ELIZABETH WARREN

"Every now and then, someone comes along and says something that makes everything clear.  Elizabeth Warren just did that, and the world is taking notice."

"There is nobody in this country who got rich on his own. Nobody. You built a factory out there -- good for you."

"But I want to be clear. You moved your goods to market on the roads the rest of us paid for. You hired workers the rest of us paid to educate. You were safe in your factory because of police forces and fire forces that the rest of us paid for. You didn't have to worry that marauding bands would come and seize everything at your factory..."

"Now look. You built a factory, and it turned into something terrific or a great idea -- God bless! Keep a big hunk of it. But part of the underlying social contract is you take a{nother} hunk of that and pay it forward for the next kid who comes along."

Just sayin'

MORE "BEEN THERE..."

Sweet Memories of BRITISH COLUMBIA, July, 2007

Through the mountain and into the trees

And the ever-stunning Lake Louise

SOUTH CAROLINA

A few of those "Been There, Done That"

Sweet Memories.  This one at daybreak, Outer Banks, 2009

Charleston, SC

Priceless Seagrass baskets

And an "abstract."  Sort of!

I WAS WRONG!

Again.  Although the Sierra is still my favorite mountain range, the Cascades have earned a special place in my heart.  Maybe because this range of (we hope) extinct (or at least inactive) volcanoes is so in your face when the skies are clear and blue.  Mt. Baker, Mt. Adams, Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Rainier, and all the way south to Lassen are peaks that on a clear day, one can see for miles around.  And they are stunning in their white-cloaked majesty.

UP HERE

 DOWN THERE

For the folks who live in the shadow of Rainier, you can often hear, "The mountain's out?  Ho-Hum. What's this?  Our ninety-third hour of Summer?!!!  "Big deal!!  But what do I know?  I'm just an awestruck tourist!

MYSTERY PLANT

Does anyone know what these curious little plants are?  The leaf structure resembles that of an anemone (noticeable when the second photo is enlarged).

Shimmering in the sunlight and their beards fluttering in the breeze, they reminded me of miniature garden gnomes -- tiny, feathered sentinels for the colorful treasures in the meadows around them.

Common Buttercups

Owl's Clover

Rockjasmine

 Aster

Bear Grass

Delicious Lupine that filled the meadows with the scent of Nehi Grape Soda!

  All photographed at the foot of Mt. Rainier.

SCOTTISH PRIDE

My sister, brother-in-law and I enjoyed a warm, sunny day at the Scottish Festival that has landed at the Enumclaw Expo Center every July for 65 years.  It's huge!  And, from all over the world, it draws clan members, pipers, dancers, game challengers and dogs to play, compete and party.  In case you haven't heard, Scots do like to party hardy!

 First, the Parade of Clans...

...that also included "families" of Celtic breeds and Northwest kennel clubs

Isn't this black and white dog the spitting image of the dog in the "For Better or Worse" cartoon?

This is John McBride, pipe major, whose soulful, goose-bump-producing bagpiping starts the festivities.  John does not have a tan line.  I know.  I hired John to play his pipes at my sister's surprise 50th birthday.  Of course the women in attendance asked ... and were visually enlightened!

Celtic Breeds Agility Trials

Celtic Breed Stuffed Shirt!

We Robertsons shake our heads in confusion...how did Clan Robertson suddenly become Clan Donnachaidh (Don-a-kee)?  We stopped at the clan tent and inquired.  Apparently "Donnachaidh" is the Gaelic spelling/pronunciation for "Robertson."  Ask me?....they shoulda just let it be -- in plain ol' king's English!  (Obviously, they didn't ask me!)

 A traditional pipe band from Canada ~~

A co-ed band, but the drummers were *all* girls.  WOW!  These lassies could swing and twirl their pom-pom drum "sticks" like the Rockettes swing their legs and were the absolute finest keepers of the cadence!

A rocking Australian band called "Brother" -- guitar, bagpipes, drums, and ... say WHAT?  A didgeridoo.  An *amplified* didgeridoo!  It was fun to watch this non traditional band  treat us to a different, foot-tapping, energetic sound....

... and to watch the young and old audience respond to its primal beat.  You could almost "be there" if you click here:  http://www.brothermusic.com/

This guy...not so much!

Lots of men in kilts...

Lots of umm, er, zaftig women in princess garb!

Yes, Enumclaw is smack dab in the middle of a dairy-producing, cow country region.

I don't care how it's labeled, it's not Scottish food!

Practicing for tomorrow's competition -- so nimble and sweet.

These flirts were corralled inside the beer garden doing what they do best after tossing cabers:  drinking a good ale and oogling the babes...

...including my sister, who stopped and flirted right back after they referred to her as a "hottie."  Discerning folks, those Scots!!

Little "hotties" in training, cooling off next to the misters -- *water* misters.

Cross-eyed ... or just cool?!!

Hope you had fun people watching too!