Two Days of Fun with the Gang at Fort Bale -- Epilogue

Friday Morning, 22 April 2011; Clark County Country --

The Grand Mother and Grumpy crawled out of their luxurious motel to get an early start on the trip back home. But first, since we were in the vicinity of a famous lilac garden and a tulip farm remembered from the previous year, we decided to detour out to see what they held for vistas in 2011.

Our first stop was at the lilac garden: "Open at 10:00" the sign said. A peak over the fence gave us no incentive to delay our return trip to see the lilacs in bloom; there weren't any!!

Continuing on down this road past the lilac garden we soon found the tulip farm. Alas, most of the tulips here were no further along in showing their pastel hues than were the ones we had visited the previous weekend up on the Skagit flats. However, one planting conveniently located along a fence line, along which ran a good roadway from which Grumpy was able to take several pictures, was in full flower.

This bunch of tulips were a mixture of early-blooming bulbs of various colors creating a very photogenic vista. This panorama is composed from three high-resolution photographs "stitched" together using Microsoft ICE.

Two Days of Fun with the Gang at Fort Bale -- Part 4

Thursday Evening, 21 April 2011; Clark County Country --

Our last evening at Fort Bale (after the excitement of the "bottle rocket" launch) was to have dinner with the Fort denizens at the local gourmet restaurant. There were no "exciting" photos to be taken during the eating process. However a memorable "Kodak moment" occurred as we were about to leave and part company.

We came away from this visit with many happy memories, a good long visit with our Swede Granddaughter, our two Great Grandsons and our tallest Grandson. We also left with a carton of five dozen "cossetted" eggs from "coddled, spoiled-rotten, queenly-treated, hand-petted daily, range free, organically-fed" chickens whose nightly abode is "bigger than most 3rd-world families".

Yes, a good time was had by all!! The next time cannot come too soon.

Two Days of Fun with the Gang at Fort Bale -- Part 3

Thursday 21 April 2011; Clark County Country --

This morning the Grand Mother and Grumpy left our motel early to arrive at Fort Bale in time for breakfast. Breakfast comprised something delicious that the Swede called "Swedish Pancakes" and eggs -- lots of eggs (do you suppose this was some sort of promotional deal, or what!?). To put on the Swedish Pancakes, there was a sauteed combination of zucchini, onions and almond bits, and rhubarb sauce. Does that sound yummy or what!? (It definitely was, and this old German ate three of those Swedish delicacies even though it was "out of sight" vis a vis his diet.)

After breakfast, Grumpy was prevailed upon to "suggest" a design improvement for a "bottle rocket" design that Bee-Boo was intending to demonstrate in a couple of weeks. 

 

The basic design was modified to incorporate a "launch tube" (12" piece of 1/2" PVC pipe pointing straight up), with a 1/2" O-ring fitted into a groove around the lower part of the launch tube such that the friction between the O-ring and the neck of the 2-liter soda bottle would hold the bottle firmly in place until a certain air pressure was pumped into the interconnected PVC launch system and the empty volume inside the soda pop bottle.

The basic design used a threaded PVC fitting around which two or three layers of electrical tape was to be wound to provide friction to hold the bottle rocket until pressure, estimated to be around 30 psi had been pumped into the launch system. Upon "lift-off" from the basic design, the compressed air in the bottle would expel water from the bottle to "jet" the bottle to a height estimated at "about 30 feet".

Bee-Boo opined that the bottle should be filled about half full for maximum altitude. His goal was to exceed the 30-foot altitude professed for the basic design. "Stretch" (the Dad) appropriated his 12 volt electric-powered air pump for the first test. This device had dial pressure gauge incorporated at the outlet; this was a neat feature, allowing at least some engineering data to be taken on this first test launch.

Chief Rocket Project Engineer

Bee-Boo's modified design, with the 12 inch launch tube, prevented a large amount of water to be exhausted until the neck of the bottle cleared the top end of the launch tube. The theory behind this modification was that the bottle would be accelerated to some good velocity, primarily by the air pressure acting on the bottom of the bottle, until the neck cleared the launch tube, and then further accelerated by the expulsion of the water, "to reach unfathomable heights"! The first "dry run" was an outstanding success -- and anything but a dry run!! 

Upon applying power to the little air pump, Stretch and Bee-Boo both moved away some 10 or 15 feet. Grumpy, ever the curious engineer warily stepped up to the "safe" end of the launch system (about 3 feet from the vertical launch tube) where he could observe the pressure readings. When the pressure rose above about 5o psi, Grumpy "lost interest" in further pursuit of test data; he estimates that, when the pressure inside the PVC pipe and vacant part of the bottle finally overcame the friction holding the bottle on the launch tube, the pressure was probably 55-60 psi! Needless to say, the bottle took off like a cannon shot, straight up in the air, spewing water on the surrounding area -- including Grumpy who was standing 10 or more feet back by this time. No data were taken on the apogee of the bottle, but various estimates placed the altitude as "more than 600 feet above sea level"!

