A few recent photos

I have a few more recent photos posted on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rwhitlock/

Mount Tahoma

I saw this view from the roof of a friend's place:


Mount Tahoma (Rainier) seen from Olympia, Washington, August 2011
view larger here

Flowers in Sunlight

Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary, August 2011

Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden

I am in Minnesota visiting family. Today I went to the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary in Wirth Park. There was some tornado damage in the Northwest part of the park, but the Garden was thankfully spared the worst of the damage. Other parts of North Minneapolis were not so lucky, a pretty powerful tornado earlier this year did a lot of damage. Here are some photos from the park, in slideshow format and video (with audio) format:

Slideshow:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rwhitlock/sets/72157627227371923/

Video with some sounds from the park:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHtsaTWNr6I

"Let Nature Be Your Teacher"

Flying

Earlier tonight I met with my book group. We read a book by Charlotte and Harriet Childress called Clueless at the Top. It's about different aspects of hierarchy in our socio-cultural system, and how people at the top of hierarchies have a tendency to take for granted the experiences of people who are lower in hierarchies. It is an interesting and relevant book, for example, in one chapter the authors discuss how judging and ranking can be socially harmful behaviors. I recommend the book to anyone who is interested in cultural studies, and/or making the world a better place.

Right now I am at the Seatac airport waiting to board a flight to go to Minneapolis. It's about midnight, so I definitely won't get a view like this!

Moonrise with Smog

Smoke from a fireworks show combined with moisture on a warmish July night to form a cloud of smog, which drifted northward from Capitol Lake on Budd Inlet. In this photo, the rising Moon can be seen.

Harmful Activities

According to some Buddhist thinkers, there are 10 major harmful activities. I found the following on the Tricycle Magazine website:

THERE ARE TEN actions that we must become completely aware of and completely abandon in our lives. They are divided into three unvirtuous actions of the body: killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct; four unvirtutous actions of speech: lying, slander, harsh speech, and idle chatter; and three unvirtuous actions of mind: covetousness, wishing harm on others, and wrong view.

www.tricycle.com/insights/complete-abandon

I Am (the documentary [by Tom Shadyac])

I have posted this before, and now I am posting again. This is a strong film, entertaining and with a powerful message. I saw it for the second time in the theater last week, and it has me thinking a lot. I have talked with several people about the film.

Here's the trailer from YouTube:

Scenic Beach State Park Panoramic Vista

I am back in Olympia after the weekend festivities at the Fellowship of Reconciliation Annual Northwest Conference at Seabeck.

[There are bombs bursting in air as I type this. (I wish people wouldn't celebrate war...)]

The weekend was busy, and my head is full of ideas, and my heart is full of feeling. Lots of introspective processing, and also processing about the ways of the world. Thoughts about Ayn Rand and socio-pathic corporations v. "parasitic human-beings"... Thoughts about changing the world, and visions of an economic that is not predatory... Feelings about where I am at in life, what I am doing, who I am... Lots and lots!

The people at Seabeck were great. I wish I only had time and energy to really get to know everyone there!

Many stories to tell. And some great jokes!

Here's a photo from early Monday morning, the 4th of July. This is from Scenic Beach State Park, which is about 2 miles from the Seabeck Conference Center.


Monday 4 July 2011, Olympic Mountains and Peninsula, seen across Hood Canal from Scenic Beach State Park, Seabeck, Kitsap Peninsula
view large
Large size high resolution version available for purchase. Please inquire at robertfwwhitlock@gmail.com

Photos from Seabeck 2011

Saturday 2 July 2011, Seabeck

This is the view from near Big Beef Creek. The waterway is the Hood Canal. The mountains are the Olympics. On the right hand side of the image are some of the docks for the Naval Base Kitsap Bangor Submarine Nuclear Weapons facility.

I am in Seabeck for the Fellowship of Reconciliation Annual Northwest Regional Conference. The theme of this year's conference is fair and sustainable economics. More information here: www.wwfor.org/

view image large: here

more photos:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rwhitlock/sets/72157626978540763/