Seattle Daily Photo: 2009

Thursday, December 31, 2009

Four Hours 'Til 2010

Awaiting the New Year in Downtown Seatte. Best wishes to you for a very happy, healthy, peaceful 2010 from Seattle Daily Photo!

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

iPhone Wednesday #24: Downtown Buildings

In downtown Seattle one can find a monochrome pallet without tampering with the colors at all. This was shot with and edited in an iPhone.Chuck & Ming may have iPhone Wednesday shots for you, too.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Postcard From Half Moon Bay

Greetings from California where I'm on holiday this week. While I was checking out some crab boats yesterday at Pillar Point Harbor just north of Half Moon Bay, this pelican hopped aboard a bow in hopes of a hand out. Unfortunately for the pelican, Dungeness Crab was selling for $4/lb and it hadn't any cash :-).

Monday, December 28, 2009

Flashlight Under the Covers

Were you/are you one of those kids whose parents had to confiscate your flashlight so that you would go to sleep and stop reading that great book that you just couldn't put down? Well here's a place where they'll leave the light on for you to read by in the dark. Seattle's Central Library which spans the block between 4th and 5th Avenues and Spring and Madison Streets glows in the night like a giant angular mantel on an old fashioned camp lantern.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Westlake Center Station

Not so crowded night scene in the Westlake Center Station where shoppers and commuters can access buses and the new light rail system.Seattle's downtown underground bus tunnel system makes getting around easy.

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Downtown Carriage Ride

We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming. . . :-) I'm still in California but am posting photos I took in Seattle before I left on holiday. Like many cities, Seattle has a number of coach owners who provide horse drawn carriage rides through the downtown area, a special treat at night during holiday time on a clear night. As you can tell by their expressions, everyone was having fun.

Friday, December 25, 2009

Christmas Postcard From California

Greetings from the San Francisco Bay Area where I'm on holiday for the week. In the town where I am visiting family is a residential Christmas display open to the community that attracts thousands of people who tour the yard each year. It is the home of my sister-in-law's childhood friend who is a deacon in the local Catholic parish known to all as Deacon Dave. For over 25 years he has created a Christmas lights extravaganza in his front yard. I remember in the 1980s when he started there were 3000 or 5000 lights. Every year since the number has grown and so have the crowds to see the fun displays like life sized circling figure skaters, dancing trees, a nativity scene, live doves, and giant shining angels. This year the display includes over 3 million lights. For many this has become a treasured tradition to tour with their children on Christmas. I took this shot with my iPhone. I hope all who celebrated it had a lovely Christmas day!

Thursday, December 24, 2009

The Li'l Beaver at Work

The red engine of the tiny spur line of the Ballard Terminal Rail Road was hard at work pushing some heavy cars along the rails at Salmon Bay. The Li'l Beaver is pretty powerful and can be seen working all along Salmon Bay from Fremont through Ballard to the Locks. Do you have a model train or a Brio set out at your house for the holiday? Wishing you a fun and relaxing day spent with family and friends.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

iPhone Wednesday #23: Christmas Gone to the Dogs

While out walking I spied these retriever guardians sporting Santa hats at the base of an exterior stair case. I guess they are friendly sentinels ready to welcome you. It's my iPhone Wednesday shot where I take the photo and edit it in the iPhone using different apps. Chuck and Ming also have iPhone shots for you today.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Bon Star Street Scene

A patrol car makes its way along Pine Street in downtown Seattle while pedestrians walk about getting some evening shopping done.. Up Pine you can see the backside of the gigantic Christmas star that has adorned the old Bon Marche building (now Macy's) for 52 holiday seasons. Old habits die hard, and I still hear longtime Seattlites say they are going to "the Bon" to see store windows full of running trains and other festive displays when they mean Macy's.

