Today is June 24, 2014. It was on this date twenty years ago that my next-door neighbor crashed one of the biggest, most powerful aircraft ever built into near a nuclear storage facility, leaving his kids fatherless and his wife a widow. With more than 5,000 flight hours under his belt, U.S. Air Force Colonel Bud Holland took his last flight on this day in 1994.
In a split second, I knew it was a bald eagle as it shot by about ten feet overhead. I had never been that close to one in flight before. The unmistakable white markings, yellow beak and talons and gargantuan wingspan that easily distinguished it from the more common ravens and falcons in Ocean Shores were clearly visible just before it disappeared over the roofline as quickly as it had materialized.
It’s now been a full week since I got to watch Washington State sports history play out on a national stage. With my wife, son and daughter by my side, we watched the Seattle Seahawks easily outmatch the Denver Broncos to win the franchise’s first ever Lombardi trophy. Although I didn’t have a chance to watch a single pre-, regular- or post-season game (since we canceled cable all those years
The 2014 Seattle Mariners Caravan will hit the road on Tuesday, January 7th, visiting communities across the Pacific Northwest to increase excitement for the upcoming season. Select members of the 2014 Seattle Mariners will visit elementary schools and Boys & Girls Clubs to deliver the DREAM Team message and host complimentary autograph and photo sessions for the public. The Mariner Moose and members of the Mariners broadcast team will also
For Fathers’ Day 2013, my dad had gotten the two of us a fishing excursion on Westport Charters in Westport, WA. Father’s Day is in June, but we had to take our trip in early August thanks to the Legislature being unable to complete its business in three consecutive sessions (yes, it still smarts). I had been looking forward to this trip for two reasons: I was anxious for some
Almost every year I pack up the family and head ten miles south of our Lacey home to go camping at Millersylvania State Park, and every time we make plans to take advantage of the miles of woodland trails skirting its edges. Unfortunately, for a multitude of reasons, we’ve never been able to actually hike those trails. But this weekend I was determined to spend some long-overdue and much-needed quality
By John O’Connor, Guest Blogger bloggingwjohno.blogspot.com Hunting is a very popular sport and hobby for many people these days. It is also a favorite activity that many families engage in together as well. When picking a family hunting trip, a great destination to check out could be Washington State. Washington State is a great place to pick for a hunting trip because it is such a diverse area, not just
Fall in Western Washington always brings the wet weather. Sometimes it starts in late August, and sometimes it holds off until October. This year appears to be one of the late years, as we had lots of nice days in September and early October. But make no mistake, fall has finally descended on us. Grey skies, whipping winds, falling leaves, and rain-soaked sidewalks are a dead giveaway. And speaking of
I sincerely hope anyone reading this is inspired to climb a mountain of their own. I hope it’s one of the beloved mountains of Washington State, but any mountain that strikes a chord in your heart will suffice. It’s not just something other people talk about. You can do it too. Just make sure you have the right training, the right gear and the right attitude and you’d be surprised how high you can climb.
I was almost five years old when I rode on my father’s back during a hike on Mt. Rainier one sunny Saturday afternoon. During that walk, he paused for a moment while viewing the distant, lofty, snow-capped peak to the southwest, speculating aloud on the possibility of one of the 18 volcanoes in the Cascade Mountain Range ever erupting. It was May 17th, 1980, and the next morning the world