It’s time to wear gloves. I took these walking the dogs a couple of weeks ago, on the first frosty morning.
For Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Cold
First Frost
Category Archives: Picture Galleries
My Furry Family
In our family the animals rule. I’ve mentioned a time or two in the past that family gatherings often have as many dogs as people.
Muddy Paws United. 
“You wouldn’t go anywhere without us, would you? 
You’re on a short leash today, lady. 
Energy personified. 
Recharging station. 
That puppy wore me out. 
Puppy love. 
Asta 
Ginger with directive ears. 
I’m not bossy, see my cute spaniel ears? 
Life is for running on the beach. 
Post puppy visit nap. 
Grandma with the furbabies.
And no post about the furry family would be complete without the family matriarch, we call her “the Empress”.
Wits End Travel and Photo Yoga Photo Challenge: Four-legged Friends
Streets of Downtown Seattle
Different ages and architecture styles looking up Columbia Street.
Similar view climbing Columbia during the blue hour to catch our bus.
Our favorite watering hole is on Post Alley.
Passage to the waterfront.
Pike Street runs through Washington State Convention Center.
Freeway Park is a pleasant way to cross over I5 which runs through downtown.
I used to go downtown pretty often. Of late I take the whopping 20 minute bus ride two or three times a year. This past weekend I attended a conference downtown so went in twice. That takes me to above my annual average this year.
Son of a Beach’s Which Way Photo Challenge
Soft Light Magic
For a while now I have been really enjoying the beauty of photographs posted by Bren at Ryan Photography. In her November 5th Flower of the Day post she describes how she post processes images using radial and graduated filters in Adobe Lightroom, which I actually have and know, more or less, how to use. So many of the techniques require photoshop or other fancy things I haven’t learned yet. Last week I had an afternoon free from other worries and while the chili cooked I took a few photos from a fall walk around my neighborhood and gave her techniques a try.
I found it to be relaxing, almost like meditation, to play with the light and shadows. A big thank you to Bren for sharing her techniques.
Getting around in Shouguang
One really fun thing to notice when traveling is how people get around. I live in an area where it seems like all the cars look pretty much the same. Here is a gallery of some of the variety I saw while visiting my son recently in a small-ish Chinese city. Click on an image to see it larger.
I really admire how many options people have beyond taking the bus and owning a full size car.
Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Things People Drive
Reflections in Shouguang
I am rapidly approaching the end of this visit. Today is laundry day so things will be dry to pack day after. This has been a pretty low key visit. I didn’t try to go anywhere special just focused on being here in Shouguang. In a way that is to visit a place that is really Chinese. It is a 5th tier city and it’s main draw is the vegetable fair in April, so in October they aren’t really expecting out of towners to be about. People are friendly and I have felt very welcomed as I wondered about with my camera.
Here is an album of physical reflections from this trip.
Whimsical houses reflected in a small lake.
Trees in the Rose Garden.
Myself and the shop owners reflected in many happiness peach man.
Cattiwhompus reflections of an apartment complex in a shopping center.
I think this is the building I’ve been staying in.
Bridge tower reflected on building.
Bridge tower with reflection.
Pedestrian bridge across the Mihe.
Beyond the bustle: Shouguang alleyways
Here is a sampler of pictures from the alleyways just beyond the busy, dusty main streets in the older part of the town, taken on a lazy-ish Monday afternoon.
Peeking through into a traditional courtyard home.
A lot of living happens in the alley.
Grape vendor and friend.
Local gathering place.
For Son of a Beach’s Which Way Photo Challenge
Take luck
This afternoon I had a serendipitous experience. I was doing my coddiwomple thing after having coffee with my son and his girlfriend. They headed off to work and I just headed off. I tend to wander in a spiral, keeping a sense of where my ground zero is, but at the same time getting farther and farther afield. As I was headed back toward the center I spied a fascinating looking lion. Of the mythical type you often see on either side of an entrance in China. The thing that caught was the colors of the lion. It turned out that it was ceramic and the amazing coloration was from a brilliant job of glazing.
The shop appeared open but empty. I first peeked in through, then pressed my nose against the window to get a good view of the lions and other merchandise. From the shop next door a woman came out and said “Welcome to Shouguang” and invited me into her shop. She was happy to have me take pictures and she and her assistant served me tea. I believe, and I may learn more tomorrow when I visit another of her shops with my son, who will be able to understand her, it is a special collector’s type of ceramic. I am certain that it is gorgeous.
Many happiness peach man.
Dragon (my favorite).
Monkey vase.
Elephant vase.
Lucky horses, san ma.
This is one of those times when I couldn’t have planned to do something I really enjoyed, because I didn’t know it existed.
Shouguang in a row
A gallery of rows I’ve seen around town.
Rows of pilings.
Rows of windows.
Rows of drying cucumber.
Rows of garlic.
Rows of tall buildings.
Row of teacups.
Row of toy shopping carts.
Row of dining with your cell phone stations.
Rows of pens.
Rows of teacups.
Rows of tea creatures.
Row of rental bikes.
Row of shops, with rows of merchandise.
Posted for Travel at Wit’s End: Photo Yoga: Rows
Which Way to the fish?
These are pictures of a pedestrian bridge across the Mihe River in Shouguang, a bit to the south of town, one of three I have found so far. It was damaged by floods a couple of months ago, when a typhoon passed over the area on its way to Korea. Being, technically, closed doesn’t stop the local fishermen.
Even though I have a map of town it doesn’t show these pedestrian bridges. Maybe the map is old, as in the US most people seem to use their phone for navigation these days. I like a map myself. It doesn’t have a tiny, hard to read screen, connections to lose, or batteries to die.
Posted for Son of a Beach’s Which Way Photo Challenge
