More Trip Pics

As one drives along I-84 on the south shore of the Columbia River, where it serves as the boundary between Oregon and Washington, there are several spots where you can take a scenic loop along old State Highway 30 (which was there before the interstate). That original highway was apparently designed to maximize the feeling of driving along a gorge, with lots of narrow, winding curves taking you high above the river before descending back down to I-84 along the shore.  These three pictures were taken from a scenic overlook at the top of one such loop just west of The Dalles. Above is the view looking east along the river.

The second shot is looking from more or less the same vantage point, but to the northwest and the palisades on the Washington side of the river. Below is looking back down on one of the many hairpin turns that must be negotiated to get up to the lookout spot.

 

Toonerville Thursday

Time to check in again with the Skipper who operates the Toonerville Trolley (which meets all trains).

Trip Pictures

I spent much of the past week driving around the great Pacific Northwest taking lots of pictures, a number of which I'll be posting here over the next few days.  Above is a shot of Mount Hood taken from a spot on the northern bank of the Columbia River, where I was pleasantly surprised to discover...

... a life-sized re-creation of the Stonehenge monument in England! I must have driven by this spot three or four times in the past and either did not notice the signs leading to this intended World War I memorial, or didn't imagine that they advertised something worth checking out.  In either case, I did stop this time, and it was definitely worth the visit.

The guy who had this built believed that the original was some kind of monument to peace, and so he thought it would be a nice tribute to those who died in World War I, and might inspire people to avoid war in the future. Apparently, it is one of the first memorials to the veterans of the Great War to be erected in this country, started in 1918 and completed in the early twenties.  

A Thought for Thursday

An interesting insight from the noted dancer Margot Fonteyn (1919-1991):

"The one important thing I have learned over the years 

is the difference between taking one's work seriously 

and taking one's self seriously. The first is imperative 

and the second is disastrous."

Beatles Classic

This is one of my favorite Beatles tunes, and maybe at the very top of the list for George Harrison compositions.  It was a highlight of the concert I saw performed by the Seattle Rock Orchestra this past weekend.

Rockin' the Moore, Part 2

Continuing from the previous post (below)... all the vocalists marched on stage to join in on "Yellow Submarine." The brass section even got out of their seats and marched around in the back of the stage.  The long-haired guy in the middle is Aaron Daniel (of Onemannbanned), who performed what I'd say was the highlight of the concert for me, a great version of "If I Needed Someone."

This is probably the best shot I got of Marenka, apparently awaiting a cue.  I hope she speaks to the conductor and gets a seat up front next time I'm there (the orchestra is planning to perform Sgt. Pepper and Magical Mystery Tour next year, so I definitely have a good excuse to return). 

Sean Nelson (who has worked with Death Cab for Cutie and the Minus Five, and writes music and film reviews for The Stranger) and John Roderick (of the Long Winters) were the final vocalists, performing together (as Paul and John) and separately, and providing some great stage banter to go along with their stellar singing.  All in all, a great time with some great music and wonderful performers-- what else could one want from a concert?  

Rockin' the Moore, Part 1

Last Sunday I was in the audience at the Moore Theater to see and hear the Seattle Rock Orchestra (featuring my niece Marenka on bassoon) play the Beatles' Rubber Soul and Revolver in their entirety (with encores devoted to three singles from that same period of the band's career).  The orchestra was ably abetted by a series of locally prominent artists who handled the vocal duties, each taking three songs (though often re-emerging to add harmonies to one of their colleagues' sets).  I had a great time, almost as good as if the Beatles themselves somehow put on the show.  Above are Mychal Cohen and Melodie Knight of Campfire OK, handling the first three songs, and getting things off to a rousing start.  The conductor (the silhouette on the right) is Kim Roy.

It was gratifying that they let me bring in my camera with my big zoom lens, so I could get shots like this one of the violinists from two-thirds of the way back in the auditorium.  I was also gratified to see that, even pumping the ISO setting up to 3200 (I never went that high before, but it was somewhat necessary given the lighting), I got some pretty sharp images.  Now I'm really looking forward to taking pictures at other shows, now that I've determined that setting will work out okay.

Here's the other side of the orchestra, including about the clearest shot I got of Marenka (see the white arrow?), who was often obscured by the cellists in front of her.  This shot is for Liz-- who wanted me to capture the antics of bassist and orchestra founder Scott Teske.  He's the the guy on the right whose head is a blur of motion, behind the cellist. 

