Sturgeon Boats

June 4, 2010

I took this bright blue photo this morning before the clouds covered the sky again. Usually on a nice day like this, you might see one, two, three, or four (or a few more) fishing boats on the water near town. Today they are out in great numbers, the folks on board hoping to outsmart the sturgeon in the water, or just get lucky.

When I moved to Astoria in 2001, one of the first unusual things I noticed was a sturgeon being flung into the back of a waiting pickup truck about half a block from the river. People fish off the piers and docks right in town during sturgeon season. The most surreal thing about it was that the fish was amost as big as the guy who caught it.

Only a single point barbless hook can be used, and you can only keep a sturgeon whose "fork length" (nose to the fork in the tail) is between 41 and 54 inches. (104.1 to 137.2 cm) The season opened on the lower Columbia River on May 22, and the time and location limit is "from Buoy 10 to the Wauna powerlines seven days a week . . . with a statewide annual limit of five fish" and a daily limit of one per person.

Sturgeon can be yummy if you cook them right, or it can smell and chew like rubber. One secret I found is to either cook it immediately, or leave it wrapped in the fridge for a couple of days. You can also freeze and thaw it. I had the rubber problem with sturgeon cooked the day after someone caught it. Any hints from readers?

While we're on length conversions, there is an amazing web site I learned about recently called WolframAlfa. You can get it to return basic information like this, detailed information like this, or surprisingly detailed information like this. Or a comparison like this or this. Or maybe you'd like to compare the states of Washington and Oregon. The video intro is very cool.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Upper Level of the Uppertown Firefighters' Museum

I always think this exposed side of the building looks like a work of art. Too bad the lighting wasn't better. My friend Lisa, who has recently moved from Astoria to Florida writes, "I'm amused that the weather looks sunny and clear in so many of [your photos]. Perhaps you have a gig with the Oregon Coast Tourism Bureau in your future?"

I've thought about this clear sky thing. I don't do it on purpose, and I don't mind saying that it rains a lot here (and this year it seems to have rained almost every day since January 1, 2010). It's just that the lighting is so much nicer when the sun is out, and I get tired of showing muddy colors from poor lighting. When the sun is out, Astoria can be glorious, so I load up on photos on those days. It's also nicer not to have rain on your lens. However, today's photo was taken this morning with heavy clouds in the sky, and the colors on the building could be better.

This is the 30th Street side of the old Fire Station No. 2. The front of the building is at the left on Marine Drive. It's an interesting facade with nice lettering, and I'll photograph it another day (maybe when the sun is out). The museum houses antique firefighting equipment and is fun for kids. I'd like to visit it myself, but it never seems to be open. Here's another link for you.

And for you Goonies fans, I will be covering some of the events. There isn't much happening out my window. Most of the people will be here over the weekend.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

St. Mary's Lintel

May 22, 2010

There's a stone bench in the garden behind the Flavel House near the corner of 8th Street and Exchange.

If you come close to it, you'll see that it says "St. Mary's Hospital, 1905." Apparently this was the lintel to the old hospital toward the other end of Exchange.

Here is the bench from the other side. In this photo, you can also see two benches and dark salmon flowers from this post. On the right is the corner of the Carriage House Museum.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Theme Day: Funny Signs

Outside the women's bathroom at Pier 39.

On the door of the same bathroom. I'm not sure which sign is scarier.

Click here to see all CDP Theme Day participants.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Adventures on 8th Street

April 10, 2010

I hope we get some interesting comments from locals and visitors about 8th Street. Eighth Street is one of my favorites. It's fun for walking, and I feel like I've accomplished something when I get to the top. Every few steps, it's fun to turn around and look at the view. And no, the hill doesn't stop where it looks like it stops, you simply can't see any further up the slope from here. It's fun driving 8th Street, too. At about the point where the road disappears in this photo, it feels like you've gone airborne. No wonder the sign at Franklin and 8th says, "No Trucks, No Trailers, No Buses."

Looking back down 8th Street from somewhere near Franklin. That's the Flavel House behind the power poles. Since this is Goonies Week (25th anniversary of the movie), I'll note that the Goonies' Jail is behind the Flavel House (out of view). You can see the corners of the Clatsop County Courthouse and the Astoria Post Office.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Shadows and Reflections

May 25, 2010

When I glanced up from the computer, I discovered one of the most glorious displays of evening light we've had all year. The drizzle and mist over the river caught the sun's fading light, turning the river into a wonderland.

