Hello neighbors! 

Neighbor Joanne and I (we live across from each other on 63rd close to 15th Ave) have been talking about how we'd like to get to know our neighbors better, and we've also been discussing doing a street mural, taking our cues from the several that have been painted in the Wallingford/Green Lake area (see examples below).

We've been knocking on doors and enjoying meeting people, but still haven't met many of you. So, to rectify that, we're hosting a neighborhood get-together. Please join us! We'll meet, get to know each other, and talk about what we think of doing a street mural. Who's invited? Everyone who wants to come who lives within approximately one block from 63rd and 14th. Especially if you're an artist or artistically inclined, please come! ALSO, if you're definitely opposed to a street mural but still interested in meeting neighbors or improving the neighborhood in some other way, we hope you come too!

When: Sunday May 18, 3:00 pm
Where: 1423 NE 63rd St, grey house on SW corner of 63rd and 15th Ave
Bring: Yourself! We will supply snacks, juice, wine, and home-baked chocolate chip cookies! Kids are welcome.

Looking forward to seeing you all!

Some background: I've lived in the neighborhood for seven years, and Joanne for over a dozen, but we don't know that many of our neighbors. This realization took on new meaning when KUOW did a story this spring about the "Seattle Freeze," which included data showing that Seattle ranks 37th out of 51 similar cities when it comes to giving or receiving favors with neighbors, and 48th out of 51 when it comes to talking with neighbors frequently. It's not all bad- Seattle is near the top as judged by other civic health indicators, but still, those rankings are pretty bad. Well, there are many ways to turn that around, and doing a neighborhood project like an on-street mural is just one way, and folks might have other ideas, which we'd love to hear. 

New dragonfly on 60th and 4th Ave NE, Green Lake neighborhood

Ladybug in Wallingford on 49th and Burke Ave.

"Share-it Square" in Portland

Sea turtle in Wallingford (41st Street and Interlake Avenue)