Monday, December 21, 2009

Festive Ballard Centennial Bell Tower

A taxi turns onto Ballard Avenue from 22nd Ave NW on a rainy December night. Ballard's historic district features a lot music venues, restaurants, tea and coffee houses, and bars, so night life is usually pretty lively, but I took this late on Sunday night while walking after a show and it was pretty quiet. The Ballard neighborhood was not annexed to Seattle until 1907 and had its own city hall which stood on this site. The original bell from the city hall is housed in this Centennial Bell Tower now part of Marvin's Garden Park, named for Marvin Sjoberg, a beloved neighborhood character known as "the mayor of Ballard" from the 1960s until his death in 1989.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Tractor Tavern

There were two shows at the Tractor I wanted to see last week, both featuring accomplished fiddlers from my old haunts in the 80s & 90s in the SF Bay Area. I couldn't make it to hear Darol Anger playing as part of a limited five city holiday tour of the Pacific Northwest called Cascadia Yulegrass with some former members of the String Cheese Incident. I did get out Sunday to hear Jenny Scheinman perform with Robbie Fulks, who happened into my frame at left while I was taking a shot of the bar menu :-). More gig shots at More Seattle Stuff.

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Our Version of Snow This Year

Last year Seattle had so much snow this week in December you may recall it shut down the airport and left many of the hill streets unused except by sleds, saucers and tubes :-). The city doesn't get enough snowfall to justify a fleet of snowplows, so when it comes down heavy every decade or so and lasts more than a few days, the city just shuts down. No snow so far this year. We are having warm rainy days now, and this is the only version of snow you will find around town. The homeowner arrived home from work and saw me on the sidewalk with a tripod snapping away and apologized that the snowman faced the house instead of the street to entertain her two year old from the window. How sweet!

Friday, December 18, 2009

Skywatch Friday: iPhone Circle Cube Skies

A view of our rainy Seattle skies with a little framing thrown in for you. You are invited to peek at skies around the world today. Just click here. Hope you are enjoying your Friday and are moving into a pleasant weekend.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Still Looking for Gifts?

If I'm on your list, this is where you can go shopping for me :-). Easy Street Records is a Seattle institution that hasn't gone under like so many record stores have in the last decade. There are frequent in-store concerts, a wide variety of music, a good used section, even vinyl. Hand painted murals of album covers adorn their parking lot wall. Up on the hill to the right you can see the Christmas lights on the King 5 broadcasting tower. Easy Street doesn't need extra lights as their year-round neon sign is already pretty festive. So, what music is on your top 5 list for 2009? How 'bout top 10 of the decade?

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

iPhone Wednesday #23: Skies Above Alki

Shadows in the skies, shadows on the water, with the long neck of Alki point bisecting the sunny spot. This is my 23rd in the iPhone Wednesday series. You'll want to check out Chuck of One a Day Mostly Seattle who took his iPhone to an amazing motorcycle show and Ming of Bangor Daily Photo is eating his way through India and taking us with him!

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Better Watch Out

Santa Claus is crossing 1st Ave at Pike Street, maybe after a long day of shopping at Pike Place Market. . .or working out at the gym. He's looking a lot trimmer this year . :-).

Monday, December 14, 2009

Catfish Corner

At the corner of Cherry and Martin Luther King, Jr. Way, where the Central District, Leschi, and Madrona neighborhoods converge, you will find this Seattle original in "fast food." Catfish Corner will celebrate its 25th year in business in 2010. As you have guessed from their name, catfish, southern style, is the star of the menu; but, if you are craving red beans and rice, you can get your fix here, as well as sides of okra, corn muffins, and peach cobbler. I was drawn in by the large mural of Dr. King painted by James Crespinel in 1995 on the MLK Way side of the building. Crespinel is a well known painter and muralist, and you may remember his Orca mural I showed you here.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

I'm Not the Only One Out There :-)

I came upon another photographer out capturing some shots of festive downtown Seattle. He was behind the whirling merry go round at Westlake Center. I love shots of photographers at work and have a small series of captures like this one called "Shoot the Photographer."

