Five lanes, and back

Today Memphis swam five lanes and back. She's learning to come up for air, keep swimming forward until she reaches the destination.

Having decent goggles is making a big difference, allowing her to see where she's going under water.

Con paz,
frank

Birthday Cake

Although you can't eat this cake, it was created with love. And the colors seem to represent summer quite well.

Con paz,
frank

Love in July

We're currently swimming at Lakeridge Swim Club, taking in a lazy Saturday afternoon. I mowed the back yard this morning, to ease any guilt about not doing any chores today. The work of our generation never ends, because many are suffering and can't swim away from their demons. We take our rest with some humility, knowing its part of the preparation for the great work ahead of us.

Later today we hope to enjoy outdoor theater at Volunteer Park, something to do with a reluctant dragon. Keep the fire my friends.

Con paz,
frank

Storm the castle

Not me, not today. I can be free without violence; seek peace without armed revolution. Today we liberate from the indoors; celebrating liberty at Golden Gardens beach.

Con paz,
frank

More Aquarium

The upstairs features a simple but nice cafe, and the operational of the big tank.

All staff were on best behavior today. Con paz.

frank

Facing west, new Aquarium

They reopened the Seattle Aquarium today; adding a beautiful lobby with a massive fish tank.

The rest is as before; special and a beautiful reminder of the nature we live within.

The otter exhibit is my favorite; reminds me of families playing in the water.

Con paz,
frank

More solstice: bump, bump

Every era represented.

Con paz,
frank

Solstice parade: before the start

We ended up in the same place as last year, near the parade start. Once again the kids were given chalk to draw on the street. Should be a fun day, si?

Con paz,
frank

Facing North

End of the day in Snohomish, with family. Con paz.

frank

Hands in colors

Grand-daddy and M coloring cats at the 'Kitchen.

Notice who stays between the lines. Con paz.

frank

Flower Head

Get bees if enough of them gather. Buzz goes the love.

Con paz,
frank

Orcas sunset

On the edge of Columbia City, after a belly full of brisket. Thanks for the bounty of our dear guests, from Georgia.

frank

Sideways rainbow

Sherbert has never been my favorite kind of ice cream, but there really is no such thing as a bad ice cream on a sunny Saturday morning.

This one was a leftover from an Alkai drive that fell asleep.

Sweet dreams,
frank

Just like yesterday

Deborah's parents celebrate 50 years of union with one this year. Since I haven't lived this long, can't imagine my complete existence framed in union. And yet, my existence wouldn't happen unless there was union with my creator, Our Father.

Let us always be smiling in the bliss of this wedding.

Con paz,
frank

setup token for Chula

Can you hear me?

--
frank[ie]
"I thought the only lonely place was on the moon"
- Paul McCartney

122.67

http://www.apple.com/iphone/ads/

Back when it became clear this was going to be a career, not just ski money [yes, I was a ski bum for seven years] I made a decision to pursue 'special' work.  Special is defined by how you feel, and in reflection, how others feel about the output of your chosen craft.  In biz terms we call this customer satisfaction, tapping the tuning fork until the hum is not your own voice but that of those who 'pay' to receive the output of your chosen craft.  Special is also defined by tradeoffs, as in it must be EXTRAordinary to take me away from what I love.  And what I love must recognize it without any interpretation from me; if I have to explain why it's important then it's not special work.   

Heading into the evaluation season; where nice things said translate into real [compensatory] dollars, consider what dollars can't buy.  You can't buy special work; it's organic and generally uncontrollable [anthropologists talk about migration mutation] to the point where only primitive artifacts remain from the original design.   

A special time for special work is coming.  Bless us Father, that we may be lead to the best, to be the best, to give the best with our chosen craft.  Con paz.

frank

Test post

guest blogger: words about peace [in a time of war]

My dear friend Lee has a few words to say about peace; about what's wrong with this ugly war we're stuck in. He's my guest blogger today; appropriate on Memorial Day [or so I believe].

BUT YES, NO WONDER THEIR CARS ARE CHEAPER.

Theirs is not a gentle culture ----------

But Our country is doing this in IRAQ ---There are more and more
publications about BLOWING AWAY women and children because of possable
help they are involved in-- toward unfound enemies...

Again it is easier to AVOID trouble than to try to get out of it.

Like the GONZOLIES problem Their cover up of what went on is worse than
if they had come clean in the first place...


Watergate was about lies --COVER UP.
BUSH,CHENEY, ROVE Will pay ESPECIALLY if more people wake UP!
Geoorge BUSH WAS NOT SMART ENOUGH To admit they BLEW IT, because 'they'
are still holding out for that 40 year 40% profit OIL CONTRACT
--BILLIONS in profits.
THEY ARE LETTING OVER 100 Americans a month DIE FOR. As COMANDER IN
CHIEF The desider can deside to have others stay and die .and no harm or
cost to him---- I hope the Iraq GOVERNMENT never gives it to
BUSH/CHENEY. Rove is the PATSEY re: this. The BIG MAN IS Cheney....HOW
MANY TIMES HAVE THE TAXPAYERS TAKEN HIM OVER TO TIGHTEN THE SCREWS ON
THEM IN BAGDAD.
The Tax payers are the PATSIES.

