Seattle + Texas August 2019

Seattle + Texas August 2019

Show Brazil, most of these cats drove up from Portland, they said the family van was pretty crowded.
http://summer.site.seattleartmuseum.org/category/thursdays/
Listen at: https://youtu.be/T0q634mx_T0

Then on Fridays free music at the Mural

Then off to Texas, next morning Breakfast at the East Austin Tamale House with our son Graeme, 

I always like to see what our grandaughter  Liv is up to and the best way is to visit her bedroom. It now has her Dancing awards proudly displayed. That's a lot of Dancing!

Then Liv shared with me this sketch that her sister Ella did. 

A project by Ella and the artist in her group completed for a term project that highlights a community in Brooklyn that is striving to deal with a changing world. 

Well, that;s New York!

A stroll with Monet at the Ft. Worth Kimball Art Museum

This collection was the later years of Monet,  He obviously had a very close connection to the natural world.
 https://www.kimbellart.org/

We went to visit Brian and Pamela, Big Daves' close friends, at their shop on white Settlement.

This stuffed duck was interesting, it seems that it is against the law to sell certain stuffed protected birds. 

So hence the sign, Not For Sell

We attended the first informal night of my Arlinton Heights HS 50th reunion. Fortunately our mighty fine friends Martti and Cookie were there to have fun with and after wards we had a late dinner at El Fenix on Camp Bowie Blvd. in Ridglea (on the West side of Fort Worth, TX). Martti reminded me that I took him here to eat about 53 years ago and it was the first time he had ever eaten enchiladas!!

Back at Seattle A walk on the water front and I get to see the largest cruise ship to ever call on the Port of Seattle, Ovation of the Seas, back out and depart for Alaska.  This 5,000 passenger ship has "North Star", it is a glass buble on the end of a crane on the upper deck that provides an incredible advantage point for viewing the incredible Pacific Northwest scenery.
See: https://youtu.be/JTx4eghv4i8

Seattle has become addicted to the stimulus package that each cruise ship brings to the city. More cruise ships than ever now cruise the route between Seattle and Alaska. Just like all worldwide popular tourist destinations the demand just keeps increasing as the global economy just keeps steaming ahead full speed without any regard to our planets health.The city plans on yet one more cruise ship terminal so they can pour millions more humans into the already maxed out crowds on the water front and along the waterways from here to Alaska. See: https://www.portseattle.org/projects/new-cruise-terminal

You can easily search the web to see all the millions of dollars in fine cruise ship companies have had to pay for violating marine pollution and dumping laws. It is not hard for them to avoid detection as they can simply cruise a few more miles out to sea to dump whatever is is that they do not want to carry with them. The fines pale in comparison to the money generated by their business model. 

Close to 40% of the seafood products that the USA consumes comes from these waters. Think about that the next time you bite into some fresh Alaska Salmon.

See Much More here: https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-ships/ovation-of-the-seas

Just like clock work two ships depart around 5pm Ovation of the Seas in Front followed by the much smaller
Celebrity Solstice

A few lazy sea lions on a empty dock at Shilshole.

August continues with the mild lows passing through on a regular basis keeping temps cooler than a normal summer. We did see a handful of days in the upper 80's

But the sun alwauy comes out! Cheers!!

August 31, 2019

July 2019 Seattle - a few remaining notes

July 2019 Seattle - a few remaining notes

A constant series of lows keep July a bit cooler than has been the norm since we moved here. The rain now and then has kept the forest fires and the smoke out of Western Washington, a huge plus since the previous two summers were very smokey around here. All the heat, forest fires, and smoke are sadly plaguing Alaska, another critical sign of climate change. 

Wow a summer month without sailing, OR boat projects. We did travel by car to San Juan Island for a fun visit with Martti & Cookie, and a fun day on Whidby Island after that. We enjoyed our neighborhood with free music at the SAM Sculpture Gardens and the Ballard Locks.We followed the Seattle Sounders closely as they march toward the playoffs. Drew almost 6 and Clara almost 3 kept their grandparents busy a few days each week.

Queen of d'Nile
This Pontoon boat became a slip neighbor on N dock at Shilshole Marina. This is the only pontoon boat I have ever seen at any marina that we have visited in Puget Sound. These type of vessels are made for flat water like lakes. But as you can see it is a pretty big one so I am sure it will be fun, not sure who is going to use that slide to dip into 40-50 degree water?

A small power boat entering the Lake Washington Ship Canal from Puget Sound. The canal runs right through the center of Seattle, through Lake Union and into the very large body of water Lake Washington. Vessels traveling through have to navigate the Ballard locks and if they have mast tall enough several bridges that will require an opening.

The floral beauty around Seattle is spectacular throughout the city ni July, but here at the Ballard Locks there are some very special exhibits. The man in charge of the gardens here would ask sailors coming and going from far away world destinations to bring him some seeds. Over the course of many years he added these to the gardens collection and so the variety is truly spectacular here.

https://blumeadowsmusic.com/

BluMeadows at the SAM
listen at: https://youtu.be/uCdH8NDFi6E

In the distance you can see the Thursday night racing series.

Still Fits GiGI!

I picked up Drew from his soccer camp, Brought back memories, I had a few suggestions but decided to just let it go...

I don't know?

The end of the Hwy. 99 bridge, Alaska Way Viaduct is near
See: https://youtu.be/P2ZjN5ZvzrA
Workman spray water to keep all the dust in check as the giant claws chomp awayt at the old hwy 99 bridgework.

Just about 5 remaining blocks of bridge. This is all that is left.

A fun time on San Juan Island with Martti & Cookie Hiking the South Island trails.