Seattle Daily Photo

Friday, July 08, 2011

5th Anniversary of Seattle Daily Photo

Photo & Text © 2011 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved. No use, reproduction, alteration, or republishing in any media.
Many thanks for stopping in to help celebrate SDP's 5th Blogoversary. It is the people I've come to know through SDP and the photo friendships that have developed that have made exploring and photoblogging Seattle's diverse neighborhoods so fun. Up there in the new header photo I've pulled up 5 red chairs from the Olympic Sculpture Park for you to sit in the sun and relax. Perhaps you'd enjoy a little happy hour style appetizer to get the party started, so here is a tiny sampler of some of the most well received of the 1735 posts from 2006 to present. SDP by the numbers in 5 years is kind of mind boggling. Over 525,000 visitors have made 1,058,145 pageviews from 19,488 cities in 200 countries. Over 4,200 are subscribed to the RSS feed, and 653 folks are following through Google Friend Connect. That's a ton of wonderful people! Thank you for your many kind comments and for informing, inspiring me and stretching me in new directions. If you're a longtime visitor or fellow City Daily Photo blogger you may have noticed I haven't been able to visit around to comment as I used to, and my dailiness in posting here has been slipping since my employment went to full time last fall :-). I'll get back into the regular rhythm soon and look forward to sharing many more shots of what catches my eye in this amazing city. Thanks very much!

Thursday, July 07, 2011

Ain't Nobody Here But Us Urban Chickens

Urban chickens are pretty commonplace in Seattle backyards. These two, however, decided to keep an eye on what was happening in the front yard of their Queen Anne Hill home. This Saturday, July 9, 20011, Seattle Tilth is sponsoring it's Chicken Coop and Urban Farm Tour from 10AM-4PM in several neighborhoods throughout Seattle (all information can be found by clicking this link ). My backyard neighbors built an amazing coop last year. When I saw it taking shape I thought they were building an architectural model or a designer shed. It was really amazing, but I don't know if it will be on the tour :-). I just love hearing their beautiful hens' little happy sounds. They are well cared for and I think the neighbors are happy having their small supply of fresh eggs.

Wednesday, July 06, 2011

It Was a Sunny Day

. . .not a cloud was in the sky.
Sun dogs flare on lens glass as I shoot straight into the sun. Can you see the float plane heading into the northwest? The pilot had a spectacular view as far as the eye can see. Hope your day was as beautiful as it was here!

Tuesday, July 05, 2011

Casting Shadows in Seattle's Streets

Seattle streets are full of people enjoying the summer sun. This cyclist was one of them. It wasn't until I uploaded this shot that I noticed the rider had a "pocket full of Kryptonite," (her orange bike lock in her back pocket :-).

Monday, July 04, 2011

Ready and Waiting

The Center for Wooden Boats is a treasure among all Seattle's wonderful organizations that educate and give so much pleasure back to the community. Situated at the south end of Lake Union, it provides education for all ages, demonstrations, boating classes, camps for kids, boat building, restoration and repair know-how for enthusiasts, and opportunities to see historic ships or get out on the water in small craft like this. Over this 4th of July weekend the Wooden Boat Festival will welcome thousands of visitors to its Lake Union Park home. I'm with Ratty: "There is nothing- absolutely nothing- half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats."

Friday, July 01, 2011

Theme Day: Green

My fave color! Well, it's the theme for first of the month CDPBlogger's theme day, and I'm late, but here :-). I call this shot Day Vision (as opposed to night vision and that green view such goggles give).
This is the glass roof of the vivarium at the SAM Olympic Sculpture Park. You can see a little bit of blue sky peeking through. This green glass casts an eerie hue over everything inside and sometimes out (see my More Seattle Stuff page to see a cool sidewalk shadow). The vivarium was build around the long living tree on it's side that inhabits this unique structure (see photos here). Check out how other interpreted the theme by clicking here to view thumbnails for all participants.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Tide's Out

It's always hard for me to comprehend that the Pacific Ocean is actually about 100 miles west of Seattle. Living on the Puget Sound in this large port city sure seems like a typical west coast location. The tides still work on us, and we've had some very low tides recently that sent lots of folks out looking for all the interesting critters and objects that had been left behind on the beach. Naturalists are frequently available to lead tide pool walks around the Sound. There can be a 15 foot difference between high and low tides this time of year, so an awesome number of tidal critters are on view! This is Alki beach in West Seattle. There were no naturalists present, but people were exploring on their own. In the distance you can see the south slope of Queen Anne Hill and Seattle Center's distinctive Key Arena roof and the Space Needle.

