All Hallow's Eve

Well there are two days a year people are unwittingly Catholic (unless they are Catholic then it is just another day), Halloween and St. Patrick's Day.  Today is Halloween and it seems to be a fitting time to have a retrospective look at my son's Halloween costumes from cute tiger to hippie army dude.
Enjoy
Dan

Boo!

Well Halloween is just around the corner.  I am hoping that the rain abates for a period of time on Wednesday evening for the kids to go out and get their sugary treats.  I am sure that I am not the only person hoping for the rain to abate.  Like most Americans I want to be bombarded by political adds and mud slinging this time of year, not stories of pineapple expresses, super storms and 100 million sobbing eyes of children who had to stay home because of the weather.  That said, I will distract from issues of the day with a Halloween photo from 1977.  A few things about this photo, first the black and orange brick to Dracula's right was my favorite brick in that fireplace.  Second, that maybe the happiest smile, I've ever seen on my sister.  Third, I have no idea why my sister was cropped in the photo (maybe my Mom like that brick too?).  Finally, the make up was done by the theater department at Mountlake Terrace High School, specifically by my older sister's boyfriend at the time, Fred.
Nice work Fred.
Happy Halloween
Dan

October Light

It has been with great deal of sadness that I have watched the rain for the last week or so, because it is ruining the best light of the year.  The summer light is bright until late evening.  Winter light is cold, harsh and full of contrast which is great, but it is the light of the early to mid autumn that is the best in Washington.  It has a warm glow and is still high enough in the sky to product a soft light.  You really can't bet it, if it's raining.  If it's raining then the gray gloom sets in washing out the color and contrast of the light.
Tonight, October light.
Dan

Haters of the Earth

I have noticed something this election cycle, junk mail.  Lately we have been getting a half dozen fliers in the mail telling us about how terrible the opponent is or how the fabric of America will be destroyed by passing a certain referendum etc.  I suppose on the one hand the post office hasn't been this important in years.  However on the other hand I haven't noticed that any fine print letting me know that this trash was printed on recycled paper.

There Are Fewer Horses Too

Well, to start here at America's Finest Blog, we feel voting is your right and you should exercise it whenever possible.  There comes a time in each election cycle that it all becomes too much, the T.V. adds, the phones calls to tell me how particularly evil somebody's opponent is, the mailers that tell me how particularly evil somebody's opponent is and the debates in which the candidates are disingenuous with regards to the important topics or argue over things that are largely out of their control.  You just can take only so much.  I've reached that point, now I look at the fliers and wonder if both parties hate trees and if all candidates are either former cops or small business owners with strong family values.  Personally, I am thinking about voting for my high school chemistry teacher for all offices and open judge positions.  You should vote for yours as well, I mean has your high school chemistry teacher lied to you about ending gridlock in Washington recently?

Tis The Season

Lucky for us Americans we get to "decide" on a new President every four years.  We really don't decide of course the electoral college does but that's difficult to explain and might lead the 40% of Americans that will vote, to become despondent and not vote.  Well not all 40% since some of that number actually would think that you are joking since this is a democracy after all.  Of course it is not, but lets not go there either.  What should drive most of the voters way from the polls are the "two" candidates themselves. The incumbent hasn't exactly been a world beater, but then challenger seems make things much worse every time he opens his mouth (see binders of women...).  Add to that, the knowledge that both guys are basically getting bankrolled by unions, banks and corporations it becomes increasingly hard to fault the 60% of Americans that will sit this one out. 
As my wife and I watched the most recent debate she commented that does it really matter who is elected, will our lives change that much.  I had to agree with her, it probably won't change.  Though it is important to care, because our boy is watching and it is our job to instill the belief that his vote is his voice and that he can make a difference in America with his vote.

So More Autumn Photos

One of the great things that happen in the fall is the trip to the pumpkin patch.  Which recently has morphed into a trip to my sister's farm.  The trip, where ever it may be is always a good time, even if there are too many people and not enough wheelbarrows.  I don't have a dusty photo of pumpkin patch fun, as it seems that Halloween was more about tricks than treats in the old days.  My Grandmother told me once that she was surprised on the first Halloween she experienced after she moved into Seattle.  There were trick or treaters out and about, something she said she never participated in or saw back in Tolt.  So instead of dusty pumpkin patch photos, a photo highlighting what happens when you don't pay attention to what you are doing when you are scanning photos.

More Rain

The rain is a falling and the wind is a blowing outside, it is very fall like indeed.  Not necessarily welcome for me, but surprisingly welcome to may people that I speak to,  they have come to miss rainy days.  I really don't miss the rain, especially in October when the light is so good.  Oh well, we can't have it all and my grass was looking rather dead.  Tonight pictures from rainy days.

A Little Rain Must Fall

Well, the relatively blissful last 90 days with very little if any rain finally appears to be coming to an end.  Ready it's probably for the best, but the dry sunny weather has really been wonderful.  Now of course there is no reason not to go back to work.  The sun has made me ever so thankful for my time off.  Tonight, a picture from about the start of our dry weather and a picture from yesterday's finale.
Enjoy
Dan

Autumn Days

As our best summer slash early autumn ever continues I thought I would post a photo of autumn color circa 1946.  This is Billy Goat Mountain in northeastern Washington.

