Sunday, December 14, 2014

EVENING PHOTOS

Good sunset tonight.  The cold light of the winter sun warmed as the sun slid towards the horizon.  The Seahawks were comfortably ahead, so went out and tried to capture some images.



The old Blue Peter.  Part of Seattle history


An aging "Diamond Head".  Once proud, now needs some help.


Oh - the sea hawks won

MOUNT SI

A Gray Jay, or 'Camp Robber'

Devin and I woofed up Mount Si Saturday morning.  We enjoyed a good hike, conversation, and exercise all within an 8 mile round trip with 3,100 feet of elevation gain.

The camp robbers were all around.





CHRISTMAS SHIPS

The Christmas ships are a Seattle tradition.  And a very smart business model for Argosy to offset the peak summer tourist season.  In any case, they visited Shilshole Friday night and here are a few pictures.


Saturday, October 18, 2014

BALLARD HAS A 'COAST'?

A native Seattleite, I’d never heard of Ballard’s coast.  Seattle didn’t have a coast.  Neither did Tacoma, Edmonds or Everett. Hoquiam was on the coast as was Westport.  Not Ballard.

But long ago, for my first job, I moved to Yakima and spent a decade there one year.  When I’d go back on the weekends headed to Bellingham or Seattle, my friends would say, “headed over to the coast this weekend?”

“No, Seattle”

“OK, Have a great time on the coast!”

As much as I would say it’s Puget frigging Sound, they would insist it was the coast.  East of Snoqualmie pass, I couldn’t win.  It was the coast.

So, far more recently when I moved onto the boat, I’d say I lived in Ballard.  Then the inevitable question.

“Where in Ballard?”

“Off the coast of Ballard” would usually get the great scrunched up face that says “where the hell is that”.

So that’s where I live.  Off the coast of Ballard on a sailboat.

It sounds more rugged than it really is.  It’s only a block from one of Seattle’s great restaurants, Rays, with a decent happy hour and a pretty good pint selection.

But, if you use mapping software to track my movements, it looks like I walk nearly due west for over 100 yards into the water off Ballard and that’s home.

Off the coast of Ballard.