Reality

March 30, 2013

The title of this work, in the Olympic Sculpture Park, is "Split".  I don't know why.  It's by New York artist Roxy Paine who likes, apparently, to explore the boundaries between man-made reality and natural reality.  This tree isn't a "real" tree, but it's certainly real.  And this photographic representation of it doesn't accurately represent the real, unreal tree but is, instead, real in a different way.

Really!

Sic Transit Gloria

March 29, 2013

Back, say, 150 years ago, when Seattle was new, not only were the hills covered with huge trees and the streams filled with fat salmon, but the Duwamish River was a lovely meandering stream connecting Lake Washington with Elliott Bay.  Now, it's a Superfund site, and we're trying to fight our way back.

Today's photo was taken at what would have been the mouth of the Duwamish, before it was dredged and polluted beyond recognition.  It's a great place for fishing.  Just don't eat the fish.

Wanna Get Away?

March 28, 2013

As you may or may not know, Fremont, just down the hill and over the ship canal from us, is the self-proclaimed "Center of the Universe".  Go to this link (http://fremont.com/about/storyrocket-html/) to read about how erection of the rocket was accomplished in 1994.  Apparently the first attempt was in 1993, but it was simply not possible, that first time, to get it up.

Daredevil

March 27, 2013

In dramatic contrast to his sister, who is cautious, careful, and hesitant, Alec never hesitates but dives right in, jumps right off.  And so it was, when visiting the famous squirting turtles of University Village Mall, that Evynne stayed pretty dry, but Alec, predictably, was drenched.

Ampersand

March 26, 2013

This particular ampersand is in the Sculpture Park and is the "and" in Roy McMakin's work "Love and Loss".  I must confess I never realized the benches positioned nearby, not to mention a strategically placed tree, were part of the work or that it actually spelled out "Love & Loss" or, really, anything about it.  When I see it next, I'll see it differently.  What was true of my experience with this work is true of life in general.  It's difficult to see that which we don't already know.

Who Is The Loveliest Of Them All?

March 25, 2013

In my imagination this slim, curvaceous tree, with her patch of mass arranged just so, is the loveliest of all the grove and knows it.  The other trees know it too but, being trees, can't really do anything about it.

Painted Ships on a Painted Ocean

March 24, 2013

Across the street from lovely Parson's Garden is Marshall Park with its Betty Bowen viewpoint.  From here the Sound, in the mid-afternoon sun, looked like glass with toy ferry and a tiny, toy sailboat mired within it.

Love

March 22, 2013

Chris and Jeni celebrated Chris's return from an overseas business trip by hosting a brunch for visiting friend Jon.  They invited Jon's friends, Ross and Vanessa, and they, in turn, brought Cici.

Lilliputian Grove

March 22, 2013

While on my way to Tacoma to view the Michael Kenna retrospective I stopped at the Weyerhaeuser Bonsai Garden.  It was a fortuitous thought, to stop there, as bonsai and Michael Kenna's photographs share qualities of simplicity and serenity.  The trees are profoundly beautiful, but photograph very badly given their very plain settings.  That being said, today's photo is of a tiny forest.

Stairway to Heaven

March 21, 2013

This is not, of course, an actual stairway to heaven but merely the stairway to the top of the water tower in Volunteer Park.  From the top are marvelous views in all directions along with a great deal of well presented information about the implementation of the Olmsted Park System in Seattle.  But from a photographic point of view, the stairway is more interesting than the either the views or the parks.

Windy Weather

March 20, 2013

Today was a day of bright sun and strong wind.  On days like today I like to pass the time away taking photos by the water.  I took several of crashing waves and soaring gulls, but was most taken by this tree.  It seems shaped by the wind -- of today and of many such days before. 

Stormy Weather

March 19, 2013

All in all, I prefer sunny to cloudy, dry to rainy, but sometimes, just once in a while, cloudy and rainy is best.

Contrast

March 18, 2013

I've posted a couple of photos recently that I thought representative of Seattle.  For me, at least, this is another.  There is an old Seattle and a new.  The old Seattle was first of all about lumber, then mining, and then manufacturing.  It was a middle class, union city.  The new Seattle is all about high tech and the avant garde, from Microsoft and Amazon to Starbucks.  Walking past this garage close to our home today I was struck by the juxtaposition of old and new.  The garage clearly belongs to the old Seattle, and the Prius to the new.

Beach Day

March 17, 2013

Around the world there seems to be a consensus as to what qualifies as good day to go to the beach.  The criteria generally center around sun and warmth.  In Seattle, however, fifty degrees with light drizzle is  good enough.

Arachnophilia

March 16, 2013

In general, taking photos of the grandkids is a major challenge in that they are always in motion.  Not using an autofocus capable camera makes the challenge all the greater.  But, put Spiderman on the television, and Evynne becomes a photographer's dream.  She loves Spidey, and Ice Man and Firestar aren't bad either.