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Photos With Santa

Mom and Mrs. Claus look on as two girls visit with Santa about their Christmas wishes. Family photos with Santa in the downtown Nordstrom window can be seen by folks on the sidewalk looking in the window.

Friday, December 11, 2009

Westlake Center Christmas Tree

Westlake Center is a popular multistory indoor mall and plaza area in the heart of Seattle's downtown shopping district. There is a bus tunnel with Lightrail below ground, and a Monorail station one story above ground. It is home to the city's Christmas tree and many holiday events that draw thousands of visitors.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Bare Tree in the Puddle

The last of the fall leaves are visible in the reflection of a bare tree in a parking lot puddle at a Fred Myers store (lovingly referred to as "Freddies" by some Seattlites) near the ship canal in the no-man's-land between the Fremont and Ballard neighborhoods sometimes called "Freelard" or "Balmont." This shot was taken on an iPhone.

Wednesday, December 09, 2009

iPhone Wednesday #22: Audubon Society Member

This cat was snoozing in a window box, a bird house just out of sight on the roof above and a bird bath (now ice rink) near by. It will have to content itself with dreams of birdwatching, I guess. :-) If there were only a feeder nearby, then the cat might be in luck. This is my iPhone Wednesday shot, late this week, but my friends Chuck at One A Day-Mostly Seattle and Ming of Bangor Daily Photo posted on time. :-)

Tuesday, December 08, 2009

Just in Case You Lost Your Bearings

. . .and were wondering where in Seattle you might be, this sign gives you the answer. I spied this nice bit of weathered metal work stashed around back while walking past an old service station now used as a real estate office in the Madrona neighborhood. There were other evidences about that an artistic person probably had a workshop very nearby.

Monday, December 07, 2009

December 2009

Here is a closer look at the tree composed of 1200 lights atop the Space Needle seen in yesterday's shot. If you would like to look out from among those lights at the top of the Needle right now, check out the live web cam that lets you manipulate which direction you are looking out upon in the 360 degree view. You can even choose a "time lapse" view of several time periods during the last 24 hours. Those are fun and you can see the lights do move in the wind, and the Needle casts its own shadow on the ground if you look north at the sunrise time lapse for today.

Sunday, December 06, 2009

View Down the Street

Our cold, clear air is offering up bright vantages of all our skyline markers, from hills and mountaintops during the day to the decked out Space Needle and Seattle's skyline at night. I this view came up in front of me while I was driving around a curve from the northwest. I had to stop and get this shot. There was a vacancy sign in front of the recently remodeled high rise apartments to my left that made me wonder what the view was like from a few stories up. I live on a hill but can only see neighbors' houses, street scenes, a narrow bit of Elliott Bay and West Seattle, and a territorial view (over rooftops and between trees :-) ) of the Needle and Mt. Rainier. What's the view like from your place?

Saturday, December 05, 2009

Counterbalance 9

I took a series of handheld night shots of a bare tree and the colored light parade along the concrete back wall of Counterbalance Park in the Uptown/Lower Queen Anne neighborhood. I put together a mosaic of some of the color variations for you.

Friday, December 04, 2009

Skywatch: Early Sunset

I took this shot out my friend's dining room window at 4:26 PM yesterday, and as you can see the sun is already down. Here at latitude 47, our December daylight hours are short. This view is looking southwest from Queen Anne Hill, with a view of the Magnolia bridge and the marina at the south tip of the Magnolia neighborhood, out over the Sound toward Bainbridge Island and the last flames of sunset beyond. It is Skywatch Friday, and you can see amazing skies from all over the world by clicking the link. And please take a look at what Bibi (A Yankee in Belgrade) posted for me today! Thank you Bibi! I love your gargoyle shot.

