Pay attention. You could be missing something unqiue. Or have you already seen it so often that it is now ordinary?

Juggling at 4 p.m. on a June day in downtown Portland may not be that unique to some. Look at these people ignoring the man in the top hat plying his craft on SW 6th Avenue. I myself didn't notice him at first as I stood on the Broadway side of Pioneer Courthouse Square. The Festival of Flowers had drawn me to my viewpoint and kept me occupied until I caught a flash of one of his juggling pins as I moved the zoom on the camera. Ah, I thought. I must capture some of these seconds.



Moments later he uniquely caught the pin there on the bridge of his nose, yet no one across the street at the MAX stop even noticed. I wondered where he'd send it with a flick of his head.



Back to catch it on his heel? Then flip it elsewhere? I actually saw it on his heel for a second through the camera lens, but, alas, was unable to get a photo of it there or on its way up.



In front of him after arcing overhead, the pin joined the others in the routine as those pedestrians and folks waiting for the MAX only paid attention to their own private routines.



Then he returned to what I think of as standard, everyday juggling. I soon left myself to catch my bus home, part of my own workday routine. Thanks, juggler, for a moment of what was out of the ordinary for me in downtown Portland.

I scored a hat trick with these trifectas.

Thursday morning in between buses on my commute to work, I walked back over to Pioneer Courthouse Square to check how many flowers remained from the Flower Sale at the end of the Festival of Flowers. I couldn't resist taking a few photos. Here you see a few beauties with the Portland Hotel wrought iron arch in the background, added joy with the pedestrian's placement inside the arch. Then there's the TriMet bus heading north on SW 6th, part of the Portland Transit Mall.



And here's another photo. I wanted to share it because not only is there a TriMet bus, there's a MAX train, too, waiting at the traffic signal in just the right position to be seen through the arch.

Hat trick, three goals scored by the same person; trifecta--excuse my stretching this one--I took these photos with these items in the exact order that I predicted, once I realized what was happening right before I clicked the button on the camera. 1st, Festival of Flowers; 2nd, Portland Hotel wrought iron arch; 3rd, TriMet on the Portland Transit Mall.

Flower Sale Today

Flower buyers showed up at Pioneer Courthouse Square to stock up on the potted plants from this year's Festival of Flowers. Notice in the top right corner, a bit of the wrought iron arch seen in the post earlier this week about the Festival of Flowers.



Selections made, time to pay at the table set up beneath the EZ-Up canopy labeled Pioneer Courthouse Square Portland's Living Room.



I saw this lady with her box of flowers before I walked across the street to enter the square. I wonder if she had a car or if she was heading for a bus? I've seen people on the bus with flowers from the sale.



For some reason this banner really appealed to me. Is it the font? The colors? I don't know.



I walked to the west side of the square and stood on what I call the viewpoint which is above the door to the Visitor Information, also seen in the post earlier this week. Across the square, you see Pioneer Courthouse itself. In front of it, the two-car MAX train and a TriMet bus. That's SW 6th Avenue, the north-bound street that is part of the Portland Transit Mall. SW 5th is the southbound portion. The MAX Yellow, Green, and Orange Lines run north and south on the mall; the Red and Blue Lines cross it on the other two streets that make up Pioneer Courthouse Square--SW Yamhill and SW Morrison. Buses go through the mall, too, spreading out to all portions of the metropolitan area, across three counties. The Portland Transit Mall runs from NW Irving to SW Jackson; it's 1.2 miles long, this couplet of one-way streets, SW 5th and SW 6th. One of these days--well, it'll take me more than one day--I'll be walking those blocks and photographing all along the way. I'll share lots and lots with y'all. We'll have a great time together!



Here's a map TriMet has on their Web site for the Portland Transit Mall. It's on the west side of the Willamette River, the two parallel lines, and there's a closeup of it on the right side of the picture.

Pioneer Courthouse Square's Festival of Flowers 2016

I got off the bus downtown on the way to work and walked a few blocks to see this year's Festival of Flowers. I wanted to make certain I got to go before any predicted rains messed with the blossoms.



Here's a wider view. I took these photos from SW 6th and did not walk across the square to the higher viewpoints. I might go back if it's not raining--they're on display unaltered through June 14.



Just to the right of the previous photo, you see the entrance to Visitor Information. Look, there's another waterfall downtown!



And here's the part that's to the right of what the other photos show.



Looking through the wrought iron arch at the Festival of Flowers. I love this bit of history that remains on this site. The Portland Hotel stood on this square between 1890 and 1951 when it was torn down and replaced with a two-story parking lot; an original archway and gatework from the hotel were made part of the square's design and are found today on the south side of the square. I've seen photos of that hotel--do I ever wish it still stood? Yes, although I would greatly miss what's known as Portland's Living Room, I would love to see how that hotel could have been, if maintained and respected.



