I'm back in Seattle again!

I did a morning walk down to the now open Richmond Beach Saltwater Park.  Last time I was here this sign had not been unveiled and landscaping was in progress.  A very nice park.

The family got together for a Sunday Brunch and belated Easter Egg hunt for the great grand children, my mother-in-law observing from her wheelchair.

Nothing like a party to perk up Margaret!

Updates

Inspired by various restaurant photographs posted by Elaine in her blog I decided to give it a try while enjoying lunch at Los Gallitos.  I like their heroic murals.

The Streetscape project continues.  Here they are starting on the north side of Redwood Avenue.  The new sidewalks on the south side of each street involved are nearing completion.

I've often wondered if the same architect was involved

with both these buildings.

The moon was quite spectacular on this clear and cool 36 degree morning.

**********

Well kids, I'm off to Shoreline, Washington for Part Two of caretaking my mother-in-law.  She is now able to return to her house from the rehab facility after a bout with a blood clot in her lung.  She will be much happier at home.

I will resume this blog next week from the Great North Wet.  Stay tuned.

I got behind!

Sorry folks, a few days slipped away!

Friday was my birthday but instead of walking 6.6 miles like I did on my birthday in 2007 or 67 miles like I did between April Fools day and my birthday in 2008, this year I had an appointment at the VA hospital in San Francisco at 9:30 AM!  Bummer.  It was just a check up with good news at the end but it ruined any birthday walking plans.  Next year!

So, back at it Saturday morning and what to my wandering ears should I hear but fire sirens heading south on Main Street.  I fumbled my camera out of my fanny pack just in time to catch this.

And then, looking south on Franklin...

I see the smoke rising from either Noyo Harbor or beyond.  I asked around later in the day but didn't hear what it was.  I guess I will read about it in the Fort Bragg Advocate this Thursday.

Returning home I was stuck by this strange cloud formation.

Easter Morning I walked out the Haul Road enjoying a beautiful soft start to the day.

Wonderful!

Walking and Gawking in the Rain

Main Street in the morning.

Peeking in the window at

Tangents which always has strange and interesting stuff.

Speaking of strange....

the Green Door Studio always has very thought provoking artwork.

I see the former Foot Lighters is transforming itself into possibly the Foo Fighters!  Actually, the former Foot Lighters now houses our Local Public Television, MCET.

And this just in.......

Good question!

Well, first off, I Googled Victor, New York to get an idea of where you are coming from.  I see you are pretty much accustomed to small towns, either the Village of Victor (population 2,433) or the Town of Victor (population 9,977).  So, you won't be too surprised if I tell you you pretty much have to travel to Santa Rosa (about a two and a half hour drive on curvy roads) to get to a Bed Bath and Beyond!!

For high-end European linen there is the Golden Goose in the "Village" of Mendocino.

Or you could try our local Longs or Rite Aid drug stores or maybe do mail order from our local Sears store.  All part of the charm of small town living!!

Fifty Percent.

The 50 percent rain side of the forecast won.  And here it is!

Quite a few of the alleys in Fort Bragg have been resurfaced but I would say around fifty percent still need attention!

I blogged this before and I just photographed it again.  I still don't know the reason for this step in the curb.  It seems obvious to me that there was something different than this house at this location once upon a time but I have yet to meet anyone who knows what it was.  Definitely, an oddity.  It is located on the East side of McPherson Street about mid block between Redwood Avenue and Alder Street.  In fact, there is another step in the curb just south of this one but there was a car parked in front of it.  Any thoughts?

This is looking west out the center of Cypress Street.  The guard shack with the draw bar remains from the big days of Redwood timber and only allowed access for workers and the log trucks coming in from the surrounding forests via the A&W haul road.   Now it sorts out the folks working on the mill site abatement and redevelopment from the rest of us.  But, one of these days!!

50 percent

The weatherman is talking about a fifty percent chance of rain.  During my walk this morning I took this photo of what fifty percent looks like!

Sandwich assembly at Down Home Foods.  I didn't ask her name so I can't add her to my One Hundred Strangers list.

And Happy Birthday to Evelyn!!  She walks every weekday morning.  She told me she is now eighty years young and attributes her vim and vigor to her daily three mile walks!!

Go Evelyn!!

100 Strangers

One of the blogs I follow, D.C. Confidential, introduced me to something called One Hundred Strangers.  I looked it up:

"Welcome to One Hundred Strangers.   100 Strangers is a Flickr group dedicated to taking street portraits.   Created by Teppo the group is a photo challenge to take 100 portraits of total strangers."

Reading further I see they have "tips" on how to go about it.  Later in the day I was walking down Franklin Street and saw a couple on a tandem bike ride past.  They stopped at the Post Office.  Well, hey!  They could be my first "One Hundred Strangers".

Using one of the tips I walked up, introduced myself, gave them one of my walkingfortbragg cards and asked if I could take their photo.  No problem!

and here is the best part about One Hundred Strangers, because I was encouraged to step outside myself I learned they are from Cashmere, Washington and they are riding to San Diego!  They have a website and they gave me their card!

They asked if there was a bicycle repair shop in town; they had burned out a rear brake coming down the Leggett curves!  I directed them to Mark's Fort Bragg Cyclery.

I "lifted" this photo from their ongoing travelogue website.

Bill & Nancy Schettenhelm.  He is 70 and she is 66!  More power to them!!

"This picture is #01 in my 100 strangers project. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at www.100Strangers.com"