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Pressing On

Going green can be an uphill effort on some of our steep streets :-). I'm seeing more cyclists out and about as the days tilt from rainier to sunnier. This guy, though, I'm sure is probably out there rain or shine.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Shadows & Upheaval

Since childhood I've had a love of trees and how they frame our world with a canopy of color, filter light, rustle in the breeze, cast shade in heat. It wasn't until I married my husband that I learned some people consider yard trees to be a major headache :-). The former owner of our Seattle home was an avid gardener and had planted many trees, one of which was towering between our house and our neighbor's. My husband had a tree company take it out, fearing it would crash into one house or the other in a wind storm. There were still 4 smaller trees left on that side of the house, so it wasn't as heartbreaking to me as it might have been. After our first windstorm here, I was glad he had been proactive about it. I have an arborist look after our remaining trees and get them trimmed and inspected every couple years.
At first sight I just loved seeing the shadow of this large old lovely along a Capitol Hill street, then I noticed the brick gutter (a common feature in Capitol Hill) was a victim of serious tree roots. One of the downsides of lovely tree-lined streets. The Department of Transportation recently started requiring certain new developments install blocks around the root systems of new tree plantings to prevent this kind of damage to sidewalks, curbs and streets.

Thursday, June 09, 2011

Garden Gate

I spied this garden gate while out on a morning walk in Capitol Hill. It was interesting to see two types of leaves on one tree, half oak, half elm, perhaps?

Wednesday, June 08, 2011

Home After a Long Day

A car heads home at sunset on a gorgeous Seattle evening.

Tuesday, June 07, 2011

A Tale of Two Bridges: Part 2

Well, I lied. There are actually two bridges in this photo alone, so with the one in yesterday's that makes 3 bridges. The blue colored bridge below packed with waiting traffic is one of the busiest draw bridges in the world, the Fremont Bridge that opens for boat traffic along the Lake Washington Ship Canal. The upper-most bridge in this shot is the Aurora Bridge, officially named the George Washington Memorial Bridge. It is currently undergoing a seismic retrofit that should be completed next year. Unfortunately, this graceful span is associated with hundreds of tragic deaths since it was built in the 1930s, most from suicide. There have been over 50 in the past decade alone despite installation of prevention call boxes and compassionate signage. Governor Gregoire allotted 1.4 million dollars from the 2007 budget to install a suicide prevention barrier which was completed in February. Hopefully it will substantially reduce the likelihood of further jumping attempts. In 1998 an articulated metro bus like the one you see in the photo plunged off the side and onto an apartment house below after the bus driver was killed by a passenger. Such a horrific history for a bridge that seems here to top even the Olympic Mountains.

Monday, June 06, 2011

A Tale of Two Bridges: Part 1

The I-5 Ship Canal Bridge is busy with evening traffic. This view is from across the northern tip of Lake Union. Tomorrow I'll face the opposite direction and give you a glimpse of another high bridge to the west.

Sunday, June 05, 2011

Ghost Sign on the Roycroft Theatre

The Roycroft Theatre urged patrons to wait for pictures to leave the first run houses downtown and see them here on convenient Capitol Hill. The theater opened in 1925, complete with organ. After 40 years as a cinema, the building was converted to become the Russian Community Center. Although films haven't played here in 50 years, the ghost sign remains unchanged. Speaking of films, the Seattle International Film Festival is winding down to its last week. If you haven't heard of it or attended in the past, it is very much worth your attention. "Throughout its 34 years, SIFF has evolved into one of the leading independent and international film institutions in the United States and the world. With extensive local, national, and international media coverage, the Festival is one of Seattle’s most accessible and highly–publicized cultural events."

