Probably Best Not to Ask Why

Sometimes when you are rummaging through photos in a thrift store or flea market you come photos that leave you for a loss of words.  This is one of them, I will only assume that it is either very warm or somebody didn't dress much.  I prefer the former.  Anyway getting away from the obvious, and the chair, I find the photo montage over the fireplace interesting.  I could do the easy thing and poke fun at this photo, but won't since this photo illustrates the difference between a photo by a greater photographer and the rest of us.  The great photographer, understanding the play between the light and dark, white balance and other tonal qualities could have taken a great photo.  It would be titled, "Ed on a Warm September Day."  It would be seen in great museums and people would stop in front of it and glaze upon it with arms behind their backs.  It would have meaning assigned to it by art historians and upon looking at it we would have an emotional response.  But instead this photo was snapped by somebody that probably loved this guy and upon glazing at it they had some sort of emotional response.  So be kind when coming upon photos such as this in flea markets and antique stores, as you are glazing into the soul of the photographer.

Statehood

On this day, some 122 years ago, Ben Harrison, signed the bill that created Washington State and thus making us the 42nd State in the Union.  Happy birthday Washington State!

A Moon

So for lack of a better thing to right about, tonight I will write about the full moon, or the almost full moon, whatever it is.  As I drove home tonight the moon hung low in the sky.  The pale blue light easily showing through a thin cover of clouds.  All the way home I saw this light, through the trees, over the mountains and glow from behind the hills.  It was stunning, I was happy I saw it, and it made you realize that we much closer to winter than we are summer.  Tonight's photo is from a spring evening, in Ellensburg, I had to do a photography assignment (for the only photography class, I have ever completed), and I decided to photography Ellensburg by night after the bars had closed and before the work a day men drove slowly to the daily grind.  It was a good night.  The picture on the other hand pretty below average.

But Progress Has Been Made

101 years ago today, a mine explosion occurred in one of the Mines in Black Diamond, WA.  16 miners died in the explosion, five bodies have never been recovered.  The men who went into the mines were not particularly well looked after.  After all most were immigrants or African Americans and none really had much of a voice outside their union (if there was one).  Add to that, places like Franklin, Selleck, Ravensdale, Cumberland and Black Diamond were fair from places of affluence and not easily reached 100 years ago.  So even though mines in 1910, were more dangerous and unforgiving than ever, the state Inspector of Mines could, after the Black Diamond mine explosion, note that improvements had been made, such as raising the minimum age to work in the mines from 14 to 16 and an eight hour work day.  Miners were really just cogs in the machine, the magnates and mine owners lived in cities of influence and had access to the politicians, whereas the miner was a replaceable.  After all another boat load had probably just arrived at Ellis Island.

The Great Loss

The early days of the month of November usually have historical significance because it is when we hold our national elections.  Coolidge, Reagan and Obama were elected on this date.  Also today is the 150th birthday of the University of Washington.  However the event I will speak of tonight occurred in 1890, when Ellensburg officially lost it's chance at being the state capital.  Olympia retained it right to call itself the state capital rather easily in the election.  Back up a year and Olympia was sweating it, there was a real movement to move the capital to a more central location.  North Yakima (Yakima) and Ellensburg seemed to be logical choices, with Ellensburg being the front runner.  After all, it had running water, or soon would and electric lights on most the streets and in all the hotels.  It was a fancy town.  Then came the wind and Independence Day and after the wind blown fireworks had their say, most the town lay ruined.  With it went most the chances to be the capital.  By the time of the election, Ellensburg had gone from front runner to 3rd in the vote.  Since Olympia could not get 50% of the vote the first time, they voted again one year later in a run off between the top 3, Olympia won with Ellensburg finishing a distance second and North Yakima bring up the rear.  As an aside, my Mom thought it annoying that the people of Yakima were so stubborn as to try to be the capital, when if they supported Ellensburg the capital would be in Eastern Washington.  I guess that that is the difference between Western and Eastern Washington.  Eastern Washington is a vast area without a unifying feature, other than the dislike of 206ers.  Western Washington has that unifying thing, whether it is the weather, the Sound or something else.  Maybe the State would have been different, or maybe not.  I can remember discussing the idea amonst friends while drinking cold beer on warm nights, we decided three things, first it would have been cool to have the capital in Ellensburg, second that the Evergreen State College would have been a more ironic name if located in Ellensburg and lastly we were all happy that Olympia won, because otherwise we probably would have never met.
Tonight's photo is the Davidson Building on 4th and Pearl in downtown Ellensburg. 