Getting artsy with the arch.



I really like sandwich boards filled with information and enticements.

2014 Festival of Flowers, No. 5

Not sure why it surprised me, but it did. This man led his rather large German Shepherd right through the potted flowers--to have paid attention to the maze that the flowers designed would have added, what, seconds to his walk. I shouldn't have been shocked because people will do just about anything, anywhere. However, I was so shocked that I missed the photo of them entering and going through the flowers. Couldn't get my finger on the button quick enough. Found out that having my mouth hanging open wreaks havoc on my coordination. Thankfully, the man and the dog seemed to have been coordinated because I didn't see flowers being knocked over. Maybe they managed to walk along the strip cleared for the sprinkler hose. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the photo!

2014 Festival of Flowers, No. 4

The mailman eating his lunch on the park bench caught my eye. And made me wonder, "What's a mailman doing working on Saturday? With something that looks like delivery as his job? About the time I got to the end of that thought, I noticed the sort of photo bomber with the sunglasses, waving at me like we were long lost friends. Never seen him before. Turns out I got another guy eating a slice of pizza on a park bench--he's backed up to the mailman. I like how the photo turned out. Hope you enjoy it.

2014 Festival of Flowers, No. 3

Never expected to see someone on the way to catch fish pushing his bicycle across Pioneer Courthouse Square during this year's Festival of Flowers. Never. Yet, such a sight is quintessential Portland. One of the things I love about this city is how easy it is to be yourself--no one messes with you as long as you're not creating some sort of problem or trouble for your fellow citizens.



See her? That little girl in the shorts set? She's stopped on a dime admid the flower-formed maze.



I wonder if the sprinkler's being on while folks were on the square surprised him. Could be that's what he's looking at. My best guess, anyway.



Isn't he a nice looking man? And check out those socks and sandals. This guy knows how to wash whites, or, at the very least, someone in charge of his socks knows how to keep them whiter than white!

2014 Festival of Flowers, No. 2

In the sunshine on a Saturday, a sprinkler and a boy. Nothing else needs to be said.



The same photo, cropped.

2014 Festival of Flowers, No. 1

From May 30 through June 10, Pioneer Courthouse Square hosted the latest Festival of Flowers. Every single time I've seen this display, I've been awestruck at the designs and the colors. If you'd like to see photos of the other times I've managed to make it to see this glorious sight, just search the blog for Festival of Flowers.

Here's what I found online about this year's festival: “A-maze-ing” designed by DAO Architecture opens to the public on May 30th. This two-week Festival of Flowers installation inspired by Pioneer Courthouse Square’s 30th birthday will transform the Square into a colorful interactive maze of nearly 20,000 begonias, marigolds, impatiens and more. The celebration will continue along the downtown transit mall celebrating Portland Mall Management, Inc.’s fifth birthday with a series of floral designs at the Congress Center and Unitus Plaza. The designs will remain throughout downtown until June 10th.

Festival of Flowers, Pioneer Courthouse Square, downtown Portland

I took these photos on May 29, on my way home from work. The Festival of Flowers fascinates me, every year that I've seen it.

Found on the World Wide Web: This year's design, Tattoo Portland created by local landscape architecture firm Lango Hansen, will celebrate the love for all things Portland. The Square will be 'inked' with a giant heart composed of nearly 20,000 begonias, impatiens and pansies. Portland's living room will be red hot with larger than life flames formed from marigolds and zinnias. Show your undying love for the Rose City with a temporary tat in the Square inspired by this classic imagery. The tattoo rebellion will continue along the downtown transit mall with an anchor design at the Congress Center and a pair of dice at Unitus Plaza. The event will be open to the public for two weeks beginning May 31st followed by the annual flower sale on June 12th. To see a rendering of the design please click here. This event is made possible by Multnomah County Cultural Coalition, Oregon Cultural Trust and Union Pacific Foundation.
 

Here's the tattoo. I didn't get a photo of the pair of dice.
 

Wide shot shows Pioneer Courthouse across SW 6th and two MAX light rail trains at the stop--one must be a Yellow Line, one a Green Line. Those are the only two which use that station.
  See that person in white, up high on the concrete shape beneath the US flag? That's where I stood to take the first and third photos in today's post. This photo gives you a close view of the letters--from www.adxportland.com: The installation is made up of a tattoo heart containing P O R T L A N D lettering. Lango Hansen came to ADX for CNC services for the lettering.
 

Here's a wide shot, looking basically the same direction as the photo just before this one.

