June 24, 2014 - Bridge Motel

"Sleep off the Hiway" the weathered sign of the Bridge Motel advocates.  The small motel this sign advertises for was located just off of Highway 99 north of the Aurora Bridge - 3650 Bridge Way N.  It opened in 1954, several years before the nearby interstate highway (I-5) opened.  By the time it was closed and torn down in 2007 to make way for townhouses, the Bridge Motel was just another seedy hotel known for prostitution, drugs and murder on this section of Aurora Ave N. This sign, located on the opposite side of Highway 99 from where the motel once stood, remains as a reminder of a different era.

May 23, 2014 - Bringing Home Victory

Seattle's Evergreen-Washelli Cemetery will host their 88th Annual Memorial Day Commemorative Service on Monday.  While Memorial Day didn't become a Federal holiday until the late 1960s it had been celebrated, traditionally on May 30th, since the end of the Civil War.  It was originally called "Decoration Day".  Over the years and wars that followed the  holiday became more uniformly called by its present name.  Memorial Day was moved to the last Monday in May in 1968 when Congress passed the "Uniform Monday Holiday Act".  This act authorized that Washington's Birthday, Columbus Day and Memorial Day were to be observed on Mondays.

"The American Doughboy  - Bringing Home Victory" is a sculpture by Alonzo Victor Lewis unveiled in 1932.  It depicts a "returning from a victory mud-covered, with a grim smile on his face."  Long-time Seattle residents may recall its original posting outside of the Civic Auditorium at Seattle Center.  It was moved to the Veteran's Hall when the Civic Auditorium was converted to the Opera House for the 1962 World's Fair.  In 1998 it was moved here to the Veterans' Memorial Cemetery.

In the background can be seen the markers of veterans that served trying to bring home victory for wars dating back to the Civil War.

May 14, 2014 - A Ferry Commute

Three iconic images of Seattle - a ferry, Mount Rainier and the Space Needle, 17 miles away - as seen from the ferry terminal at Kingston. 

The M/V Puyallup approaches the Kingston ferry terminal as one of MSC Cargo Italy's 124 vessels heads north on its way out of Puget Sound.

The M/V Spokane heads to Kingston with Mount Baker in the background.  At 10,781 feet Mount Baker is the third highest mountain in Washington behind Mount Rainier 14,411 and Mount Adams 12,277. 

May 13, 2014 - Urban Garden

Driving by this artwork on a rainy day it is easy to notice this three story sculpture when entering downtown Seattle from Interstate 5.  However, it takes a foot commute and a gorgeous day to truly appreciate the whimsical sculpture.  Installed in June of 2011, "Urban Garden" by Ginny Ruffner is a 27 foot high animated sculpture in downtown Seattle at 7th and Union.  In 15 minutes it will cycle through a watering can watering the 9 foot high pot, to having the Blue Bells open and the Daisy turn.

"Urban Garden" as viewed from Freeway Park.