Autumn in Southeast “Is often mingled with rain.”*
(*With credit to Leandra Baker for that parody of “Autumn in New York.”) Today after I got off the air it was nice so I grabbed a lunch and went to the top of Harbor Mountain. I watched the mist form over the sound and, just as I started to eat, a gentle rain began to fall. By the time I got off the mountain it was mostly sunny again with no rain. Someone posted on Facebook that Southeast Alaska didn’t have fall colors. It’s not New England or Minnesota’s St. Croix Valley but the combination of Alpine tundra … Continue reading Autumn in Southeast “Is often mingled with rain.”*
“Wait ’till next year!” The end of the season at Citi Field
It’s the post season, the end of summer. A couple of weeks ago Suzi and I went to a Mets game during the last weekend of the regular season. We arrived on the 7 train from Grand Central Station after spending some time in the City. We would be going home on the Long Island Railroad to Penn Station where we would catch the Path Tube back to Jersey City. We decided to get our train tickets on the way into the stadium so we wouldn’t have to wait on a ticket line after the game. The ticket agent said … Continue reading “Wait ’till next year!” The end of the season at Citi Field
Keansburg, A Living Museum “Down the Shore”… But Not Too Far.
When I was a kid I loved to go “Down the Shore.” Well, when I was really young, not too far down– as far as Keansburg, New Jersey to be exact. You have probably seen Keansburg. When movie makers need … Continue reading Keansburg, A Living Museum “Down the Shore”… But Not Too Far.
New York’s Deco Towers
Growing up we could see the New York Skyline from the back window of both my grandparents’ flat and from our flat, although the best view was from Grandma’s kitchen fire escape. The Empire State and Chrysler buildings dominated the skyline. When I moved to Ridgewood the favorite spot for “parking” was on a ridge overlooking the skyline. Again, those two buildings were the focus of the skyline. The Empire State Building lost its title as the tallest in New York to the World Trade Center twin towers in the early 70’s. When the towers were brought down it was … Continue reading New York’s Deco Towers
New York’s World Trade Center in transition.
It looks like a giant Klingon Bird of Prey has landed in the middle of the World Trade Center. It’s the skeleton of a new railway station, designed by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, who says the design is that of a bird being released from a child’s hand. Now, under construction, with welders sparks flying, it looks ominous, but I can see how, minus welders’ sparks, when finished, it could be inviting. The World Trade Center zone looks like Dubai. Construction cranes swing between impossibly tall buildings. One World Trade Center, The “Freedom Tower,” rises to 1776 feet. This … Continue reading New York’s World Trade Center in transition.
On Broadway! (And Off Broadway)
On our recent trip to New York, working our way toward midtown we find half of Broadway has become a partial pedestrian mall from Herald Square to Times Square. Broadway becomes one way southbound, the old northbound lanes are a pedestrian zone with tables, chairs, food booths and sculpture. Times Square itself a cleaned up, walking zone lined with theaters running stage version of Walt Disney classics. But Times Square revival preachers still see it as sin city and urge repentance in the middle this urban Disneyland. And Off Broadway, south and toward the East River I always enjoy … Continue reading On Broadway! (And Off Broadway)
Flying out of Sitka, September, 2014
Three weeks ago we flew out of Sitka on our way to New Jersey to visit family and attend my 50th High School Reunion. It was the tail end of summer. Today I see snow on Mt. Edgecumbe. Three weeks ago the weather in Sitka was fine. We took off toward the Northwest heading into more good weather, did a 180 over Sitka Sound past Edgecumbe and headed Southeast and into a wall of overcast. Continue reading Flying out of Sitka, September, 2014
New York, Seaport
Every night as a kid, after I was supposed to be tucked into bed, I tuned in my radio to listen to Jean Shepherd on WOR. A few years later, when I worked at WOR, I got the chance to engineer for Shepherd. Shep was always telling us to keep our eyes open. For instance he told me to stand at a certain place on 5th avenue, I would be standing on Murray Hill, which up until that time was only a telephone exchange for me. From there I could see the contours of Manhattan’s hills looking toward the Empire … Continue reading New York, Seaport
Jersey City, Seafaring Town
This trip East Suzi and I stayed in a hotel in Jersey City, my old home town. The hotel was right on the PATH Tube to New York and the light rail that runs along the Jersey City, Hoboken waterfront and takes us to ferry boats (many made in Sitka including the Jersey City) that carry us across the Hudson. The hotel is near where my Aunt Janice lives and solved the parking problem I usually have when I visit her. Jersey City is completely different from when I was a kid. Buildings soaring to 60 stories rise on the … Continue reading Jersey City, Seafaring Town
St. Paul’s Chapel, New York
St. Paul’s Chapel is one building near the site of the twin towers which was unharmed by the attack but, somehow, utterly transformed. When, as a kid, I made my annual trip to Manhattan, we would always stop at St. Paul’s. It is an 18th century Georgian chapel and is the oldest public building in continuous use in New York City. When my grandfather took me there it was all about George Washington, who worshiped there right after he was inaugurated President. My immigrant grandfather held this place sacred and it was one of the tools, along with the Statue … Continue reading St. Paul’s Chapel, New York
