believes he has found the right formula to take the business forward into the “roaring ’20s.”

For more information, go to www.marthaeharris.com.

Cannabis 101

Your Neighborly Cannabis Shop® SHOP CANNABIS SAFELY

PRE-ORDER ONLINE

HOW DO PRE-ORDERS WORK? 1

Order online @ ponderseattle.com

2

We'll notify you when your order is ready

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Pick up in-store between 10 AM - 11:45 PM

ENFORCING 6-FT. PERSONAL SPACE WHILE SHOPPING IN-STORE 2413 E Union St. Seattle 10 AM - 11:45 PM Daily (206) 420-2180 ponderseattle.com This product has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of the reach of children.

The Most Important Things to Know if You Want To Start Using Cannabis

This article is intended for introductory cannabis users, and those who’ve never used cannabis before, but are curious to try any of the array of cannabis products available on the legal market.

We’ll start by understanding what cannabis is, and how it operates, pharmacologically, within the body, before exploring the types of cannabis products available and what they do, then finishing with practical tips for beginner users.

The Cannabis plant has grown throughout the world for thousands of years. Cannabis can be found on all seven continents, and cannabis plants have different qualities depending upon the geographic area they descend from. The distinction in cannabis varieties is so pronounced that strains are genetically categorized into two main varieties: sativa and indica. Sativa strains are, typically, lighter in color, fluffier, and have a more awake, or sometimes “energizing” high. Indica strains are the exact opposite, they are often darker in color, sometimes purple, often extremely dense, and have a more relaxing, heavy, and sometimes sleepy high. Hybrid strains combine sativa and indica genetics.

The part of the cannabis plant which is harvested for consumption are the “buds,” or the blooms which grow when the plant enters the “flowering” state after reaching full maturity. No other parts of the cannabis plant have significant quantities of the primary

psychoactive compounds. These psychoactive compounds are known as cannabinoids, of which there are hundreds of varieties. The most famous cannabinoid is THC or tetrahydrocannabinol. In most commercially grown cannabis, the trichomes of THC are so abundant and well-established that they are visible to the naked eye in the form of a frosty coating. The presence of visible trichomes increases with the quality of the cannabis product. THC is the chemical responsible for the psychoactive effects of cannabis, but in a single cannabis plant there may be dozens of other cannabinoids in trace amounts that subtly influence the effects of the high.

Because research on the effects of cannabinoids is limited, there’s unfortunately little information about the various effects of trace cannabinoids present in cannabis.

In a cannabis dispensary, you can buy between one gram to one ounce of prepackaged cured cannabis buds. Most dispensaries will have several dozen strains to choose from at various price points.

Cannabis can also be bought as a pre-rolled joint, or pack of joints.

The active ingredients in cannabis, THC, can also be bought in lotions, salves, tinctures, pills, edibles, drinks, or as an edible extract.

Edibles and drinkables are dosed to ten milligrams of THC per serving, which is generally low, but someone entirely new to cannabis might start with even less to practice caution.

7

The second cannabinoid of interest is CBD, or cannabidiol.

CBD is particularly popular among medical users, because it has been known to help with a variety of ailments. CBD is the secondmost prevalent cannabinoid, after THC, and doesn’t carry the same psychoactive properties as THC. For this reason, CBD is especially kind to beginner users, because it even has the potential to mellow-out some of the side-effects of THC. Some of the more unpleasant side-effects of THC can include dry mouth, red eyes, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, confusion, and anxiety. In general, many cannabis users find that the increase in heart-rate and anxiety are more common among sativa strains, so as a beginner it is probably best to look for an indica strain with some CBD. In regard to methods of consumption, you can smoke cannabis, or ingest it. If you smoke it, the onset will only take a few minutes, typically less than ten.

Whereas when eaten, the effects will onset sometimes up to two hours later. It is important to keep in mind that eaten cannabis can produce much stronger psychoactive effects, while smoked cannabis tends to impose a stronger threshold on how high you can feel. For this reason, it’s generally advisable for new cannabis users to smoke cannabis, and only approach edibles in very small doses.

Cody Funderburk

8

January 2021

It’s the end result that drives us from the very beginning.

Windermere brokers are involved in nearly one-third of all Madison Park home sales

100

Windermere home + condo sales in 2020

31%

Windermere market share (out of 322 transactional sides)

Madison Park + Madison Valley market recap (all companies) S I N G L E F A M I LY H O M E S / S O L D I N 2 0 2 0

CONDOS / SOLD IN 2020

Average purchase price............................... $1,276,298

Average purchase price...................................$797,288

Average square feet ...................................................2,104

Average square feet ...................................................1,099

Average sold-to-list-price ratio ............................ 99.5%

Average sold-to-list-price ratio ............................. 98.1%

Average days on market ................................................23

Average days on market ................................................33

M T B A K E R / $1,399,000

P O U L S B O / $8,900,000

2116 29th Ave S, Seattle / MLS# 1697966

21234 Miller Bay Road NE, Poulsbo / MLS# 1711899

Liz Suver / lizsuver.withwre.com

Max Wurzburg / max.withwre.com

Madison Park + Madison Valley home + condo sales, 1/1/20 - 12/29/20. Data courtesy of NWMLS.

All in, for 2021.