The black mark in front of the hills of Washington is a buoy on the river.

Zooming changes the color of the sunset. In this case, it became more dramatic, but less real. This is how it came out of the camera - I didn't tweak. What I really liked and tried to capture was the momentary straightness of the sun's reflection over the water as it poured through the gap in the hills. Between my first shots and this one, the sun moved just enough to take one of the piers of the bridge into its path.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Animal Planter

Warrenton or Hammond, Oregon ~ March 28, 2010

I've enjoyed looking at this planter in the grassy median ever since I first noticed it. I don't know how old it is, but I hope it's around for awhile longer. I'm not sure how long that will be, since it has clearly been affected by the wet environment. The planter was made with nice colors, and it features animals of our maritime area.

The median separates 6th Street from Pacific Drive and stops at Lake Street, just beyond the planter. Not that I would have known any of these street names. It's across from the mini storage on one corner, the mini mart on another corner, and is at one of the entrances to Ft. Stevens State Park. I'm actually not sure if the location is Hammond or Warrenton, but if you know the area, you will know where it is. There are small stores where you can buy bait and tackle, and various things needed for an outing in the park or a fishing trip on the river or ocean. Can anyone tell me if this is officially Hammond or Warrenton?

I've found myself taking so many photos of animal art "along the way" over the years, that I finally started a blog for - yes - Animal Art Along the Way. It's not brand new. I'm up to 107 posts now, and it's an *almost* daily blog. I'm sure that parts of this planter will appear there soon.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

The Goonies' 25th Anniversary Celebration: June 3-7, Astoria, Oregon

May 26, 2010

This is the place. I found out the other day that headquarters - or The Goondocks, as they're calling it - will be in the old Englund Marine building right next door to my shop at 15th Street and the River Walk. Does that mean there will be 30 people converging on the nextdoor parking lot? 300? 3,000? I have no idea, but I'll definitely keep you posted. Today's photo is the window of Englund Marine. (I've left the image large so you can read the poster if you click on the image.) With the "We've Moved" sign removed from the glass, the empty store will come alive for the long weekend, and will be the location for ticket sales, souvenirs, and treasure maps. June 3 to 7 will will be festive and interesting around here, I'm sure. I'll keep my camera at the ready. You can read more about events and plans on this web site.

By the way, the reflections in the window are Hunt's Furniture Store (in front; now under new ownership and renamed Roby's Furniture and Appliance), and Owens-Adair Apartments (the taller building in the back with a pointed roof), a care and housing facility for seniors. It was at one time St. Mary's Hospital, now in a much bigger building a few blocks away. If you look again, you might see the looming shape of the photographer.

See more Weekend Reflections.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Red, White, and Blue?

May 26, 2010

The violet rhodies at the southwest corner of the Astoria Post Office are almost in full bloom. As you can see, the red ones in front have about disappeared. I've been musing on the fact that the scheme at the post office seems to be vaguely red, white, and blue, with violet covering for blue. There are at least six or seven bushes around the front of the post office making up what looks at first glance like two huge bushes, and I'll show others in upcoming posts.

The shelter across the street at the corner of the courthouse is a memorial to (or display of) one of the area's lumbered old-growth trees. It's hard to photograph with the strong lights and darks, but I'll post it one of these days with good or bad photos. The corner is 7th and Commercial.

Here's a close-up of today's rhododendron flowers.

I took this photo four days ago when many of the blossoms were getting ready to open.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Flavel House Garden in Bloom

May 22, 2010

The Flavel House garden is absolutely gorgeous this year with azaleas, rhododendrons, irises, and other flowers I can't name. For those unfamiliar with the location, the houses you see here are private homes on the other side of Exchange Street. The gables on these Victorian homes look unusual to me. They make me think of farm houses from the Midwest. If anyone can tell me more about the style, I'd be interested.

If you liked Monday's post about the whaling ship Tom & Al that had a number of interesting careers, check back and see the five new links at the end contributed by Midnight Mike. They show the ship in use as a whaler and also as the pilot boat Columbia. Nice photos. Mike also made some interesting comments about the people he knew who were involved in whaling. Have you ever had a whale burger?

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.