seattle pics

Saturday, March 31, 2007

Reflected Old & New

A 19th century church building is dwarfed by highrises in Seattle's downtown. The Columbia Tower reflects the Municipal Building. A skeleton of bare spring tree branches is superimposed on it all.

Have a lovely, relaxing spring weekend everyone! (I'll be doing my taxes. . .sigh.)

Seattle
Seattle Daily Photo
Downtown
buildings
architecture
reflection
urban

Friday, March 30, 2007

SPU Story Pole

This is a "story pole" on the campus of Seattle Pacific University. Native peoples of the Canadian and American Pacific Northwest and Alaska have long carving traditions. Individuals and people groups have distinct styles and symbols with which they express themselves through the totem pole art form. I have found much to appreciate as I look at more and more of these, and am beginning to recognize which tribal tradition a pole has been carved in or influenced by. The link can give you more information about these beautiful, skillfully crafted, purely Pacific Northwest native wonders.

Seattle
Seattle Daily Photo
Seattle Pacific University
totem pole
carving
story pole
pacific northwest

Thursday, March 29, 2007

MetroNatural

Mt. Rainier seen at sunset, dominating the skyline to the south of Seattle. Urban meets the nature, big time. Many of Mt. Rainier's developed areas and facilities were overrun and destroyed during the November 2006 rains and floods. The mountain will look different to visitors this summer, although it will continue to loom over the city, seemingly unchanged.

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Study Spaces

Where to hang out and get some work done on a rainy day? A clean, well lighted place for books, and scholars. The patterned carpets of the Central Library add another element of texture to the dominant grid of the glass walls. Unique seating configurations remind me of plus signs on typeface put together. The library features an in-house coffee spot, and computers galore, and is well patronized.

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Gustafson's Hyacinth

Seattle is awash right now in spring bloom. I thought I'd share with you a gift that keeps on giving (beauty, fragrance, metaphors to think about).
A sprouted bulb given to us as a Valentine's Day gift by friends, we planted it outdoors and are enjoying its fragrance at full bloom now. So many gifts to enjoy, just by opening our eyes or breathing it in.

Seattle is a gardener's paradise and boasts the lovely Washington Park Arboretum & Botanical Garden. I hope in the next couple of weeks to share with you shots of the magnificent cherry trees and blossoms that put on a spectacular April show there each year, and the cherry trees in the quad at the University of Washington,

Monday, March 26, 2007

Abstraction 1

Let's start the week with an abstract. This downtown highrise building reflects differently every time I pass. I love the small stripe of glass that runs up the center of this side, adding a little iridescent glimmer between the matte surfaces on either side. The colors vary with the time of day.

Blogger is having some sort of bug difficulty. Please excuse the problems with the template. I hope it will be resolved very soon. Thanks for you patience.

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Not Quite Prayer Flags

It may be a cold and rainy weekend here in Seattle, but these colorful papel picados blowing in the breeze add a touch of bright color to a wet and dreary Sunday. To see this colorful Capitol Hill storefront in full, click here to go to my More Seattle Stuff page. I love to walk through the various city neighborhoods' shopping streets. Each neighborhood commercial zone has its own flavor and charm, usually with fewer chain names than locally owned and individually operated small businesses.