Quote of the Day

Something to think about from the Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910):

"One free man will say with truth what he thinks and feels amongst thousands of men who by their acts and words attest exactly the opposite. It would seem that he who sincerely expressed his thought must remain alone, whereas it generally happens that every one else, or the majority at least, have been thinking and feeling the same things but without expressing them."

Funny Song

In keeping with the Mothers Day theme, here's a song I think my Mom will enjoy:

Sunday Funnies

 I know my Mom was always a fan of Gasoline Alley, but it doesn't appear in her local paper anymore. So I thought she might enjoy seeing today's strip, with a Mother's day theme.  It''s also nice to see that Uncle Walt is still hanging in there.

Mothers Day Quote

From the pen of the poet John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892):

"We search the world for truth; we cull
The good, the pure, the beautiful,
From all old flower fields of the soul;
And, weary seeker of the best,
We come back laden from out quest,
To find that all the sages said
Is in the Book our mothers read."

Good Song

I've been enjoying the new Allo Darlin album Europe while driving around the last couple of days.  Here's one of the songs that you may enjoy too.

Saturday Morning Cartoon

Herman & Katnip were sort of the poor man's Tom & Jerry, but I think I liked them better.  Here's an example of the kind of already old cartoons I saw on early morning TV when I was a kid:

A Saturday Quote

Here's a great quote from the British composer Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900), best known for his work in conjunction with W.S. Gilbert:

"One day work is hard, and another day it is easy; but if I had waited for inspiration I am afraid I should have done nothing. The miner does not sit at the top of the shaft waiting for the coal to come bubbling up to the surface. One must go deep down, and work out every vein carefully."

Great Song

I really like this song by Paul Burch, and thought you all might enjoy it as well...

Toonerville Thursday

Here's the real power behind the expansive Wortle clan of Toonerville: Grandma Wortle, who controls all the money!

A Thought for Thursday

A nice line from the playwright (he wrote Peter Pan) J. M. Barrie (1860-1937):

"You must have been warned against letting the golden 

hours slip by. Yes, but some of them are golden only 

because we let them slip by."

A Song for Emma

Here's a song I think birthday girl Emma would like-- maybe even enough to sing it for me the next time I see her?

Happy Birthday Emma!

 

Holy cow, my niece Emma is already four years old!  It seems like only a few months ago here that I was asking if she'd taken her first step yet.  My how time flies.  I hope you had a great birthday Emma! 

A Tuesday Thought

A great motto for a historian, which is exactly what Edward Gibbon (1737-1794) was:

"I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, 

and that is the lamp of experience. I know no way 

of judging of the future but by the past."

Classic Blues

Howlin' Wolf was of course one of the giants of contemporary blues singers.  But equally important to his sound was the guitar work of Hubert Sumlin, who was in Wolf's band for many many years.  Here's a great example of their work together (I'm not sure, but Buddy Guy might also play on this cut):

Some Random Photos

When I can't think of anything else to post, I put up some pictures.  These aren't linked thematically, they're just some images I kind of like.  Above is a night shot of an empty Main Street in Sheridan Wyoming.

Number two above was taken on the Big Hole River near Wise River Montana.

This was taken from Clark's Lookout (one of the landmarks of the Lewis & Clark expedition) just outside of Dillon.

The crowds were gathering outside the Bellagio Hotel to see the waterworks when I took this picture. 

And finally, a shot of Puget Sound taken from a spot near Federal Way, if I recall correctly.

Monday's Quote

I wholeheartedly agree with this comment from the eminent poet Archibald MacLeish (1892-1982):

"Democracy is never a thing done. Democracy is always something that a nation must be doing. What is necessary now is one thing and one thing only that democracy become again democracy in action, not democracy accomplished and piled up in goods and gold."

Jazz for a Sunday Afternoon

This song made its first appearance (I believe) on Herbie Hancock's debut recording as a bandleader in 1962.  It's become something of a standard (there's a great Latin-tinged version by Mongo Santamaria which is worth looking for).  I'm not sure when this clip is from, but I'm guessing sometime in the nineties.  Enjoy:

Sunday Funnies

How could I not feature today's Crankshaft, considering that it's built around a reference to the kind of thrills that could only come from old-time radio.

A Quote for Sunday

A keen insight from the mind of political writer Theodore H. White (1915-1986):

"For those men who, sooner or later, are lucky enough to break away from the pack, the most intoxicating moment comes when they cease being bodies in other men's command and find that they control their own time, when they learn their own voice and authority."

