Olympic Peninsula

It was a 3 hours drive from Seattle (including the 30 mins ferry ride to Bainbridge Island), to Port Angeles (only 90 mins to ride a ferry from Victoria, BC, Canada). I love to ride on train and ferry, the kind that you can stick your head out the window. I guess for one thing you can feel the wind, breathe fresh air, another thing is you can escape if anything happened. Yes, I do have experience of exiting through a train window.

It's was a bright warm morning when we try to get up to Hurricane Ridge. Only found the road was blocked by lock gate. The ranger in visitor center showed us these pictures taken that morning up the mountain. The National Park map show "Road may be closed weekdays in winter.", but being a Sunday in the 1st of April doesn't help. What a fool! ;->

The ranger gave us a hiking trail list of the National Park. So, we headed west to a 600ft deep turquoise crystal Lake Crescent. It's amazing that a relatively small lake can be so deep. Of course, it has it's spooky stories, including soap people. 

For the rest of the week, we had seen a lot of lime green moss on big spruce, maple and cedar, which  make up the largest old-growth rain forest in the Pacific Northwest. 

With up to 240 inches of moisture annually and almost 8,000 feet snow cap mountain, there are no lack of interesting landscape.  I like taking photo of waterfalls - this one is Marymere Falls. But, I hope, someday I can learn how to do it without getting the lens wet.

Fallen trunks everywhere along rivers.

Lunch (twice) in Blackberry cafe, trying to have blackberry smoothie twice, but they ran out of ice-cream.

Head back east to Dungeness wildlife refuge. 

Shy little Bambi

5 miles of drift wood along the longest spit on earth.

It was almost 8pm when we decided we like this little cottages enough to drop in and try our luck. They were very nice, cozy and clean. They even mailed back the power supply we left on the wall.

Undamming

It was another odd job brought us to Olympic Peninsula, Wa; cameras maintenance for the largest dam removal project (two Elwha Dams) in history. The Elwha Ecosystem restoration project is also the second largest restoration project the National Park Service has ever attempted, after the Everglades (right here in Florida). PBS made a very nice documentary broadcasting tonight. It shows how the dams had impacted people, salmon and the environment for the last century , and how the undamming will change the future. It is heart broken to see salmon trying to go upstream, but was blocked by the dam. What intrigue me the most is the process of the undamming (physically, not talking about it took the government 20 years to get it's acts together). You cannot just blow it up. Remember all the slit - (a hundred year of heavy sediment behind the dams) and people live downstream. It's three long year slow process, and got to ensure there is no slit go down the river while salmon are spawning downstream.

It's not easy to undo a century of regret. It's still uncertain that after all, different salmon will come back upstream to make Elwha its home again.

Sushi Master

Through the Hasegawa family warm hospitality in Seattle through out the years, I got to know more about sushi and an old family friend - Shiro Kashiba. The family have been eating Shiro's sushi for more than forty years. Shiro operated the first full-service sushi bar restaurant in Seattle. He was also the first chief to serve geoduck, smelt, and other local exotics as sushi.

At Shiro's sushi bar, I don't order. I just sit, and the chef will decide what to offer.And the chef will watch the way you eat, and your reaction to decide what to offer next. He sometimes explains to you what is the seafood, and how to eat it (one bite, no soy sauce.......). I was never disappointed. Also learned that really fresh seafood and good cut melts in the month like ice-cream. Next time you're in the area, you know what not to miss. It's in Belltown, not far from down town.At his 70, he has this new book to review his life around making/ serving sushi. Shop, prepare and cook is what he does best and he has no plan to retire. The book is to thanks the people of Washington state, for allowing him to cook for them for forty-five years. Nothing makes him happier. I believe he is speaking from the bottom of his heart. BTW, you might notice a recent movie "Jiro Dreams of Sushi". Jiro Ono was Shiro's mentor back in Ginza, Tokyo. Still making sushi at age 86.