Thursday, December 03, 2009

Going All Out

I drove past this Queen Anne Hill neighborhood home this evening and just had to stop and get some shots of this bright multifaceted Christmas display. The owner and some guests emerged as I was snapping away, and he obviously enjoys sharing his good cheer with his neighbors. There is a creche, a train, and caroling snowmen in colored flood lights as well as bells, a wreath, trees, and lots of LED lights. It was a cheery sight in the magical blue light just after sunset.

Wednesday, December 02, 2009

iPhone Wednesday #21: Seattle Animal Shelter

Perhaps your family is like ours and you share your abode with some furry, scaly, or feathered friends. And perhaps at this time of year there is a child in your life hinting to you that it would be purrfect if yet another critter could join the menagerie. If you decide yours is a good home for a companion pet, check out the Seattle Animal Shelter in the Interbay neighborhood. That's where I took this shot of a curious feline staring across the hallway at some rats in a cage in another room. The shelter has many lovely cats, dogs, rabbits, rats, reptiles, hamsters and other small animals that are looking for caring homes. So does PAWS, with a cat center in the Greenwood neighborhood, and their large domestic, barnyard, and wild animal aid facility north of Seattle in Lynwood. Both the Animal Shelter and PAWS use volunteers to help out at their facilities, walk dogs, and provide in home foster care for animals waiting for adoption. They also both can use donations and support through calendar sales and pet/human photos taken with Santa Claws on Dec 13 by local photographer Winifred Westergard with help from Glazer's Cameras. It's my (very late!) iPhone Wednesday shot, taken and edited with my iPhone and apps. Since a dog was featured in last week's iPhone shot, I'm giving equal time to a cat this week :-). Chuck and Ming are sharing iPhone Wednesday shots, as well.

Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Theme Day: Waiting

It is City Daily Photo Bloggers' first of the month theme day today: waiting. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants.
What do you do while you are waiting? This was the weirdest wait I've had in awhile. There were at least 8 empty tables. It was a weeknight at 6 PM on a popular neighborhood shopping street. I had come way across town to enjoy dinner out as I have eaten at this restaurant before. After entering and standing unnoticed in the small entryway for two minutes, I occupied myself with reading the menu board and deciding what yummy things I might order. I stood there for another couple of minutes, and other patrons turned around to look at me when their partners kept looking my way. Now I'm feeling awkward and kind of invisible as wait staff pass back and forth to tables. I noticed a Glassybaby hand blown glass votive on the host stand in front of me and thought I'd like to get a photo of them glowing so prettily on all the tables while I'm waiting. I took out my camera to get a discreet shot. Click. A wait staff suddenly looked up from the kitchen and said she'd be with me in a moment. A host also appeared from the back. "Hi, how many?" said the host, and after checking her computer screen for quite awhile to find seating for one said with neither smile nor apology that she needed me to come back in an hour and fifteen minutes, and she could seat me then. I sort of have a version of that old college adage that for a TA who is late to class students should wait 15 minutes, for an assistant professor, 20 minutes, and for a full professor, 30 minutes. Well, I was hungry, and this wait wasn't worth two full professors and a TA :-). Having lived many years in the Gourmet Ghetto area of Berkeley, I realize how slammed with crowds a popular small chef-owned restaurant like this can get. With some, reservations are a must. But it has only been at "cattle call" large chain restaurants hoping for bar tab profits that I can recall a small party being asked to wait so very long, let alone to leave and come back. So, I moseyed across the street to another place I also enjoy, was greeted immediately and seated, and had a nice meal and finished before the hour and fifteen minutes of requested wait time were up. Funny thing was, some of these tables remained open the whole time I was dining across the street. In San Francisco in the 80s and early 90s we frequented a small seafood restaurant out in the Aves owned by the chef and a couple of the wait staff. They didn't take reservations and were always so packed there was a line waiting outside. We often hoped there actually would be a line as the owners would often serve a glass of wine on the house to those waiting. Ah, Pacific Cafe, where is your kind of spirit these days? :-) There were never any empty tables and everyone got served your wonderful food and had a great time despite (or because of :-) ) the wait.

