Ghost Photo

I took this photo several years ago when Kari, Dinah, and I spent the weekend at the beach. It was taken with the Holga camera Kevin gave me for my birthday. I just had the pictures developed.

Marin

Last week I visited Holly in Berkeley. Here are a few pictures from our way up to Nappa Valley via the
fun route. It was a gorgeous drive.

Spring has sprung

Spring sprung and then it went away and then it came back out and now it
doesn't know what to do.


I just love the Cherry Blossoms.

I've been reading a book about the importance of being outside and was motivated to head to the QA greenbelt where I saw a woodpecker. Unfortunately, my camera was not out when I saw it, but I did get a picture of a crow. Not really as interesting, but at least it is doing something.

Seattle Gets Snowy

Our nephew Dustin waiting to go down Queen Ann Hill.

Kevin attempting to ride a box down Queen Ave Avenue.

Kevin heading back up the hill.

My snow angel.


The snow is finally leaving Seattle, and it is making me a little sad. A week ago we took these pictures while playing in the snow. Streets on Queen Anne have been closed for the past week. But today when I look outside I see is wet pavement. It does make getting to the mountain a lot easier. And if I had to choose I'd rather go skiing in the mountains than play in the snow in my front "yard".
The best part of the snow was how neighborly everyone got. I talked to more people in my building and neighborhood than I have in the past year. People shared their sledding devices. Everyone was just friendlier. Well, everyone not in a car. I felt like I lived in a community.

Shopping for fish

We were watching this bird outside when it decided it should go into the fish shop
to do a little browsing.

Tinos

These are the pictures fromt the island of Tinos. The church is the reason it is popular for Greeks.
Women come here as a pilgramage in behalf of a loved one. They crawl on their knees
from the ferry and up several blocks up the hill.












The long candles in this shop are used in the pilgramage.













Statue of a woman on a pilgramage.

Plato

Plato and other wise types of the time stood here and said wise things.

More Athens

This was a clock and compass. The figures on the top had rods sticking out that cast shadows and tell you the time according to the time of year.










Dogs just layed in the street. Not bothering anyone or bothered by anyone, just where ever was comfortable, they layed down.




All those colored bottles and liquour infusions. Lots of really interesting flavors like banana and rose. We did bring home a bottle or two.













Zeus throwing something or gesturing about something. This was in the archeological museum which had lots of impressive artifacts, but didn't have any of the type of information that interests me. In other words, nothing with Plato or Archimedes.

"Give me a lever long enough and a fulcram on which to place it and I will move the world."

Athens

We had one day on either side of the sailing in Athens which turned out to be enough time. We may have seen a few other things if we had time, but what we saw seemed like enough. Athens can be divided into two parts, the really touristy part, and the large big city with lots of cars and people. We should have taken a tour to really understand what these ancient sites were really about. I "overheard" a tour guide talking about some of it, but we really had a fragmented idea of what things were. It made it less interesting.

Greece Sailing Adventure #1

I had fully intended to download pictures this evening, but as luck would have it we met up with our tour guide for a sunset drink that lasted for hours. It was a great evening, but I don't have the energy to download pictures. When I do download them, they will be excellent, so stay tuned.

Today we went from the island of Myconas to Delos. Delos is full of ruins and non one lives there. It was amazing to see the columns of the houses and the mosiacs on their floors. We had a fun tour guide, and he meet us when we came back to Myconas. He knows everyone here, and has this little table he likes to sit at for the sunset. It was amazing to place to sit, and then we went to a little bar and sat around and talked. The little bit of Greek we know has really made a difference. I see people change their tone and approach to us by just saying a few words. I can't say much, but do so whenever I can, even when I know I don't need to.

Yesterday we went to Tinos which is the place Greek tourists go. Mostly Greeks go there to visit the icon and/or religious reasons. We saw the church the icon was in, which was beautiful. It is on top of a hill. Women mostly do a pilgramage there for penance for someone who is sick and crawl from the ferry up a very long hill - blocks, to the church and icon. We saw a few women doing this. We also took a taxi to a little tiny, very tiny village, to the beginning of a footpath where we could hike to the top of the island and look out at the tiny villages and churches that dot the landscape. It was really amazing. I keep saying that, but it is true.

I will update more later. Now time for sleep.

Holden Village

Imagine this day
Wake up in the wilderness
U2 bible study
Have a snack
Discussion on Theology of the Cross
Lunch with yummy soup
Hike to Hart Lake - see pictures
take a swim - oh so cold!
Back in village
Rest
Dinner
Chapel
Ice cream - yummy!
Movie "For the Bible Tells Me So"
Hot Tub
Beer
Sleep

How can you not love Holden?

The perfect sailing day

Kevin in his element.

I just had to blog this picture. Kevin just looks like he is so much in his element. In the bottom right you can see the wheel of the sailboat, but it sure doesn't look like he is working very hard. This is from a perfect sailing day we had in June. The sun was shining, the wind was blowing, and we were on a new boat. Not to mention a great crew was also on board.

Cheers to you Skipper Kevin!