Snow

We got our first real snow of the winter season today. Followers of this blog may remember that from time to time laments about the snow. Let me take a moment to clarify, snow in November, December and January is good thing. Snow after President's Day, isn't a good thing.

So today was a good thing, in fact its a bit over due, but better late than never. In honor of today's snow, pictures of snow in North Bend.

Enjoy

Dan

The Winter Celebration Zone Redux 2009

Time to look at more Christmas Trees here at America's Finest Blog. Tonight's tree, is a bit of perspective, it isn't anything great, but it still the family Christmas Tree. I'd guess on Christmas morning with the gifts beneath it, the family felt pretty good about it. That is the important part of the holiday season, feeling good and feeling thankful for everything you have, not worrying about what we don't have. We have 11 months of the year to worry about the specifics of what we want, what we need, what we have and what we don't. We should allow oursevles the month between Thanksgiving and Christmas to rejoice in what we have and what we can share, regardless of what the media or Walmart may say.

Cold Weather is for the Birds

Tough part of cold weather, is it doesn't photograph all that well. So tonight a photo of people that look cold.

The Arboretum

Today is the Arboretum's 75th birthday. Seattle for all it's shortcomings and the string of lousy mayors, has a couple things to be proud of, one is the Public Market and second are the parks. The open space within the city is really quite nice and really is probably what I miss the most about the city (or at least in this blog post). The Arboretum almost didn't get its' 75th birthday. From the 1950's through the late 1970's, the Arboretum was set to be bulldozed for the Thomson Expressway, which would have connected Renton with Bothell on west side of Lake Washington. Whereas the Thomson would have assisted in overcoming one of Seattle's shortcomings it would have ruined a really nice place.

So tonight a couple pictures from in or around the Arboretum.

Dan

The Return of the Winter Celebration Zone

This Winter Celebration season, I think America's Finest Blog will move beyond, the day labor Santa and the seasonal greetings photos to examine the Winter Celebration tree and the photos celebrating it. Or at least that is what I will do with this installment of the Winter Celebration Zone.

It is important to photograph your Winter Celebration Tree, after all even though you use the same lights and ornaments each year, it is important to see how they are placed upon the tree, especially with regards to the gifts beneath it. Or in the case of tonight's photo, the telephone...

So from 1967, a tree

Enjoy

Dan

A Dark Day

Today is a dark day in Washington State history, not only did the Whitman Massacre occur on this date, Mountlake Terrace incorporated back in 1955. A dark day indeed, unless you enjoy Mountlake Terrace, then its probably a pretty neat day. I am rather indifferent about the place these days, but I can tell you back in the 1980's there really wasn't anything going on. Here at America's Finest blog, every dog will have it's day, so here are pictures of Mountlake Terrace. Blogging excellence proven yet again. Note the snow pictures, apparently the only time my parents ever took outdoor pictures in Mountlake Terrace.

Dan

The Yellowstone Trail

In this age of super highways that carry evil cars, it is hard to believe that people instead of waiting for government to do things for them, proactively did things for themselves. Today it is believed this sort of vigilante self-reliance, is best saved for Libertarians and hardcore followers of Sarah Palin. But turn back the clock 100 or so years and this sort of can do grassroots attitude was championed by all progressives. Oh how the world changes.

The Yellowstone Trail is an example of that do it yourself self-reliance. 1912 was an age of poorly marked, poorly built and poorly maintained roads, especially in the west. J.W. Parmley of Ipswitch, SD, decided to do something about it. He and some businessmen friends wanted a good road between Ipswitch and Aberdeen, SD, 25 miles away, this idea quickly expanded to a road to Yellowstone Park, and just as quickly a road from Plymouth, MA to the Puget Sound. In October 1912 the Yellowstone Trail Association was founded to do just that. The Association was headquartered in Minneapolis and had local representatives across the route. One of the primary jobs of the local representatives was to mark the route, with either a yellow stone or a yellow circle with a black arrow. The other primary job of the Association was to lobby governments, be it, local, state or federal for better all season roads along the route. And if the government didn't want to improve the roads, the Association would hold a Trail Day and picnic to drag the road. Whole towns would shut down to join the effort. The Association also printed maps of the route and acted as a proto-AAA for travelers, providing road conditions and assistance in times of need.

