TURDSTOCK2024!

I am a Littermate, a follower of all-around good old Country Boy and Limbaugh-loving Conservative commentator Catturd. For many years, aside from his posts and podcasts with Jewels Jones, Catturd’s visual ID was only his avatar, a white cat wearing black glasses. Here are some representations courtesy of his creative followers. About a year ago, …

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Have you ever heard an alphorn? Have you ever seen one? Well , it’s time you did.

We took a drive up to Leavenworth today, since I missed the Accordion Celebration back in June. It was a beautiful, warm day, in the 70s near us on the west side of the Cascades, and in the 90s in Leavenworth on the east side. When we arrived in town, we found a place to …

Continue reading Have you ever heard an alphorn? Have you ever seen one? Well , it’s time you did.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #293: Moving Waters

I have always believed that moving water was Nature's Original Music (hmmm, should I copyright that phrase?). Before there were plants or animals on Earth, there were rivers, with the sound of rushing water competing with the sound of erupting volcanoes. If the original multi-celled organisms in the primordial seas had auditory organs, what they …

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Some thoughts on Martin Luther King’s real birthday

First, today is the federal holiday (and my first paid holiday from work), to commemorate the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., the famous civil-rights figure who for decades inspired black people to improve their lives, and for some time inspired white people to defeat Jim Crow in the South.  Unfortunately, Dr. King's legacy has …

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Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #278: Unique

I was thrilled to see the topic for this week's Challenge, as I own some items that are completely unique.  The first one is a piece of art, which I inherited from my parents.  I remember telling them when I was a teenager that, when they died, I insisted on getting this, and I did …

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Snippets of Clarinetist Anat Cohen and the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra

I knew it was wrong, but I did it anyway.  We went to our Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra concert at the Kirkland Performance Center this afternoon.  The soloist today was Israeli jazz clarinetist Anat Cohen.  We have heard her before with the orchestra, and were eager to see and hear her again.  As usual, she …

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Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #270: On Display

One of the great benefits of having a cell phone with a great camera, is that you always have it with you to capture those scenes that just show up without warning.  Yesterday, as we were walking back to our car after the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra concert, we took a stroll through the Puget …

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Hello from Leavenworth, Washington’s Bavarian Village

And tourist trap. We are here for the International Accordion Celebration. Here are some highlights. Flowers in window box at our hotel Main Street at twilight Accordions at the Gazebo We had a thunderstorm yesterday afternoon, which was a welcome break in the heat. We drive home today. But we will be back soon.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #254: Spiritual Sites

There are some places that just lend themselves to a spiritual state of mind.  I am always in awe of the power of Nature, especially features that demonstrate raw power.  We harness the power of high waterfalls to make electricity. I could stand there for a long time, just watching and listening to the power …

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