Seattle NCECA 2012

This year NCECA has a few new things worth mentioning. New record of over 4000 attendants as a large portion came across the border just the north. And the co-operation with Seattle design center is a huge success, as we can see over 30 different shows, hundreds of works in one location. No wonder we ran into Ellen there, early in the morning of the gallery hopping day.

Kathleen Skeels's works. Unaffiliated and self taught. Watch her.Yes, those are clay. but still no touch.New found friend in Bellingham workshop; Vipoo from Melbourne. Good news: All panda sold out before opening. Bad news: greyhound got cancel, stuck with two crazy women in a car, who wouldn't stop talking cantonese for 2 hours, then got drop in the wrong place in Seattle downtown. Sorry!I did miss the closing of the conference this time, as I planned to catch the noon ferry over to Bainbridge Island, then Olympic Peninsula (that would be another post). However, remember the master who gave the closing speech two years ago - Malcolm Davis. He is no longer with us. I hope potters will always remember what he valued; "the making of pots as a way to celebrate the mundane rituals of life and to make them holy."

10 Years

10 years ago, Lily and I met in a ceramic conference in China, and quickly became best friend. Even we never live in the same town, we always manage to get together to do workshop or conference here/ there almost every year. This year we managed to join 2 x 2 days workshops before NCECA in Seattle. She also managed to let John take care of the kids for the whole time.

Beside new technique/ skill, you always learn something unique from a workshop. Gail Nichols is a perfect example of how her environment shapes her and her work. She might be born wild and independent, but I don't believe she would make what she make without moving to Australia. She wouldn't have her unique sense of space, and her way of being innovative, if there are lots of people around her doing soda fire.

Beth's animals with human complex personality always intrigue me. Complex - I mean layers of emotions and/or motives, which sometimes contradict. Her excellent story telling along with the demonstration, open up the core of the heart. We mostly responded with a good laugh, even to a very dark story........ strange animal!Walter Keeler, a British gentleman could have pretended trained in Yixing, even he had never been there or seen a Yixing teapot master make a teapot. My heart always has a special place for this kind of men; with engineering mind, craftsman's hands, artist's eye, and poet's heart.This is not all the people in Pottery Northwest's workshop. Some were still outside firing.

To me: Jason Walker is a quiet painter more than a potter. He's one of the star in this NCECA; being one of the demonstrator and having a big show in town. Unfortunately, he had to leave the conference early since his dad passed away the day after his show opening.

What brought me to Whatcome College's workshop, is this simple twist handle of Jose Deweese. I had seen it done many years ago. Try it many times myself.... always too careful, too much worries, too much clay, too wet, too me me me ....

Here's Rob's thank you note from Bellingham, Washington, which is a fine town. Our wonderful host 'Marilyn and Tom' (who open their house for strangers like us) move thousands of mile there base on a few criteria; small college town, sea (sailing), mountain (hiking and skiing), and a well knitted art community. I think they chose well.

Snow, Snow, Snow

We postponed our family visit/ snowboarding trip in Vancouver from Chinese new year to mid-March. It turned out to be one of the best snow trip. Fresh snow almost everyday, not too cold, and with relatively less people on the slope.

We got the end of season passes for Mount Seymour and tired ourselves out for a week.

流水，行雲，滑雪板.......

A family visit is not completed without some sort of back-yard project. Two dead trees were gone now. Here are some after thoughts ;

1) If you need to take on something bigger than you are, make sure you're not in the way when it fall.

2) If you cannot make sure which way it will fall, make sure you and/or your partner have more than one escape route.

3) If you think you can make sure which way it will fall, you and/or you partner still need more than one escape route.

For the masters

Some people might wonder what sailor do when they get old or 'older". Here's a story from last week.

