THEATER COMES TO WEST END PARK! June 12, 2010

Thanks to Actress and Actor/Modeling Coach Kwietha Bolden for coordinating Theater in the Park!

Here’s some initial information and I’ll try my best to keep you informed….

THE GREATER WEST END DINNER THEATER Performing Workshop

Auditions, Workshops, Rehearsals, and Preparations for Performance: June 5 – July 24  (off 4^th of July)

“Summertime”

Summertime is a modern dark comedy where three Triplets were

separated at birth, but reunited through love.

The play touches on being different, self-discovery, new friends

and living in a diverse and ever changing environment.

There is a Talent and Fashion show in the play.

Prep for Spring Egg Hunt April 5, 2010

Before

First few to arrive! I'm thinking...i hope more people come!

After: Yey-more people did come! Friend of the West End Park stuff eggs!

Walking through the park… March 29, 2010

Imagining how beautiful it would be to fix this wall...

Yes-she agrees! "We need to fix this...rufff-rufff!"

Take Action: Don’t Cut Park’s Budget! March 2, 2010

1. Email Mayor Reed at mayorreed@atlantaga.gov, subject line “Please Don’t Cut Parks!”
2. Copy the below letter and paste it into your email
3. Click Send
4. (optional) TELL YOUR FRIENDS!

For more information: http://www.parkpride.org/get-involved/advocacy

SAMPLE LETTER (copy and paste)…

WE WAITED 6 MONTHS FOR MULCH… February 24, 2010

And this is what we got!

Huge pieces of wood!

Painted Wood w/ Nails!

Rusted Nails-at that!

Splintered Wood!

This was next to the playground!

This is completely unacceptable! Call Parks and tell them to remove this junk from our park: Paul A. Taylor, Tel: 404.817.6788, pataylor@atlantaga.gov

Companion Planting (Potatoes) February 6, 2010

WHAT TO PLANT WITH POTATOES?

Companions for potatoes are bush bean, members of the cabbage family, carrot, celery, corn, dead nettle, flax, horseradish, marigold, peas, petunia, onion and Tagetes marigold. Protect them from scab by putting comfrey leaves in with your potato sets at planting time. Horseradish, planted at the corners of the potato patch, provides general protection. Don’t plant these around potatoes: asparagus, cucumber, kohlrabi, parsnip, pumpkin, rutabaga, squash family, sunflower, turnip and fennel. Keep potatoes and tomatoes apart as they both can get early and late blight contaminating each other.

GROW POTATOES IN GARBAGE CAN February 2, 2010

This month as I prepare my garden for early spring crops, I’m REALLY interested in learning to grow potatoes. I’m  hoping to start soon since they’re a cold weather crop. We’ll see if I can make it before it gets too warm. As part of my plan, I’ll be researching different ways to grow potatoes and I’ll share what I find. This is what I know so far, you can set potato on window sill and it will sprout. You cut the sprout with enough potato and plant it. This comes from a brief conversation this past weekend with Farmer Deb. Let’s see what else I learn for now I leave you with this…

‘GROW POTATOES IN GARBAGE CAN’ INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP 1: Turn your garbage can upside down and drill several holes in the bottom of the can. Add a few around the outside wall, 3 to 6 inches up from the bottom. It’s really important to have good drainage or your potatoes will rot in a hurry.

STEP 2: Dump about 2/3rds of your bag of potting soil in the can. Mix in 1 cup of your fertilizer and set aside.

STEP 3: For your seed potatoes, small ones can be planted whole. The larger potatoes should be cut up into pieces with no less then 3 “eyes” per piece (“eyes” being those brown dimples that the roots will grow out of). Let your potatoes dry out on the cut side before you plant them

STEP 4: Once your cut potatoes have cured, plant them in your can 5 inches apart and cover with the remaining soil. You’ll only need 4 starts to a can. Set the can in an area that receives 4 to 6 hours of direct sunlight.

STEP 5: Water thoroughly and keep the soil moist but not soggy during the growing season. Don’t let the soil dry out or you’ll end up with misshaped potatoes. On the hot summer days, your potato garbage can might even need to be watered daily (you might move the can to a slightly shadier location on the hottest days).

STEP 6: As the plants start to grow in the can, mound up compost around plant stems keeping the leaves uncovered. They grow a little more, add some more compost. You’ll be able to fill up the entire can with compost by the end of the growing season. Keep it watered.