The smile on Bee-Boo's face was priceless as he returned from recovering the empty soda pop bottle from a tree 100 or more feet "down range" from the launch site. No, Grumpy stupidly did not think to take photos of the launch nor of the proud owner's big grin. It will just remain a Great Grandpa's happy memory of one very happy Great Grandson.

Two Days of Fun with the Gang at Fort Bale -- Part 2

Thursday Evening, 21 April 2011; Clark County Country --

No evening, after watching your favorite baseball player hit twice and sneak home base on the non-alert status of the team on the field, would be complete without a good meal at a favorite eatery. This one is in Battle Ground, made famous in the late 1800's by not having a battle fought here. [The would-be adversaries called a truce before a single shot was fired.]

This dinner was highlighted by the gang sitting down for a steak (Bee-Boo), hamburger (King A.J.), squash lasagne (Grand Mother), mushroom & spinach ravioli (Grumpy), and a couple forgotten vegetarian dishes for Stretch and the Swede.

But the main feature was the humongous steak ordered (and devoured!!) by Bee-Boo -- was this the pay-off for having gotten a clean hit!? -- 

And an even humongous-er hamburger enveloped by King A.J.  Grumpy was in awe of both boys. (Due to a "weight and balance" problem, Grumpy can no longer order such big portions!)

Two Days of Fun with the Gang at Fort Bale -- Part 1

Wednesday 20 April 2011; Clark County Country --

After a short day's drive down the freeway, some shopping at Wal*Mart in Portland, we met the Fort Bale Gang at the Battle Ground school yard where Bee-Boo's baseball practice got underway. 

The spectators occupied the entire collapsible chair section, watching eagerly for their favorite player to do something spectacular.

We were not to be disappointed as we watched the boys do their warm-up exercises by playing "throw and catch". Our favorite player showed off his throwing form, complete with classical pitcher follow-through (I wonder who taught him that!?).

Soon the "hit-run-and-score" part of the practice session began. Here Bee-Boo demonstrated his excellent coordination in hitting the ball at each of his "up-to-bats". 

He didn't make it to first base on this first line drive, being thrown out before reaching that coveted base (steak dinners were proffered by the Dad as a special incentive!). 

 

But on his next up-to-bat, he hit a hard grounder that skipped past the pitcher's mound and was gathered up by an alert shortstop (literal meaning, here), but Bee-Boo's long legs propelled him to first base just ahead of the ball, which was dropped by the first baseman, giving him a base hit. 

Subsequently, Bee-Boo was advanced to 2nd and then, in the most exciting highlight play of the practice game, he snuck all the way home for a score! The fans went wild -- and adjourned to a nearby restaurant for a well-deserved dinner.

And the coveted steak!!

[to be continued in Part 2 of a sequel]

Rachel's Piano Performance -- Playing some Franz Listz

16 April 2011; A University Campus --

This fine day in April, with the "Oregon Mist" falling incessantly, the Grand Mother and Friend Margaret traveled Northward to listen to the discordant tunes of Liszt played out by the various Senior students and Professors. Our Granddaughter Rachel was among the Seniors.

The performances, originally  scheduled to start at 3:00 p.m., were delayed nearly 30 minutes because the day's previous performances at the same venue ran a half hour or so late. Also, the fine, new Grand Piano to be used had to be re-tuned for the piano performances. As we were to hear, the "retuning" was not well done; the highest octave keys were notably flat!!

But, despite the badly mistuned piano, the "show must go on", and we heard some wonderfully-gifted pianists display their technique as they played various compositions attribute to Franz Liszt. [Two pieces by Schubert were included -- perhaps a test of the alertness of the audience during this four-hour session!]

Rachel's piece, "Legende 2, Saint Francis de Paule Walking on the Water" was pictorially described by Rachel as Saint Francis begging for a ride from some wealthy boat owners, for a ride across some waters; the owners, observing Saint Francis' shabby clothes, declined his request and set off without him; a terrible storm came up (musical crescendo symbolizing thunder and lightning and wind!!); the owners feared to lose their boat and their lives then saw Saint Francis blithely walking across the water in the midst of the storm (at this point Rachel said she visualized the full moon peering through the broken clouds as God acted to save the boat load of people).

Here are three sequential photos of Rachel's playing: The Storm,

The Storm: [Lower notes, loud pedal emphasized]

Saint Francis walking on the water with the Moon shining above,

Saint Francis Walking on the Water: 

[Triumphant, firm, mid-register legato.] 

and, the Storm subsiding as Saint Francis reaches the distant shore.

The Storm Subsides: [Tinkling high register; 

delicate, peaceful softness.]