Palouse Falls

It's a little out of the way, but on the way to Walla Walla, we stopped by Palouse Falls, it is between the towns of Washtucna and Starbuck.
It is the first time that I had visited the falls in probably 40 years and could really appreciate it's beauty. 
Palouse Falls is at the confluence of the Palouse and Snake Rivers.

Lots Of School Spirit

Between Othello and Washtucna, a farmer declares his love of the WSU Cougars.

Lorraine: Impact of Barer Fellowship

A great program started with a donation by my cousin Stan and his wife Alta.    More on this on a later date.

Mariners Win Number 50

Nothing is guaranteed, but what the Seattle Mariner fans have is hope as the team won it's 50th game yesterday, beating Baltimore 8-7.  

 The team lost a 5-4 lead in the 8th inning when Chis Davis hit a 3 run homer in the 8th.  Kyle Seeger then tied the game in the 9th with a  2 run blast.   Denard Span (above right) hit a sacrifice fly in the 11th to bring home Jean Segura for the winning score.  

The win came at the midway point in the season.  

Parents Speak Out After Football Player Son’s Suicide: ‘It Was A Shock T...

One of the most tragic events in WSU Cougar history was the suicide of promising quarterback Tyler Hilinski.  In this Today Show interview, Tyler's parents reveal what may have brought it on.

Dasher Swims The Snoqualmie

On a hot Sunday, Dasher jumps into the Snoqualmie River after hiking with our friends.

Summer Breeze - Seals & Croft #1 Hit(1972)

Summer is here!

Summer Night On The Deck At DaVine Whiskey And Wine Bar

Deb and I, went to DaVine Whiskey and Wine Bar for dinner last night and sat on the deck with Dasher.  Our food server, Danielle was very enthusiastic and helpful.  

The wine sipping spot, about 8 years old, is located in the Wilderness Village shopping area in Maple Valley. Over the years, it's offerings have been expanded.  It now offers a light menu, wine, whiskey and cocktails.  

I had the street tacos and the 5 Star Merlot.  It was delicious and the beautiful sunset added to the backdrop.  It was a great way to top off a beautiful day in Maple Valley.  

DaVine is located at 23836 222nd Pl SE #106 in Maple Valley.

The Farmers Market Is Back

The Maple Valley Farmers Market is up and running. It takes place every Saturday through the summer at Rock Creek Elementary School.

Paul McCartney Carpool Karaoke

This video has been going viral on facebook.  As well as being cute, there is some great history.

Levine Podcast--How Do Writers Know What's Funny?

Veteran comedy writer Ken Levine, who has written for shows like Mash, Frasier, and Cheers, talks about how writers can get a feel of what audiences will think is funny.  You can catch that on his weekly podcast by clicking here. 
Levine, perhaps TV's best comedy writer, has had a new blog post every day for the last 12 or 13 years.  His weekly podcast, started a little over a year ago.

Scoop Jackson Spoke In Walla Walla On July 4th 1976

The most serious run for president by a Washingtonian, up to this point, was in 1976 when Senator Henry "Scoop" Jackson tossed his hat into the ring.  He won the Massachusetts and New York Primaries, but his loss in Pennsylvania knocked him out of the race.  
That very summer, Jackson spoke at Pioneer Park in Walla Walla at the city's 4th Of July celebration.  It was a big find for the small town on the nation's bicentennial.
Jackson's most memorable quote was that his campaign was "a remarkable  bicentennial tour of the United States--until I hit Pennsylvania" the self-deprecating, good natured reference to what may have been the darkest day of his career  drew laughter for the crowd.
I was in the crowd with my family to watch the speech.

Hallelulah, Brandi Carlile and Tahoma Choir, Maple Valley, WA, 2018

Another great video of Brandi performing at Tahoma High School earlier this month with young home grown talent.

Music At Maple Valley Coffee/Wine Bar

Two brothers entertain coffee and wine sippers at Ristrettos on Kent-Kangley Road in Maple Valley on Saturday night.  

Al Garman Will Be Missed

Washington State Democrats, gathering for their bi-annual convention this weekend got some  sad news.  Al Garman (bottom picture),  photographer  and history recorder for the Washington State Democratic Party had passed away.
In a political party split on various issues, one thing everyone could agree on was that Al was a party treasure.  He took the picture at the top of me during a State Committee meeting in Lynnwood.
By trade, he was a cabinet maker.  Al Garman had been battling cancer for years.

Father's Day 2018

Have a  Happy Father's Day!! Still missing mine.

Lake Wilderness From The Trail

I usually park at the church on Witte Roaf and walk through the tunnel, but because of a function at the church, Dasher and I started on the trail at Lake Wilderness Park.  We went where the trail goes above the lake and got this picture.

New Beach House Under Constructions

The beach at Lake Wilderness Park has been in near shambles as construction continues on the new beach house structure.  The old one was torn down earlier in the Spring  Completion is scheduled for late July.

No Head Tax On Seattle Businesses

The Head tax on large businesses in Seattle to help with the homeless crisis has been repealed. The council, who had voted unanimously to impose the tax has faced pressure from both companies like Amazon and Starbucks and from citizens of the city.  It has been thought to discourage hiring.  

At one point Amazon shut down it's construction and it may have delayed the approval of the NHL to expand to Seattle.  

