Friday, December 25, 2020

Sunflower the yellow construction crane

Sunflowers, what is there not to love about them?

THIS STORY came out recently. THESE photos and videos were taken during the event and I'm planning to continue to add to this album based on future plans. This project I call "Operation Sunflower" is just so satisfying to be involved with and is the spirit of my blog's title "it's all good".








Sunday, November 15, 2020

Poetry Busking -- it's a thing

The excitement about coming upon someone sitting in a public space with a typewriter. This happened yesterday when I approached the Bellingham Farmers Market and saw from across the street that this person was all set up for business. Her name is Karen Kunkel and she is a curious traveler, musician and generally talented soul who is also a singer/songwriter -- no surprise there. I engaged Karen in two poems -- one for a friend and one for me with two different themes. The result felt like a touching of souls. I went on to read more about this phenomena of story/poem busking written by this man Luke Winter -- one day I'll give this a go to be sure!






Thursday, November 5, 2020

Through the wormhole back in time

Last night was about time traveling. Of course it was a dream and it went something like this...

I was back in Sausalito but it was very long ago probably in the early 80s. Of course in real time I would not have been living there then.  I was hanging out on the promenade down by the water which was one of my favorite places when I lived there by where the ferry boat comes in. I looked around and there were various street performers busking on the promenade.

I noticed one woman who  was dressed in layers of hippie bedazzlement like someone herself who shot ten years into the future from her hippie time. She was playing a guitar in front of a small speaker that she had set up. She was radiant and powerful and exuded hope, power, and love. She took a break and she sat down on a bench and I went up to her and smiled and we started to talk. 


I was fully aware that I was in that place through a time portal and then I didn’t belong in the time but I was there as a spectator but I wanted to let this woman in on my secret. So lo and behold I had my iPhone with me and I wanted to take her photo so I asked permission and I pulled out my iPhone to which one can imagine, she was completely astonished.


I knew she had psychic powers and could also wrap her head around time travel or things in the future and so I let her in on the little secret. I leaned over very discreetly because people were watching and listening. I revealed to her that I had come to this time from the future. I told her the year in fact. I said I came to visit from the year 2020 and we have tiny hand held computers that also have cameras and phones in them. I actually handed over my iPhone in the little red case to this woman who initially clutched it to her breast and felt the energy of it and then tried to look at the image on the screen but I had to unlock it for her first.


She continued to be astounded at it and understand that the year 2020 must have some amazing advancements and that’s about all we exchanged on the subject. I didn’t really feel I wanted to get into anything else. 


I didn’t want to tell her the state of the politics or the ice caps melting, viruses or any of the world’s bad news because she was such a sweet lady with so much hope. It was almost a naïve optimism that I could feel she had and I didn’t want to be the bearer of anything that would cast a dark shadow on her so I wanted to just share with her the goodness. 


Photo below taken June 8, 2012 by David Bryant on the corner of Kearny and California Streets in San Francisco at 1:14 in the afternoon while David was out on his lunch break. I went out to interview the guy who was from Seattle and said he just came down to SF to remind people about LOVE.






Friday, August 28, 2020

Long days in the brilliant sunshine of "subdued excitement"

Bellingham (aka B-ham), "the city of subdued excitement" is really a treasure. This is not news to me as I've been up here at least a half a dozen times in the past 13 years but being here for August is extra special.  The days seems to go on forever with long hours of daylight and brilliant sunshine, kind of like the brilliance knob of your computer is turned all the way up. Here are some of my photos from this past month here ...

Sehome Hill Arboretum adjacent to the Western Washington University campus
Lynden, Washington

a rare cloudy afternoon looking out at the Taylor Dock
Photo Lake looking at Mount Shuksan

the summer fun with the youth of Bellingham (Taylor Dock)
Sehome Hill Arboretum

Historical mountaineering photo on Mt. Baker
Heather Meadows about a 100 years ago (when people were hardier apparently)


Late August afternoon on Bellingham Bay
A ski fence in Glacier, WA

nature is always putting on a show in the Pacific Northwest
view from Capt Whidbey Inn on Whidbey Island

x


Thursday, July 23, 2020

And those clouds here in the PNW

Two days ago it was hot here in Port Townsend. Then as if someone flipped a switch, the cool came in. When this happened, wind and a sense of cooler times ahead. Therefore I had to put my phone on a tripod looking west to record the most glorious sunset. Here it is ...



Monday, July 20, 2020

Distilling lavender

This afternoon I made my way out to Mesha's Lavender Farm in Sequim. Unsure what to expect, it is with great delight that I showed up to see nobody there but me, Mesha and two others who were distilling lavender today in their enormous copper still. I learned so much about lavender, fragrances, distillation, etc.











Monday, July 13, 2020

The magic of Oregon is for real


This past weekend in Florence, I was able to really experience the magic while staying over the weekend. Walks in the dark on the beach in late summer twilight with Dan and Terry were really immersive for me to enjoy the five senses of the beach here. The briny smell of the ocean, sound of gentle surf, because of the summer light, it seemed semi-light at 9:30pm -- so special. In order to get to the beach from the beach camp, we literally went through Alice in Wonderland's rabbit hole (see photos).

artwork in Yachats, OR


Terry leading the way through the thrushes to the beach


Terry and Dan doing "jumpology" ala Philippe Halsman


Dan having an excellent jump

wee Stella is mighty and would follow us for many miles on the beach 

Saturday, July 11, 2020

Fifty years ago in Florence -- 8 tons of a whale blown to bits

This little news tidbit has fascinated me for some time. Like many things on the Internet, I don't remember exactly when I watched this for the first time but who can forget it. Not since I learned about MIKE THE HEADLESS CHICKEN was I so fascinated with such a thing.



And so for the big FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY, I've finally made it here to the "Exploding Whale Beach Camp". in Florence Oregon.

me the camp

logo created by Judyth Greenburgh

Nightime beach walk

the stunning Florence bridge

Dan and Terry, my hosts!


Lighthouse Love in Oregon

Today I was fortunate to get a "behind-the-scenes" tour of the Heceta Head Lighthouse. As a longtime fan of lighthouses, this was so cool. Allegedly this lighthouse is the most photographed one in the United States. It cast the first beam on March 30, 1894 but since 1995 it has been a bed and breakfast with many iterations in between those years.






me in the lightkeeper's residence