Monday, November 30, 2009

Another Gift Idea

While I was out last night I noticed a lot of Seattlites took advantage of the mild dry days we had over the weekend to put up lights and decorate their yards. Last year I had driven by this house which had a huge sign made from lights that said "Yes We Can" at election time and through the holidays. The resident that creates these home displays on wire fencing material is creative and thoughtful. This year they have written a gift idea in lights and hung it in the tree branches at curbside. When I think about the future I'd like to create for children, one gift I'd like to provide is a landmine-free world. I'd like to suggest starting with the USA signing the Ottawa Treaty on Landmines. It's a no-brainer, and frankly, I think the president has no valid argument for deciding not to do so last week and that the USA seems to have lost its will to find its moral compass and passed up the opportunity to take an influential position, despite a change in administrations.

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Shopping?

Need gift ideas? Everyone seems to love specialty items from right here in the Pacific Northwest. May I suggest an edible gift? You can't go wrong with a treat of lovely Seattle chocolates, coffees, cheeses or salmon treats. Here is a window which I enjoyed seeing at the new downtown branch of Fran's Chocolates. What gift items is you city known for?

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Star & Carousel Light Up the Night

Lights, camera, action! Everything is up and running for the holidays in Seattle's bright downtown shopping district. Children especially enjoy a ride on the carousel which donates all proceeds to charity. To see all the different lightings that took place on a beautiful night in Seattle last night, check out this video of all the festivities. And if you would like to see a bit of the morning Macy's Holiday Parade, click here.

Friday, November 27, 2009

On the Waterfront

I thought you might like to see this view of Seattle's waterfront from above. A Washington State Ferry makes its way to the terminal, and you can see cars queued up to board the next departure. The top deck of the Alaskan Way Viaduct has very little traffic heading north. Just past Pier 54 you can see some of the Argosy Cruise's fleet. They will be busy on Puget Sound, Lake Union and Lake Washington from tomorrow night, November 28th through December 23rd when their nightly Christmas Ship featuring a different choir each night leads a lighted boat parade that visits different areas to give concerts just off shore where crowds on shore wait for the ship by bonfire light, enjoy the music of the choir broadcast from the ship, watch the decorated community boat parade and sing along. This holiday tradition goes back 60 years. Click here for costs and a schedule of where the the Christmas Ship will depart on different nights, which choir will be on board, where on shore the free bonfires will be held, and how to follow along in your own boat.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving

Wishing those in the USA a very happy Thanksgiving holiday, and everyone around the world, may your forks be full, your health terrific, and your loved ones close to you. This holiday weekend kicks off huge events in Seattle, starting with the Macy's Holiday Parade downtown tomorrow morning, and in the evening the lighting of the giant star on the old Bon Marche building (now Macy's) for the 52nd year, the lighting of the city Christmas tree and fireworks display across the street at Westlake Center, and festive downtown streets decked in lights and Christmas display windows, with the carousel twirling at Westlake Park and people lined up to take photos with Santa across the street. Winterfest also kicks off Friday at Seattle Center with ice skating, the Winter Train and Village, the lighted tree atop the Space Needle and Santa on the Observation Deck. The month long festival will continue through New Year and feature Solstice celebrations and many seasonal events and performances. Saturday the Huskies face the Cougars in the Apple Cup footbal game, which divides in-state loyalties between University of Washington grads/fans and Washington State University grads/fans. Sunday brings the Seattle Marathon and half marathon with thousands running through the scenic streets, and the Seahawks face the Rams in a home game in which the Hawks are favored to win. Seattle's jam-packed weekend is capped off with the first Sunday of Advent tradition at St. Mark's Cathedral of the Cathedral Choir joining with the Compline Choir at 7 PM for the beautiful O Antiphons service and processional.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Rat Dog