Saturday, June 04, 2011

iPhone Action Shot

I was standing by the duck pond in Denny Blaine Lake Park when a guy walking six dogs passed me, then doubled back and passed me several times more. He was encouraging the dogs to follow his directions and not let their temptation to chase the ducks override what they were doing. This photo turned out a little strange, as the iPhone doesn't capture movement like some other cameras will (thus the chocolate pooch in front has a crackled face and some bodies and tales are a blur. But, I liked the effect and the way it showed this Dogs Around the Block trainer and six dogs having a grand time.

Friday, June 03, 2011

Rain Gardens Not Draining

Photo & Text © 2011, Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved; no use, reproduction, alteration or republishing in any media.

I, and I suppose a lot of other Seattle residents, received a notice from Seattle Public Utilities this week announcing incentives to encourage residents to instal rain barrels or rain gardens on their property to reduce storm water and pollutant run off into our vital waterways. I've seen rain gardens properly and very attractively installed in a few places (the parking strip adjacent to Ballard Corners Park, the median on 14th Ave NW, and in private landscaping in a couple resident's front yards). I've also noticed while out walking that, on the main, the large pilot program the city attempted in parts of the Ballard neighborhood isn't working as expected. After walking past this rain garden, and noticing standing water when there had been no rain in days, I looked for information on how the pilot project was going (read about it here and here). Apparently, after meetings with concerned residents, hiring pumping trucks to siphon off standing water regularly, and further surveys in the field, SPU agreed in April to remove the rain gardens that aren't working and restore the grassy parking strips where they were built. I'm hoping the rain gardens promoted in this week's flyer are of significantly better design. We have a large cistern filled with rock and gravel under the top soil of our small back yard, into which the rain gutter downspouts of our roof and those of our two next door neighbors drain underground. I've never had soggy soil or standing water, but we are near the top of a hill. I'm wishing the city and affected residents well in successfully resolving these unforeseen drainage difficulties in what was a well-intentioned pilot program.

Thursday, June 02, 2011

PATH Cloudscape Reflection

I loved the cloudscape adorning the glass exterior of this building that houses PATH, a non profit global health advocate headquartered here in Seattle. PATH works on diverse international health issues and does a world of good, working on research, medicine, social and financial factors to improve health for people around the globe. This new building stands at the corner of Westlake and Denny Way and was part of the giant reshaping of the neighborhood into a vital core for biotechnology, medical research, and high tech businesses.

Wednesday, June 01, 2011

Theme Day: Under Construction

It is the first of the month City Daily Photo Bloggers' theme day: Under Construction. This huge and colorful mural adorns 135 feet of the eastern side of the 24 foot high bright red wall that surrounds the Capitol Hill Light Rail station construction site (also seen in yesterday's photo). Note the ginormous red crane swinging its weight around in the blue sky above! This mural was designed by Baso Fibonacci (that's his spray-painted likeness on the right) and painted in record time by Zach Rockstad and Japhy Witte (check out this video of the guys at work). They started by painting over the red with a pink, green, and gray camouflage pattern, then painted the fantasy figures over that. Street artists gone muralists with gallery cred :-). The mural is one in a series curated by performance artist DK Pan for Sound Transit's STart Capitol Hill Wall Project (you can see many of the other works here). This wall will be up for five years while the station takes shape within. To see how the construction theme was interpreted in cities around the globe, click here to view thumbnails for all participants.

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Bright On A Gray Day Strata

A yellow cab drove past the bright red construction fence that surrounds the work site for the Capitol Hill station of Link Lightrail. I nicked this one with the iPhone.

Monday, May 30, 2011

Decoration Day

Today is Memorial Day, the American holiday commemorating members of the armed services who lost their lives in war. It is observed on the last Monday of May and had its roots in America's Civil War days. It began officially as Decoration Day at Arlington National Cemetery in 1868 and was observed by the decoration of graves by families and civic groups. I found these stone hearts and vase of fresh Peonies adorning a headstone while walking in Mount Pleasant Cemetery. However, it is Seattle's Washeli Cemetery that is home to The Veterans Memorial Cemetery the resting place of hundreds who were buried with military honors. Known as "The Arlington of the West," it will be awash in the national colors today. (Photo of Veterans Memorial Cemetery at Washeli below © 2009 by Ben Benschnieder, used here under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.)