By 1926 the Federal Highways were numbered and funding for road projects had increased, so the Association was in a decline. With the onset of the Great Depression the Association folded and pasted into history.

Many of us thought out the northern U.S., use roads that were first planned or improved by the Yellowstone Trail, in Washington State, a few examples are 196th Ave NE in Redmond, North Bend Way, east of Bendigo, the old Sunset Highway over Snoqualmie Pass, Dollarway in Ellensburg and Thorp Highway.

Tonight here are couple pictures of the Yellowstone Trail in King County, first 196th Ave NE, between the current Redmond-Fall City Road and Union Hill Road. This was orginially paved in 1913 and is longest stretch of brick highway in King County. The second picture is of a Yellowstone Trail marker, just to the west of the South Fork of the Snoqualmie River bridge on the old Sunset Highway on Snoqualmie Pass.

To learn more about the Yellowstone Trail go here: http://www.yellowstonetrail.org/index.htm

Time for Thanks

On the day that celebrates the sinking of the old Mercer Island floating bridge and the first television broadcast in Seattle, here are pictures of Thanksgiving Dinner. What is the common tie you ask, well tomorrow is Thanksgiving. It is time once again to reflect on all that is right with the world and in our own lives. So tomorrow, take moment to give thanks and then enjoy yourself whatever way you choose celebrate the holiday.

Happy Holidays

Dan

Why

"Why?" Is a question I hear about 16,000 times a day. "Why?" Is also a question that I sometimes ask when we have had a particularly "special" day with our son. And this is why I have really nothing else to blog about today, because it has been a very "special" day. Whereas, the boy's version of "why?" is mostly endless, my version of that question, always comes back to the fact he's a pretty wonderful little monster.

Dan

Pictures of Little Things

I've always found taking pictures of little things to be interesting. Models and reproductions are suppose to be "life-like," so why not photograph them. It is much like congress, they are suppose to represent, "We the people," so why not pass occasional legislation that appears to benefit the Joe and Jane Plumbers of the world. The difference is that the models are fun for a two year old to play with, Congress well...

Blog for Today

Well, normally I leave the current family events, sort of post to my wife's family blog. But since this blog really doesn't subscribe any particular subject or ideal any longer, I feel I can do whatever I want. Which is great, when I feel like rambling or if I just ramble because I don't have much to say. Type a few words and try like hell to sync it up to a picture or two. That said, as 2009 begins to wane, it is time to begin to look back upon the year and to look forward to the coming year. In a lot of ways things aren't getting much better, but they haven't gotten worse.

Our President has won a Nobel Prize, based upon his promise, we the American people continue to wait, and wait maybe a bit more patiently than normal because of this promise. My soon to be 3 year old boy, shows plenty of promise too. I probably with a bit more patience than normal, have been waiting out the things that make a 2 year old, well, a 2 year old. One of the promising things is, that he now likes to "take pictures," with a wooden camera his aunt gave him. So tonight in honor of the promise of greatness, the good old photo of somebody taking a photo of you. Too bad the boy's camera is wooden, I'd like to see his photos.

Happy Birthday Cicely

Happy Birthday Cicely!!!
Three words say it all...

My Cupcake

Well okay, the previous photo of Cicely wasn't the best, but that happens from time to time. So tonight, Cicely as a cupcake, and what darling cupcake she is...

Good photo, bad photo

New coat, cupcake

unamused or darling

whatever it is, I love her

Almost

Well, for whatever reason, I'm super busy these days. I don't like being super busy, one bit, but here I am, super busy. It is very lame. Hopefully, in the coming days this will pass, and I can return to my regular routine. Until then, I'll just have to make do. I personally, wanted to blog about something else, but alias I cannot seem to find the time to do it, so once again, tonight America's Finest Blog will go plan B. A picture of my wife with a fancy new coat. The coat is an early Birthday present from her mother, the look on her face is, a result of one too many pictures being taken. I love you darling...