Daniel Boone or Davy Crockett

Well today is Daniel Boone's 277th birthday.  Boone was a frontiersman, statesman and national treasure.  He said that he was never lost but was bewildered once for three days.  He lived most of his life in the western frontier, so life wasn't particularly easy.  But thanks to several books, Boone went from just a frontiersman to symbol of the natural man.  And of course the television show, which basically portrayed Boone as Davy Crockett, mostly because Fess Parker played both Boone and Crockett.  Crockett of course was a frontiersman, statesman and national treasure.  Although, nothing alike, they are easily confused and misrepresented.  Tonight a kid in a coonskin cap like Fess Parker would wear, and possibly Davy Crockett but not Daniel Boone, who was said to wear a coonskin cap and be the the "rippin'est, roarin'est, fightin'est man the frontier ever knew."  If you believe television.  I suspect that in a few generations that Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett will morph into Davy Boone or Daniel Crockett and will look like Fess Parker. 

It's Halloween

We sat down tonight as a family and carved pumpkins, and I must say that Cicely's pumpkin carving skills are much better than mine.  Even though my family wasn't big on Halloween.  My mom especially disliked it, I can remember carving pumpkins with my Dad and then my Mom taking the seeds and roasting them.  This is a fond memory, much better than the year my Mom shuffled us all into to basement and turned out all the lights and we watched television in the dark, as to avoid trick or treaters.  Tonight a photo of our pumpkins, guess which one is Cicelys.   

Fade Into Memory

Well today was likely my last trip to Wenatchee.  I may past through the place from time to time on my way somewhere else, but today was the last time I specifically went to Wenatchee as a destination. Of course I could be wrong and this would all be premature, but I'll take my chances.  I on my way out of town today, I stopped at Dusty's one last time and then went to the Save On and photographed their sign.  I have noticed that sign for countless years and have wanted to photograph it for at least the last ten.  Every trip in Wenatchee, especially in years past when I didn't go as often, I wondered if the sign would still be there.  Now that will be a curiosity that will slowly return, if and when I make my way through town again.  Funny though, as I drove out of town this last time and started west along US 2, I strangely didn't feel anything, instead I enjoyed the brilliant yellows and reds of the leaves in the sunlight of late autumn.

12 Miles in Bathtub

On this date back in 1954, Roy Bergo set sail for Alaska in a bathtub.  Not that it was absurd enough that he set sail in a bathtub, he did so in late October.  One almost can assume that Roy was a bit crazy.  But really Roy was just living his dream and since he was unemployed, he had little better to do.  Sadly Roy made it as far as Whidbey Island before the motor on his bathtub gave out.   So tonight a landlocked bathtub.

These Eyes

After my father passed, I was contacted about cornea donation.  I agreed it, seemed rather conforting that he was going to give the gift of sight to somebody, so they could look upon their loved their loved ones with kindness and love.  Just like my father did when he looked at his wife, kids, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

So It Is That Time

You know with the changing of the leaves and dampening of the weather comes election season, being an odd year election you might think not much is going on.  Well you could be right or you could be wrong.  There is I-1183, which would allow liquor to be sold at Costco and various gas stations and mini marts.  I've been to California and I have purchased gin at the Albertson's, novel and fun.  I don't really care if I can do that in North Bend or any place else in this state.  It's probably not a good thing to sell 150 proof rum at gas stations, really I don't much care if we can or cannot do it.  I have a few concerns, privatization would take away deceit state jobs for people that probably would otherwise have a hard time getting a deceit state job.  The greatest concern though is the $22 million that Costco has spent to buy a law that would be advantageous to Costco.  The initiative process should not be used for corporations to buy advantageous laws.  Just like last year, this legislation should have been taken care of by our elected representatives in Olympia not tossed to Costco's lawyers to create an initiative for the benefit of Costco.     

This is Me and This is My Van

My van and I spent many a dark summer night traversing ribbons of blacktop.  Just me and the 18 wheelers, ending streams of them pushing into the blackness.  I would fly past them on my downward ride from the hilltops, only to be passed by them trudging up the next hill. Stooped over the wheel, listening to cassette tapes or AM radio bouncing from St. Louis or Memphis, TN.  My was I poor in those days.  Oh was I happy.

More Adventures With Great Fires

Today is the anniversary of the 3rd fire that burned Aberdeen, back in 1903.  One may ask why bother rebuilding the first two times, let alone a third.  A pile of dead Christmas Trees and rotten Jack-O-Lanterns are less depressing than the town of Aberdeen.  As far back as I can remember Aberdeen was gray and shuttered.  Maybe it's the weather or economy or maybe an Indian curse, Aberdeen is just a depressing place.  