Stupidity + greed = U S A in Iraq.

Democrats and a hand full of REPUBLICANS (to be more and more) are our
only hope TO PREVENT A WAR WITH IRAN.....Please HEAVEN AND GOD don't
let it happen....

It is MADNESS cruel madness, that demands that every month ONE HUNDRED
OR MORE young AMERICANS, like this one, are ordered to be there and they
are killed and HUNDREDS more are injured.

The reason this slaughter continues is to secure OIL CONTRACTS. IT IS
NOT OUR OIL AND LOYAL AMERICANS WANT NO PART OF THESE OIL
CONTRACTS---HAVE YOU EVEN HEARD OF THEM ?

The lives and blood being wasted in IRAQ will continue in IRAQ as long
as IRAQ is OCCUPIED By an ARMY that they HATE and to redeploy out of
IRAQ is the only sane course to take..Remember Afghanistan THAT IS NOT
DONE YET.

This picture is great but sad, and it is not going to look so good if
this young man is a casualty ----There have been 3,400 or more deaths of
similar young Americans and est 23,000 injured and remember they have
no choice. They are ordered to suffer/die for OIL THAT WILL NEVER BE
OBTAINED. BECAUSE OF THE THE GREED OF SOME THAT ARE PUSHING THE WAR TO
CONTINUE AND JUST KEEP CONTINUING. IN THE HOPE TO STEAL THEIR OIL (
THEY ARE AFTER A 40 YEAR PRIVATE OIL CONTRACT PRIVATE THAT IS
PRIVATE......).
DO YOU KNOW ABOUT IT ?

WE DO NOT NEED TO STEAL THEIR OIL WE CAN BUY IT JUST LIKE ALL OTHERS
WILL DO. (WITHOUT THE PRIVATE CONTRACT PART)

100 dead AMERICANS PER MONTH MEANS NOTHING TO THEM. NONE OF THEIR
LOVED ONES OR FAMILY IS SERVING AS THIS YOUNG AMERICAN IS...

THE MAJORITY, LOYAL AMERICANS SAY END THIS MADNESS..

CAN YOU PRAY till you can vote....

May we all pray for peace. Con paz.

frank

Close to the bone

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10330397

NPR did a story yesterday on gangs in Sunnyside, Washington USA. We heard the story driving to pick up Memphis from school; heading to a library event [at the Douglass Truth branch]. At first I chuckled "that's my home town!"; then I was pissed off. Apparently the city administrator they interviewed believes [or so he implied] that Mexicans are the root of all criminal activity; that they have brought this culture to Sunnyside for decades [which covers my time there]. WTF!

Sunnyside was many things to me; but it was not criminal. And there certainly were not any gangs at the source of any criminal activity [trust me, I would have known]. Sure young people [and this is where I have a problem with the slant on the story] were doing dumb things; but to be clear it was both white and Mexican kids. Funny how most of my bad influences in Sunnyside were white kids trying to shed their farmboy personna.

So if you're inclined; send NPR a piece of mail and let them know what you think about this piece of [you choose] reporting. Con paz.

frank

Madres y mas

Dennis prompted me to update my blog; get some news out to our little world. So much going on these days; been hard to carve out time for blogging.

Had a great birthday weekend [best ever?] followed by a fabulous Mother's day weekend. Deborah celebrated her birthday in the midst of this attention [and attention she received]; making for a non-stop fiesta weekend. We started Friday morning and ran the activities through Sunday evening. Spa, Coastal Kitchen, Atrium, Easy Street, The Globe, Ballard street market; backyard fun y mas.


Oh, Xopil also jumped into the mix for his five year acknowledgment [talk about a pinata swinger].


Yesterday we were blessed to spend some time with Chula, hear her voice, be touched by her beautiful hands. She is sharing stories at a pure spirit level these days; have to remove myself from the day-to-day world to listen. What would I remember after 99 years of living? Hearing her Father's name - Louise [sp?] - makes me crave the time when bigger than life characters walked amongst our people. Deborah oftern shares these stories about her family's past; admit some envy.


And what further blessing than to make new friends; Nachum and Schulamith. They joined us for Mother's Day brunch at The Globe; our favorite vegan restaurant in Seattle. The Globe owner recently installed a new dining table made out of one sequoia tree, it's beautiful, primitive and necessary for this open format diner. Try the tofu scramble.

What did I get for my birthday? Lots of love; and besos y mas.

con paz,

frank