STL DPB ON THE ROAD - GNARLY

The roots of an upturned tree seen on the lower slopes of Mt. Rainier. As the trunk decays it becomes the source and nourishment of lichens, moss, fungi, bacteria and, in time, young sapling trees. At that stage it is known as a nurse log.              

STL DPB ON THE ROAD - WHEN ON TOUR, TAKE SOME TOURIST PICTURES

 

At least a few. Mt. Rainier, Thursday afternoon. It's supposed to pour the rest of the weekend and we're trying to figure out what to do with ourselves.            

Not Always Colorful

Seattle is, after all, a very wet, gray city much of the time. The Chihuly glass flowers in the top picture are brilliant (as usual) orange-yellow. The Space Needle in the background is white with a gray core. These photos have more of the feel that was around on Saturday, when it rained on and off all day.

We did go up to the top of the Space Needle, as we have many times before. It's required. And every time we do it I take a version of the second picture, weather permitting: the towers of downtown, the baseball and football stadiums in the lower right, and Mt. Rainier looming in the south. It's gonna blow someday. Then the skies will really be gray.         

Tall Things

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Carolyn and our local friend Jessie went to a King Tut show at the Pacific Science Center the other day while I wandered around shooting. A ride to the top of the Space Needle was in order. Although the day was cloudy, like it usually is here, the ceiling was high and Mt. Rainier was in full view. I took this shot from the Needle's top.

The mountain is often covered in the mists. When it's clear, locals sometimes say "Rainier is out today!" It is a monstrous beauty. Still an active volcano, it has the potential to devastate the Seattle area. 

We spent part of yesterday afternoon at the Seattle Art Museum with Kim, proprietor of Seattle Daily Photo. She's been on sabbatical but promises to return soon with resurrection of the portal. Good thing. She's a gifted photographer. Meeting our City Daily Photo colleagues around the world has been one of the great pleasures of this project.

The bottom shot is from our hotel room window. Home late tonight.