Happy Early Birthday

I Wish You Had not Come

It's Seattle's Birthday, specifically West Seattle's birthday, the Dennys did not move to the tidal flat known today, as Pioneer Square, until the following spring. It also is Friday the 13th, spooky and it snowed for the first time this fall today, a big day indeed. So in order to celebrate the arrival of the Dennys so many years ago, pictures of the fair city.

Dan

120 Years and Still Going

Well today is the 120th Birthday of the great State of Washington. On this date back in 1889, President Ben Harrison signed the bill that created the state. Statehood day is sort of lost for us Washingtonians, as the bigger event that occurred on this day in 1918 steals our thunder. Of course we are grateful for our veterans here at America's Finest Blog, but today we will show pictures of this great state.

Enjoy

Dan

Bring on the Booze

Back on this date in 1932, Washingtonians voted to send Roosevelt to the White House and to repeal the state Prohibition laws. All of us, who enjoy wine, beer or spirits should raise a glass to the electorate of 1932 in gratitude. So in honor of this great day, pictures of people drinking.

Enjoy

Dan

Free Ballard

Back on this date in 1906, the people of Ballard decided to become part of Seattle. Not because Seattle was coolest, hippest town in the Great Pacific Northwest, but because Seattle had choked off Ballard's water supply. It seems the people of Ballard knew what would happen to their beloved city, because on May 29, 1907 when the annexation became official, Ballard City Hall was draped in black crepe and the flags lowered to half mast.

Like Fremont, Ballard held onto it's heritage for years, even when faced with greater and greater opposition to different-ness from City Hall. But like Fremont, Ballard could not hold out forever again the forces of Norm Rice's boringification program and Greg Nickel's condoification of the city. Both plans required folks to move to unique neighborhoods, to justify the tearing down and removal of what was unique, to accommodate more people. In the end all you are left with is a sterile facsimile of what once was.

Tonight Ballard, it is glorious last days

Just say no to Condos

Dan

Post Election Haze

The post election haze, sits upon me tonight, so just a couple random thoughts and then a random picture or two. First thing that comes to mind is how this state is basically run by the voters of King County, which I suppose is alright, however it seems that the voters from King County are not always very well informed. Second, mail in voting it stupid, I know the old ladies that manned the polling places for centuries are dying off in alarming numbers, but still polling places were community gathering points and it made voting an event. Voting at your kitchen table isn't fun, going to the Grange Hall and going into a little booth was at least genuine. Sometimes the old folks had cookies and coffee for the voters. After voting folks would sometimes chat for a bit. Polling placing allowed you to go places you normally would not, I think the only time I ever returned to my High School was to vote. Parents took children to the polls, I remember my mom voting and not allowing me to watch her vote, voting was private after all. I took Quin when I voted, but I let him watch. And I remember 1992, at the Fremont Baptist Church waiting in long lines to vote, it exciting, and it didn't matter if it took 90 minutes to vote, we were there that night to have our voices heard and to make a change. We were a community. You just cannot have a community at your kitchen table. However at your kitchen table you may have a plant and bowl of fruit or something similar. Back in the old days, when trying real hard to use up film at the end of a roll, those plants and objects became still lifes. Here are a couple examples.

RIP Voters Booth

Dan

Another Birthday

Yes indeed, another birthday of sorts today. Actually two birthdays today, but I'm not celebrating the birth of the federal income tax. Also it is election night and I'm sure some folks are happy and others are not. Others will believe that the GOP is charging back and that Dems took a mortal blow. I'm pretty sure that it is an odd year election and in my neck of the woods, nothing will change except for the names, nationally, lets just say that those who thought we would have an one party system 2012, cannot be happy. Speaking of single parties, that's what the old Model T had prior to this date in 1911, but on this date Chevrolet began producing cars. And what fine cars they have produced, anyone remember the Vega? Well how about the Monza? Fine cars indeed and in South Snohomish county you ain't a man unless you have owned a 1968 Chevelle with a 350 and glass packs. So either, a) open a bottle of Chardonnay and hold you glass without aid of your pinky and lament your lack manny manness or b) open a can of Busch Light and chug it down and smash the can against your forehead, because you still own your 1968 Chevelle. And then enjoy some pictures of Chevrolets.
Dan