Sunday, May 29, 2011

1st Ave & Pike Place Footscape

Imitating Bob from Barcelona (we still miss you!) and my fave Parisian photoblogger who often shares street level shots (Hi Eric!), I took a low perspective while watching folks cross 1st Avenue at Pike Place. I liked the way this pedestrian's stride framed people in the background.

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Two Walkers Were Approaching

Two guys coming towards me downhill on a path at Gas Works Park in the Wallingford neighborhood are silhouetted in the last light of day. The wind did not begin to howl as they approached, however :-).

Friday, May 27, 2011

Down in the Alley

Most of the shots from Post Alley I've shared with you in the past five years have been from ground level, so I thought you might like a peek up the alley from a loftier viewpoint. A couple walks their dog down the alley and under the familiar green and red neon Post Alley sign. The alley actually runs continuously for far more blocks than visitors to Seattle may realize, starting from Virginia Street and heading south through Pike Place Market and down to Seneca Street, after which its path broadens and it becomes Post Avenue through to Yesler Way in the Pioneer Square area. After it crosses Yesler it appears to become an alley again, although unnamed on maps, ending at Jackson Street.

Sunday, May 08, 2011

NoMa

This is the entrance sign of a condominium complex in the Ballard neighborhood. The name stands for North of Market Street (the main shopping street in Ballard is NW Market St). On this Mother's Day, though it kind of reminded me of what a lot of us moms hear from our children from time to time :-). Hope all the moms who read SDP didn't hear too many no-nos from their little ones and had a lovely day.

Tuesday, May 03, 2011

For All the World To See

I was walking past a telephone pole on an arterial street on Queen Anne Hill and did a double take when I spied this colorful art glass display some residents have apparently added to the streetscape in front of their home. There always seems to be some artistic or whimsical surprise to share in most Seattle neighborhoods.

Monday, May 02, 2011

Seattle Photographer & His Cute Pooch

I often run into photographers as I'm out and about around town. Yesterday I got to meet Robby, a photographer with a power chair that he has mounted with a terrific sturdy metal mono pod, fabricated by Glaser's Cameras, atop which rides his new Canon Power Shot camera and grip (his old camera took a spill recently and broke). Robby's dog was busy posing for a cute mug shot taken by one of the store clerks at All the Best Pet Shop on Queen Anne Ave North. I saw this scene unfolding when I entered the shop and quickly took this shot. I walked over and showed the shot to Robby, upon which I got a knowing smile and he surprised me by retrieving his own photo portfolio from his backpack. Ah, someone like me! I hadn't noticed his camera, I had been so focused on his little dog and the clerk trying to take its picture. I had a treat seeing Robby's shots and learned of his successful one man show and sale held at a local coffee house. It was fun to run into a fellow enthusiast and see his work. For info on his matted and framed prints of Seattle scenes and beautiful nature shots contact him here.

Sunday, May 01, 2011

Theme Day: Mailbox

Today the first of the month City Daily Photo Bloggers' theme is mailboxes. Here is a US Postal Service mailbox in front of a Starbucks entrance on a sunny spring morning in Seattle. Are you curious to see what mailboxes look like in countries around the globe? Click here to view thumbnails for all participants.

And hey, we are celebrating three fabulous CDPBlogger's significant blogoversaries! They have each poured out a lot of work and dedication every day for many years, and I have enjoyed getting to know their areas through their beautiful photography. Rudy of La Antigua, Guatemala is celebrating 5 years of La Antigua Daily Photo today. And he would like you to send him some snail mail to fill the mail slot he's featuring today. So drop a colorful postcard or a letter with a fancy stamp from wherever you may be to him at :
RUDY GIRON, LADP
P.O. BOX 139 EL CORREO
LA ANTIGUA GUATEMALA, C.P. 03001
GUATEMALA, CENTRAL AMERICA
And the party keeps on going in the northern hemisphere. Earlier this week Slinger of Twin Cities Daily Photo (Minniapolis/St. Paul, Minnisota, USA) also marked 5 years of fab photoblogging. And Bergson in Chateaubriant, France is celebrating his 4th year of publishing Chateaubriant Daily Photo. I invite you to pay each of them a visit, enjoy their work and wish them Bon Blogoversary!

