Bucket guy

Real quick lunchtime entertainment:  The continuing story of the Pole.  Today a guy showed up in a bucket and did something with some wires and a thing.  Up and down in under 20 minutes.  I sketched quickly while my lunch was in the toaster over - slightly crispy but sometimes you gotta suffer for your art.

Seven walnuts, a Nerf war, and a telephone pole

OK I'm a little bit behind in my scanning, but rest assured I have been sketching.  There was a trip to Gasworks which starting with an ambulance, but it wasn't for me.  There were a couple of medics and a handful of people all in a gaggle, and at first I couldn't tell if it was plein air first aid training or an actual emergency, but then the ambulance drove up...

I headed over to the skateboard steps where there were a couple of women hanging out and Pink Sweater was telling her friend all about her eating habits and how she used to go through stacks of cheese and all-you-can-eat Mexican, but now she's having 7 walnuts and a glass of soy milk for breakfast and insists that it's not a diet but a change in thinking.  Honey, if you're counting walnuts, it's a diet...

Then there was the guy who I think was practicing to become a paratrooper:  He had all of the gear on and was practicing controlling the parachute.  That's a new use for Kite Hill.

Of course the industrial boat yard that's right by there is just cool to look at...

Meanwhile, up along the Fremont Canal there was some fabulous graffiti. Good colors and nice flowing text - no idea what it says but at least it's not just an ugly tag (this has character).

Back to Gasworks the next day and there was a gal in a polka-dot miniskirt and yellow shoes eating an ice cream cone while looking out over the Lake as a black helicopter circled overhead.  Rather a bizarre moment.

Meanwhile a Nerf War raged on and a group of guys was practicing doing flips - one of them could do a back tuck and keep his glasses on his nose - while other folks just hung out and enjoyed the day.

This weekend was the University Street Fair, and Melody soaked her feet in mud (and I did a terrible sketch) then went shopping for jewelry and purses.

Later that afternoon I got a chance to sketch some houseboats from the University Bridge

Today the phone pole guys were back.  First one guys shimmies up the pole and plays with wires while two guys on the ground watch. 

Then he comes down and another guy digs a hole while four guys watch.

Then two guys go up the pole and one of them whacks something with a hammer very hard and the two of them shimmy around doing stuff with an amazing variety of tool belts hanging off of them and anytime they needed anything else someone on the ground would send it up on a winch.

No idea what they actually did, but it was fun to watch.

License to ride

A couple of good rides up the trail and attempts to draw squirming people.  Only one person was kind enough to sit still - maybe that's why I draw rocks.

I also renewed my license - there's never good bike parking at the DOL so I took the bus...

(I was number 060)

Then this afternoon I went for a walk back down toward the p-patch, and there's lots of stuff growing, including what looks like a fine example of the Northwestern Thip.

There's also a tree hanging out over the lake with a couple of ropes tied to it.  Either this was a swing once or there's been a dual hanging recently.

Awesome solar eruption

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap100510.html

Sunny days are here again

We've recovered from our 50-degree Opening Day and are back in the 60s - which is summer.  Friday I got in a short ride and found the usual array of tourists at Gasworks (can't blame them, it's the coolest place in Seattle)

There was also a rather amorous couple making out like a pair of eels on the concrete steps - that looks comfortable.  They later moved to the lawn, which is covered in duck shit.

Meanwhile, St. Mark's was framed by a lovely puffy cloud.

Today I had a few errands before I got on my bike, and witnessed an arrest in progress by Peace Park.  No, the cops don't drive Mr. Bean cars, I was sketching rather quickly as they were stuffing him in the car at that moment.

Of course there were a zillion people at Gasworks today, just hanging out or flying kites, and quite a few kites with animal themes.

There was also a plane that went down - but don't worry, it was Styrofoam and rescued by a pair of kayakers.

There was also a guy with a cool 8x10 camera - yup, the film type.

Today I did some painting on-site - I had my little travel watercolor kit with me and a water brush.  And then I did a D.Lisa and dumped the little pans into the grass - try finding a tiny block of green paint in tall grass. But I managed to find them all.

There was also someone having a wedding at Gasworks down by the skateboard steps - chairs and suits everywhere.  Gutsy place to have a wedding: It's a public park and the type where anything goes!  They had good weather at least.

Oh, and last but not least, the view from home - this is from my office/studio looking out over the lake to downtown.

Terror on the high seas

Cannon fire.  Yes, cannons.  The Lady Washington and, um, that other tall ship were out on Lake Union the other day taking pot shots at each other and anyone else who got too close.

Of course the 1st was the official start of boating season - that's why the weather has gone to Hell.  But that doesn't stop boat people from going all-out for the Opening Day parade.  Portage Bay was crowded with boats of all shapes and sizes lining up for the parade. 

And a float plane...

People get dressed up for this occasion.  The Beautiful People with their yachts wear their uniforms and fly their flags.  And the other 95% dress up as space men or cone heads or you name it.

There were even boats disguised as cars (or maybe those old Chevys just learned how to swim) and a kayak dressed up like an Orca.

Then there were of course the police and fire boats with the hoses spraying - and they can really make it rain - and the police boat actually did donuts in the water while playing Rocketman.