It seems like Seattle has faced two unpleasant choices, uncontrolled growth with a worsening homeless problem or being having jobs leave the city and turning into a "ghost town".

Two council people stuck with their guns and voted against repealing the tax.

Old Walla Walla Radio Remembered 25--The Walla Walla Men's Garden Club

The Walla Walla Men's Garden Club radio program ran on KTEL for decades.  Although my grandfather, Ed Granek, is not pictured above, he was often on the panel, another reason I may have developed a love for radio.  When my grandfather moved overseas in the mid 1960s, he would join the panel whenever he was in town.  Upon moving back to Walla Walla, he again would be on the radio with the Garden Club.
The Men's Garden Club Show would air Tuesday mornings from Spring to Fall and be sponsored by Long's Garden and Pet.  Listeners would call in questions, which radio personnel would write down and hand to the panel.  They would use their gardening expertise to answer the questions.
Thank you to the Bygone Walla Walla blog for this picture.

Brandi Carlile, Lucia Flores-Wiseman, Maple Valley, WA, 2018

Lucia Flores-Wiseman was another local artist highlighted  by Brandi Carlile  during her performance at Tahoma High School.

The Joke: Brandi Carlile and Benicio Bryant

Brandi Carlile performed at  Maple Valley's Tahoma High School and was joined by 13 year old Benicio Bryant.  After a little research, I found that Mr. Bryant had performed on "The Voice Kids" in Germany.  Carlile appeared at the Tahoma High School Performing Arts Center  last Tuesday in a benefit for the Tahoma Schools Foundation.  Carlile is an alumnus of Tahoma High School.

Simon & Garfunkel Tribute by AJ Swearingen and Jonathan Beedle

Last night, I joined the my in-laws to watch this pair AJ Swearinger and Jonathan Beedle join the Seattle Symphony Orchestra in a tribute to the famous folk duo, Simon And Garfunkel.   The performance took place at Benaroya Hall in Downtown Seattle.

Rock And Roll From The Late 1960s

From the Seattle Vintage Facebook group, Burl Barer (center) with Led Zeppelin lead singer Robert Plant (left) from a 1969 Led Zeppelin Seattle concert.   Burl was a DJ at KOL at the time.

Steve Barer's Ice Hockey Career Featured

My brother, Steve  enjoyed pretty long stint as a hockey player as a youth.  He started before starting school.  Since my sports career was mostly being a fan, I was impressed.  He was interviewed in this column in the local paper.

RFK Assasination--50 Years Ago

I was 10 years old and was finishing 4th grade.  I was interesting in politics as my parent were and I was pulling for Senator Robert F. Kennedy, the brother of John F. Kennedy, who had fallen to an assassination.
There was something exciting and attractive about the Kennedy family. 
The president, Lyndon Johnson, had announced he was not running for reelection.  He was already being challenge by Kennedy and Minnesota Senator Eugene McCarthy both anti war candidates. 
Kennedy lost in the Oregon primary.  He had to come in first in what was then the winner take all California Primary or he would be out of the race.
The outlook was bleak, when I went to bed, Kennedy was trailing McCarthy. The next morning, my mom came to wake me up, Senator Kennedy had been shot.  The cruel irony is that he won the California primary.  He was alive, but in critical condition.  Sadly, the next day, he died.  A campaign that had so much promise was lost to an assassins bullet.

Howard Cosell Grandson Lands Mets Gig.

Colin Cosell, grandson of legendary sports announcer Howard Cosell, revealed on his Facebook fan page that he will be one of two PA announcers for the New York Mets.  Cosell and Marysol Castro, the first woman announcer for the Mets will alternate by series.
Cosell is no stranger to this blog, as I enjoyed linking to his SNM commentaries a few years ago.  Colin comes across a nice guy and a real people person.  He was the winner of 3 Emmy Awards during his run with the MSG Varsity Network.  

Hey, Look Up! See Whose In First!

After an 8 inning 5 hit effort by Felix Hernandez, the Seattle Mariners, owner of the longest playoff draught in professional sports, took sole possession of first place with a 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.  It's still early in the season and a lot can happen.  But victories are victories and the team is finding new ways to win.

AL West standings

1. Mariners 37-22 (.627)

2. Astros 37-23 (.617) | 0.5 GB

3. Angels 31-28 (.525) | 6 GB

4. Athletics 31-29 (.517) | 6.5 GB

5. Rangers 25-36 (.410) | 13 GB

Baseball Writer Autographs Book

 Baseball reporter and author Jay Jaffe was kind enough to autograph his latest book, The Case For Cooperston.  Jaffe's work has appeared in Sports Illustrated.  The book is available on Amazon. 
Back in Walla Walla, Jay's grandparents, Drs.Bernie and Clara were long time friends of our family.  

To check out this great book, click here.

Lee Goldberg Interviewed By Brother

I've been excited to follow the careers of Lee and Tod Goldberg.  After all, their grandfather and my grandfather were brothers. Lee and I used to play together when we were children, during the family's summer visits from the Bay Area.  Now both of them are award winning, well regarded authors and Lee has also been a television writer and producer. 
In Lee's recent blog post, he talks about being interviewed by brother, Tod for the Los Angeles Review Of Books  (LARB).  The interview brought back memories for me as their Mom, who was an influence on my blog, passed away a few years ago.
Lee posted an excerpt of the interview with a link to it in it's entirety.