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Consider the Tulips of the Field

Kate Middleton in all her happy wedding glory will not be arrayed like one of these next weekend :-).
The tulip farms north of Seattle in the Skagit Valley provide acre upon acre of lovely spring colors in abundance. The Tulip Festival is in full swing now. Here are rows of double pinks, just one of dozens upon dozens of varieties to get lost in. Wishing all who are celebrating it today a very happy Easter!

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Papel Picado @ Beacon Hill Station

These bright flag sculptures against a very gray sky mark the new Link Light Rail station in Beacon Hill. They were designed by artist Carl Smool who also created the dozens of "carpet" pavers on the plaza, Common Threads, decorated with patterns from cultures around the world, including from the Duwamish first peoples of Seattle. The patterned cut metal flags he created, in the tradition of Mexican papel picado banners, move with the direction of the wind. Last month a stormy wind brought down one of the giant flag poles at 5:30 pm (video here). The bus stop where these people are waiting in front of the light rail station features sculpture by Steven Gardner. His designs will be featured on 19 of the light rail stations' connecting bus stops along the route through Seattle.

Friday, April 22, 2011

Pink Elephant Sighting

One of Seattle's most beloved vintage lighted signs is that of Elephant Carwash. It has been spinning on Denny Way since the 1950s. I've shown you this landmark here before, but not from a distance, like this shot I took from Bhy Kracke Park on Queen Anne Hill.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Back In Parking

I took this shot on Ferdinand Street in the Columbia City neighborhood in the south of Seattle, although it could have been taken in nearly any commercial district in Seattle. The city has replaced parallel parking areas with back in angled parking spaces all over town. I admit I am slowly getting better at judging the angle correctly as I back in, but it can be a challenge :-). Does your city have this sort of parking?
These detailed wood-frame homes look to be from before the turn of the 20th century.and the color choices of their current owners add to their charm and that of this very fun neighborhood to explore.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Laurelhurst Neighborhood

Wouldn't you love to shove off from one of those waterfront home docks for a day of boating in the sun? Or even dappled sunlight from passing clouds :-). This is a part of the Laurelhursthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurelhurst,_Seattle neighborhood, a hilly peninsula that juts out dividing Union Bay from Lake Washington. This is the neighborhood where Bill Gates grew up. I viewed it through a long lens from the Interlaken area on Capitol Hill.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Seattle's Bubbleman On The Go

Garry Golightly, Seattle's "Bubbleman" delights people at public and private gatherings all over Seattle. I found myself behind his vehicle at a light in the Greenwood neighborhood and enjoyed seeing his purple custom color and the bowls he had affixed to the hatch. Check out his license plate, too. A pretty fun guy, don't you think? I was reminded of the times I had found myself behind Wavy Gravy's car when I lived in Berkeley. . .I'm just always following clowns around town, apparently. Garry drives faster than pokey ol' Wavy, though :-).

Monday, April 18, 2011

Spring Sail

A sail boat glides past Gas Works Park on its way from Portage Bay onto Lake Union on a late weekend afternoon.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Almost 40 Years in Business

The Columbia City's neighborhood storefronts boast a lot of charm, color, and sometimes a certain trendiness. Big John's Barber Shop is not a trendy multi-station affair, say like a "Rudy's" or a "Lucky 7", but an authentic 2 chair throwback to this historic business district's mid-century days. Big John is a Seattlite who has been in business for many years in one location, through the bad and good economic times the neighborhood has seen.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Brompton Rider on Campus