STEP 7: As the plants start to grow in the can, mound up compost around plant stems keeping the leaves uncovered. They grow a little more, add some more compost. You’ll be able to fill up the entire can with compost by the end of the growing season. Keep it watered.

SOURCE: EHOW By GreenGardenChic

STARTING YOUR SPRING GARDEN… January 29, 2010

Starting Your Spring Garden
FROM Truly Living Well (www.trulylivingwell.com)

A local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) managed by Mr. K. Rashid Nuri…

Mr. K. Rashid Nuri Now is the time to plan and build an organic spring garden at your home. What is the first step? Determine the best place for your garden. The garden should be located in an area that is fully exposed to the sun. You will pay more attention to your garden the nearer it is to the house. Make sure that water is readily available. The single most important factor in creating a successful garden is soil preparation. I call it dirt making. Get the soil right.  If you create good healthy soil, the plants which grow in that soil will also be healthy. Healthy plants are disease resistant. Begin soil preparation by gently turning the soil. If this is the first time the land is being used to grow food, a tiller may prove helpful. Too much tillage destroys soil structure. Subsequent soil preparation can be done with a spade or garden fork. After opening the soil add copious amounts of organic material such as compost, leaf mold, well rotted sawdust or decomposed animal manure. You can make your own compost or purchase it from most garden supply stores. Compost is the key to successful gardening. Compost added to gardens improves soil structure, texture, aeration, and water retention. When mixed with compost, clay soils are lightened, and sandy soils retain water better. Mixing compost with soil also contributes to erosion control, soil fertility, proper pH balance, and healthy root development in plants. Make beds in the garden that are separated by walkways. You do not want to walk in the area that you plant with vegetables. Walking on a vegetable bed compacts the soil and retards plant growth. Utilize the garden space wisely. Select crops you will eat and enjoy. You must like what you plant or the garden space and the food will both be wasted. Decide what you want to plant and where you will plant it. Know what you will plant after the spring season crop is finished. Southern exposure has the most light. Tall crops should be planted on the north and west side of the garden to prevent shading of smaller plants.

2009 YEAR IN REVIEW!!! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!! December 26, 2009

Happy Holidays West End & Friends!!!

I hope you enjoyed the day w/ your family and friends.

As the year comes to a close, please consider making a donation to Friends of the West End Park. It is tax-deductible and will help us continue our wonderful work.

Donations can be written to Friends of the West End Park and mailed to:

Yomara Velez, 9to5 Atlanta Working Women, 501 Pulliam Street SW Suite 344, Atlanta GA 30312

Our accomplishments this past year…

We created an initial plan for our park!

We coordinated monthly meetings, started this blog and held monthly park clean-ups!

Mary signs-in (our Spring Egg Hunt Coordinator)

We made improvements to our park-painted the water fountain and after some pressure the City fixed the fountain, we also painted the the tennis courts (walls)!

We mulched our trees and the playground!

We planted trees!

Beth held weekly jump rope classes (Saturday Mornings-10am) and in the Fall added an Abs Class!

We hosted an Earth Day Celebration + involved children in planting a mini-garden! Jamila helps the children plant their seeds!

And-these are the beautiful results from the picture above!

We hosted our 1st EGG HUNT/Spring Celebration!

We solidified friendships + built community!

We hosted West End's 1st FALL FEST!

We carved pumpkins and held activities for the entire family!

West End's Fall Fest involved youth in the community + gave them something positive to do with their free time!

Chin held youth soccer in the park every Saturday (Fall)!

Jamila and Chin co-coordinated the Fall Fest!

It’s been a busy but wonderful year! As I look back, I’m pleased with everything we’ve accomplished. These pictures inspire me to continue the work. I hope it reminds us of how powerful we can be when we come together to create healthier communities. You’ve worked hard and I hope you enjoy this photo essay of our past year!

In 2010:

• Jamila will help coordinate meetings for the first 6 months to give me some time to continue to strengthen the work in other areas such as fundraising and programming.

Things to look forward to in the coming year:

• Monthly clean-ups (3rd Saturday/month)
• Saturday morning fitness classes (saturdays/weekly)
• Knitting/crafting circle in the park.
• More on plan/design for the park.
• Wooden posts at the park to minimize cars on the turf.
• Continue to contact the City about the broken sidewalk.
• Community Events in the Park such as the Spring Egg Hunt + Earth Day Celebration!
• Malcolm X Festival (Friends will have a table at the event + work w/ festival organizers)

I HOPE YOU’LL JOIN US! Much love…Yomara!

Jamila + Chin host wonderful Fall Fest! October 26, 2009