McSchwinn Likes It

The last week has looked pretty good on the BBQ index (days above 60F). We've gone on several wonderful adventures, and true to form I haven't taken many pictures. This post is a synopsis of our adventures over the last week or so.

First we went to Honk Fest West on 5/14. It was more a cacophonous mingling of multiple simultaneous performances than a traditional music festival. The laid-back atmosphere was welcoming and people of all walks of life seemed to be mingling and having a great time.

There was music and dancing like this:

and Mrs Smitty got to test her slack rope skills.
We had a lull in the stellar skies for the next couple days so the little Smitties and I stayed indoors and did a little baking. We made white bread with oats and currants. It was quite delicious no matter what we put on it or even if we didn't put anything on it at all. Embarrassingly the loaf lasted less than 24 hours. We can have cookies, ice cream or brownies in the house and I can not eat them but fresh bread is my weakness.

Blue skies returned just in time for Mrs Smitty to have a half day at work. We took advantage of the extra day light family time by riding our bikes to the Seattle Center to play in the fountain.

We stopped on our way to the fountain at South Lake Union Park to watch the float planes land and take off. Sorry, no pics of float planes, but aren't we a cute family?

There were a bunch of people around when we showed up but nobody was playing in the water. We weren't shy about being the first ones to get wet. Dogs and bikes can have fun in the water too.

Snack time on one of the many lawns at the Seattle Center

This was actually a re-attempt of a failed trip to the fountain last summer when the fountain was closed for maintenance on the day we went. For some reason we never got back there last year. The fountain is choreographed to go along with music that plays over loudspeakers in the vicinity. Even though most of the music is familiar it's mixed in such a way that you don't always know when the fountain is going to instantly transform from a gurgling trickle to a raging torrent. The informal game is to touch the metal dome and stay there longer than anyone else. Mrs Smitty had a few lengthy stretches with her hand on the dome but her clothes got soaked.

We were pleased the fountain was going strong for this visit. After we dried out from the fountain we took the scenic route home along the water front.

The next day, today, Mrs Smitty took the day off work to volunteer at the Lil' Smitty's preschool. She led a nature scavenger hunt and made some delicious treats.

The day was so nice we felt compelled to follow pre-school with a bike ride along the Burke Gilman Trail to the "bike-to-work-day after-party". At the after-party Mike "McSchwinn" McGinn, the Mayor of Seattle, stopped me and asked about my Big Dummy setup. It was sort of fun talking family-hauling bikes with the mayor. I wish I had gotten a picture of him with me and my bike.

The BG Trail was once a railroad grade that followed the shore of Lake Washington. This pic doesn't really show the details very well (wooden truss, creosote treated logs, old bridge smell, etc) but this bridge appears to largely be a remnant of those RR days.

There are rumors of some sort of pedestrian/pedal powered parade tomorrow. Not sure if we're going to make it or not. If we do, perhaps I'll remember to take a few pics and there will be more to report on from this fabulous week.