Cranky German - Das Glas ist halb leer.

Das Glas ist halb leer.

Art, climbing, photography, bicycling, food and other essentials.

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March 9, 2010

The Other Day in Wetzlar

Filed under // Germany travel Wetzlar

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February 24, 2010

Descending on your $12 elevator ticket into the cave reveals a scene right out of a Dutch Renaissance painting. Bustling, pushing, shoving, complex overtones of Mongolian throat singing, wafts of rotten fish, fierce seas washing away the muck.

Behind the scenes:

Sea Lion Cave from Cranky German on Vimeo.

Filed under // animals Oregon travel

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February 12, 2010

The Enjoyment of Music

You never know what you might find on Belmont Street.

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February 9, 2010

Daffodils

Ever since looking at a Alfred Stieglitz picture I have been channeling Georgia O'Keeffe. Spring time in Portland.

Filed under // flowers

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February 5, 2010

White Iris

Filed under // flowers

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January 31, 2010

Finding Broken Top

Broken Top is a volcano near Bend, Oregon. In Summer it looks like a pile of rubble. Add a little snow and its 9175 feet look quite dramatic. Looking to ski to Broken Top from the Nordic Center at Mt. Bachelor? Take your compass and head straight North ... the return is downhill and much faster.

Filed under // mountain Oregon ski

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January 28, 2010

Patti Smith at the Bagdad

"I hate being odd in a small town
if they stare let them stare in New York City
as this pink eyed painting albino
how far can my fantasy go"

- Lou Reed

Occasionally somebody interesting will come through our big little town. How nice when they come to the Bagdad Theater, just a couple blocks down the street. Oddly, we are at our worst in the grace of the great. I wasn't there when David Byrne spoke at the Bagdad recently, but from everything I read it was a feast of the small-minded and self-important hosts.

Portlanders gracious hosts do not make. We set up a plush arm chair with dim lights so a poet and musician from the New York City punk rock movement can read from her book about groundbreaking photographer Mapplethorpe. Well she may be over sixty and have trouble reading in poor light, but to her credit Ms. Smith ain't gonna sit in the armchair to do the story hour.

We wanted to disappear from embarrassment in our imagined plush armchairs when our fellow Stumptowners proceeded to loudly put away dishes in the background, take flash photos from every which angle and parade four starstruck yet self-important questioners from the audience.

Amazing grace. I am in awe how Patti Smith held her composure and gave earnest answers to awkward questions. We have much to learn.