About 60 master Laser sailors from all over US plus Norway, Denmark, France and Canada, had just finished 9 days of beautiful sailing/ racing in East Florida. They started last weekend in the ocean outside lake Worth inlet in 15-20 kts of north wind (not for the faint heart). As the cold front and higher wind came along, the race committee moved the race inside the ICW. After the parties and the Championship, they drove an hour North to Jensen Beach, USSCMC for the Midweek Madness Regatta. More racing and parties in the warm and smooth wind. On Thursday, they drove two hours further north to Melbourne for the Mindwinter's East. They ended the week with another 15- 20 kts of west wind racing day.

Even "seasoned" sailor can learn something new too; Signal boat above the middle of the starting line. It seems to work as well as position at the end of the line, if not better.

Judging for Master's sailing is new for me. I used to work with much younger groups, and I find the masters are much easier to work with. They know the rules and willing to play by the rules. They're all still very competitive, but winning is not the absolute priority , having fun and enjoy sailing is. BTW, there are numbers of GGM (Great Grand Master) on the top of the results. I hope in a few year when I get to become a master, I can still party and sail like they do. In the mean time, I can only be a AM (Apprentice Master).

Obituary

Nadia Lamb Mead died on 25 January 2012, at the Earl B. Hadlow Center for Caring, on Sunbeam Road in Jacksonville, Florida, with a number of family members and friends offering their support. Nadia was born on March 29, 1925 in Charleston, South Carolina, to Bronson Edmundson Lamb Sr. and Mary Nadia Richardson. She grew-up mostly in Jacksonville. She attended Bartram High School and raced sailboats and powerboats in her teenage years and into her twenties. She attended Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, and graduated with a BS degree in Geology, in 1947. She married William A. Schell also of Jacksonville, in the late 40s. She had two children, Billy and Kathy who survive her. A second marriage to local orthopaedic surgeon Charles A. Mead lasted over 40 years. She was instrumental in several programs that promoted women in sports, including a Title 9 program at a local high school. She also participated in windsurfing, canoeing, water-skiing, tennis, and a number of other sports, throughout her adult years. Over the years she spent quite a bit of time volunteering for the Children's Home of Jacksonville, the Junior League, and other local charitable institutions. She supported wolves, whales and a number of other 'animal rights' programs such as PETA - The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. She also raised and showed dogs, competitively, during the 50s and 60s. She frequently had pets, mostly dogs and cats, over the years starting with a Koala bear in her formative years. In the 90s she supported a life-long dream of creating a local ministry to support disadvantaged youth. This organization continues, today, as Fresh Ministries, headquartered in Jacksonville. The family would very much like to thank Home Instead, for nearly 10 years of excellent support; as well as the medical, nursing and other staff of the Earl B. Hadlow Center for Caring. A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday the 3rd of February 2012 at the Church of Our Saviour at 12236 Mandarin Road, Jacksonville, Florida 32223. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the Earl B. Hadlow Center for Caring at 4266 Sunbeam Road, Jacksonville, Florida 32254, in the name of Nadia L. Mead. Arrangements are under the care and direction of Hardage- Giddens Funeral Home of Mandarin, 11801 San Jose Blvd. Jacksonville, FL 32223. www.hgmandarin.com (904) 288-0025

Published in the Florida Times-Union from January 29 to January 31, 2012

Nadia was my wonderful mother in-law.

In Transit

This world is full of things in transit.

Something is "on it's way", in between the point of origin and the final destination.

Package, life, heart, soul...

We all are.

I've been expecting this box of books for a while, which came from a slow boat from the east. Since the original sender's address is no longer valid, if it couldn't make it to this side, it wouldn't be able to go back to that side.

I think one of the most tortured state of mind is; lost in transit, can't go forward, can't go back...

Outside the window

Life biggest surprise comes from mindfulness.

I was looking out the window for no particular reason, and there she is, going after a squirrel.

Then, it gets even better.....

I think video can explain better than my words.

You can see it in my MobileMe gallery.

