Seattle has a curious institution – two tent cities to house transitional homeless.

Tent city 3 operates primarily within the Seattle city limits and tent city 4 is located outside Seattle, in the eastern outlying suburbs. Life in the tent cities is hard; the communities of up to 100 transitional residents are strictly regulated and secured, with a single guarded entrance and no drugs, alcohol or fighting allowed. No minors or pets are allowed in the encampments.

The tent cities are are typically hosted on the grounds of local churches, and are sponsored by community agencies, supplied with portable toilets, showers and dumpsters. Residents may use their own tents, or sleep in community tents that are gender-segregated. They are provided with bus passes for job-seeking and employment purposes. Hot dinners are often provided by local churches or charitable organizations, but in general, residents are on their own for daily supplies.

Not all residents of the tent cities are bums. Many of them work, they are simply too poor to afford rent. Unfortunately, the stigma of living in the tent cities is a barrier to getting and keeping a job.

The interesting and disconcerting thing about the tent cities is that they are required to move every three to six months. This, also, plays havoc with getting and keeping a job.

Here is the real point of my post. In my opinion, the tent cities are sad but helpful institution. If people cannot afford a home, and choose to camp, then yes, let’s provide them a safe place to camp and some infrastructure to help them do so in a sanitary fashion. The hope is that these people can someday get back on their feet.

The sad but not surprising fact is that Tent City 4 meets with stiff resistance wherever it goes. “Not in my backyard” seems to be the prevailing mentality. The encampment is currently scheduled to move to a Mercer Island church next week, and a group of island residents has gone to court to try to block the move. This is nothing new; residents seem to organize to try to block Tent City 4 every time it moves to its new location. (Tent City 3, with its more urban location, enounters less opposition.)

Would it make me a little bit uncomfortable to have a homeless encampment at the church a couple of blocks from my house? Honestly, yes. But I deserve to be uncomfortable. The difference between the folks in those tents and my family is as slim as the paper our paycheck is written on.

I am ashamed that the richest communities in Seattle can think of nothing but their property values and complacent lifestyle, and react in fear when asked to care for those who have less, who need help to get back on their feet. Safety and crime fears are unfounded; residents of these encampments are checked and the camps guarded. According to the police in host communities, there has been no measurable increase in crime in neighborhoods near any Tent City. The Seattle Times also published an independent investigation which found that the Tent Cities do not affect crime rates.

Pardon the preaching, but Matthew 25:35 says “Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs? He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’”

I simply cannot understand or respect people who have it in their power to do great good – and choose not to out of small mindedness, spite, fear, or ‘not in my backyard’ mentality. To those whom much is given, much is expected.

Host the damn homeless encampment. Give graciously, and learn from it.

This is crocosmia. It’s a long spike-like branch of tiny blooms, and very pretty in large masses. It’s Zach’s great photography that makes it look as impressive as a daylily.

While Kim is suffering through a Hannah Montana marathon, I am enjoying a Kevin Costner marathon on the Encore channel.

Some folks don’t like him – and I admit he’s had his share of dud movies – but he’s had a lot of good ones too. American Flyers, Field of Dreams, Bull Durham, JFK, Message in a Bottle, Tin Cup, Upside of Anger… I enjoyed them all, but my very favorite is probably his archetypal aging jock in Bull Durham.

Plus, the great thing about a Costner marathon is you can enjoy it with the volume down, too.

For this Saturday’s hike, I chose an entirely different venue.

The Seattle premium outlet malls. Needless to say, more side-tripping got done than actual hiking, and that was ok. My husband not only accompanied me voluntarily – he actually suggested the outing.

He is a Big Dogs fan, and picked up new t-shirts for everyone. He got me a new sleep shirt that reads “It’s cute that you think I’m listening.”

We finished up the date day with dinner at ubiquitous mall-chain-restaurant staple PF Changs. Yum.

It wasn’t Olympic National Park – but in many ways was just as good for body and soul.

Yes, she’s always this happy to have her picture taken.

Panda loves perching around our pond, keeping a lookout for tadpoles and fish. (Our goldfish didn’t make it through the winter but she still watches.)

Zach built the pond for us as his 9th grade horticulture class project. He got an A from his teachers and from his extended family.