West Seattle 5k

The clouds parted and the sun burst out just as the race started.  I went into a coffee shop to enjoy a biscotti and latte while waiting for Teresa and the rest to return.

I'm a Grandfather

... that's the reason I didn't post anything last week.  I was busy.

Japanese Gardens in Seattle

A view of the Japanese Garden at the Seattle Arboretum.  The late cherry trees are still blooming but the rhododendrons are still coming into full bloom.

Another view of the garden with a Japanese Lantern in the pond.

And finally, a view of the Japanese Lantern I placed in our front garden.

Fauntleroy Ferry

The GPS is smart enough to know we are on the ferry, but not smart enough to get the crossing times right.

Driftwood along Dungeness Spit

The spit is about 5 miles long and littered with driftwood on the strait side.  The inland side is a muddy estuary and wildlife refuge.

Dungeness, Home of the Famous Crabs

Today was wet and a bit cool but some sun broke through.  The picture was taken just up from Dungeness on the Strait of Juan de Fuca.  Canada can be seen across the strait from this location.  The sandy headland was named New Dungeness by George Vancouver in 1792 because of the resemblance to Dungeness in Britain.  There is a long sand spit (the longest in North America) with a lighthouse at the end just up the coast from here.  Beautiful, and well worth a visit.

Nice Weather at Last

At last, more and more days with nice weather.  This is the view of Seattle from the little park on the hill in West Seattle on California Street.

Camellia

The blooms on the camellia are all but gone.

Windswept Pine

I trimmed the tree in the backyard a little bit the other day.  There was a dead limb that needed to go...

Statue of Liberty

We have a statue of liberty in West Seattle along the waterfront, and they have one in Japan too.  This one was placed there by the Boy Scouts in 1952 along with the following inscription:

With the faith and courage of their forefathers who made possible the freedom of these United States

THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA

dedicate this copy of the statue of liberty as a pledge of everlasting fidelity and loyalty.

Standup Paddle Boards (SUP)

I always think of kayaks and canoes when I think of the Pacific Northwest but I see more paddleboards than anything else in the cove around Lincoln Park.

King of the World

So far, being retired isn't too bad...

Point Robinson Lighthouse

The Robinson Point Lighthouse is located on Maury Island and accessible from Vashon Island.  There is a nice public park around it.  The original fog horn was installed in 1885, and the current lighthouse in 1915.  The tower is a twin of the Alki Point Lighthouse which was built in 1913 and just up the coast on the mainland at West Seattle.

Fauntleroy Cove

Ahh...  It was a beautiful day today.  This is Fauntleroy from the Vashon Island ferry as it comes into the landing.  Our house is about half way up the hill.

More Tulips

I read somewhere that if you wanted people to take notice of your photographs, put red in it.

Skagit Valley Tulips

The cherry trees are beginning to fade but the tulips are coming into full bloom.  This is a commercial tulip field in the Skagit Valley North of Seattle.

Cherry Blossoms are in Bloom

The University of Washington Campus

Lincoln Park Beach

Our local park is Lincoln Park and it follows the beach below our house for a good ways, a bit over a mile.  There is a lot of driftwood on this beach, and for that matter it seems most beaches in this area.  It may be difficult to tell the scale from this picture but the tree is about 12" (30 cm) in diameter.

Columbia River

Interstate 90 crosses the Columbia River East of Ellensburg, Washington.  There is a turnout with a nice view....

Bluebonnets

We were in Texas but it was a busy weekend and there wasn't much time for photographs.  However, the bluebonnets were in bloom along I45 right of way and I did stop for this snapshot with my point and shoot near Corsicana.  It is definitely spring in Texas.  Bluebonnets are in the genus Lupinus (I like how it rhymes) and the state flower of Texas.

View from Fauntleroy

We are moving to Seattle and here is the back garden view from the new house with the ferry coming in from Vashon Island in the background and the Olympic Mountains in the far distance.

And this is the panoramic view from the house.  Click to enlarge.

Alki Point Lighthouse

The Alki Point Lighthouse is located a few miles from us and guards the inlet to Elliot Bay and Seattle.  The structure was built in 1913.

Labor Temple

The Labor Temple, Seattle, WA.

Deception Inlet

A view of Whidbey Island across Deception Inlet from Goose Island.  Named on the 10th of June 1792 by Captain George Vancouver after feeling he had been deceived by the nature of the pass (he had originally thought it was the inlet to a bay, it is actually a passage separating Whidbey Island).  Whidbey Island is named after Joseph Whidbey, a member of Vancouver's crew who explored the inlet in a small boat.

Kananaskis Village

A view from the loop walk around Kananaskis Village.

Ribbon Creek

It is warming in the mountain valleys.  This view is from the bridge across Ribbon Creek as you head into Kananaskis Village.

Canada Geese

The geese must think spring is coming - they have been flying back in the last few days.  This pair perched on our 14th floor balcony for a few minutes this morning before moving on.

Vermillion Lakes and Rundle

The weather was great today - the first weekend in a while with really nice weather.  It was above freezing, sunny, and not much wind.

Skiing down Main Street

Today we were in Canmore where they were having Nordic racing for the kids down main street.  It reminded me of swim team back when we lived in Kingwood and our kids were little.  Some were styling it like the little girls at the top.  Others were really getting into it and were definitely there to win.

Earthquake in Japan

The devastation from the earthquake and tsunami that occured in Japan are hard for me to imagine.  When I lived in Japan we had drills and training for earthquakes and stored water and food to cover several days in the apartment.  This picture of Sendai was taken in 2005, what we see now is overwhelming.  My prayers for those who are impacted....