More Slides

More kodachrome moments tonight. It is good that I have these slides, as I have taken very few photos this month, probably a 4 or 5 year low. It's kinda sad really I just haven't had the time. There have been several times I wish I had my camera or had the time to shoot, it just hasn't worked out. Instead I have continued to be given additional work to get done, had some business travel and worst of all dealt with family stuff. Oh how I wish I could get some time to myself in the car with the radio and my camera. It just isn't happening. Now I have a couple of items to add to the list of things to get done, I just hope it works out that I get the time to do them. Especially, the valley photo contest, after not winning and then having my photo all over the place last year, I want to win this year. Anyway, tonight's slide is from Ellensburg, I passed up better shots at this farmer's market, I ended up with this. Honestly, I am not sure why I took this shot, I have so many bad memories of corn in Elllensburg. Somehow though I really like this shot, actually it probably is one of my three or four favorite shots from the three rolls of Kodachrome. Call me obtuse.

Enjoy

Dan

More Kodachrome

I've been battling a cold and long work hours this week, so I really not up to saying witty things about the State of the Union or anything else right now. So lets just skip to more Kodachrome. Tonight, the boy and my lovely wife, immortalized on a Kodachrome slide, just like I was, once upon a time. This picture is from October 2009.

Kodachrome

As mentioned recently I received my developed kodachrome slides back from Dwayne's of Parsons, KS. This week I thought I would share some of the slides. Tonight's slide was taken in October 2009, on Neal Road between Fall City and Carnation.

Enjoy

Dan

24 Hour Air

In case you did not know, air is available all the time. I had thought, that air took the wee hours off. Now I know otherwise.

Special Spelling = Special Message

Spelling is subjective, I mean spelling words that end in y with a y? That is so correct. But spelling words that end y with an i or an ee or an ie now that's unique. So in this photo, I'd like to think that the proprietor of Green Gables General Store, is breaking the rules because it is someones birthday who is just too awesome have happy spelt with a y.

Why Welcome WiFi?

Back last June, America's Finest Blog did a week or so on pictures of signs. Tonight we return to that subject with a twist, it's not so much the picture of the sign but the sign itself, especially the content. Tonight, America's Finest Blog examines the Thunderbird Motel, in Ellensburg, WA. The readerboard says WiFi Welcome, is that because they would like to use your WiFi, maybe it is just plea to have somebody install a hotspot or it could be just a reminder to wayward travellers that the Thunderbird Motel in all sorts of 2004. By the way, this is one of my kodachrome slides. The photo was taken in late September 2009. I could wax on about the Tahoe Room, but that's for another time.

Dan

My Kodachrome

I finally received my 3 boxes of kodachrome slides back from Dwayne's Photo of Parsons, Kansas. Dwayne's was the world's last Kodachrome processor. The film is beautiful and the color is amazing. What I will now long regret is not shooting more slide film, these 3 rolls of Kodachrome were my first, problably last slide film. I have several rolls of 35mm black and white film and bunch of color film laying around, I think I might try to shoot it this year from time to time. Film is so much different from digital, it took over a year to shoot 3 rolls of kodachrome. That's about 108 shots, I can do that in an evening with the elk, using a digital camera. Even now looking at the slides I have, I don't know if I truly used the film wisely. I guess part of that, was not having use the stuff before I assumed it was much slower than it actually was, that tidbit I didn't realize until the very end. Oh well it was fun and I can say I shot three rolls of kodachrome. In the days to come, watch for some of the slides to make there way to this, America's Finest Blog.

Dan

The Vast Nothingness

I spent Monday afternoon flying down to Phoenix, the route takes you over Eastern Oregon and The Great Basin and eventually St. George, Utah and the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon was spectacular, a bit of snow with the red and orange rocks it was brilliant. But the highlight was the Great Basin with a cover of snow, a vast nothingness with an occasional road here or there stretching off as far as the eye could see. These roads were amazing as they seemed almost perfectly straight. I wished I had driven down to experience those roads, the landscape and the topography. Again that urge to drop everything and just hit the road nearly got me, but alas good parenting by my parents and the love of these two, saw me instead spend 3 days in meeting...

501

Today has moved too fast. I look forward to a busy week, well not so much forward, at least in the enjoyment sense. I will say that after this week, life appears, at least from a distance to be mellowing and settling into a reasonable pattern. So, I hope that is true. Tonight's photo really has nothing to do with this, it a photo of a lighthouse. I have been noted by some over the years as a lover of lighthouses, and that I photograph lighthouses often. Whereas I do enjoy an occasional lighthouse, I don't consider myself a crazied lighthouse photographer. In fact most of my pictures of lighthouses are in fact, the same lighthouse.

