Power

Today is the 111st anniversary of the hydroelectric power generation at Snoqualmie Falls. Right now the falls are not producing power, as the original generating equipment is being fixed and or replaced. Once the renovation is done, the Falls will look different, the old warehouse and out buildings on the bank are already gone, it is odd how a building can become organic over time, almost adding to the beauty of the scene. Such was the old whitewashed brick warehouse on the banks of the Snoqualmie, its gone now but not forgotten.

Thinking, It's not Just for School Kids Anymore

As the what to turn our open spaces into saga continues here in the eastern part of King County, it strikes me that if some folks stopped and asked how they wanted to leave this part of the world to their kids, things would be better. Especially if money could not be a consideration. The spiritual and the aesthetic would need to be considered, not just dollars and cents. A beautiful pasture or a stand of trees may be better off untouched. This is the flaw in many people's global climate change arguments. Too many the climate change celebrities talk about far away places and changes that have or could may be happen. The focus should be on your town, if your town decides to build a bunch of homes in the open spaces, so thousands more people can drive 45 miles to work, is that locally or globally prudent? If you say yes Glen Beck has a blog you you...If you say no, we need better, I am with you. But you better get you vote mailed in on time, because without your vote change cannot happen. As for our lovely valley, tonight it is a photo of a pond near the Meadowbrook Farm.

10,000 Mosquito Bites

Well our annual Nate Fest extravaganza has come to a close, but not without lasting reminders of our good times. What was our parting gift? Mosquito bites, years like the one we are having must be mosquito nirvana. The swarm was thick, crazy and out for blood. It reminded me of another camping trip long ago, in which I was eaten alive by 'em skeeters. Tonight's photo is from that trip.

Nate Fest III

Well it that time again, Nate Fest is upon us here at America's Finest Blog. The venue as usual will leave much to be desired, but should be a good time for all, and short drive for most of us.

Tonight what you will be missing...

The Great Fire of Pomeroy

The great Pomeroy fire occurred on this date 110 years ago and as you know, here at America's Finest Blog great fires are enjoyed. Mostly because beyond Chicago and Rome, so few fires are truly great, in the larger scope of things. Really other than residents of Cle Elum how great was the Great Fire of 1918? The other thing about great fires is the point of origin, albeit a cow, a glue pot or fireworks on a windy day, they are usually amusing to us 21st century folk, as we can inevitably ask why you would do that in a wood building.

The Pomeroy fire started on the afternoon of July 18th, 1900, when the owner of Rice's Saloon, E.J. Rice, attempted to fill his gas light generator with gasoline. Apparently some gasoline spilled onto floor during the filling process. Rice and his associate Mr. Kirby, then having already forgotten the spill lit a match, which ignited the gas fumes and then the gasoline container. Even though the town fire department arrived quickly to the scene, the steady west wind and abundance of wooden building sealed the downtown's fate, half of it went up in flames. Like most western towns after a great fire, Pomeroy rebuilt in brick. One should note however this was the third great Pomeroy fire. Among the buildings lost in the 1900 fire was the courthouse, tonight's photo is of it's replacement.

Talkin' Elk

Talkin' elk, yet another example of why this is America's finest blog. Occasionally, I go to work early enough that I get to see the elk grazing in yards of our foothills community, and every time I see them, I say to myself, "Self, it's going to be a great day." In some sort of dorky way it's cool, you see elk on your way to work, not everyone gets to say that. However the reality is, after seeing the elk, work usually is a terrible mess, worse that most days.
ELK!!
But you know, it's the whole it's going to be a great day thing, that makes living were we do great. I mean back in the ol' Shoreline days, every time I saw a big old wood rat run toward the creek, I never thought, oh boy it's a great day. I guess it is living someplace were there are elk that is the cool thing, even if work is terrible, it was fun to see elk on the way to work, it's fun to see elk in the evening and it's fun to have my boy want to take a break from Scooby-Doo to go out and watch the elk.

I'm a dork

Glove Time

It's glove time and as usual, I am not going to explain why I do this. You can go to the old posts and find out why. The glove once again looks a little older and a bit smaller. But the boy just seems to do the opposite.

Enjoy the most recent glove photos.

Dan

420th Post or Up in Smoke

Now that summer finally arrived it's fire season in Eastern Washington. I have had the good fortune to road trip through that part of the state when the fires were burning. One word, "Smokey." It's like being in a fog with a great campfire smell and the sunsets are to die for, which I suppose some people have, from time to time. Really, it is a bit unnerving to be in the smoke, especially if you don't know were the fire actually is or were it is actually going. That's why we here are America's Finest Blog, hope the Swakane Canyon Fire continues to only burn grass and abandoned structures, so the locals don't have to live the unnerving presence of the fire and also because we have been promised some carrots and tomatoes from a near by garden.

As for a photo, since smoke from wildfires don't show well on black and white and since I don't have any burning red sunset photos handy, another picture of smoke.

Enjoy

Dan

When Salmon Attack

First I would like mention that tonight's photo is not that of a salmon, it is a trout, a rainbow trout to be exact caught in Jameson Lake about 1983 or 1984.

Back to tonight's story and tonight's story is about a boy named Walter Richmond who was attacked by a 35lb salmon on this date in 1941. Walter was crabbing alone the shore of Birch Bay back on July 9, 1941, when he came upon a couple salmon, one swam off, the other apparently had a death wise or was simply tied of kids like Walter wading in the water. Whatever the reason, the fish charged Walter, causing him to lose his crabby bounty. He fended out the salmon with a potato fork and when the salmon charged a second time Mr. Richmond sent the crazed salmon to the watery great beyond, via his parent's BBQ. Brave Walter Richmond, in medieval times, verse and song would be sung for him. But this being the dusty days prior to WWII, it became a forgotten tale.

Summer At Last

After enduring the coldest June since the last ice age and an Independence Day in which you could see your breath, summer made a surprise visit to Western Washington today. And now with temperatures nearing 90 degrees the news is filled with reports of shortages of fans and swamp coolers.

Tonight to celebrate our new found confidence in global warming, a picture of kids enjoying a sunny day.

Enjoy

Dan

When In the Course of Human Events...

And so starts the Declaration of Independence. The 4th of July, as we call it, has become jaded by the same negativity that has ruined Christmas for some. Whereas Christmas, has been destroyed by religion, consumption or both in some minds. Independence Day has been ruined by the need to blow stuff up. Fireworks have become more important than the significance of the event or words of the document. One should take the time to read the first two sections at least of the declaration, on a day such as today. It returns a sense of what this day means and what we as Americans are entitled too, whether we choose to make real or a facsimile. In this is the greater meaning of symbolism of the look on a boy's face, when holding a sparkler for the first time. Below the first two sections of Mr. Jefferson's document.

Happy Independence Day!

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

This Date 234 Years Ago...

The Continental Congress decided to declare independence from England. 48 hours later Mr. Jefferson produced one of the two most cherished documents in our country, the Declaration of Independence. So tonight, a picture of our grand old flag.

Happy Independence Day everyone!

Dan