Seattle Icon

A trip to Seattle would not be complete without a visit to the Space Needle.  It was very crowded, but the view from the observation tower was worth the trip, even though it was raining.

The Space Needle is an observation tower in Seattle, Washington, a landmark of the Pacific Northwest, and an icon of Seattle. It was built in the Seattle Center for the 1962 World's Fair, which drew over 2.3 million visitors, when nearly 20,000 people a day used its elevators.

Once the tallest structure west of the Mississippi River; it is 605 ft (184 m) high, 138 ft (42 m) wide, and weighs 9,550 tons. It is built to withstand winds of up to 200 miles per hour (89 m/s) and earthquakes of up to 9.1 magnitude, as strong as the 1700 Cascadia earthquake. It also has 25 lightning rods.

It has an observation deck at 520 ft (160 m) and the rotating SkyCity restaurant at 500 ft (150 m). The downtown Seattleskyline, as well as the Olympic and Cascade Mountains, Mount Rainier, Mount Baker, Elliott Bay and surrounding islands can be viewed from the top of the Needle. Photographs of the Seattle skyline often show the Space Needle prominently, above skyscrapers and Mount Rainier.

Visitors can reach the top of the Space Needle by elevators that travel at 10 miles per hour (4.5 m/s). The trip takes 41 seconds. On windy days, the elevators slow to 5 miles per hour (2.2 m/s). On April 19, 1999, the city's Landmarks Preservation Board designated it a historic landmark.

Chihuly Outdoor Garden

It rained every day when we were in Seattle.  An outdoor garden is part of the Chihuly exhibit, but I got at least one fairly decent photo between raindrops.  Wish you could see the rest of the garden, but isn't the color and form terrific?

Chihuly #2

One of several beautiful pillars of glass

 If you have been to a Chihuly Glass Exhibit just about anywhere, one gallery will have the glass pieces, cupids and glass fragments on a ceiling, making photographing it a bit difficult.  Without hesitating, I lay down on the floor, followed by several other photographers and took the photo below. It was worth the difficulty of getting upright again!

Chihuly Museum

A visit to the Chihuly Museum that opened in the Seattle City Center in 2012 is well-worth a trip to Seattle. Each gallery had a central theme and some of the glass pots and baskets in one of the galleries are shown here.  The Southwest Gallery was devoted to Native American cultures with one wall containing hundreds of colorful blankets. Another wall, part of which you can see on the left, showcases traditional baskets combined with Chihuly glass baskets. Part of an explanation in the gallery indicated that the artist noticed that many Indian baskets are not totally symmetrical in shape, often leaning to one side or another.  Chihuly's baskets do the same thing.

Pike Place Flowers

Pike Place Market is a public market overlooking the Elliott Bay waterfront in Seattle, Washington, United States. The Market opened August 17, 1907, and is one of the oldest continuously operated public farmers' markets in the United States. It is a place of business for many small farmers, craftspeople and merchants. Named after the central street, Pike Place runs northwest from Pike Street to Virginia Street. With more than 10 million visitors annually, Pike Place Market is Seattle's most popular tourist destination and is the 33rd most visited tourist attraction in the world.

Pike Place Fisherman

There are many interesting places in Pike Place, but the seafood area is mesmerising.  Ryan, this native Seattle lad couldn't have been more friendly and welcoming to out-of-towners.

Linking  Signs, Signs and ABC Wednesday

Pike Place Farmers Market

We identified ourselves as Minnesotans to this man (whose name I didn't record and have since forgotten--forgive me!), and we talked about the the development of Honeycrisp and Sweet Tango Apples. He thanked us and the University of Minnesota and cooperative apple growers for giving the apple world these wonderful fruit!. 

