Seattle Central Library

Mt. Rainier in the Setting Sun

Mt. Rainier illuminated by the setting sun, a small lenticular cloud formation hovering over its peak.
Click on the image for a larger view.

Delicate

A little sunshine on a frosty morning.
Click on the image for a larger view.

Cold Snap

Dead trees frozen in a slow-moving river-bend.

Underside

The sun glares off icy lake water clinging to the pilings supporting this small car bridge.

Stuck

What resembles a seal frozen in the ice atop this small lake is actually driftwood debris.
No actual animals were harmed in the shooting of this image.

Snoqualmie Falls in Winter

Taken on December 9th after several days of temperatures ranging from about 15F overnight warming to maybe 35F for the highs have frozen the spray to the usually shaded rocks.


Two days later on December 11th, a wider view.

Station Fire Aftermath

In the late Summer of 2009, the "Station Fire" burned a huge area in the Angeles National Forest. Several months after the fire was finally extinguished, the roads have finally been repaired to the point where they have been opened to public traffic. Here are some images of the scene as it appeared on a weekend foray into that area.

Get off my rock!

Sea Lions 'negotiate' for a position in the sunshine.

Startled!

A seabird startled by a breaking wave jumps up and catches its balance.


Positioning itself to land again perhaps on higher ground.

Anchor Chain

Along San Francisco's Marine Drive, on the way to Fort Point, this rusting anchor chain serves as a decorative guard rail.

Pine Cone

Autumn is Here

Early morning sun pokes through the trees, illuminating golden leaves against dark trunks.

Sandpipers

Sandpipers forage behind the receding waves.

Water Under the Bridge

Ripples in the water cast their reflection onto the underside of the bridge.

Las Vegas from "Eiffel Tower"

300 degree panorama of Las Vegas panorama from the "Eiffel Tower" at the Paris Hotel & Casino.
Click on the mage for a wide panorama view.



"Eiffel Tower"

 
"Eiffel Tower" at night.

Mt. Wilson Surrounded by "Station" Fire (with MODIS satellite image links)

Clean-up burn-off activity from another camera angle 9/11-14.


Clean-up burn-off activity 9/10-11.


A short clean-up burn running from about 9/9/09 18:50 to 9/10/09 02:50.


(updated) The Towercam is back and pointing toward the Hooker Telescope dome. Here's a time lapse from Sep 4 through morning Sep 9. This may be the final installment, as the active sections of the fire are now quite distant from the Observatory. I'll continue to collect images for a while though in case something interesting does happen.


This short time-lapse video was assembled from images captured from the UCLA Towercam atop the solar observatory tower at the Mt. Wilson observatory. It ends when the Towercam dropped offline as a result of fire damage to a communication conduit. The camera has since returned to service.

This is likely to be the final update to this segment as the camera has ceased updating. Speculation is that the fire has burned the telecom facilities that provide internet connectivity to the Observatory. The good news is that the fires in question are backfires set by firefighters. There is reason for cautious optimism that the Observatory will survive this ordeal.

Incident Information [Inciweb]

"Station Fire" Information [City of La Cañada Flintridge]
Observatory Status [Mt. Wilson Observatory]
UCLA Towercam

MODIS Satellite Imagery
9/02 20:55 UTC Satellite image [MODIS]
9/01 18:30 UTC Satellite image [MODIS]
8/31 21:05 UTC Satellite image [MODIS]
8/30 18:45 UTC Satellite image [MODIS]
8/29 21:20 UTC Satellite image [MODIS]

Driving up Angeles Crest Highway in the aftermath of the fire

The roads are closed and an eerie calm pervades the scene. Brush and trees are blackened or just completely gone. Wooden road signs and the posts that once held roadside guard rails are in places completely gone, leaving the metal rail just sitting on the ground. This post-apocalyptic scene continues for miles and miles of road. I did not shoot this video and have not yet seen this place for myself but when it is accessible, I will have to head up there and capture my own photographs.


At the height of the blaze.

Mt. Saint Helens Gigapan

Mt. Saint Helens
Click on the image for the full Gigapan.

Avalon Harbor Towards Evening

Avalon, Catalina Island, California illuminated by the late afternoon glow.