A woman pauses on a walk around Green Lake with her tiny dog. You can just see the Space Needle in the distance through those trees. Lots of people have been out and about the past couple days, walking, running, riding bikes, taking advantage of the break in the weather and perhaps making room for Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday :-). Inspiration for the title of this post comes from the Rob Wasserman/Bob Weir band of the same name.

iPhone Wednesday #20: Not Rat Dog

I forgot it was Wednesday when I posted the photo above, so today will be a bonus photo day. This gorgeous dog was small and compact, maybe a quarter the size of a Husky, but a great deal more substantial than the tiny handful in the shot above. It was sitting outside a Queen Anne cafe waiting for its humans. It's my iPhone Wednesday shot for you, where I take the photo and edit it with apps in the iPhone. Be sure to check out Chuck's scooter on a roof iPhone shot today, and if you find Ming of Bangor Daily Photo, let me know. . .he's gone missing since last Wednesday's iPhone shot.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

More Than Hot Coffee

Drive through espresso stands featuring young baristas clad in lingerie or swim wear isn't a new business angle in Seattle, but this stand is fairly new to the Ballard neighborhood. I had not come across one with quite so bold a logo as this. Apparently its counterpart which just opened last weekend over in Bellevue, a well-to-do suburb on the Eastside of Lake Washington, is not going over well with some of the neighbors there. Ballard already has two strip clubs on the same street, so likely has taken Knotty Bodies in stride. The customers might think it steamy, while I'm thinking the barista might not: the temperature outside when I shot this was 11C/52F, but at least it wasn't raining :-).

Monday, November 23, 2009

SPU Campanile

This is Demaray Hall, built in the 1960s on the campus of Seattle Pacific University. Its campanile features relief panels designed by UW trained art professor Ernst Schwidder who was on SPU's faculty from 1964-1968. Schwidder was also on faculty at Valparaiso University, Luther College and Pacific Lutheran University during his career. He passed away in 1998 at the age of 66. The distinctive reliefs he created symbolize the Trinity and three areas of knowledge: fine arts, science and history. The clock at the top is a constant reminder to students of the time they have remaining to work on assignments and projects before they can leave for the Thanksgiving holiday this Thursday and Friday. A lotta java is being consumed here and on many other campuses all over town.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Rick Steves

I attended a lecture last night called Travel as a Political Act given by Rick Steves, the popular travel author and host of PBS television's Rick Steves' Europe and public radio's Travel With Rick Steves. Rick is based locally, just north of Seattle in Edmonds, WA. His guidebooks were key in making a special anniversary and birthday trip we made to Paris in 2004 delightful, memorable and carefree. My husband had been to England and Honduras, but I had never traveled outside of North America.

It was after that trip that I developed a habit of checking a live Paris web cam everyday to get a sense of the weather and a glimpse of the beautiful City of Light I had fallen head over heals for. I abandoned that practice when I discovered by chance Eric Tenin's Paris Daily Photo blog in 2005. Through Eric's beautiful daily photos and his journalist's knack of presenting interesting and informative commentary, I grew to understand more and more about Paris in particular and France and the French in general. It was his influence and the encouragement of others following his lead that got me photoblogging about Seattle in 2006. That has led me to discover first hand my own city's history, culture, people, and places through the lens of a camera and share it with others. I continue to visit others' City Daily Photo blogs from every continent except Antarctica. The number of current CDPBlogs has grown from that first handful of cities to over 450. I have made many friends among them and become better informed and aware of the heritage, culture and day to day happenings in cities around the globe. Our thoughtful discussions and the multitude of helpful perspectives have shaped my understanding of the world and informed my own citizenship. This has led me to be more curious about international news, and has resulted in my regularly listening to several countries' and regions' daily news programs. This proves to be a helpful mirror of how my own country is perceived and the effects it has upon the rest of the world. So, even though I'm mostly an armchair traveler through my friend's' blogs at present :-), Rick's insights on how foreign travel and interacting with people from other cultures shapes us politically certainly resonated with my experiences with you all. If you'd like to check out his new book on the subject, his recent visit to Iran, or any of his travel materials and programs, click here.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

A Good Place to Spend a Rainy Afternoon

In a week of mainly rainy days with few sun breaks, Seattlites with children have their favorite indoor haunts for stimulating family activities. One of them is the children's section of their local branch library or the colorful huge children's room at the downtown Central Library. Here a puppeteer interacts with a young patron. Lots more photos of it at More Seattle Stuff.