Honeycrisp (Malus domestica 'Honeycrisp') is an apple cultivar (cultivated variety) developed at the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station's Horticultural Research Center at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Designated in 1974 with the MN 1711 test designation, patented in 1988, and released in 1991, the Honeycrisp, once slated to be discarded, has rapidly become a prized commercial commodity, as its sweetness, firmness, and tartness make it an ideal apple for eating raw.^[2] It has much larger cells than most apples, which rupture when bitten to fill the mouth with juice.^[3] The Honeycrisp also retains its pigment well and boasts a relatively long shelf life when stored in cool, dry conditions.^[4]

Seattle Aquarium

Lots of variety

Seattle Waterfront

So much to see and enjoy on the waterfront!

Foggy but Beautiful Washington

We got a quick introduction to the weather we might expect as we wound our way through Washington state on our way to Seattle.

Snowy Montana

What a surprise to wake up to a snowy yet another barren, lonely landscape in Montana.

North Dakota Scenery

Yes, along many miles of North Dakota by the train tracks were scenes of barrenness and isolation, but there was also a beauty of muted colors with occasional hills and,  much to my surprise,  an area of beautiful marshes!

Msp to Sea

This is how it all began: a trip to Seattle from St. Paul!

 Because DH and I had not been on a train for several decades, we decided to take the Empire Builder. The staff on the train were remarkably friendly, effiicient and they worked incredibly hard for long hours. Our compartment looked great in the brochure, but in reality it is very teeny-tiny.  The couch makes up  into a bed and a bunk comes down from the ceiling.  Pretty cramped quarters.  It was "a fun" experience because of the passing scenery and the friendly passengers you meet on the train, but once was enough!

PS.  On the last day in Seattle, I lost the journal you see on the table in the compartment.  Sad!

Fall or Halloween

I think that this decorated house has a home owner that is more interested in celebrating autumn rather than Halloween.

Another weather vane!

Yesterday I walked around our neigborhood, trying to find more weather vanes.  There aren't many, but this one is atop a cupola on the roof of a garage three houses down from ours.  I've concluded that the vanes usually are on top detached garages of homes built probably between 1930-1950.  Of the three that I posted, which is your favorite?

Weather Vane

Looking Up is always a good idea.  While walking Wild Wendy yesterday afternoon, I spied this beautiful old weather vane so now I need to find more of these in the neighborhood.  I removed the one from the top of my garage years ago and have it affixed on the wall above my kitchen window.
(Bottom photo)

Twin City Marathon, 2016

Perfect weather for the marathon: sun, blue sky, and  cooler temperatures. This year I got to Summit Avenue at the wrong place and the wrong time. The trees produced alternating patches of sun and shade plus the major share of the runners had already gone past the block when I had arrived. Next year I will arrive earlier and select a better place to photograph.  The variety of marathoners always makes it interesting!

Autumn

Autumn is gradually changing the colours of the neighbourhood scenery!

Where Are the Lawn Signs?

In previous years many yards in our neighbourhood had lawn signs that supported the home owners' person(s)-of-choice. As our homes on our street gradually lost retired people, younger families moved in with fewer homes displaying political signs.  Perhaps it is a change in political styles and preferences.  This year as November 8 approaches, there is a noticeable absence of lawn signs. From Fairview to Cleveland Avenues, these are the only two presidential campaign signs along the street. Perhaps this is a statement of political malaise or something else?

Photography and Paintings

This painting is the last one I will show you from the recent exhibit, Seeing Nature, at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. The painting I posted yesterday was my husband's favourite in the show because he loved the mystical quality of it. This one today also has the same feeling about it for me.

"Lake Light"

April Gornik

American, born 1953

"Lake Light," 2008

Oil on linen

A cloudburst drenches a mountain range on the horizon in a vast and empty tropical landscape.

Here is another wonderful painting from a recent exhibit, Seeing Nature, that was at the Minneapolis Institute of Art that I told you about here and here.

Blessing of the Animals in Honor of the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi on October 4

 Some animals at Unity Unitarian church in St Paul were blessed on Sunday, October 2. They definitely are not second-class citizens because they were honoured by having  a ceremony all their own with song, poetry, and responsive readings led by our Co-Minister, Minsterial Intern and musician. Animals included a turtle, rabbit, and many dogs, as well as Wild Wendy. Where are the animals you say? The bright sun, shade and shadow did not cooperate with my camera's lens!