Picnic at the Park

We found ourselves a nice little park that sits on Lake Washington right next to the landing strip at Renton Air Field. It's neat…a small grassy area with a great view of the lake and the planes landing at the Air Field.

I'm gonna call it the Will Rogers/Wiley Post Park because they have a small memorial to those two men in the corner of the park. It was from this field that they took off on what would become their last flight up to Alaska. 

The plane, which Post fabricated in part at the Renton Air Field, stalled trying to take off from a lagoon near Point Barrow in Alaska and crashed killing the two men instantly.

Bummer.

But for us it's a fun place to watch the wind whip the lake and the planes, both land and sea, take off and land.

But, first, our story starts with an afternoon visit to the doctor. Things checked out OK. A lot of blood tests to make sure things continue to work well.

Got a referral for a biopsy on this thing on the side of my head. It's nothing but I'm glad they're taking a look at it and we're doing it early. 

They're also checking out that darn Thyroid of mine. Doggone under-achieving Thyroid.

It was another sunny day in Seattle.

It's just the way things are.  

I promise, I only shot these while the car was stopped at a red light.

But, look!! Just two hours later and it's sunshine and light!!

When we got there this fellow was giving a class on seaplanes to two young men. So, naturally, Carol had to go and find out what was happening.

De plane, Boss!! De plane!!

(If you're of a certain age you know instantly what TV show that line came from.)

(If you're not…Bummer!)

Then it was the delicious and healthful Tuna Melt sandwiches. The special for June. On wheat bread, with spinach, lettuce, cucumbers, onions, pickles, olives, and other healthy delights!! Oh, and cheese. Gotta have some cheese.

Still, we were aware of what the seaplane was up to. We are nosy. 

The most interesting thing was the skies. Dramatic. Skies.

Some more drama. In B&W. 

Hahaha, thought you'd get away from it, didn't you!!

Clouds. 

D.R.A.M.A.

And…the seaplane. With clouds in the background.

It's a picnic so I brought a blanket and, naturally, being the guy I am, laid down on my back.

And, took these pics of the dramatic sky.

Also just a little bit because I'm lazy. With a emphasis on lazy. I mean, you just lie there and take pictures. What could be easier? Taking a nap, maybe, but no pictures then.

Some more drama. There's something fun to just pointing and shooting that little camera around. What else are you going to do on a picnic?

Then he took one of the guys out in the seaplane and they rode around in circles.

On the lake.

I suppose it's part of the training process.

Hahahahaha….

I go around in circles all the time and I NEVER got any training for it.

By the Trailer Park they have a small marina. 

If it's good in color then it must be great in B&W, right!?!?!

A wee bit more, drama…

(Same pic just different cropping.)

OK, which one is crooked? The old boat or the island in the background?

It is not a high-class marina.

C'Mon!! It's a trailer park fer cryin' out loud!!

A detail of the boats.

Still going in circles...

Looking more to the East.

More clouds…you sensing a theme here?

And, a detail of the boathouse at the trailer park.

Dramatic, eh?

Even more so in B&W. No, really.

"Why won't that damn seaplane take off? It keeps going in circles!!"

And, finally, this.

I don't know, I thought it'd be more interesting.

But, you can find some drama here if you look real hard.

It was fun. We laughed a bit and got out for a while. The Tuna Subs from Subway weren't all that bad. The weather held off…we felt just a few sprinkles when we were leaving. 

It's the small things that add up to something big.

It is.