Iconic Seattle

March 15, 2013

For me, Gasworks Parks represents the very essence of Seattle.  It is industrial to its core, having been the site of a coal gasification plant for 50 years.  Now it's a park, it's industrial machinery transformed into objects of whimsey.  It's the site of a kite flying sundial, peace vigils, and naked bikers.  It is Seattle.

Downfall

March 14, 2013

Alec likes everything about these boxes.  He loves learning the information on them, and there's a lot, and he loves stacking them up.  But what he loves to do most of all is knock them all back down again.

Brave New World

March 13, 2013

Alec won't be two years old for another three months, but he's already discovered the iPad and is rapidly learning how to make it work.  It would appear the future has arrived.

Spring!

March 12, 2013

We arrived in Seattle yesterday evening to find unmistakeable signs of Spring everywhere we looked.  Just like that, it's here to welcome us home.

So Long, Beautiful

March 11, 2013

Today, all too soon, we left Ashland and headed north for the long drive to Seattle, the last leg of our adventure.  There was just time enough to take a final photo as we headed down the hillside to the road home.  It's been a great trip.

Firefighter!

March 10, 2013

Today, as the highlight of our time in Ashland, we helped nephew Nick celebrate his birthday.  As you can see his dream is to be, like his cousin Ryan, a firefighter.  Happy birthday, Nick!

Pardon me, Ma'am

March 9, 2013

We drove today from Oakland to Ashland, the next to last leg of our trip home.  Along the way, in the mountains south of Mt. Shasta, we stopped for gas at a little gas station/restaurant in the precise middle of nowhere — Pollard Flat, it's called.  The pumps don't take credit cards and have no legible readout.  And as you walk into the restroom, all urgent and unsuspecting, this is what you see.

Peter

March 8, 2013

Today, after a few hours drive from Santa Cruz and a wonderful visit with friends and their new baby, we were back with Peter for the evening.  Dinner was Asian street food at Hawker Fare and then to the Alley Bar, a karaoke piano bar with an aging pianist, who knows, apparently, thousands of songs, and a gentle, friendly atmosphere unlike any I've experienced.  We had a great time and made delightful acquaintances.

Old Friends

March 7, 2013

Jean and I went to high school together, so based on that we should be old friends.  Problem is, I don't remember her (or, really, anyone else from that time), but I figure we're still old friends because, well, we're old.  Nancy and I got to know Jean and her husband, Michael, at my 50th high school class reunion last fall.  They're delightful people, living simply and fully in Santa Cruz.  We stopped there today and had dinner together.  They've promised to visit us in Seattle — our new, old friends.

America, America,

March 5, 2013

There's something about highways in the desert west that is to me iconic of the United States.  They speak to the concepts of unlimited possibilities, starting again, and wide open spaces that have defined our country since its inception.  Death Valley is all about those highways.

To see what was at the other end of that highway go to http://seekingsolarsolace.blogspot.com/.

Badwater

March 4, 2013

Today our adventure began in earnest.  It was a bright, clear, hot day and we had a lot to see.  For our trip blog go to http://seekingsolarsolace.blogspot.com/.  For this post I'll show you the lowest spot in the United States.  It's called Badwater, not because the water was bad in any moral sense but simply because it was, and is, so very salty.  It's a wildly beautiful spot.

Desolation

March 4, 2013

Today was a long drive day from Oakland to Death Valley.  I had entered the wrong address into my map application — not so wrong that we were off course, but wrong enough that getting there took an hour and a half longer, up and down a couple of passes, than we had thought it would.  I took this photo at the spot where we had expected our lodgings.  They weren't there.  Nothing was there.  And night was falling.

For our trip blog go to http://seekingsolarsolace.blogspot.com/.

Climbing Chaos

March 2, 2013

Today was our first "not a travel day" day, but that didn't mean no driving.  We dropped Peter off at his workout place for a cross-fit competition then drove to Palo Alto to visit Peter's friends David and Allison at their new gallery.  I creakily lay on my back to photograph the mobile on the lobby ceiling.

Later, we went with Peter to a pot luck held in his workout place, apparently a repurposed  power station.  The appearance of its several story high climbing walls inspired the title to this post.

For our trip blog go to http://seekingsolarsolace.blogspot.com/.

Mountain Majesty

March 1, 2013

Today we left Ashland and headed for Oakland.  On the way we passed Mt. Shasta, standing in majestic isolation over the surrounding landscape.

For our trip blog go to http://seekingsolarsolace.blogspot.com/.

Memories

February 28, 2013

Today we began a road trip!  We're off to Death Valley by way of Ashland and Oakland.  While driving through Portland we had lunch with my nephew Ryan, his wife, and friends.  Because of that detour we found ourselves driving past our first home after leaving Ann Arbor.  We stopped and Nancy took this photo, a recreation of a photo taken 42 years ago when we had been married less than a year and were just beginning my internship, our love for the northwest, and our amazing adventure together.

For our trip blog go to http://seekingsolarsolace.blogspot.com/.