Seen on the street, No. 2, one of my favorite Portland fountains

Unofficially titled "The Car Wash," this fountain always captures my attention, especially in this sort of  profile view. I've read on the City of Portland Web site that during its hours of operation--8 a.m-10 p.m., spring, summer, fall--a wind gauge shuts it off fairly often as a precaution for the safety of pedestrians. The sidewalk is glazed tile which can be slippery when wet, more so than concrete. The wind gauge only lets it flow during very calm conditions, shutting off the water if the wind speed exceeds 2 miles per hour. The fountain is made of steel, and as best I can tell, created by Carter, Hull, Nishita, McCulley & Baxter, installed in 1977 at SW 5th Avenue and Ankeny Street. The red and white seen through the evergreen hedge is on the roof of the gas station on West Burnside, between SW 5th and SW 4th--I often catch my last bus home from Portland Trail Blazer games in front of that gas station. I took this photo while I waited for the bus to the Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival on July 3.

While cold and blustery weather lingers, I'm dreaming and knowing this too will come, No. 2

Looking forward to still, sunny days so that this downtown fountain with the fitting name--the Car Wash Fountain--will be turned on for all to enjoy. I found this info about it online: "This uniquely shaped fountain never washed cars, but the name seems appropriate given its similarity to a car wash. As a precaution for passing pedestrians, a wind gauge shuts off the pumps if the wind speed exceeds 2 miles per hour." I'm here to tell you, though, that when it's cold, it's off. Who'd want to have the spray freezing on the brick sidewalk, right?

Location: SW 5th Avenue and Ankeny Street, erected 1977 by Carter, Hull, Nishita, McCulley & Baxter. Made of steel.

I took this photo on June 22, 2009, downtown Portland, at 7:22 a.m. Glorious sunshine, shirtsleeve weather. Come on back to us.