Chobo-Ji community hosts Zen classes and talk

The Dai Bai Zan Cho Bo Zen Temple at 1733 S. Horton Street (Chobo-Ji) will host a lecture and several classes over the next few weeks for Beacon Hill neighbors and friends who have an interest in Zen Buddhism.

The first event is this Saturday, January 12, from 9-10:30 a.m. Zen priest Rev. Kojun Hull will give a talk on Zen Master Dogen and his teachings. She is a Zen teacher from the Great Vow Monastery in Clatskanie, Oregon. Donations are welcome; they will be used to cover Reverend Kojun’s transportion costs and the rest will go to the monastery.

Chobo-Ji is also the site of a series of classes over the next few weeks, open to all interested neighbors. Classes in the Introduction to Zen series will run each Tuesday through February 5 from 7:30-8:30 p.m. The series will be followed by a Sunday retreat on February 10 from 5-11:30 a.m.

The class schedule:

  • Tuesday, Jan 15: Zazen: seated meditation
  • Tuesday, Jan 22: Meditation in Action: chanting, bowing, walking, working
  • Tuesday, Jan 29: Zen Meals: preparing and eating food mindfully
  • Tuesday, Feb 5: Roots of Rinzai Zen: koans and the Zen Master with Rev. Genjo Marinello Osho
  • Sunday, Feb 10: 5-11:30 a.m. Half-day Zen retreat, or sesshin

Neighbors are welcome to attend all or part of the series. There is a suggested donation of $20 for the Tuesday night series, and $40 for the series including the half-day retreat. For further information, contact Muken Rick Proctor at 206-817-4410.

Rev. Kojun Hull, Director of Training, Great Vow Monastery. Photo courtesy of Chobo-Ji.
Rev. Kojun Hull, Director of Training, Great Vow Monastery. Photo courtesy of Chobo-Ji.

Agenda updated for tonight’s NBHC meeting

Please note updated agenda!

The January North Beacon Hill Council meeting is tonight, January 8, at 7 p.m. in the Beacon Hill Library meeting room (2821 Beacon Ave. S.).

Here’s the updated agenda for this month’s meeting:

  • 7:00-7:10 Introductions and welcome
  • 7:10-7:25 Community Safety update (Ted Grimes will be sharing news from the South Seattle Crime Prevention Council)
  • 7:25-7:35 DPD project update
  • 7:35-7:50 Quieter Skies
  • 7:50-8:00 Community Calendar and DON update

All interested neighbors are welcome to attend the meeting, because you are all council members. The council includes all North Beacon Hill residents, property owners, governmental agencies, business licensees and non-profit organizations.

Plan ahead: Deaf culture celebration at Beacon Hill Library 1/27

The Library for Deaf Action (LDA) and the Washington State Association of the Deaf (WSAD) will present a celebration of the 300th birth of Abbé Charles-Michel de l’Épée, founder of the first public school for the deaf in Paris, in 1755. The event will take place at the Beacon Hill Library on Sunday, January 27, at 1:30 p.m.

The program on the importance of bridging deaf cultures at the library will include Ann Silver, an internationally known deaf artist from Seattle, and the the subject of the book Ann Silver: One Way, Deaf Way by James Van Manen.

The presentation will be in ASL with interpretation in spoken English. Deaf blind guests may request tactile interpreting services two weeks in advance. Contact 206-386-4690 or leap@spl.org.

North Beacon Hill Council to meet tonight; all welcome

The January North Beacon Hill Council meeting is tonight, January 8, at 7 p.m. in the Beacon Hill Library meeting room (2821 Beacon Ave. S.).

Here’s the agenda for this month’s meeting:

  • Introductions
  • Updates from the South Seattle Crime Prevention Council and community safety news
  • Neighborhood updates

All interested neighbors are welcome to attend the meeting, because you are all council members. The council includes all North Beacon Hill residents, property owners, governmental agencies, business licensees and non-profit organizations.

Sunday: Old-time square dancing at Garden House

Put those dancing shoes on this Sunday, January 6, when ROCKiT Community Arts presents an Old-time and Quebecois Square Dance with music by Peckin’ Out Dough and La Famille Leger.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and dancing starts at 7 p.m. at the Garden House, 2336 15th Ave S. Dinner will be available through Beacon Bento. The event is open to all ages ; admission is $7, and kids get in free.

