SUNDAY BRIDGES--dilapidated...

A cell phone photo of a very dilapidated bridge earlier this spring. I hope to make up for this unattractive bridge, since I'll be in France very soon.....

See other bridges on Louis La Vache's SUNDAY BRIDGES.

WEEKEND REFLECTION--Welcome!

The thick, syrupy fruit in the bowl, cherries, is called 'slatko' here, meaning sweet. It is offered to guests whenever they stop by.  Fruit varies according to season.  The custom is that you take a spoon, take some 'slatko', a drink of water from a glass on the tray, then put your used spoon in the glass. In this case, there were four guests, as you can see.

See other reflections on James' WEEKEND REFLECTION.

SKYWATCH--Serbian sunset

It's hot, hot, hot here....in the high 90's. And humid.  Need I say more?

Off soon to a much cooler France, from what I hear.

Here's a Serbian sunset for you.

See other skies on SKYWATCH.

Back in Serbia

I'm back in Serbia, and guess who's glad to see me?  Granddaughter Mila will be two next month.

Off for two weeks soon to France, short but sweet, and back in time for her birthday!

ABC WEDNESDAY--"X" is for "XS"

Extra-small (XS) is what this Yorkie is. How would you like to walk around amidst giants all day long?

See other X's on ABC WEDNESDAY.

Darth Vader is alive and well

He's alive and well, and seems to have gone through some sort of mid-life change of profession.  Here he was, fiddling away on a street corner in Victoria, B.C.  Got a young chick, too.

Could one say he's still fit as a fiddle? (Couldn't help that one....groan.)

Phone booth, recycled

A unique and spiritual recycling of a phone booth!  Taken outside a Mexican restaurant in the Queen Anne neighborhood of Seattle.

Returning home to Belgrade soon....and then off to Paris shortly thereafter....

SUNDAY BRIDGES - Victoria, B.C.

The Johnson Street Bridge in Victoria, B.C.  Daughter and I came up for an overnighter in this quaint city.

Didn't cross the bridge....

See other bridges on Louis La Vache's SUNDAY BRIDGES.

WEEKEND REFLECTION--the house in the mirror

Old house in need of repair with a mirror to reflect the house in better shape across the street.

See other reflections on James' WEEKEND REFLECTION.

SKYWATCH--through a saltdrop window

Took the Victoria Clipper from Seattle to Victoria, B.C. (2.5 hours) this past weekend with my daughter.  A view of the sun through a saltdrop window...

See other skies on SKYWATCH.

P.S. When I linked to Skywatch, I learned that yesterday, June 20th, in 1837 Queen Victoria ascended to the throne of England. Great Britain and Ireland She reigned for 63 years and seven months.

Red Robin

Nothing stunning about this photo of a robin, but it's just to tell you that the little Pine Sisken, which I showed you right here last May,was successfully rehabilitated by PAWS and released into the wild!

A happy ending.

ABC WEDNESDAY--"W" is for "wonderful"

A really bad cop-out for W....  But these macaroons, a chocolate and pistachio in the back and a lemon in front, were awfully good.  Washed down with a cappuccino at Seattle's Le Panier bakery at Pike Place Market.  My daughter and I shared them, so don't think I pigged out...though I'm quite capable of it.

See other X's on ABC WEDNESDAY.

An Argosy tour boat in Seattle seen from afar.  On the left is part of Seattle's Great Wheel.

La brebis qui rit

This happy ewe that belongs to a friend of my daughter's reminded me of the famous Laughing Cow.  All she needs is similar earrings.

SUNDAY BRIDGES--flashback to India

A flashback to my recent trip to India last March. Here we see a cow (actually, it may be a bull....) crossing the Lakshman Jhula bridge over the Ganges in Rishikesh.

See other bridges at Louis La Vache's  SUNDAY BRIDGES.

