12Sided, The Blog

Nice read on recent findings on my favorite beverage.

WSJ: Good News in the Daily Grind

My toddler-aged son has loved the climbing walls at various playgrounds around Seattle this summer. With the start of the rain, which should stop sometime in April, the playgrounds have been a little wet and cold. I wanted to encourage this new love since it combines physical and metal challenges and came up with the idea of building an indoor climbing wall. I did not want to get too over the top with bolting boards to my new refinished basement.

Instead, I thought that attaching a 3/4″ plywood board to the Bowflex might be a better bet. A little online research led me to some great instructions at Three Ball Climbing. REI had a very reasonable set of bolt-on chips by Metolius. It turned into a great father/son project. The only thing better was the boy getting all the way up to the top within the first ten or so tries.

My original post from May is proving popular. So here is another wallpaper.

Mt Rainier is a PNW icon. This panoramic was recently taken on another cold, clear autumn morning with my trusty Xpan. Short hike made a challenge in the darkness before dawn. As usual, 3 sizes are available. Select the link of the size below:

1600 x 605 Mt Rainier from Dege Peak

1280 x 484 Mt Rainier from Dege Peak

1024 x 387 Mt Rainier from Dege Peak

You can check out my entire portfolio at Salmon Bay Photography.

Great time of year for the smoker. I always make sure to get at least two salmon smoked in the late summer. Less fuel needed and better fish. There are many different recipes and methods. For example, the flower pot smoker as a DIY project. Check out the link on Dave Naffziger’s blog.

Happy Labor Day!

Dave Naffziger’s Blog: The Alton Brown Flower Pot Smoker

My original post from May is proving popular. So here is another view from Kerry Park in Seattle

Seattle’s skyline from Kerry Park in the Queen Anne neighborhood is one of my favorite views of the city. This panoramic was recently taken on a cold, clear autumn morning with my trusty Xpan. Different light from a more southerly sun. For this weekend edition, I am making this wallpaper available for all now 8 (Count’em 8 daily readers. Thanks!) of my readers in 3 sizes. Select the link of the size you want below:

1600 x 555 Seattle Skyline

1280 x 444 Seattle Skyline

1024 x 355 Seattle Skyline

You can check out my entire portfolio at Salmon Bay Photography.

iGoogle is Now Social: Google Launches Social Gadgets

Google Gadgets now have social features. This will be very interesting. I have developed Google Gadgets. Making them social is a great move. Like the linked Read Write Web article states, it will be a little while before the developer community makes most of these new features.

Gadgets are a great way to drive traffic. The two gadgets for my photography portfolio site drive 80% of the traffic. The Google Gadget above can be found at http://www.salmonbay.net.

As my 2 regular readers know, photography is a hobby bordering on obsession.

My portfolio site Salmon Bay Photography has freely available (for personal, non-commercial use) Wallpaper images for download.

Check out Salmon Bay Photography | Free Wallpaper.

Have a great weekend!

I am originally from Chicago as is the Weber Grill. I proudly have 2 in the backyard. Charcoal only.

Years ago, my parents acquired a cast iron grill for their Weber, and I have been searching for one since. The search is over. Finally. Check Cast Iron Grate and salivate. I am.

Have a great weekend.

Interesting article in the Seattle Times, Starbucks tests new names for stores.

How do you compete with saturation? Change your name. Will be interesting to see how this works. Anyone remember all the “Seattle’s Best” stores that were shut down after the Starbucks buyout?

Friends ask me all the time if I live in Starbucks. I am pretty equal opportunity with my coffee shops. Some Starbucks stores are great while others are blah. I do frequent the local stores for unique product, atmosphere and free wifi.

Have a great weekend!

UPDATE (7/24): 15th Avenue Coffee and Tea, the “not-a-Starbucks” Starbucks, opens this morning in Seattle’s Capitol Hill. The new pilot store will offer traditional coffee and tea beverages, and will also feature bottled beer and wine, with no official Starbucks branding. Here is Jason Brooks interviewing Major Cohen of Starbucks at the new store.

Have a great weekend!

Red Stone Flower
2009, Glass, Stone and Metal
Never needs watering.

One of my favorite organizations is Pratt Fine Art Center, a nonprofit arts center offering arts education to everyone. Pratt specializes in the fire arts, stone, painting and printmaking. Fire arts is everything from hot glass to blacksmithing and from jewelery to bronze casting.

Pratt has teamed with Swanson’s Nursery in Seattle to support Pratt’s classes and programs with Gallery in the Garden. It is worth checking out if you are in the area. If you are lucky you can buy my piece, Red Stone Flower and support Pratt!

Map to Swanson’s Nursery.

Enjoy the excellent weather.