Reader writes: Burglars strike Mid-Beacon Hill home — for the second time

Neighbor Greg writes this warning:

“Just wanted to alert everyone about a morning burglary on Beacon Ave South. It was 8:30 am on Thursday the 3rd, the downstairs/basement apartment at 4946 Beacon Ave S. I live on the main floor apartment, heard noise and jumped up out of bed. Burglars must have heard me moving around and I saw two men exit into the alley that runs from Dawson St. to South Ferdinand St. Police were there shortly thereafter, but too late to grab anyone. Second time this house was hit in 6 months. Again just wanted to warn anyone headed to work early in the morning to make sure you’re all locked up and to keep an eye out.”

Blue pheasant visits Beacon Hill

Photo of a blue pheasant by Bob Mac Innes via Flickr/Creative Commons.
Neighbor Beth reported a found bird to the Beacon Hill mailing list yesterday. The bird turned out to be a male blue pheasant, but unfortunately, went away before Beth could return with chicken feed for it. Have you seen a blue pheasant like the one pictured here around North Beacon lately?

Have you seen Harley?

Neighbor Drew sent in a plea for help finding a lost mini goldendoodle dog named Harley:

“Some may say she looks like a grey mini poodle. Lost on the evening of 12/30 in the north Beacon Hill area near Sturgus Avenue and 12th. She was last seen on 12/31 in the area of Atlantic Avenue near the Cherry Hill townhomes. A neighbor mentioned a woman (perhaps with a German or European accent) was trying to help find her home and was knocking on a few houses in the area. If you know this person or think you may be this person, please contact me. It would be so greatly appreciated. Someone also mentioned they saw her later on 12/31 up in the area around the Red Apple market.

“She is microchipped. She is extremely important to her family and is missed at home. Please please if you see her or have found her email drew.varnes@gmail.com or call 206-795-3441 and leave a voicemail. A third contact is 206-557-9602. Thank you. There is a monetary reward for her return.”

Harley’s family is very serious about searching for the dog. Some neighbors on the Beacon Hill mailing list reported receiving unusual “Lost Dog” robo-calls yesterday about this same dog from petamberalert.com, a paid service that sends out telephone and poster notifications about lost pets.

This goldendoodle is lost.
This goldendoodle is lost.

Beacon Hill’s 2012 in images

These images, from the Beacon Hill Blog photo pool on Flickr and from our own archive, should remind you of some of the events and sights of 2012. These are not necessarily the best photos of the year (though some certainly would be included in that list), but ones that I felt really captured the events of 2012 for us. There were far more photos in the pool that I wanted to use — including some truly beautiful and skillful ones. Please visit the pool to enjoy more work by talented Beacon Hill photographyers, and consider contributing your photos of Beacon Hill to the pool.

Thank you to all the wonderful photographers who have contributed so much! You are much appreciated. Happy New Year, everyone!

A January snowstorm made things icy, but beautiful. Photo by Wendi Dunlap/Beacon Hill Blog.
During the same snow, Joel Lee used the tilt-shift technique to make North Beacon Hill near Jefferson Park look like a snowy miniature village.
The next month Joel Lee managed to photograph this heartfelt, ephemeral Valentine’s Day artwork in Jefferson Park before it disappeared.
Samoan cricket players played regular games at Jefferson Park. Photo by Matthew Mar.
This 1950s-era billboard appeared on the side of a Beacon Hill building last spring when the newer siding was removed. Photo by Wendi Dunlap/Beacon Hill Blog.
Ameyaltonal were among the performers at a street party in June. Photo by Dan Bennett.
Continue reading Beacon Hill’s 2012 in images

SPD Outreach Conversations come to Jefferson Community Center

Safe CommunitiesJefferson Community Center will be hosting two small group “Outreach Conversations” on January 9 and 17, led by the Seattle Police Department as part of SPD’s Safe Communities initiative. This is Phase II of the outreach project; in Phase I, large precinct-based community meetings were held. The South Precinct meeting, at South Shore K-8 School on October 29, resulted in this community feedback.

Phase III will be a precinct-based “summit” meeting in March 2013, with delegates chosen from attendees at the Phase II meeting. Phase IV, in May, will conclude the process with a report to the community based on the earlier discussions, and identification of the next steps in creating safer neighborhoods by engaging with the community.

The small group meetings will be held at Jefferson Community Center (3801 Beacon Ave. S.) on Wednesday, January 9 and Thursday, January 17 at 7 p.m. Space is limited for both meetings and sign up is required. To sign up, call Jefferson Community Center at 206-684-7481.