Thunderheads

Thunderheads shroud the Cascade Mountains

Dam It

Grand Coulee Dam
Click for Gigapan

Summer

Nature is in full swing, doing its thing, at the end of Spring.


Berry interesting.

Mt. Rainier

Just a Buck

A young buck rests in the shade.

Mt. Rainier

Through 60 miles of atmosphere, the mountain displays its majesty.

Jesusita Fire

Seen from a commercial flight leaving the San Fernando Valley, the smoke plume from the Jesusita Fire in Santa Barbara doesn't look all that large. It's barely visible in the MODIS satellite imagery (see links below). But it's concentrated in a built-up hillside residential area that hadn't burned in a very long time. Whipped by strong winds, the fire has destroyed many very lovely homes. The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden has sustained fire damage as well.

Satellite Image Courtesy of NASA MODIS

Click image to enlarge

Other satellite images:
MODIS Satellite Imagery (May 5th) [NASA]
MODIS Satellite Imagery (May 6th) [NASA]
MODIS Satellite Imagery (May 6th) [NASA]
MODIS Satellite Imagery (May 7th) [NASA]
MODIS Satellite Imagery (May 8th) [NASA]


Smoke plume spreading to the south.

Inciweb - Jesusita Wildland Fire [inciweb.org]

Fire Status:

• Acres burned: 8,733
• Percent contained: 98%
• Expected full containment: 05/20/09
• Evacuation orders and warnings: All were lifted as of 05/13/09
• Cause: Under investigation (please call 805-686-5074 if you have any information pertaining to how the fire started)
• Homes destroyed: 80
• Homes damaged: 15
• Outbuildings destroyed: 79
• Outbuildings damaged: 2
• Commercial property destroyed: 1
• Commercial property damaged: 0
• Total number of personnel assigned to the incident: 189
• Engines: 11
• Crews: 4
• Bulldozers: 2
• Water Tenders: 1
• Fixed Wing Air Tankers: 0
• Air Attack Aircraft: 1
• Helicopters: 2
• Firefighter injuries to date: 32
• Estimated costs to date: $20 million

List of properties damaged or destroyed [Santa Barbara County]

Santa Barbara County 2009 Press Releases [Santa Barbara County]

Google Maps - Jesusita Fire Evacuation Permieter
Google Maps - Jesusita Fire Zone
Google Maps - Jesusita Fire - LA Times map
Google Maps - Jesusita Fire Map

More Vasquez Rocks

Vasquez Rocks County Park towards evening.

Other posts featuring Vasquez Rocks County Park

• Shutter-Eye: Vasquez Rocks County Park
• Shutter-Eye: Southern California Firestorm: Ground Truth
• Shutter-eye: Rescue
• Pixelmeister: Moon on the Rocks

Lenticulars over Antelope Valley

Upper-level winds toss the clouds into fascinating shapes over Antelope Valley, CA.

Just the two of us

Canada Geese [Wikipedia]

American Robin

American Robin [Wikipedia]

Trillium

Trillium [Wikipedia]

Hearst Castle

The Hearst Castle is located on a coastal mountain high above the San Simeon area in California. Several different tours are available. A bus ride along a windy road from the Visitor center takes guests to the Castle grounds. Each tour covers a different part of the grounds. Be prepared to climb a lot of steps.

Below are a few pictures taken on a tour under overcast skies.


The Neptune Pool.


Grand entrance.


Columns at the Neptune Pool.


Column and ceiling detail.


Neptune Pool.
Click to enlarge.


Neptune pool from above.
Click to enlarge.


Ornate decorations on one of the guest "cottages".


Guest "cottage" entrance.


One of the guest bathrooms.


A guest bedroom.


Another guest bedroom.


Guest "cottage" door.


Statues in a water feature - main castle building in the background.


Entrance to the main building.


Inside that entrance.


Dining room. This must have been the inspiration for a mile-long table portrayed in Looney Toons.


Servants resting "seats" in dining room.


Dining room ceiling.


Ceiling detail (contrast stretched).


Ceiling detail in billiards room.


Projection room.


Indoor pool.


Panorama of the ranch seen from the Visitor Center. Castle is roughly in the middle.
Click to enlarge.


Closer shot of the castle from the Visitor Center.
Click to enlarge.