Friday, November 20, 2009

Skywatch Friday: Sunrise Through My Window

This was the view out my window here in Seattle the other morning before our current storm turned all our skies to gray. I was surprised it turned out sharp despite being viewed through the window and screen. The view has been solid clouds for several days as we continue to get our first real soaking of fall rain. To see skies in other cities all over the globe, click here to visit the Skywatch Friday portal.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Northern Entrance Seattle Center

This was once the main north gate where thousands entered the Century 21 Exposition, Seattle's 1962 World's Fair. The rolling portico roof of this exterior walkway is original. The newer touch of echoing waves of bright neon color under the breezeway eves really brightens up this night scene. The rock-like spheres are used in several places on Seattle Center's campus to prevent motor vehicle access and define spaces. Night or day, Seattle Center is a welcoming place.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

iPhone Wednesday #19: Outdoor Seating

Cafes may still offer sidewalk seating, but right now in Seattle you'll probably want to dine indoors. ;^) It's my 19th in the iPhone Wednesday series where the photo and editing are done with the iPhone camera and apps. My iPhone Wednesday buddies Ming the Merciless and Chuck are also sharing iPhone shots, and I note from his post today that Chuck and I now have twin computers! How random is THAT!

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

In Front of a Seniors Residence

As I walked by I noticed three separate ambulances waiting in the rain outside a multistory senior assisted living facility on Capitol Hill (the others were private and less colorful ambulances on the opposite side of the building out of view to my right). Seems like it was an unusually busy day for patient transports. With nearly all the leaves now on the ground instead of in the trees, I was thinking about the seasons of life and how my youngest little friends thrill at the sight of these emergency vehicles and can't get enough of them, while my oldest friends dread them and have seen far too many. Hope you and yours are in good health and enjoying autumn.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Arrested Development

Long slated for a redo into affordable family housing by the Uwajimaja Company (which bought it in 2003 causing the eviction of its 75 low income residents), the Publix Hotel in the International District sits vacant still while people live on the street around its periphery.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Alki From 1st Ave

Storm clouds on the move reveal Alki in the distance across Elliott Bay, as seen from the traffic light at 1st Avenue.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Moon Mask

The moon last night was a waning crescent, but there was no way to see that with the cloudy skies and winds. The waters of the Sound were so rough the Clipper had to cancel its trip from Victoria, BC on Vancouver Island to Seattle and reroute all of us passengers. We went up island via motor coach to Swartz Bay where we drove onto the BC Ferry to Tsawwassen, enjoyed the huge ferry's amenities, then drove off and down to the boarder, got off, collected our luggage, went through customs, packed everything back on and continued on to Seattle, getting in at midnight instead of 7PM. I arrived home to see my car had snow on the roof. Cloudy and some showers today also, but I'm enjoying some moon gazing of sorts at this mask that captured me at the Royal BC Museum. I attempted some handheld lowlight interior shots and was glad upon reviewing them today to see most turned out sharp.

Carved masks like this were used in potlatches by first nations coastal people. Many made their way into museum collections after being confiscated along with other art works in the Canadian government's campaign to force assimilation that lasted through to the 1950s. Some tribes have sought return of their works and are gaining cooperation from museums. Great wrongs seem to always cry out through history for amends. In Australia they have a saying in their attempts at reparations, "We Say Sorry." This moon mask reminds me that there is light still shining out there in the darkness of human relations.

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