Tacoma glass

Fountain in front of the Tacoma Museum of Glass

This was the only stained glass piece they had but I like it

Look closely at the detail

This glass is made to look like knitted wool

The sides of the Glass Bridge were full of Chihuly works

And his glass towers

The ceiling is also Chihuly

Images on both sides of this fused glass piece

interesting bowl in the gift shop

These are only a small fraction of the many pretty things I photographed yesterday.  We were headed south with the mega van to drop the New Yorkers off at the airport. what is interesting down there? I suggested Tacoma, Seattle 's much poorer, uglier step sister even though yesterday it was named in the top twenty up and coming real estate markets. Some scrunched faces of incredulousness ensued.  I had heard about their Museum of Glass and its nearby bridge of glass. The God of Glass, Dale Chihuly was born in humble Tacoma and this place capitalized on that. Seattle has its own Chihuly museum but I wanted to go to Tacoma.  

First problem: parking. The museum had underground parking but guess what didn't fit?   Then the search for a very large on street spot in a busy port city. finally two cars left at the same time, a miracle. There was lots of Chiluly stuff especially pieces from his Venetian period full of elaborate putti attached to barque vases much different from his usual abstract stuff. There was an amphitheater complete with furnaces demonstrating how they make blown vases, a children's dance display, an ongoing class in fused glass that would be fun to take (years ago I made stained glass stuff). we did buy two small pieces which I hope survive the trip so we will have a tiny bit of beauty back home

On to the glass bridge which connects the waterfront with the other museums. The bridge is full of Chihuly stuff: his signature glass towers, flowery ceilings and the sides were light boxes full of his vases. on the other side there was an art fair featuring various tribal works

Back to Seattle hoping the baseball game that might end right when we were near the stadium thus causing a traffic jam from hell would continue to go into more extra innings. yay it did but the Mariners lost which will make my mother inlaw sad. she watches all the games

This place is surrounded by fruit trees. I can see figs, pears, several types of apples and plums. when I went out to gather plums for a possible tart, I found 2 peach trees full of ripe, tasty fruit. my sister in law didn't know she has them. a neighbor has permission to harvest her figs.  I converted the peaches into a pie.  I might do something with the plums today. 

It is early in the morning. I am sitting on a deck overlooking the many fruit trees. a mountain blue jay is making lots of noise. he is very pretty will try to take his photo before I leave. I am taking a break from running as my legs are sore probably by climbing the hill to the reservoir to run laps. views are great up there. On a clear day, Mt Rainier peaks through the clouds but yesterday I could just see the city.

During our last visit, we travelled north to see Mt Baker which is probably a hundred miles north. despite it being sunny, we couldn't see it but Friday night, on the beach in West Seattle. There it was.

It is so frustrating typing on this keyboard. today we take a ferry to the islands for a Beethoven concert