Bird Call: Yo, Martin, Come Home

You may have suspected politicians were for the birds. Now there's proof positive. State Rep. Ken Jacobsen is working with a team trying to bring purple martins back to Seattle.

Jacobsen says, "Seattle once had great flocks of the birds - 5,000 to 6,000 of them at Green Lake." The martins are known for their "flashing dark purple color and cheerful rich, gurgling calls and chirps."

In recent years, the purple martins have been pushed out by starlings.

In an effort to attract the martins, Jacobsen and a group that includes Shirley Rybock's third-grade class at Villa Academy have sited 50 purple martin houses around Seattle. (The secret: bird houses should be on pilings over water and have light-colored interiors.)

Jacobsen, proud as a new parent, brags, "We have our first nesting pair. They moved into a bird house on Shilshole Bay." Jacobsen is trying to enlist others in the project, patterned after efforts of Jack Davis, the man who brought purple martins back to Olympia. If you're interested, call Jacobsen at 525-8104.

Only in Seattle: Last Saturday was the pits for Lake Union houseboater Jeri Callahan. She says, "My avocado drowned and the red pepper floated off."

She had plunked her grocery sack down on a deck chair while unlocking the door. The sack tipped over. Out rolled the avocado, splashing into the lake. The red pepper, however, stayed afloat long enough for Callahan to fish it out of the drink.

Back at the QFC on Broadway, Callahan explained to the checker why she had to buy another avocado. The checker totaled the bill but didn't charge for the replacement.

He shrugged, "Lost in the lake. We'll replace it."

Key decision: Four-time Boston Marathon winner Bill Rodgers was due in town Tuesday for an in-store appearance at Super Jock 'n' Jill.

Alas. He didn't make it.

He'd gone for a morning run in Boston and, when he returned, he discovered his wife had forgotten to leave the house key. Locked out for two hours, Rodgers missed his plane.

He arrived late Tuesday in time for tomorrow's appearance at the Semiahmoo Salmon Run.

Trail mix: Traffic was heavy on the Burke-Gilman bike trail last weekend. One reason was an unusually large number of family groups.

One bicyclist complained about the trouble she had squeezing past an entourage - mother on one bicycle, father on another, towing a child trailer.

In passing, the bicyclist glanced over and was shocked to see the occupant of the trailer: Not a human baby, but a piglet, bright pink and covered with bristly white hair. Talk about a road hog.

Designing woman: The July issue of Better Homes and Gardens carries an eight-page cover story on the Vashon Island cottage owned by David and Anita Lempesis. The cottage - once a disheveled fishing cabin - owes its quirky, "just for fun" style to Anita, who has launched a second career as an interior designer after 20 years of handling public relations for KOMO.

There is life after P.R.

In the 'Burbs: What happens when a beautiful day dawns on the Eastside? KLSY-FM's morning crew quipped that it brings out suburban kids selling lemonade-stand insurance.

Jean Godden's column appears Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday in the Local News section of The Times. Her phone is 464-8300.