The old and new meet, quite literally, at Forum Groningen and Martinitoren Church. These two buildings could not be more different and they lie only a few steps from one another. To me, they represent the traditional and the modern that defines the city of Groningen. Forum Groningen is an ulta-modern building that contains a library, media area, study areas, a rooftop café, tourist information, and gift shop. The building has 10 levels but looks to be about 40 stories tall. The rooftop offers spectacular views of the area. The building looks like someone took a 40-story rock square and then sliced the sides and different angles with a giant…

Immediately after a very long flight to Amsterdam we took a 2+ hour train trip to Groningen. The train was smooth and quiet and the seats were quite comfortable. We passed through lots of farmland with livestock including cows (lots of cows), sheep, and horses. LOTS of waterways cut through the flat landscape. The pastures and vegetation reminded me of the middle section of Oregon along I-5. The towns and cities that we passed contained lots of interesting architecture ranging from very modern to very traditional. One thing that got my attention was the amount of brick work. Many (perhaps most) buildings were not the generic style that infects many…

We flew into Amsterdam and immediately took a 2-hour train ride to Groningen, a college city that is considered the Capitol of the north. We stayed at a lovely BnB near a large park with a canal (Noorderplantsoen). We walked through the park many times, at all hours of day and night, on our way to and from the city center. In the park we saw LOTS of people enjoying themselves at all times of the day/night. The park contained quiet areas by a canal, benches, sunny and grassy areas, areas shaded by trees, a playground for kids, and multiple paths. I saw people walking dogs, taking naps, having picnics,…

When driving on Hwy-101 in northern California you MUST take the time to see the Redwoods. These giant trees can grow to heights of over 300′. Standing in a grove of these giants feels like standing in a sacred cathedral of nature. The road offers many sightseeing places and I only got to see a few so my list is far from complete. Hwy-101 turns inland just north of Humboldt Lagoon. Look for the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway. From Hwy-101 take exit 753 if traveling north and exit 765 if traveling south. The scenic parkway takes you through an absolutely spectacular forest filled with groves of giant redwoods. Take…

Wallace, ID lies about 45 minutes east of Coeur d’Alene. The entire town is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. This old-school mining town contains a variety of shops, eateries, museums, and other interesting places. The Visitor Center grounds contains a variety of mining equipment on display. Wallace offers a nice place to take a break whether you want to make a quick stop or or spend some time exploring. Center of the Universe On September 25, 2004, Mayor Ron Garitone proclaimed Wallace as the Center Of The Universe. A manhole manhole cover in the middle of the intersection of 6th and Bank mark the actual center. Around…

I’ve driven I-90 several times but never stopped in Coeur d’Alene (CdA), Idaho until spending a week there in 2021. I regret not stopping before because this area has so much to offer. CdA itself is a fun city complete with eateries of all types, shops, museums, and lots of outdoor activities. The downtown contains lots of art pieces as well as open areas, a dog park, hikes, floating boardwalk, carousel, Hubb Hill, trails, etc. Mudgy & Millie Trail When first touring CdA I recommend starting with the Mudgy and Millie Trail. The adorable moose and mouse characters are featured in a number of children’s books. Five bronze statues of…

Spokane is a large city on the border of Washington State and Idaho. The city contains many interesting sights, but my favorites (so far) are Manito Park and Riverfront Park. Be advised that the streets in Spokane are extremely confusing. It is good to have a navigator who can run a GPS. Manito Park A “must see” place is Manito Park located on the west side of Spokane. This huge park contains multiple gardens including the Nishinomiya Japanese Garden, the Duncan Garden (a formal garden), the Rose Garden, and Perennial Garden. It also contains the Gaiser Conservatory, Mirror Pond, playgrounds, open areas, etc. We normally park near the Rose Garden…

This story begins with some house visitors who decided to permanently borrow a bunch of electronics and other things from my house. They impolitely opened the back sliding door with a universal key (crowbar) and then went shopping. I came home from shooting some awesome tulip pictures in the Skagit Valley and found the house in disarray (more than usual, that is) and stuff gone. Thinking such behavior was rather rude I called the Sheriff’s office and that’s where the story begins.

One of our projects was shooting portraits for church photo directory. This would be a fun and challenging project that would provide a much needed resource for our church. Our goal was to provide a very unique directory that allowed people’s personalities to shine through the photos. Too many church directories use standard head shots and we wanted to add some creativity. I thought this project would be about shooting and organizing portraits. I was very mistaken.

The Pacific Northwest has many places to watch eagles. The bald eagles are particularly impressive birds to watch. A few places to watch eagles include: On Fir Island take Wylie Road to the Fish & Game building. There are trails and view points near the water. Take Hwy-9 to Mt Baker Hwy. After about a mile turn on the truck road to Mosquito Lake Bridge. Take North Fork Road to view eagles in the stream eating fish.