Blowin’ in the Wind

Just a few blocks from our house this view presents itself. This view is looking southwest along Marine View Drive and Puget Sound. When I took daily walks I would walk along this section of Marine View Drive. One of the perks of living where we do; just a few minutes walk from a pretty cool view. Hasn’t changed much in the 60 years I have lived in Arbor Heights.

View from the Pike Place Market

Yesterday, on a Chamber of Commerce weather day, we took our two grandkids to the Pike Place Market to have lunch and to check out the refurbed section of the Market. We traveled by bus from West Seattle; I have to insert that I think comparing NYC Subways and Seattle Metro buses is likely close to happening).

Highlights of the images ( which are all  shot on my iPhone, with the aid of a detachable lens  are: The Wheel, Mt. Rainier, Elliott Bay, Alki Point in West Seattle and the soon-to-become extinct Viaduct/SR99.

One of the highlights of the outing was viewing and contributing to the new Gum Wall!

Anyway, the foray into downtown Seattle for a few of hours was about all my broken down body could endure. The current Seattle agency in charge of tourism promotion of the city seemed to be doing a bang up job as the Market was jam packed, even for a Tuesday!

Including a Bush

Since I have been posting flowers from our yard I thought it only fair I post an image of a bush. This bush has been trimmed and shaped by our son in law, who is an Arborists who works for Seattle Parks. This image is actually the first phase of the trim. He finished the trimming last week so now it is sort of a combination bonsai and topiary. This bush image was taken on my phone. The completed topiary will be shot with a ‘real’ camera :-).

Duwamish River Access II

The image with the bridge is a northwestern view. The bridge is the West Seattle High Rise. The image with the most clouds is a southern view.

The Duwamish River is a working river as well as one used for transit out into Elliott Bay by fisherman and recreational use. The next posting will highlight some of those activities.

Tulip Field, Etc.

Well, what would a tulip farm be without a faux windmill and a herd of Honey Buckets?

Taken at Rozengaard Farm, Mt. Vernon, WA.,in the Skagit Valley.

F Train to Coney Island

Washington Cemetery can be seen from this elevated section of the F Train, as well as the yard where subway cars are parked and serviced. Coney Island is home to very large apartment complexes, something you don’t usually see in photos of the summer retreat.

Shining a Light

Location: Park Slope, Brooklyn. On a bright, sunny day the park lights were one, which made for an interesting glow. In the right, from the 3rd St. bridge in Gowanus Canal about three blocks from where our son and family live, is a view of the new, luxury apartments build right on the EPA Superfund site of Gowanus Canal. I’m not sure how the developer wrangled a green light to develop on this site, but since this is NYC, I would imagine some money exchanged hands and all was good. The Canal has been designated a Superfund site since 2007 and only the week I was visiting were they starting the first pilot debris removal from one section of the canal called “the turnaround ” adjacent to the Whole Foods store that just went in a few years ago ( that’s another story). What may look like an idyllic location in this image is actually a very toxic ( heavy metals,  tar oil, etc) waterway which, on heavy rain days, raw, untreated sewage flows into. Then there is the smell, something you would never forget. On hot days the canal becomes this stagnant, heated cesspool that has an odor you would never forget. On this day it was pretty mild, but still can be shocking to non-residents walking through. I have read that the starting rents on the one bedroom apartments is $4500.00 per month!  One more dynamic to consider: during Superstorm Sandy the area flooded. The water came up over the banks of the canal and ran uphill about one block, which would put the first floor apartments at risk in the event of another big storm. You can  see some videos of Gowanus and the storm on YouTube. Very crazy.fullsizeoutput_2646

Yoga Class

 

This posting goes along with the Pagoda image from a couple of days back. There was a yoga class outside at the Seattle Center, which I thought was interesting. The tree is part of the landscape.

More Duwamish Reflections

Location: Duwamish River, South Park, Seattle.Seattle’s industrial river that was actually the very first EPA Superfund site, designated as such in 1970. The river is slowly changing, getting cleaner, less industry = less pollution, etc.

Shot: Approx. 2-3 weeks ago.