Lions, Tigers and Bears

So our nice neighborhood has become besieged by not so friendly mountain lions and bears.  Now the idea of mountain lions and bears in the wilderness is swell, in my driveway, not so swell.  The real effect this has on us, is to one not go outside without checking out the window first and second not go walking on the trails around our home alone.  Check back to see if I have actually seen the mountain lions or bears.  Tonight's photos, a bear and a cougar, were they belong in a cage. 

Fall Is Here

The autumn has arrived even if the day time high temperatures don't agree.  So tonight a nice picture of why autumn is the best time of the year.

Again the End Comes

Well another baseball season has come to an end in Seattle and again the M's were not very good.  Although it must be said that they were than some recent teams and have more promise than some recent teams as well.  That said this season did have a couple highlights, namely Felix's perfect and the celebration that was his next start.  In the end, that made up for trading Ichiro (which seems so very long ago).  Here's to next year.

One Year Later

October 1, 2011, my Dad passed away, suddenly however not unexpectedly.  The last year has been an interesting one to say the least.  It would be awfully nice to have him around, especially now that the boy is old enough to go fishing.  I know he would have liked to take him fishing.

A Birthday

Happy Birthday to Okanogan which turns 105 today.  Okanogan should not be confused with the other towns named Okanogan that did not vote to incorporate on this day in 1907.  Those towns have either ceased to exist or changed their names.  Of Okanogan's 318 residents 75 of them voted in the 1907 election, with the yeas carrying the day 74 to 1.  By 1914 Okanogan had wrestled the county seat from Conconully.  Tonight's photo is of the Okangan County Courthouse.

More Rides

Tonights photo is one that brings back fond memories.   This is my Dad's Landcruiser.  I remember riding in the back, there were two benches over the wheel wells, no real backseat, and bumping around on the road to Lake Fontell.  I think those drives with my Dad were some of the happiest memories that I have of him and I.

The Bigger Picture

There is a school of thought that says everything is predetermined, no not like the Final Destination films, I digress, so lets move on...There is a school of thought that says that everything is connected and there is a school of thought that says everything has a reason, there are no actions or moments that do not have a greater meaning in the greater scope of the universe.  That is to say that this sentence has a greater meaning and that it has been considered and typed for a purpose greater than to expound on the previous sentence.  This sort of thought makes it easier to deal with some of the awful things that might occur in life, and puts a nice spin on kids dying of lets say cancer.  Kids dying of cancer is really lousy.  Kids die of cancer because their lives were meant to inspire and enrich those that they came in contact with, it helps the grieving come to grips with the event.  If you believe or are open to consider the three ideas presented above, consider the following.  Photography, the good, the bad and the family snap shot, has a greater purpose than to record a memory or a moment.  The process of recording and saving an image has a greater reason that we may ever be able to understand. 

Public Water

On this date back in 1888, Mayor Moran of Seattle, suggested that the Cedar River be used to supply the city with water, as the existing system of springs and pumps was severally strained by Seattle's population of 40,000.  The city council decided to put the idea to a public vote, in November of 1888.  The citizens of Seattle where to be asked to fund a pipeline from Rock Creek to Seattle by okaying $1,000,000 in bonds.  However days before the election it was discovered that the ordinance that authorized the special election was illegal.  The City Council then decided to postpone the vote until July 1889.  The bond measure was ensured passage by the events of June 6, 1889 (the Great Seattle Fire).  The bond passed 1875 to 51, you have got to wonder what the 51 where thinking, or maybe they were some sort of Proto-Tea Party type gang.  Anyway it would be another 10 years for the pipe line to be build, as is the speed of government.  Tonight, photo the Cedar River and Taylor Creek at Bagley Junction.

More Of What We Drive

Tonight's photo could have been taken for several reasons.  It could be a picture of my Grandmother and my Grandfather just didn't understand the focal length of a Kodak Brownie's lens.  It could be of the tree, which is impressive.  For purposes of this blog we'll assume it was car, truth be told reason one is most likely.  Anyway, what a car it is, a 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air Station Wagon. 

POVA

So tonight, I'll take a moment to not talk about the cars we photograph and instead talk about the Pend Oreille Valley Railroad (POVA).  I could talk about the car I drove when I parralled the POVA tracks from Tiger to Metaline Falls, instead I'll focus on the POVA. 
The tracks were originally laid as the Idaho and Washington Northern Railroad 1909.  They were originally funded by Fredrick Blackwell, who owned much of the industry in the northeastern part of the state, including the lumber mill at Ione and the cement factory in Metaline Falls.  Blackwell fell on hard times and sold off his assists and in 1916 the I&WN became apart of the Milwaukee Road and remained that way until 1979.  It was in 1979 that the year old Pend Oreille port authority purchased the rails from the Milwaukee Road, which was in process of liquidating all western assests.  The purchase ensured that the largest employers in the region (the cement factory in Metaline Falls and the Ione lumber mill) remained opened and thus saving 1/3 of the full time jobs in the county.  Since 1979, the POVA has operated excursion trains and actually added to its mileage through lease and trackage rights with the BNSF.  So tonight's photo is of the POVA tracks at Box Canyon Dam, the bridge is on the National Historic Register.