A Tale of Two Bridges: Part 1

Photo & Text © 2011 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved. No use, reproduction, alteration, or republishing in any media.

The I-5 Ship Canal Bridge is busy with evening traffic. This view is from across the northern tip of Lake Union. Tomorrow I'll face the opposite direction and give you a glimpse of another high bridge to the west.

A Tale of Two Bridges: Part 1

Photo & Text © 2011 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved. No use, reproduction, alteration, or republishing in any media.

The I-5 Ship Canal Bridge is busy with evening traffic. This view is from across the northern tip of Lake Union. Tomorrow I'll face the opposite direction and give you a glimpse of another high bridge to the west.

Ghost Sign on the Roycroft Theatre

Photo & Text © 2011 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved. No use, reproduction, alteration, or republishing in any media.

The Roycroft Theatre urged patrons to wait for pictures to leave the first run houses downtown and see them here on convenient Capitol Hill. The theater opened in 1925, complete with organ. After 40 years as a cinema, the building was converted to become the Russian Community Center. Although films haven't played here in 50 years, the ghost sign remains unchanged. Speaking of films, the Seattle International Film Festival is winding down to its last week. If you haven't heard of it or attended in the past, it is very much worth your attention. "Throughout its 34 years, SIFF has evolved into one of the leading independent and international film institutions in the United States and the world. With extensive local, national, and international media coverage, the Festival is one of Seattle’s most accessible and highly–publicized cultural events."

Ghost Sign on the Roycroft Theatre

Photo & Text © 2011 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved. No use, reproduction, alteration, or republishing in any media.

The Roycroft Theatre urged patrons to wait for pictures to leave the first run houses downtown and see them here on convenient Capitol Hill. The theater opened in 1925, complete with organ. After 40 years as a cinema, the building was converted to become the Russian Community Center. Although films haven't played here in 50 years, the ghost sign remains unchanged. Speaking of films, the Seattle International Film Festival is winding down to its last week. If you haven't heard of it or attended in the past, it is very much worth your attention. "Throughout its 34 years, SIFF has evolved into one of the leading independent and international film institutions in the United States and the world. With extensive local, national, and international media coverage, the Festival is one of Seattle’s most accessible and highly–publicized cultural events."

iPhone Action Shot

Photo & Text © 2011 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved; no use, reproduction, alteration or republishing in any media.

I was standing by the duck pond in Denny Blaine Lake Park when a guy walking six dogs passed me, then doubled back and passed me several times more. He was encouraging the dogs to follow his directions and not let their temptation to chase the ducks override what they were doing. This photo turned out a little strange, as the iPhone doesn't capture movement like some other cameras will (thus the chocolate pooch in front has a crackled face and some bodies and tales are a blur. But, I liked the effect and the way it showed this Dogs Around the Block trainer and six dogs having a grand time.

iPhone Action Shot

Photo & Text © 2011 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved; no use, reproduction, alteration or republishing in any media.

I was standing by the duck pond in Denny Blaine Lake Park when a guy walking six dogs passed me, then doubled back and passed me several times more. He was encouraging the dogs to follow his directions and not let their temptation to chase the ducks override what they were doing. This photo turned out a little strange, as the iPhone doesn't capture movement like some other cameras will (thus the chocolate pooch in front has a crackled face and some bodies and tales are a blur. But, I liked the effect and the way it showed this Dogs Around the Block trainer and six dogs having a grand time.

Rain Gardens Not Draining

Photo & Text © 2011, Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved; no use, reproduction, alteration or republishing in any media.

I, and I suppose a lot of other Seattle residents, received a notice from Seattle Public Utilities this week announcing incentives to encourage residents to instal rain barrels or rain gardens on their property to reduce storm water and pollutant run off into our vital waterways. I've seen rain gardens properly and very attractively installed in a few places (the parking strip adjacent to Ballard Corners Park, the median on 14th Ave NW, and  in private landscaping in a couple resident's front yards). I've also noticed while out walking that, on the main, the large pilot program the city attempted in parts of the Ballard neighborhood isn't working as expected. After walking past this rain garden, and noticing standing water when there had been no rain in days, I looked for information on how the pilot project was going (read about it here and here). Apparently, after meetings with concerned residents, hiring pumping trucks to siphon off standing water regularly, and further surveys in the field, SPU agreed in April to remove the rain gardens that aren't working and restore the grassy parking strips where they were built. I'm hoping the rain gardens promoted in this week's flyer are of significantly better design. We have a large cistern filled with rock and gravel under the top soil of our small back yard, into which the rain gutter downspouts of our roof and those of our two next door neighbors drain underground. I've never had soggy soil or standing water, but we are near the top of a hill. I'm wishing the city and affected residents well in successfully resolving these unforeseen drainage difficulties in what was a well-intentioned pilot program.