Sections - Lava Cave | Waterfall, Market & Space Needle Fireworks | Tacoma Glass & Mt. Rainier | Microsoft! | Wine & Ft. Lewis IMG_0589 Off to the wineries since I'm sure Daniel was bored out of his mind! Here's Chateau Ste. Michelle. It is the single largest producer of Reisling in the world and made more than 600,000 CASES of wine last year! They also have a lot of vineyards to the east in a quite arid region (6 inches of rain a year). IMG_0592 Tables outside the wine tasting area...classy chained bottle openers IMG_0593 How flourishing of a logo IMG_0595 IMG_0597 A few of the 600k cases IMG_0600 The era of Prohibition! Good thing we're inhibited now, if only we could habitate with alcohol more peacefully... IMG_0601 Nice coastline...sunny inland...tasty grapes...tasty wine IMG_0603 Fancy French oak barrels they pay several thousand dollars for - bought through brokers IMG_0604 Why would ANYONE trust a magazine that's just a SPECTATOR of wine? Why not wine-o or something more participative? IMG_0606 Looks fancy, perhaps for filtering? IMG_0607 Brad takes a picture of the wine IMG_0609 Joshua and Alison during the tasting IMG_1955* I do miss the superb macro photography of small consumer cameras - say cheese IMG_1956* IMG_1965* Brad, Joshua, Alison, Daniel, and Jay IMG_1967* Daniel overjoyed that the tour of the winery is about to start IMG_1968* Jay...overjoyed...blah blah blah IMG_1996* Pretty wine glasses IMG_0611 Pretty wine glasses and barrels IMG_0612 Few tasters used the bucket thingy IMG_0617 Back on Ft. Lewis here we see the fancy colonel's houses IMG_0620 Trusty (outback?) car of Brad and Alison with parade grounds in the background and Mt. Rainier behind that if it wasn't so overcast IMG_0623 A major's house (I think) was inhabited by President Eisenhower (before he was president of course). Eisenhower's family were against militarism but because they supported his education didn't object to his entering West Point in 1911. During WWI he trained tank crews in Pennsylvania and never saw combat. I don't quite know how he lived on Ft. Lewis since apparently he was in DC through 1942 with the General Staff then was Deputy Chief in charge of Pacific Defenses for a while. He eventually was promoted to a 4 star general and commanded the North African anti-Axis efforts then SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER in Europe in December 1943 (although George Marshall was largely responsible for the Normandy invasion of June 1945). Eisenhower never saw front-line action but exceled in administration, diplomacy and leadership. He prepared another version of the speech given after successful Normany invasion later found by an aide in a shirt pocket: "Our landings in the Cherbourg-Havre area have failed to gain a satisfactory foothold and I have withdrawn the troops. My decision to attack at this time and place was based on the best information available. The troops, the air and the Navy did all that bravery and devotion to duty could do. If any blame or fault attaches to the attempt, it is mine alone." He continued his military career and later was convinced by the Republican Draft Eisenhower movement and took up candidacy on a strong anti-Communist and involvement in foreign affairs against Taft. Before taking the presidency he hadn't held any elected office. He admitted Hawaii and Alaska as states in 1959 and was the first president effected by the new 22nd amendment term limit. Although he resigned his 5-star general commission in the Army during his presidency it was returned upon his departure from that office. He was the first president to hire a Chief of Staff as gatekeeper of the President, a practice he took from the Army. Speaking of the Army the the plaque on the sidewalk in front of that house reads (I think an update is due for the women of the Army): "DWIGHT DAVID EISENHOWER 34th President of the United States General of the Army LIVED IN THESE QUARTERS DURING 1940-41 His career, founded on duty honor, and country serves as an inspiration to the officers and men of the United States Army Emplaced by the Citizens of Tacoma Armed Forces Day May 21, 1955" IMG_0624 I Corps HQ under remodel at Ft. Lewis IMG_0625 There's a theater (Carey Theater) on base, it shows reasonably recent movies at $2 for adults and $1 for children (WOW!) IMG_0634 Brad's stencil with off camera strobes casting light on one of his macs IMG_2000* We had lunch at a very nice Thai restaurant nearby, I think it was Racha Thai, here Perhaps I'm emulating the "Thug Life" with a napkin here IMG_2005* Joshua plays with knives! Sections - Lava Cave | Waterfall, Market & Space Needle Fireworks | Tacoma Glass & Mt. Rainier | Microsoft! | Wine & Ft. Lewis Return to Features