Bloomsday 2008

Spring is finally arriving in Washington state. And nothing marks the beginning of spring like the annual Lilac Bloomsday Run in Spokane, the "Lilac City".

Men's winner, Micah Kogo, is only a few blocks from the the finish line, with nary a challenger in site.



Although it's hard to see in this photo, these runners are being funneled into a human traffic jam at the finsh line just ahead.


The Sisters of Selket, a local belly dance troupe, perform for the runners and cheer them on.



The dancer above graciously allowed me to take a close-up of her beautiful costume.

The Bulldog Battalion (Gonzaga University’s ROTC unit) charges ahead in formation.


Downtown Spokane has some truly beautiful sights:


The upper falls, located about a block from the finish line, are breathtaking this time of year. If you're brave enough, you can cross them on the narrow pedestrian bridges you see in this picture.

Graffiti Knitter Strikes in Spokane

The practice of graffiti knitting, in which a knitter drapes public monuments with handknitted adornments, has come to downtown Spokane. This statue of Lincoln, located near the federal courthouse, is sporting a jaunty new accessory.

Winter Freeze, Spring Thaw

There hasn't been much travel recently in Washington State. It's been an unusually wet, cold, la nina winter. Snow has fallen deep and drifted deeper. The passes have been impassable. It has taken Herculean effort even to get out of the driveway at times. Here is a plowed country road in Eastern Washington state. The people who live here are fortunate. Many "summer roads" didn't get plowed at all.


At last, we're finally starting to see a gradual thaw. Travel is still a few weeks away, but there's plenty of wintry beauty close to home. There's frost on the poppies and frost on the spruces.



Even a humble weed becomes an exquisite spray of frost flowers.


If winter has to be so difficult, at least there's some consolation in its being so beautiful.

Take Me To Your Leader...

I saw this character along the side of I-90 last summer, just west of Spokane.


His friend is waiting behind in the acorn ship.