It was a pretty drizzly, gray day in East Ballard this morning. What better day to take a walk and explore my neighborhood some more. Today was NW 70th, a unique strip of street with pockets of local businesses nestled in with residential homes. On a Saturday morning, this street is hopping on the West side with neighbors heading out to Honore and Caprice Kitchen for yummy pastries and hearty brunch fare, and on the East side for take-home grub and a good beer with brunch at  Take 5 Urban Market and the Barking Dog.

As you can see, folks in East Ballard know how to go out in style and save the environment. I couldn’t resist getting this shot with the cool touring bikes equipped with old-fashioned bells and the Prius parked behind it.

Have you ever wondered what happens to lawnmowers when their owners discard them? Well, the lucky ones get put out to pasture behind Brewer Lawn Mower and Repair Service, of-course!

This guy means business, so you better slow down when you’re driving on this street. Apparently you shouldn’t try to steal him either, since he’s pretty locked down as well.  Did you know that the speed limit in Seattle for residential streets is 25 MPH? This guy’s a good reminder for this little strip of street, but we should be thinking about him every time we’re driving along any residential street.

I love how every inch of available space gets used in this neighborhood. Who needs to park a car in the driveway when you can have a container garden instead. I also love how the rugged Armadillo Fence from Sears is still standing up to it’s name after all these years.

Observing the sidewalks gardens was a big treat along this walk. I especially enjoyed the bamboo paradise and the frog with the evil eye!

I got a little carried away with pics along NW 70th and didn’t even post all of them here. To see more and pics from previous walks, check out the East Ballard Flickr Photostream.