Knit 'n' NASCAR

Here Comes the Rain Again

Last night was our last shoot of this particular photography class.  While there are still two more classroom sessions, I don't think I've enjoyed this session quite as much as the first.  I still like the teacher and have enjoyed getting to know a couple of classmates better, but I'm just not loving this session quite as much.

Shooting at the Tidal Basin

As opposed to last week's shoot when the weather was gorgeous, this week was a complete train wreck.  It rained pretty much non-stop during the first hour of class, which we spent huddled either under trees or inside the bookstore/info center near the FDR Memorial.  After the skies dried up a little we headed back out to snap some more pics.

Faces in the crowd

We didn't learn anything terribly new and exciting on this shoot.  Our assignment was just to play with our tripods and cameras and try to get interesting pictures - ones our classmates wouldn't get.  I didn't exactly succeed but I did what I could.  Of course, it didn't help that the Tripod Commandos were on our case again.  Can't they just post a website and indicate where the use of tripods is not permitted so I stop hauling mine all over town?  Seriously! 

For those of you keeping track, that's no tripods* on:

• the Capitol Grounds -which extend to who-knows-where because they certainly couldn't tell us when we asked
• the Washington Monument grounds inside the flagpoles - the grass outside the flagpoles is fine apparently; and
• FDR - although apparently okay on the Tidal Basin

Fala would not approve

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* Apparently monopods are okay

North by Northwest

Actually, it was just pretty much Northwest.  I keep trying to come up with the clever words to describe my vacation in such a way that it would sound like I went on this totally exciting and exotic trip.  I didn't.  What I did do was spend 11 days with good friends, eating delicious food, buying yummy yarn and sampling tasty local brews.

Tacoma  was pretty tame.  I mostly hung out with my friends Christopher and Sandra and their two urchins, ages 3.5 and 7.  I am SO not used to the little people and they plain ol' wore me out.   I don't know how they do it.  Never mind the fact that the older boy is already smarter than I am (not that that's saying much). 

I did get some touristy side trips in, when the kids let me stop playing for a while.  There were a couple of soccer games - the Sounders v. San Jose Earthquakes the 13th and DCU the 17th. 

   

My trip around Tacoma yielded some photos near the Museum of Glass - no photos allowed inside.  :(

I did hop a couple of days and played tourist in Seattle for a few hours.

 
Space Needle.  Beer.

Pike Place Market

I went on the Underground Tour in Seattle, which takes you down to what was once the ground-level rooms in several buildings in downtown, before they filled in the streets and built them up, up to 20'.  It was a pretty cool way to spend an afternoon, but then it was time to go grab a pint and head to the DCU game.

There was a yarn store run in Seattle but I can't seem to get good pictures of the yarn I picked up at So Much Yarn.  I'll try again during daylight tomorrow. 

Vacation Flashcards

Since I can't get my act together to actually write about my trip, I'll just continue to randomly post pictures.

Our friendly visitors, outside Newport Seafood Gril

My Trip in a Random Handful of Pictures

Folks enjoying the sunshine in Seattle






The Market.  Beware the flying fish!


Beautiful day for a walk.  Or for sitting on my butt on a rocky beach.




The Museum of Glass in Tacoma


A misty day in the Columbia River gorge.
And by 'misty' I mean "pouring down rain"


Multnomah Falls


Blue skies over Portland


Food carts.  Why did no one tell me about Portland's food carts?

TravelFAIL

You know it's gonna be a bad travel day when you set the alarm for the time you should be boarding the train to get to the airport in time. Better luck next time.