A Bad Day for King Harold, A Great Day For Waterville

Two great events happened on this date, some 843 years apart, old King Harold lost England and his life at the Battle of Hastings and the Waterville Railway was started.  Whereas historians will wax on and on about the Battle of Hastings and all the what ifs and its significance to the western world, for the folks of Waterville, the Battle of Hastings was ancient history and wouldn't have seemed all that important.  The railroad on the other hand, important to Waterville, not so much to historians.  For Waterville, it meant that their wheat could get to the Great Northern branch line in Douglas and they could travel to Wenatchee and the other great cities along the Great Northern.  Even historians would agree that this would be significant for a town prior to the automotive age.

Dan

I Hear The Train A Coming

I'd title this, I Shot a Man In Reno, but Bukowski already has used it.  Back shortly before the death of my Mother, I was driving to the Thriftway late one evening, probably to get some beer or ice cream and I heard Johnny Cash's Folsom Prison Blues on the radio.  It was as if I had never listened to the lyric, and suddenly it was new and it wasn't a lament of a man who shot another man in Reno.  It was transcendent, Folsom Prison was whatever trapped us, in my case, my dying mother.  And the railroad train was freedom, relief and deliverance from our Folsom Prison.  Within days of this epiphany my mother died.  Once my mother died I had time to grieve and I was able to be freed from that prison, and over the course of a few months I was able to let that lonesome whistle blow my blues away.
With the passing of my father, I have been struck by a couple things, first how much older I am this time and second, that this time I am, at least for the time being, stuck in the first verse of the song specifically, "I'm stuck in Folsom Prison and time keeps draggin' on."   Good news is that I am just two verses and a guitar solo from let that lonesome whistle blow my blues away.

Just a Picture I Like

Tonight nothing very important, just a picture I like.  I took this photo last November on an unusual 70 degree day, it snowed 3 weeks later.  Anyway I enjoy this photo because of the sunburst.  Somebody I know, suggested that it appears like a divine light.  I like that idea.
Enjoy
Dan

Reminder

Recently Quin decided a career as a baseball player would not be as cool as a career as a cop.  I don't think I can agree with that, the kid can think what he wants, I am okay with that.  So anyway now that he wants to be a cop, it was decided that he should be a cop for Halloween.  Today we got the costume in the mail and it reminded me of another cop.
Dan

Pass That Shuttlecock

Tonight a found photo, ladies playing badminton.  Now I have had a bit of time to reflect and try to make sense of what has happened recently, but I am not really ready to deep dive into it for the blogging world to mull over.  Instead as I was looking through some documents in my office, I saw this photo, and being in a reflective mood, I thought by back to my badminton for credit days in college.  You see a friend wanted me to take badminton with her, since it sounded like fun and she needed the P.E. credit.  I didn't need the P.E. credit, but it sounded amusing.  Until I found out it was at 9 AM, I preferred classes that started at 10 AM or better yet 11 AM.  I remember staggering into the gym twice a week, mostly smelling of beer and gin and then playing badminton against the two most unskilled humans in Ellensburg, an eighteen year old Asian kid and a Mexican lady in her mid forties.  They would pass that shuttlecock over the net and I would slap it back in their faces, literally.  I was, and in fact still am a bit embarrassed by this, I spend most of the hour winching and saying, "Oops, I am sorry," or "I hope that didn't hurt too much." 

Close To Home

One of the better things about living where I do, is Rattlesnake Lake and the Cedar River Watershed.  Back on this date in 2001, the Interpretive Center for the Watershed opened its doors, along the shores of Rattlesnake Lake.  The center allows for access via it's programs to the watershed and the Cedar Falls town site.  The center itself is a series of very cool buildings that also have a hippie drum circle built right in.  It's far out.

A Great Big Jigsaw Puzzle

My Dad passed away this afternoon.  It wasn't unexpected, though it was a surprise.  I am a bit numb and too close to it, to really deep dive into what happened or to think through my feelings, etc.  I can reflect on the intelligent design of events.  A week ago Monday, I sprained my ankle badly, the injury caused me to miss a play at the Seattle Children's Theater today.  So I was at home when the phone call came and I was not with my wife and kid when I heard the news, nor did I need to drag them to the hospital.  They had a great time, which makes me happy.  I love you Dad, you'll be missed.