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Susan J Tweit's avatar

Who knew you would be pursuing this course in grade school? And congrats on being on the top ten list of books checked out from Seattle Public Library, and in some pretty great company too. Happy Winter Holidays!

David B. Williams's avatar

Yes, quite honored to share the stage with those other authors.

Rosemary Nelson's avatar

HA!! I confess that when I read the start of your book and saw the section entitled "Ravine", my first thought was that you had grown up near where I did!! (Who else would call it 'the ravine'??) Thanks for the great newsletters!

David B. Williams's avatar

So, unclear, was that your ravine, too? Interlaken Park?

Ali's avatar

Walked dogs there for years in the 80s with a friend who called it Interf**ken park. She lived on 26th. Who knows what they got up to after I went home?

It’s a wonderful micro climate anytime, especially on a hot day.

David B. Williams's avatar

My time playing there was mostly in the 1970s. We youngsters, of course, would never stoop to profanities. We were pure as the driven on snow!

Rosemary Nelson's avatar

oh yes, I'm quite sure...since that coincides with my younger sibs...;)

Rosemary Nelson's avatar

yep- below Crescent on 22nd. :)

David B. Williams's avatar

Funny. We were on 22nd between Galer and Highland! Howdy neighbor

Ali's avatar

Like the tulip flower already deep inside the dormant bulb, I’ve always felt the presence of the essence of the individual in young people. They are already in there. I know my preferred passions have consistently stuck with me from earliest memory. I thank my parents and the soil, water and air right here for my identity.

How deeply fortunate we were to grow up in such incredibly beautiful environs here! My dad loved fishing, mom native plants & foraging, both craved travel. Yet nothing compares to flying home: when the plane banks around the San Juans, black blots in a golden mirrored sunset sea.

Be it ever so… spectacular! there’s no place like home.

Tom Capobianco's avatar

Looking forward to your new books in 2026.

We are always asked how we 'settled' on Seattle since we're from the NYC metro area. We were living in Dallas (another story) and wanted to travel to someplace new in the US. Since neither of us had been to the PNW we decided on Seattle. Alaska Airlines flys from Love Field in Dallas to SEA. After five visits we decided to pack up and move here. Almost three years now and no regrets. Love the mountains, trees and water. Rain stories are to scare outsiders. Happy Holidays!!

David B. Williams's avatar

You are not. Come for a short time....never leave!

Carol's avatar

What a fun read, David. I too was a disruptive child in grade school (talk, talk, talk) and there was early foreshadowing of where my interests (nature exploring/curiosity/reading/writing) would lead in adulthood. The illustrated book by the nine-year-old children is a treasure. And congratulations for your book being among the most popular nonfiction reads in Seattle. Happy Holidays!

David B. Williams's avatar

Love all the readers who were also talkative in their youth in schools! Thanks for sharing.

Rick Madden's avatar

That was fun. Remembering childhood has shed new light for me personally as well, David. One benefit is sharing memories like these with family members and hearing their stories of the same time period in their lives.

David B. Williams's avatar

Always fun to kindle and rekindle the stories of our youth with family and friends. A good way to learn more.

Robin Adams's avatar

Wow - that took me down memory lane and a bit of reflection.

But to keep this a bit short the one recollection like you was from 3rd grade. There I was not only talking to my friends lined up during the Cuban Missile crisis but about me and a chalk board. There I am demonstrating long division to my class mates. I got this basic math right away and could not understand how they were so befuddled.

Little did I know that later in life I would be promoted to Director of Finance. In that position I would create processes and spreadsheets that standardized our month end close process across a company of multiple acquisitions. All without a college education - just my hippie bank job and love of math.

So.. there you go - 3rd grade is a point where we can reflect on how we got here.

Happy Holidays and 2026 a year of digging into more history!

David B. Williams's avatar

Did you get to clap/clean the erasers? Something that today's youth don't have the privilege of doing!

Robin Adams's avatar

OMG - that dust storm memory!! Thanx