December 21, 2012 - Seattle's Last Sunrise

The last sunrise in Seattle, or at least the last sunrise on the Mayan calendar, and the first sunrise of winter as viewed from Kerry Park.  The December solstice occurs at 3:21pm PST in Seattle.  The north pole is tilted 23.5 degrees away from the sun.  It is the day of the year in the northern hemisphere that has the fewest hours of sunlight.  Above  the Arctic Polar Circle there will be 24 hours of darkness. In Seattle while the might not be visible today, the daylight will last 8 hours and 25 minutes, with sunset setting at 4:21pm.   

The new design, "Trees" by Nicole Commins on the top of the Space Needle is visible.  The design features three colors of evergreens in a dark green background.  The design received the most votes in a recent "Top This!" contest by the Space Needle and is the first public submitted design to appear on the Space Needle.  It is scheduled to remain in place through the spring of 2013.

December 11, 2012 - Ready to Wrap

In gathering the supplies to wrap Christmas gifts more than a few tape dispensers of Scotch tape were found around the house.

In 1930, an engineer, Richard Drew, at Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing, invented a clear adhesive tape that required no moisture for the adhesive.  At that time 3M made sandpaper and had only just gotten into the adhesive tape business.  The product was originally called Cellulose Tape, but was later renamed Cellophane Tape.  The brand name "Scotch" came from a customer who complained that there wasn't enough adhesive.  The company rep was told by the customer to take his cheap product back to his Scotch bosses and add more adhesive.

 The precursor to the handheld dispenser pictured above was originally made of stamped sheet metal in 1939.  A molded plastic model of the 'snail' design came out the next year.  The 3M product has so dominated the market that any clear adhesive tape is often referred to as "Scotch" tape.  Chances are pretty high that you will have a roll or two of this tape in your household too.

December 8, 2012 - Pathway of Lights

For the 36th year in a row the 2.8 mile pathway around Seattle's Green Lake is lit with thousands of luminarias.  The annual event, a Pathway of Lights, draws thousands of walkers, no matter the weather.  This year it was cool and dry.  The lights carried by some of the walkers only adds to the magic of the evening.

A view south towards downtown Seattle. The three TV towers atop Queen Anne Hill are visible.  The tree of light that adorns the top of the Space Needle is just barely visible to the left of the towers.

A view facing west towards Aurora Avenue.  

December 5, 2012 - A Room With a (Water) View

 

The cozy living room and dining room of this floating home on the eastern shores of Lake Union has a view of the Seattle skyline and all manner of vessels and wildlife.  In addition to the great view, this one has its very own totem pole and a dragonfly door. 

Living on the shores of Lake Union, Portage Bay or other nearby waterways has been commonplace since before 1900.  However, restrictions to shoreline living has limited the number of floating homes to just under 500.  Floating homes are permanently tied to utilities and have no means of propulsion.  Houseboats are navigable vessels.

December 5, 2012 - Christmas at Pike Place Market

Pike Place Market at Christmas time.

December 5, 2012 - Pike Place Porker

Pike Place Market's iconic piggy bank, Rachel, maintains a lonely, but colorful vigil after hours in the glow of the market's Christmas tree.  The 550 pound bronze sculpture by Georgia Gerber, named after its model, an Island County Fair award winning porker, has brought in over $200,000 in donations since she was installed in 1986.  The donations go to help the Market Foundation fund social services - low-income housing and social services - in downtown Seattle.  Over 10 million visitors come to Pike Place Market each year and a fair share of them take the opportunity to swarm Rachel for a photo op.

December 2, 2012 - Bridging the Cut

  

The designer of the 344 foot long Montlake Bridge, Carl Gould, was one of the original architects of the University of Washington.  He incorporated a Gothic style similar to that of many of the buildings at the nearby university into the towers and elements of the double-bascule bridge that provides 48 foot vertical clearance for the boats that ply the ship canal below.  Provided it isn't during rush hour, vessels needing greater clearance may request that it be opened.

The US Army Corps of Engineers completed the Lake Washington Ship Canal in 1917.  It joined Lake Washington with Lake Union and lowered the water level of Lake Washington nine feet.  Though piers and abutments for a bridge were put in place in 1914 as part of the construction of the canal, and plans for a bridge were drawn up in 1916, the bridge was not built until 1925.  The Montlake Bridge was the last of the four double-bascule bridges over ship canal to be built.  

In November of 1920, the University of Washington football team hosted a team from Dartmouth for the first game ever to be played at the newly built Husky Stadium.  A graduate manager for the team created a temporary bridge set on barges to allow football fans to attend without having to cross the University Bridge to the west.  Next September thousands of football fans will cross the 88 year old bridge on their way to the very first game of the newly renovated Husky Stadium.

Looking east down the ship canal to Lake Washington.

December 2, 2012 - Husky Holiday Spirit

"Husky Spirit", the 360 pound bronze statue of the University of Washington Husky mascot is sporting a little holiday spirit at the moment.  The sculpture by Georgia Gerber was unveiled in 1995 and is located on Mountlake Boulveard NE outside of Hec Edmunson Pavillion and in the shadows of Husky Stadium.   Other area works include Rachel, the Pike Place Market pig, a variety of the bronze sculptures located at the Woodland Park Zoo and the cows at the nearby University Village.