The Big Five Double O

It is the 500th blog post, oh my where does the time go? Back in June, when I did the 400th blog post, I said that 2010 hadn't been all that great and that the blog was moving along looking for inspiration. Well since then things got a whole lot worse, and I have no inspiration. But what this silly little diversion has become is a silly little diversion. Something I can do three or four times a week to focus on me, not my family, not work, not my Dad and not his dog, but me. It has in that sense become even more dear to me. I could really care less about the quality of the blog or do I care that the stated purpose of the blog is totally ignored 98% of the time these days, I sit down and I type a few words and enjoy the process. Tonight's 500th post coincides, ironically, with the incorporation of the City of Wenatchee, the place I spent much time between the 400th and 500th posts, none of the time was very pleasant, but it had it's moments I suppose. Those moments seemed to all be at one of two restaurants. In fact almost all my fond memories of Wenatchee are of restaurants, not to say that they have great food in the town. Long before Wenatchee became the world's apple capital, they say a fellow named McBride first settled in the area now known as Wenatchee, his income was made by selling illegal whiskey to the Indians. Maybe that is why so many I have known from that town have been befouled by that spirit or other addictions. Still it is that place and all the long lonesome drives and crazy circumstances that have given this blog new life. So here's to Wenatchee and another 100 posts.

4 Years

In a little less than 24 hours from now my son will be 4 years old, it is humbling to see time move so quickly, it really doesn't seem possible. So much as changed over that time, but he is mostly unfazed by a changing world. The boy has grown so much and has accomplished so much, it is truly amazing. But 4 years really seems improbable, it seems like I just was holding a fussy baby in my arms slowing walking circles around the kitchen island, trying to get him to sleep. Now he can put himself to bed and dress himself in the morning. Its amazing, it really is, I am a lucky man.

Dan

The New Year

A year waits to unfold before us, what will it bring, is what we all ask. 2011 will be made of our reactions to what it brings, that is even if what it brings is nothing but crap. If it brings crap and crap is all we see, we will endure crap. If it brings crap and we look for the bright side of things and focus on those bits, it will bring growth and strength. If 2010 taught me anything, that it is to stop and enjoy and live moment during the good times, as they are too fleeting and too special. Besides there is always time to deal with everything else. And for those difficult times, its best not to stop, not to allow the bad stuff time to rot your soul. It's a deal with it and move on situation, and when it is done it needs to be done. 2011 started with some of the good moments, a chance to go out and photograph the upper valley in it's blanket of snow. Tonight the first picture of the new year.

Happy New Years

Enjoy!

Dan

End of the Line

Well this is it for 2010, and good riddance I say. It was a tough year, a lot going on and not enough time to stop and enjoy the good times and too much time wasted on the difficult times. I feel personally that in a great number of the aspects of my live, 2010 was a step backward. The rest seem only to have tread water. I am looking forward to 2011, for all the cliche reasons and also because it won't be 2010. Tonight a look at some of my favorite photos of 2010. Happy New Year and may 2011, be the best ever!

Dan

Best Of Part Two

This portion of the best of will consider Cicely. As you may know Cicely was once a great blogger, but has traded in blogging for cupcakes and cakes. Oh my they are tasty those cupcakes and cakes. Cicely is also a great gal, she's understanding, forgiving and compassionate. She'll tear up watching movies and T.V. shows, I laugh, but I really think it's great. She's fun, and I enjoy my time with her and I love her unconditionally and with my whole heart and mind.

Here are my favorite photos of her from 2010. My favorite being Rosie the Riveter, spot on with the costume and she is being nice and sassy for the camera.

If it is the End of the Year, Then it Must Be Best of Time

Back in the days when this blog aspired to loftier ideals, the idea of a year end best of post, was repugnant. But, then 24 hours later this blog let go of it's lofty ideals and published a best of 2008. In 2009, there was a best of my stuff and a best of dusty stuff. 2010? Well glad you asked, 3 days of year end excitement, starting with the boy. I was going to show my 3 favorite of the year, but there was a tie for third, so I was going to have a honorable mention. Then I decided that was lame and beneath this blog, back to ideals all of a sudden, I know I didn't see it coming either. Meanwhile, back at America's Finest Blog, I was discussing my three favorite pictures of the boy. Third, the kiss, it's just cute, second stocking the elk, and first hamming it up. I chose that one for first as it really shows how confident, unaffected and joyful the kid is.

