It’s another fine festive day, though cold and wet across much of the Pacific Northwest. The freezing rain days ago brought a little shut down through the streets of Seattle. The weather, reminding us of the necessity to have our holiday season through the Winter Solstice. The air is colder and the sky darker. We do our best to keep warm and illuminate, both in spirit and body to be vibrant enough to endure well. That calls for a little extra cocoa for me.
Soon, I will be far and away on an almost cancelled place ride twice, and still a delay. The destination is Los Angeles with many hours by rail, while I have little sleep from the night before. I shall meet with friends and family for dinner with both eyes open and a warm heart, then likely pass out shortly after.
And so, the Merry Christmas. I wish the same of yours, as warm and bright as can be.
Christmas season lights, everywhere again. I love it all.
They bring a necessity of cheer to the coldest, wettest time of the year to our northern hemisphere. These colorful beacons repeal the peak darkness and gloom that can be a bit rough sometimes, especially here in the Pacific Northwest. In Seattle, I welcome them especially under the heavy rain. they inspire fantasy and magic, an extra sparkle to the surroundings with dazzling reflections. The more the rain and darker the air, the more mystical magic I see of the holiday season.
Of course, I take some phone pictures for sharing….
May these visions brighten your season too, or go out look for lights in your area!!
– Orion T
Pics were taken at the Westlake Center in Seattle, a fine spot to enjoy the Holiday Season with shopping and happy rain!
I hope you (yes, you!) had a wonderful, warm, and safe Christmas weekend.
I did, though I would have preferred a more traditional day with many friends and family. The pandemic and rising Omicron variant have put a severe damper on that prospect. Still, thanks to the wonders of modern technology with the video conferencing and cellphones, had a lot of heartwarming talks and goofy discussions of the Matrix Resurrections movie (mini-review at the end).
Through the day of Christmas Eve, I went on a small road trip to the Snoqualmie Pass in the mid Washington State mountain region. The snowpack did not disappoint, with about 11 inches fallen in that last 72 hours. I have never been there before, as I wanted at least one small adventure for this Holiday season. So I enjoyed my time, and will write more on it soon.
On Christmas, I spent much of the day alone in my apartment with my cat, Smokey, who was extra cuddly that day. Some friends online could not visit their families that day, citing a lack of vaccination at the dinner tables. So for much of the day, we spent smiling, chatting, updated on our lives though our webcams and microphones. With that exchanging fun video bits from YouTube, and played some Jackbox.tv games online (Quiplash, Drawful 2).
And, I got to share this hilarious comedy sketch from the BBC of a Nativity production gone horribly wrong. Lots of fun, and very clever near the end.
And then the next day, we got Snowpacalypse in Seattle 2, Holiday Boogaloo!!! Lots of snowfall happened overnight and through the day. Of course, I took a long walk. This time, to somewhere different and visual stunning. I have many pictures, of which I will sort out later and share soon. The location, I will keep hidden for now.
Here are some snow pics in the meantime, from Seattle downtown and somewhere in the north of Seattle.
That’s all for now. Stay warm, safe, and cheerful out there!
– Orion T
Bonus movie review: Matrix Resurrections is a reminder that truly creative work owes us nothing, leaving more room for appreciation to be given. I had a lot more typed about that, but then it ‘s more than what I wrote above. Maybe, I will share more on this later. It’s still a great movie for it’s meta-humor, original themes reexplored, and multi-layered relationships. But, the viewer needs to free their mind of what to expect or want, and what may not be given.
Tis the season, from here in the Pacific Northwest…
As the air is cold, the ground is damp, and the day sky is many shades darker. Yet anew, this month of many Holidays brings light and warmth with a fresh mix of seasonal lights, cheery sounds, and activities to enjoy in this rough time.
Especially lately with the ongoing pandemic and bleak news as they can bring a heavy heart down further. This time can be difficult as not everyone has the comforting company or financial stability to help balance out the daily struggles that will not disappear. Especially in Seattle, I feel can be an especially hard city to be mentally struggling for many here dealing with growing socio-economic changes that favor the privileged. Also, the Seattle Freeze is still very real. Yet, we try our best to keep a smile and look forward. I see the Holidays time cheers as a much needed necessity to our collective well-being.
The holiday cheers much help. Every directional salutation of Happy Holidays followed by a smile from merchants, baristas, co-workers, friends, and strangers adds warmth and light to this darkest and coldest of months. There are many public events and sights to witness, especially at and around the Pike Place Market area. We share with something for everyone, leaving room to give and help those troubled and less fortunate. Come together with the best we can, to get through the Winter Solstice, wrap up the longer and eventual year, and also enjoy the Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Rohatsu, Festivus, Life Day, etc. and more with out friends and family.
So, enjoy the holiday decor that lights up the streets and guide our shopping, as they have a universal appeal. Here are some glorious sights of lights from my local area in Seattle (Westlake Center).
Here’s a big gingerbread person, dancing around at the Candytown Holiday Festival in Yaletown, Vancouver, Canada. Gotta love that!
This fresh cheer has me excited for the goofy carefree spirit of the holiday season (as long as you don’t play into the madness of the shopping season pressures including Stupid Black Friday). More egg nog, please!
I’m here for a few days, seeing old friends and away from stress. I’m also doing my holiday shopping through some cool local businesses, and having a silly blast. Lots of maple flavored things!
Christmas season lights at night are favorite visuals of the holiday season.
The arrangement of colors on a tree, across buildings, upon poles and mundane objects, making for a special time to enjoy the timeless tradition of dazzling modern decoration. Such a display is also fun to snap pictures of and experiment in the process.
I did so at the Pike Place Market in Seattle, getting the above shot, and this more abstract result…
Here’s a little holiday season spirit from Frosty the Snowman.
Around him, the air is cold and wet. Yet, here was Frosty with a smile, top hat, and a carrot nose; which helped to warm the heart of those around. There was also Santa Claus, and Mrs. Claus (first name unknown)…
Elves and reindeer, I think….
Then, some other strange creatures…
That was a little of my Sunday morning walk, and only time I spent outside for the weekend. I have missed much of the holiday festivities around here because of personal stuff. I just missed the annual Jungle Bell marathon, as most of its runners long passed the finish line before my arrival. There were many jolly people around, even though the morning rain poured. The finish line had a little fake snow blowing, welcoming those crossing over.
I think I got a lot more to say on all this, but for another day maybe…
Last Friday morning after Thanksgiving, many spectators took part in the yearly holiday tradition of a good old fashioned street parade. This one, being the 28th Annual Macy’s Holiday Parade, in Seattle.
This parade was cozy, small for over an hour through the narrow downtown streets. The weather remained chill, with a little bit of rain halfway through. Some arrived early, camped for the best views, while latecomers clamored for whatever spots were left.
The floats and performers were of many wholesome, non-corporate themes; mostly relating to timeless fun and the childish innocence of old toys and cuddly animals. Marching bands, dancers, unicyclists, candy throwers, city representatives added to this heady mix of holiday seasonal fun. Eventually, Santa Claus arrived on the end float, indirectly reminding many to get to their consumerist-powered gift-shopping done before Christmas Day.
Here are some pics of the parade. Enjoy, and have a happy and safe Holiday season.
Serious rain happened this evening. From the sky, everything drenched below to these streets of the Emerald City. For us getting home from work, we hurried. For others getting the holiday shopping done, they hurried. For the rest, there were whimsical choices and not the need to escape the nightly showers..which is why this merry-go-round was ready to go this late evening.
Also, one can never be too wet for mini-donuts and hot chocolate..
TRAVELING ORION 