WEEKEND REFLECTION--homemade brandies

I have a Serbian friend here in Seattle who has lived here as long as I've lived in Serbia. Her husband, now retired, devotes part of his time to making homemade brandy and when we had them for dinner the other evening, guess what they brought....from back to front there's apricot brandy, cherry brandy, and grape....

See other reflections on James' WEEKEND REFLECTION.

SKYWATCH--You go your way; I'll go mine.

A helicopter and an airplane off in different directions over Seattle, on a sunny day, hurrah.

See other skies on SKYWATCH.

I see you; don't think I don't.

I find it awfully hard to sneak up on a cat. I wasn't even sneaking up on my daughter's neighbor's cat, who was perched on his window street across the yard. I zoomed in from our kitchen window, but to no avail. There he was staring right back....

ABC WEDNESDAY --"V" is for "verbose"

This is the bottom part of the brunch menu from Seattle's well-frequented and scrumptiously good Boat Street Cafe. I'm often amused by the length of warnings about food and such on menus or labels and was wondering how to shorten the verbosity of this one.  How about:

Allergic? Tell us. Beware of undercooked yolks! In a hurry? Eat elsewhere. Lotsa people=20% more tip. To go for $15 or more=10% or cheapskates can tip less. Figure out splitting the bill by yourselves or add 5%. No checks or American Express!  Enjoy your own dessert for $2.50 each.

See other V's at ABC WEDNESDAY.

A random act of kindness

While at the Dollar Store where I bought yesterday's cookies, a little Mexican boy, about seven years old and smiling widely, shyly handed me this dollar bill. He ran off to join his parents, who waved to me.  I promised I'd pass it on, but took it home to photograph it first. By the time you read this, the bill will be with someone else!

Nostalgia...

Does anyone remember similar coconut-topped marshmallow cookies, called Fancy Crests, I think, made by Sunshine in the 50's-60's?  Those were about the size of the circumference of a soup can while the ones in my photo are about the size of a quarter.  The cookie here is a chocolate one, whereas the originals had a different flavor.

I'd noticed the originals weren't around anymore and was surprised to find these in a Dollar Store, of all places.  They don't taste bad and are, of course, really bad for you; corn syrup, additives, etc., but hey, a couple of bites won't kill me....

SUNDAY BRIDGES--waiting....

Just missed being the last car over the Fremont Bridge before it opened to allow a boat to pass.

See other bridges at Louis La Vache's SUNDAY BRIDGES.

WEEKEND REFLECTION--peaceful waters

Reflections on Seattle's waters...

See other reflections on James' WEEKEND REFLECTION.

SKYWATCH--sunset from the roof

Can't get enough of these sunsets from my daughter's roof.  Those are the Olympic Mountains you see in the background.

See other skies on SKYWATCH.

And we still walk on...

Under the supervision of their caretaker, the tall woman in the middle, these elderly citizens make their way around Green Lake.  I'm not sure they made it all the way around the 3 miles or so, but hats off to them for trying.

ABC WEDNESDAY--"U" is for "Underwater...Under a watchful eye..."

I was first attracted by this man's attire...I thought he had tattoos all over, but it's just the camouflage design. He was using some sort of underwater metal detector, under the watchful eye of a seagull. Occasionally he's scoop up something in a small metal bucket, sort through, then begin again.

Taken at Seattle's Green Lake.


See other U's on ABC WEDNESDAY.

It was only a matter of time....

It was only a matter of time until my grandson found out he could fit through the doggie door....

The Red Mailbox

I love this red mailbox.  If you have a mailbox like this, is it some jazzy color or just gray?  If I had one, I'd paint it in some fanciful way.

Sunday Bridges---the bridge to be

That concrete structure that seems to be floating in the water will be part of a new bridge to alleviate the load on Seattle's current floating bridge, the  SR 520.

Read more about it right here.

And while you're at it, check out other bridges on Louis La Vache's  SUNDAY BRIDGES.

THEME DAY--Beauty in decay

Just the skeleton's left of this leaf...

See other Beauty in Decay at THEME DAY.