Irish Hunger Memorial, Battery Place, New York
Whenever I visit the city I find something new and striking. This trip I thought it would be the 9/11 memorial, but it wasn’t– it was Brian Tolle’s Irish Hunger Memorial near The Battery. It transports a stone cottage from Co. Mayo and integrates it with a modern building that has illuminated strips with quotes about hunger, drawing our attention not only to the Irish famine, but hunger and famine today. From some angles it looks like an Irish hillside, with the plants that grew when fields in Ireland went fallow. Since it looks over water from some angles you … Continue reading Irish Hunger Memorial, Battery Place, New York
Michio Hoshino Memorial Totem Pole, Sitka, Alaska
Anila Mitri in Albania and I had a Facebook conversation about totem poles. I tried to explain that poles are not items of worship but are memorials to people, tell a story or a history. I have been waiting for a fairly good day to get to Halibut Point State Recreation Area where a memorial pole to Japanese Wildlife photographer Michio Hoshino has been raised. Michio Hoshino’s memorial totem pole sits across from Magic Island. It honors Michio Hoshino, a Japanese photographer who was killed by a bear in Kamchatka, Russia. Master carver Tommy Joseph carved the pole. It was … Continue reading Michio Hoshino Memorial Totem Pole, Sitka, Alaska
A 1993 Albanian Bus Adventure, Tirana to Vlora and back
It’s Throwback Thursday. This is a letter from November, 1993. I edited out the middle of the letter, where I talk about our time in Vlora, for reasons of length. But I remember we went swimming in the Adriatic Sea … Continue reading A 1993 Albanian Bus Adventure, Tirana to Vlora and back
Sitka’s Totem Walk
Earlier this summer I posted several pictures of totem poles from Sitka National Historic Park (Totem Park.) This prompted several comments from friends abroad. Questions of where the poles came from, how old they where, and questions about their role in religion. The original poles were gathered in the park after the 1906 St. Louis World’s Fair. (The meet me in St. Louis, Louis fair). As they aged they decayed, and would have fallen back to the earth (as they are meant to) but in this park they were preserved, some older poles are on display in the visitor’s center. … Continue reading Sitka’s Totem Walk
Rain Forest Walks, Sitka, Alaska
This has been a strange summer. Perhaps stranger than last summer, which was dry with record heat. This summer has been warmer than usual, and with both more sunny days and more rainfall than normal. A lot more rain, record … Continue reading Rain Forest Walks, Sitka, Alaska
A Trip to Northern Albania, 1993
This is a letter from 1993. I pulled it out of my digital files because an Albanian friend posted pictures from this area on Facebook. I got into a Facebook conversation with several Albanian friends about the pictures and this … Continue reading A Trip to Northern Albania, 1993
Salmon Run, 2014
Each year salmon return in the millions to rivers and streams in Alaska. In a way it is, like the wildebeest migration in Africa, a great biological machine that moves nutrients around the ocean and returns to enrich the streams … Continue reading Salmon Run, 2014
Bear Cub Fishing
I posted the following on Facebook last week. Suzi and I went out to take some pictures of The Michio Memorial Totem Pole. It is a pole dedicated to a Japanese wildlife photographer killed by a bear. On our way, … Continue reading Bear Cub Fishing
August 19th An Evening on Sitka Sound
The Sitka Conservation Society along with Allen Marine sponsored an evening cruise on Sitka Sound. We had a discussion of Salmon and got to watch the dramatic change in weather as fine weather moved in from the sea, piling up … Continue reading August 19th An Evening on Sitka Sound
August 16, 2014, A Pretty Good Day.
Yesterday morning I woke to sunny skies despite predictions from the night before. I could see whales spouting in Eastern Channel. This looked like a good day for an Allen Marine wildlife cruise. Although the weather was fine I checked my weather app and found a weather advisory predicting unusually heavy rain and two storm fronts bearing down on Northern Southeast Alaska. I looked at the radar and decided that, although it was sunny and warm I would take my Gor Tex. It was a good decision. We started out in shirt sleeves enjoying the sun and watched as the front … Continue reading August 16, 2014, A Pretty Good Day.
Albanian Municipal Election Day, 1996
This coming Tuesday is primary election day in Alaska. I’m beginning my “Throwback Thursday” posts with my family letter about being a municipal election monitor in Albania. Albania was a new democracy and people took their newly won privileges … Continue reading Albanian Municipal Election Day, 1996
Sitka Highland/Island Games
As part of the Sitka Seafood Festival we enjoyed athletes demonstrating feats of strength, including throwing telephone poles (cabers), weights (both for height and distance) and bales of hay. I missed the Crab Pot Toss. Continue reading Sitka Highland/Island Games
Sitka Seafood Featival
The Sitka Seafood Festival is probably the last thing you would expect me to attend given the strong allergic reaction I get from eating almost anything that comes from the sea. True, I give the seafood banquet, prepared by visiting celebrity chefs, a pass; but I certainly enjoy the other activities. The Seafood Festival happens largely on the Sitka Fine Arts Campus. Chuck Bovee, who worked for Sheldon Jackson College for years, said it’s been a long time since he’s seen so many people on the campus, it felt good. It does feel good. For several years the abandoned … Continue reading Sitka Seafood Featival
Winnipeg Folk Fest 2014 in Pictures
Here are some more pictures from the Winnipeg Folk Festival. Continue reading Winnipeg Folk Fest 2014 in Pictures