While out photographing the cherry blossoms at UW I noticed this gentleman doing likewise with his digital Leica camera. Then I noticed he was riding a folding Brompton bike just like my friend Norman in Oceanside, CA also rides everywhere he goes. We struck up a conversation and I found that this Leica shooter was visiting Seattle for a conference and had come by train with his Brompton folded and stowed neatly with his travel bag on board. How cool and easy is that? :-) He was kind enough to pose with it for me.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Up To Its Knees

I think even the Flamingos at Woodland Park Zoo are hoping our current pattern of sunshine and showers will turn to mostly sunshine. Another storm front moved in overnight, announced by hail, but we'd rather be swimming in sunshine.
The zoo's Chilean Flamingo colony has produced several hatchlings each year since their exhibit opened in May of 2008.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

They're Everywhere!

Photographers, that is :-). Okay, everyone in your best voice on the count of four, 1 2 3 4 hit it. . ."I always feel like. . .somebody's watching me." Wherever I go in Seattle I usually see at least one other person with camera in hand roaming around like me. This day I sort of hit the jackpot at Sunset Hill Park.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

The Quad in Spring

Cherry blossoms abloom in the Liberal Arts Quadrangle. On either side of this staircase to my left and right are the doors to the the School of Music and the School of Art buildings.

Monday, April 11, 2011

Springtime Rituals

Students and visitors enjoy the spring bloom of the Yoshino Cherry trees that grace the UW Quad. Pink Snow lines the pathways across campus and friends pause to enjoy the magical canopy of pale blossoms.

Saturday, April 09, 2011

Spring Streetscape

Walk nearly any neighborhood in Seattle this week and you will pass under pink and white blossoming arches and over fallen petals. I took this on a street in the Hawthorne Hills neighborhood. Cherry trees are at their peak, while plums are finished blooming and leaves have replaced blossoms.

Friday, April 08, 2011

Bird on a Wire

Every city has its own collection of sticker artists, and Seattle has some really cool ones. I liked this negative/positive sticker of a crow on a wire. This is by graphic artist Antiuser. I admire his crow series. The reflections on the back of the sign made things interesting.

Thursday, April 07, 2011

Blue Moon

Rumor has it that ~~the owner of~~ a former bartender at the popular Blue Moon Tavern on NE 45th Street posed for this logo on the neon sign outside the establishment.

Update: Anonymous readers report the following:
"The woman featured in the Blue Moon sign owns the Streamline Tavern in Lower Queen Ann." and, "The model was a bartender there, not the owner, and she was a Rat City Roller Girl...she is in the documentary - see on Netflix."

Sunday, April 03, 2011

Sunday Bridges #20: Washington Ship Canal Bridge

This lengthy steel truss bridge was completed in 1961 to carry Interstate 5 traffic over the Lake Washington Ship Canal where it curves around from Lake Union into Portage Bay. I took this at sunset looking south from the University District toward the shores of the Eastlake neighborhood.
Be sure to visit Louis la Vache's Sunday Bridge Series which features bridge photos from bloggers all over the world. Enjoy!

Saturday, April 02, 2011

Forsythia

The pleasures of early spring in Seattle include bright Forsythia, always a joy to see against a blue or a gray sky. I spied these blossoms on a walk through the Hawthorn Hills neighborhood, which is between the University District and Sand Point.

Friday, April 01, 2011

Theme Day: Edges

It's City Daily Photo Blogs first of the month theme day again, and this month we are challenging ourselves to look at Edges. The composition of this image is unusual for me in that the subjects are all out at the edges of the shot. To tell you the truth, it was all I could do to get the camera settings right before the float plane and ferry both roamed right out of the picture! Whew! To see how others interpreted the theme, click here to view thumbnails for all participants.

A float plane in a cloudy blue sky and a ferry skimming across Puget Sound may be as ubiquitous an image to scream Seattle as the Space Needle. These modes of transportation are a way of life around the Sound. If you are planning a trip to Seattle this summer you can do more than see these historic vessels coming and going at all hours of the day, you can get on board a Kenmore Air flight or a Washington State Ferry. Be sure to visit Skywatch Friday here to see dramatic skies all over the globe.

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