2015 McClear Family Christmas Letter
Sitka Christmas Artisans’ Market, 2015
This year we didn’t make it to any of the European Christmas Markets, but Sitka has a fine Artisans’ Market in Allen Hall on the Sitka Fine Arts Campus. Sponsored by the Greater Sitka Arts Council it is a great … Continue reading Sitka Christmas Artisans’ Market, 2015
Winter Arrives Before Fall Finishes its Work
I saw my chance and took it. During a day of windy snow squalls I saw a break of sun and blue skies. By the time I got on my sweater, boots, gloves and ear band and got to the … Continue reading Winter Arrives Before Fall Finishes its Work
Bone Eating Zombie Snot Worms
If I lived in a big city I would not know about Bone Eating Zombie Snot Worms, but I live in Sitka so I do. This weekend Sitka celebrated its annual Whale Fest. It combines art, poetry, and music; whale … Continue reading Bone Eating Zombie Snot Worms
Stardust Ball 2015, Take 3
Here are more pics from Raven Radio’s Stardust Ball, 2015. To see more pictures click on tranches one and two from this year. And for a “Blast from the Past” you can click on the 2014 Stardust Ball Tranches One, … Continue reading Stardust Ball 2015, Take 3
Raven Radio’s Stardust Ball, 2015 — take two
Here is the second tranche of pics from Raven Radio’s 2015 Stardust Ball at the Odess Theater. Click here to see Tranches One and Three. To see pics from the 2014 Stardust Ball click here, here and here Continue reading Raven Radio’s Stardust Ball, 2015 — take two
Who Knows What Evil Lurks in the Heart of Man? — Stardust Ball 2015
Halloween night brought out Sitkans in their finest costumes. Many made it to Raven Radio’s Stardust Ball at the Odess Theater on the Sitka Fine Arts Campus. Here is the first tranche of pictures from the ball. I have 3 … Continue reading Who Knows What Evil Lurks in the Heart of Man? — Stardust Ball 2015
Endangered Species Spotted in Sitka
This afternoon on my walk I encountered a rare and endangered species in Sitka, an Alaska Marine Highway ship. The state has proposed a reduced ferry schedule to save money. The schedule includes laying up three ferries all next summer. … Continue reading Endangered Species Spotted in Sitka
Alaska Day, 2015
Alaska Day 2015, rain may make the pictures look dull but it does nothing to slow the celebration. It’s October, some people theorize that the Russians chose to pull out because it was October. Continue reading Alaska Day, 2015
Library Phobia
I have a library phobia. They terrify me. It goes back to a librarian who accused me of stealing a book when the library had mislaid it. My parents were called, the principal was called, guilty until proven innocent was … Continue reading Library Phobia
October 5, 2000
Fifteen years ago today Serbian president Milosevic fell from power. It was a day of great joy and celebration. On October 5 Milosevic fell, on October 6 I tried to get a Serbian visa, the embassy was closed. On October … Continue reading October 5, 2000
Paul Allen Meets Frank Gehry in Seattle.
The 1962 Seattle World’s Fair was designed to show us a future built on cheap hydropower. It was the world of the future from the Space Needle to the Monorail. Many old world’s fair sites look like the past’s idea … Continue reading Paul Allen Meets Frank Gehry in Seattle.
Chihuly Garden and Glass
Dale Chihuly is a glass artist from Seattle. In the Seattle Center, the site of the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair he has a museum and glass garden with fantastic glass figures set among plants in the garden and displayed with … Continue reading Chihuly Garden and Glass
Reclaiming Jersey City
My earliest memories are of Jersey City. I loved Jackson Avenue in particular because I loved riding on the Jackson Ave Trolley Car. I learned many lessons on that streetcar. It was there I first remembered seeing black people and … Continue reading Reclaiming Jersey City
Reclaiming New York City
When I was a kid I loved New York. My grandparents took me in to museums, the planetarium, and sights like the Statue of Liberty. School trips took me to concerts, plays, even the opera. With scouts and the Y … Continue reading Reclaiming New York City
Christians of New York
I read the reviews and decided on the one play I wanted to see while in the New York area. It was “The Christians” by Lucas Hnath, at Playwrights Horizons Mainstage Theater on 42nd Street in New York. I ordered … Continue reading Christians of New York
A Subway Series
I’ve seen the Yankees play the Mets before, but it didn’t count. The Mayor’s Trophy game was an exhibition game where the results had no play in the standings and a home run was not counted toward a player’s total. … Continue reading A Subway Series
Home of Phoebe Snow
The Beaux Arts Lackawanna railway station in Hoboken, New Jersey went up in 1907, built at the site of an old ferry landing. It was designed as an intermodal transportation hub serving trains, ferries, and street cars. Today there are … Continue reading Home of Phoebe Snow
Spawning Day
“Tomorrow we are spawning salmon, do you want to come and take pictures.” I had never heard salmon be the object of the verb to spawn but I understood what August meant. So at 9 in the morning I was … Continue reading Spawning Day
Will this be the Ship…?
Today I paused during my walk to watch Holland America’s Westerdam weigh anchor and sail past the mouth of Indian River on its way to Seattle and asked “Will this be the ship that carries me away?” It’s a question … Continue reading Will this be the Ship…?
Surrounded by Acres of Whales
Saturday we took an Allen Marine Tour from Crescent Harbor. They are offered every Saturday for folks not on a cruise ship. We went to St. Lazaria with Captain Steve Campbell. On the way to and from St. Lazaria Steve found us … Continue reading Surrounded by Acres of Whales
St Lazaria and Other Delights.
On Saturday’s Allen Marine Tours Cruise we not only saw whales (Click here to see whales.) The reason for the trip was to go to St. Lazaria Island, a national wildlife refuge. It is a beautiful volcanic island sculpted by … Continue reading St Lazaria and Other Delights.
Small Town Festival
It was a small town festival and I was beginning to wonder if my recommendation to a friend that Sitka was a great place to live was going to blow up in my face. I mean, I’ve lived here for … Continue reading Small Town Festival
You Have Built It, But Will They Come? St. Paul Union Depot
When I was in college I became familiar with St. Paul’s Union Depot. I took Great Northern’s Western Star for spring break skiing in Whitefish, Montana. The Star was Great Northern’s ‘ “second train.” I couldn’t afford the flagship Empire … Continue reading You Have Built It, But Will They Come? St. Paul Union Depot