Cool Song

This is one of my favorite Go-Betweens songs, which was part of their amazing comeback album (after years of inactivity) The Friends of Rachel Worth.  The surfing footage just makes it better.

Saturday Morning Cartoon

I wonder how much of my interest in history was fueled by cartoons like this one.  It's the Fox and the Crow in the cartoon version of the Ponce De Leon story...

A Saturday Quote

This is from the great Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard  (1813-1855):

"A fire broke out backstage in a theatre. The clown came out to warn the public; they thought it was a joke and applauded. He repeated it; the acclaim was even greater. I think that's just how the world will come to an end: to general applause from wits who believe it's a joke."

Great Song

Todd Snider is one of the best of the contemporary story-telling troubadours.  Here he is relating the tale of the Kingsmen, who made their name with the classic "Louie Louie."  This is just a drop in the bucket of great stuff he's put out over the years...

Yet More Friday Family Blogging

This picture of Marenka is a rescue-- the original print didn't come out at all, but a scan of the negative recently gave me something to work with, and I'm kind of pleased with the result.  A bit fuzzy, yes, but I think it captures her personality. Comments?

Santa Monica

One of my favorite places to visit in California is the city of Santa Monica.  A big part of the reason is the beach there, which has lots of great features to photograph. Another reason is that, somewhat unique in metropolitan L.A., it's fairly easy to find free places to park there (which doesn't mean that I don't end up walking a bit sometimes to get to my destination).  Anyway, here are a few pictures I took on a recent visit down to the waterfront and pier.

These guys seemed totally oblivious to all the people wandering around the pier, even standing still for pictures. I guess it's that laid-back California thing.

Below is one of the hotels that line the stretch of beach just southwest of the pier. How great would it be to wake up in the morning and look out over the activity on the beach with the Pacific stretching out as far as the eye can see? 

More Friday Family Blogging

So, how cool does Nik look in this shot? Secret agent cool at least, I'd say.

Friday Family Blogging

 

I like this picture of Mom-- it kind of looks like she's considering movie over to the piano to pound out a little boogie-woogie ;-)

Friday Philosophy

An insightful comment from the noted man-of-letters Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882):

"The days come and go like muffled and veiled 

figures sent from a distant friendly party, but 

they say nothing, and if we do not use the gifts 

they bring, they carry them as silently away."

Cool Song

Craig Finn of the Hold Steady may be the Pete Townshend of this generation of rockers-- someone who is as interesting in conversation as in song.  Here he is talking a bit about the band's intentions along with a live clip of one of their best songs:

Toonerville Thursday

The Wortle clan must comprise half the population of Toonerville, and their are all eccentric in one way or another. 

A Thought for Thursday

Something to think about from the pen of of the great reporter and photographer Jacob Riis (1849-1914):

"When nothing seems to help, I go and look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that blow that did it, but all that had gone before."

Good Song

I really like this tune off the new album, A Wasteland Companion, by M. Ward.  Maybe you'll like it too...

Some Baseball Pictures

Here are a few random pictures I've taken over the years at baseball games.  Above is the phenom Stephen Strasburg taken in his last minor league start against the Buffalo Bisons back in 2010.

Can you spot the fly ball about to be caught in the shot above?  This was taken at the Spring Training game between the Padres and Giants I saw down in Arizona this Spring.

Another one taken at a Bisons game, this time against the Gwinnett Braves.  I'm pretty sure that's Freddie Freeman in the batter's box, who came in second in the Rookie-of-the-Year voting last year.

This guy's getting ready to steal third.  I can't remember the Chukar's name, but I took this picture a couple years back down in Idaho Falls.

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom

How many of us are afflicted by the same impulse described here by the British wit Jerome K. Jerome (1859-1927)?

"I can't sit still and see another man slaving and working. 

I want to get up and superintend, and walk round with my 

hands in my pockets, and tell him what to do. It is my 

energetic nature. I can't help it."

Cool Song

A lot of the images in this video seem kind of random, but the song is really good-- "Here Comes My Baby" by the Tremeloes:

This Week's Top Five

This will be the last new Top Five list until next fall, as Dr. John's Record Shelf morphs into the Idiosyncratic History of Rock for the summer months.  I think we went out on a bit of a high note...

A Tuesday Thought

I share the wish uttered by the British author Virginia Woolf (1882-1941) in this statement:

"By hook or by crook, I hope that you will possess yourselves of money enough to travel and to idle, to contemplate the future or the past of the world, to dream over books and loiter at street corners, and let the line of thought dip deep into the stream."