Festival of Flowers, Pioneer Courthouse Square, downtown Portland

Let me set the scene. You're looking slightly north of east across Pioneer Courthouse Square, nicknamed Portland's Living Room. The white glazed terra cotta building houses Macy's and The Nines Hotel, but it was originally the Meier & Frank department store, the first major commission of my favorite Portland architect, A. E. Doyle; the building was completed in stages between 1909 and 1932. The lovely building to the right of the trees is the Pioneer Courthouse, completed in 1875. And in front of it is a TriMet MAX Yellow and Green line light rail station--those people milling about are waiting for a ride closer to home.

At BeFunky dot com, I've altered this photo by cropping it, sharpening it, and using the special effect Orton. The result reminds me how some vintage post cards look--I really like it.

About the flowers, here's the news release from The Square PDX dot org:
FESTIVAL OF FLOWERS CONTAINER OF ESSENCE ARRIVES TO PORTLAND’S LIVING ROOM JUNE 1ST! PORTLAND, OR – (May 25, 2012)

The 28th Annual Festival of Flowers celebration officially opens June 1st in the heart of Downtown Portland!

This year’s design, Container of Essence created by local artist and sculptor Dana Lynn Louis, will be on display at Pioneer Courthouse Square through June 12th.

Container of Essence at the Square will bring together nearly 20,000 colorful flowers, bamboo and ornamental grasses to create a mandala in the heart of downtown encouraging peace within one’s self and the world at large. In conjunction with the two week festival there will be plenty of noon time activities encouraging downtown visitors to find their inner peace with free yoga and meditation! For two weeks on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, grab your yoga mat as the Square transforms into an outdoor yoga studio. Beginning June 4th at 12pm, CorePower Yoga instructors will be conducting FREE Yoga classes on the Square. For more moments of Zen, Maitripa College, one the first Buddhist colleges in America will be leading classes in meditation on June 5th and 12th. KIND Healthy Snacks will also be at the Square for “KIND Tuesday” on June 5th as they hand out free snack bars and seed packets for your garden, while supplies last.




See the little girl sitting on the bricks, near the mandala, with her left arm raised in the air? Would that I could read  her mind and know the memories she's making at the sight of these lovely flower designs.


And this info about the Flower Sale, from the same Internet source:

2012 Festival of Flowers Price List

Container of Essence Design by Dana Lynn Louis
4” Flowers/Annuals & Herbs
$1/each or $10/Dozen

Flowers/ Annuals ($1 each)
Blue Salvia, Red Salvia, Red Begonias (bronze leaf), Red Begonias (green leaf), Durango Red Marigolds, Orange Marigolds, Orange Impatiens Extreme, White Alyssum, White Impatiens Extreme, White Begonias (green leaf), White Begonias (bronze leaf), Light Pink Impatiens Extreme, Light Pink Begonia (green leaf), Coral Petunias Simply Madness, Dark Pink Impatiens Extreme Rose, Dark Pink Begonias (green leaf), Lime Green Coleus Versus

Herbs ($1 each)
Peppermint, Spearmint, Lemon Balm, Common Sage, Hyssop, Chives

3.5” Grasses/ Perennials ($3 each)
Acorus Gramineus ‘Ogon’, Carex Dolichostachya ‘Kaga-Nishiki’, Juncus Effusus ‘Unicorn’

1 gallon Grass ($5 each) Imperata Bloodgrass

Bamboo ($60 each) 8-10ft Phyllostachys nigra from Bamboo Garden

Flower Sale begins Wednesday June 13th at 8:00AM
Boxes and Bags available while supplies last!

Festival of Flowers, Pioneer Courthouse Square, downtown Portland

From the Pioneer Courthouse Square Web site:
6/3 - 6/17
Festival of Flowers

This year’s design, You Are Here, created by local artist Bill Will, will encourage visitors to look beyond our own geographic borders with the installation of a colossal map of the world using more than 20,000 colorful potted flowers. The two-week display at the Square will culminate with the annual flower sale kicking off June 15th offering a wide variety of plants including salvia, impatiens, lobelia, begonias, vegetables, herbs, grasses and more starting at only $.83 a piece! (To view a rendering of this year's installation, see it below. I found it when I followed a link on their Web site.)

In partnership with Portland Mall Management, Inc., this year’s Festival of Flowers will also include two satellite displays along the Portland Transit Mall at Unico Plaza and the Congress Center. In addition to providing bright spots along the transit mall, these sites will also serve as backdrop to the weekly Monday on the Mall event series. For additional information on the free events and activities taking place along the transit mall every Monday visit portlandmall.org.

More tomorrow!