Last Christmas Project

Remember last year Christmas Project - orchid shade house.

It was how it look like a year ago. And here is more about my orchid growing background info; I have been trying to grow orchid for a decade with more failures than I can count. They would grow for a while but eventually get diseases or bugs and then die off. All the orchid experts will tell you, growing orchid is easy, as long as you give them what they want, and what they want is very simply. With hindsight, I understand now I wasn't providing the right environment until last Christmas. BTW, I'm not the kind of grower who can spell all the long names, and tell the the difference between all the different species.

In a year, I witnessed the difference between how to do something right with no effort, great result and how to do something wrong with a lot of efforts but no result. Now, they're so prolific , blooming left and right and multiplied two to three times. Not many investments get this kind of return these days.

If you live in zone 9-10 like me, here's the simple general rules for outdoor orchid;

1. 50% Sun - use the 50% shade cloth

2. Watering - every other day. I set my sprinkler timer on Mon, Wed, Fri for 15 mins each.

3. Fertilizing - growth food every other week, bloom food every month

4. Repotting - every year or when crowded

Here's the not so general tips if you want prolific growth in anything, after providing basic supportive environment;

First thing every morning (OK, first thing after you made your coffee/ tea)

- visit your plants/ kids/ significant others

- watch/ listen/ feel their subtle changes, and try to understand why

- make subtle change on your part to see if it will make any difference

- more subjects you get, more controlled experiments you can do, quicker you understand their subtle difference

Even the raspberry growing next to the shade house is very happy.

It reminds me of evolution and revolution. Under the suitable environment, small change at a time; makes the difference of life and death.

Checked!

It was something we hoped to do for years, but for whatever reasons, never get to it until yesterday. Riding all the way around the big Lake "Okeechobee" is about 120 miles, too much in one day for me. So, we did it in two days, with minimal load, perfect weather and no major incident. Started from the town Okeechobee, went clockwise, slept in Clewiston - Hoilday Inn Express, back on the dike, then mostly backed up on SR78 (since the dike on this part is not paved, and very bumpy for 3 wheels).

There are a number of locks, gates and pumping stations we need to get off the dike and go around. But, the major obstacle was the 27 mile re-inforcement constructions from Port Mayaca to Pahokee. They said it should be done in a few months. In the mean time, heavy traffic SR441 is the only alternative.

On the dike. You can go miles without seeing anyone. No motor vehicle or horse allowed.

Yes, "sunscreen" is important as the sun come up.

Some water management is required in long stretch of road.

Things to do before and after breakfast, on Christmas day

This is the "Wolfram|Alpha spikey," constructed with 12 pieces of cut out papers, with 60 faces, 62 vertices and 120 edges, also known as a rhombic hexecontahedron. I considered it as an accomplishment to have put it together before breakfast.

The starting point of our 30 miles ride - Port Mayaca in LOST.

15,000 mile Monkey Prize

I don't remember ever seeing this Nabisco's Pinwheel Cookies before, but Bill said it was his all time childhood favorite. He only got them from his mom, maybe a couple times a year, when he did something really well... So, it became the requested prize for this year's Monkey Prize.

I topped it with Fresh Market's Chocolate Whoopie Pies as bonus. They're amazingly soft.
In fact, if you ride 5000 mile a year, 3 years in a row, you can almost eat anything, anytime and as much as you want to. And still lose weight. This is the gift for last year, with a dozen ice-cream bar.

Mini Monster and Fish Bowl

They came out from Justin's newly rebuild kiln, the same day I attended the wonderful wedding of a good friend in Hong Kong. One pair will fly back to be special gift.

Shino fish bowls came out better than I expected, even they were over done with new glazes.
Firing a new kiln with other people's works - hundreds hours of works, take a lot of confidence.

Putting your own works on someone else hands, take a lot of trust.

It makes me think of the marriage I just witnessed. Strong faith on each other, make beautiful things happened.