Dan

The Beginning of a Ghost Town

On this date back in 1980, the thriving ghost town of Monte Cristo became a regular dead ghost town, as a winter rain storm washed out the approaches to the twin bridges over the Sauk River and caused considerable other damage to the road between Barlow Pass and the townsite. This storm affectively closed the road to Monte Cristo forever and ended any hopes of revitalizing the town as tourist destination. This wasn't the first time floods had ruined the future of the town, but in the past somebody always had the money to rebuild the access, this time however Snohomish County decided to cut their loses and close the road at Barlow Pass. To this day it remains gated, however it has created a nice 4 mile walk back to the townsite and its few remaining builings. Tonight's photo is Monte Cristo looking down Dumas Street. The photo was taken in July, 2000.

Christmas Eve

As a kid, tonight was the roughest night of the year, I would barely be able to get to sleep and then I would only sleep for a short time, as I knew Santa or later Mom and Dad, would be putting out the gifts I had been lobbying for since the Sears Catalog had arrived. We may not have had a heck of a lot of money, but my parents did the best they could and we where seldom disappointed. As an adult I find myself doing things that are for the kid to enjoy, even though I don't consult the kid and have sell the idea to him. If I where to think back to my youth, I'd realize that it wasn't so much the experiences as it was the toys. The one experience I did enjoy was going downtown to the Bon Marche to get my mom's gift, with my Dad and my sisters. It really was never quite as much fun to go to Aurora Village or the Alderwood Mall.

Merry Christmas

The Soothsayers of the Oregon Territory

On this date, the Oregon Territorial Legislature created King County in what is now Washington State. Probably most amazingly, it is named for the yet to be born Martin Luther King Jr. Absolutely amazing isn't it? Think about it, this happened in 1852, so the Emancipation Proclamation was still 11 years away. I told you it was amazing. Actually, King County was once named for the Vice President elect, William Rufus DeVane King, one of the largest slave holders in Alabama. It was said that his family owed more than 500 slaves. William Rufus was cast to the side in 2005, partially because he was a slave owner. William was Franklin Pierce's Vice President for 45 days, prior to his death. Pierce County was created that same day in 1852 and is actually still named for Franklin Pierce, even though he was pro slavery. Jefferson County is named for Thomas Jefferson, statesmen and slave owner, of course this state is named for George Washington, father of our nation and slave owner. Isn't it about time we renamed the State for Booker T. or Denzel? Or should history stand on it's own merrits.

When Great Minds Collide

40 years ago today, one of history's great meetings took place, Elvis met Richard Nixon. Elvis was worried about, "The hippie drug culture," and the most sinister of anti-American forces; The Beatles. Elvis wanted the President to appoint him, "Federal Agent at Large," and to be given a Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs badge. Elvis would then infiltrate "The Hippie Drug Culture," the way only a man such as Elvis could, from a stage in Vegas while wearing a polyester jumpsuit. To win the President's favor he presented Nixon with a Colt .45, exactly how this was to win the President's favor has been lost to history. Also unknown is exactly why anyone would be allowed to carry a gun into the Oval Office of the White House for a private meeting with the President of the United States. Nixon for his part, saw meeting Elvis as a way to get in good with kids of America, as we all know Elvis was a big thing with the kids in 1970. Give ol' Tricky Dick credit though, he took the gun, gave Elvis his badge, the appointment as requested and posed for some of the greatest photos ever.

One could argue that this meeting was a harbinger of doom, a meeting of two men, who really could not have known that they had began to circle the toilet as it where, indeed their best days were behind them. Sure Nixon won re-election, and went to China and Elvis would increase in size if nothing else, becoming something of a fat shiny drug fighting super hero, defender of Vegas lounge acts and the American way. But in the end they both would exit public life in a less than honorable ways, Nixon via a helicopter after resigning and Elvis on a toilet.

Try Try Again...

Well, I screwed up the first go around with the kid and Santa, but I got another chance yesterday at the Cougar Mountain Zoo's Reindeer Festival. Kind of a sad event really, but there are reindeer and there is Santa. Besides a 4 year old doesn't really notice any of the absurdities or shabbiness. So Santa was there, Quin once again asked for a train that makes coffee, this time Santa took it all in stride.
Just an observation on reindeer and the cartoon reindeer we are all use to, they look nothing alike. Cartoon reindeer are regal, long, tall and lean, Reindeer actually are short broad-nosed little animals with antlers. Oh well, so here is Quin with Santa (again).