Streets at Night, February 26, 2013, intersection of Burnside and 10th

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When I walked from Kenny & Zuke's back to West Burnside to wait for the bus, the Sizzle Pie lighted letters tempted me into stopping for a photo. Across West Burnside from it, you can see the Doc Martens, store. The tracks in the street, shining in the foreground of the photo, serve the Portland Streetcar. Since it wasn't cold or raining and I had 12 minutes to wait for the 20 bus just to get to the stop at SW 4th and West Burnside where I would need to transfer to the 12 or the 19, whichever arrived first, I decided to walk the six blocks. All of the books I'd bought earlier at Powell's Books fit into my backpack, so the walk was nothing but interesting--photography-wise. More coming soon.

Sidewalk Session No. 1

To set the stage for this series of photos/events that I've decided to call a Sidewalk Session, here's a photo I took as I walked from the streetcar towards Kenny and Zuke's where I planned to eat supper. See the silver car's brake lights? There to its right you see a bicycle chained to a barricade. And there's a shiny metal metal sculpture on the corner; it's got three legs. I wish the car had not been there because you could see the bench where I sat later. When I took this photo, I had no idea what would happen on the sidewalk. Well, I suppose I ought to say what might have happened. Was the threatening sky a portent of things to come?


After finishing supper, I walked to the intersection seen in the top photo where I sat down on the bench to wait for the bus. I was on West Burnside, across the street from Powell's Books. The narrow blue pole with the signs is the bus stop. Naturally, I had my camera around my neck. I took this photo and felt someone closing up behind me. I didn't turn to see who it was, but I did hold my camera so nothing on the view screen could be seen from over my shoulder.


I heard the rumble of a motorcycle. When I glanced to my left, I saw a bit of yellow and wondered if this could be the motorcycle that Mama and I used to hear rumble by our apartment over on NW Everett--a few times we actually happened to be looking out the window and saw it. It certainly sounded like the same one, a distinctive, deep-throated, rhythmic rumble which its rider coaxed from the engine. I took this photo, and the person behind me sat down at the opposite end of the bench. Once again, I didn't actually look. As I glanced peripherally, I felt that I had seen her at another time. She just sat there, picking up a discarded newspaper from the seat.


I looked to my right, behind her, and noticed the intersection. I thought I could get a good perspective between the legs of the sculpture on the corner (more about it in another post), so I stood up and walked behind the bench, past where she sat. Here's the one of the first few photos I took. The woman on the bench heard the camera or turned and saw me taking photos. I don't know which. All I know for sure is she started to speak loud enough for me to hear, something along the lines of "Stop taking "profanity" pictures!" I quietly and slowly moved farther away from the bench, never looking back.


Here's the last photo I took before I stepped closer to the actual bus stop. In a moment, the bus pulled to a stop. I got on and sat facing the bench, wondering if she would follow.


When she didn't, I took this photo, hoping she would not notice. I have used Picnik to blur her features, not only to hide her identity, but also to protect myself in some fashion.

Not part of the plan

Please scroll down to see today's dahlia, Sunny, from Swan Island Dahlias.

Last Thursday evening after work Marsha and I rode three buses to get to Kenny & Zuke's to pick up our to-go orders, half pastrami sandwiches and sides of potato salad. We had a plan that included a picnic, a chimney and lots of birds. We wanted to take part in Swift Watch 2009.

This particular bird wasn't part of the plan, though. Later on once we'd arrived at the site and had joined hundreds of people waiting for the event, I did hear a man near our blanket saying that there had been a hawk present last year, sitting atop the chimney as the swifts flew around and around. More photos tomorrow and Wednesday.


I'm not sure if I cropped and sharpened the previous photo too much, so I've left this one for you to see, too.


Here's a bit from the Audubon Society's Web site: Join us on the lawn at Chapman School each evening in September for a spectacular display of Vaux’s Swifts as they gather to roost in the school’s chimney. Volunteers from Portland Audubon will be present each night with information about the swifts, binoculars and a spotting scope for viewing.

Swifts are insect eating birds that migrate south each fall. At sunset during migration they choose a place where dozens to thousands of birds can roost (sleep). Since the late 1980’s the Chapman chimney has been one of these roosting sites.

Swift watching – coming to view the swifts as they prepare to roost – has become a very popular activity at the Chapman School site in recent years. On most evenings in September, several hundred to several thousand people gather on the school lawn and neighboring Wallace Park grounds to watch and listen as the swifts gather overhead before entering the chimney.

Today's dahlia, Sunny. Facts from Swan Island Dahlias--Bloom: 9" Bright Yellow, Bush: 4'

Seen on the streets of Portland, No. 10

Last Saturday I'd almost made it to Kenny and Zuke's when I spied these three walkers. Since I've not yet become brave enough to ask if people will allow me to photograph them, I acted like I was photographing the #15 bus! Wait. Is that the clucking of chickens I hear in the background? Yep. But it's a good photo of the bus, don't you think?


They passed me, and I got this one, too. I like their casual style, just right for a Portland sunny day, complimented by cool breezes.

Seen on the streets of Portland, No. 8

After my tour guide duties Saturday, May 23, at the Antoinette Hatfield Hall, part of the Portland Center for the Performing Arts, I walked north on Broadway towards my eventual destination, Kenny and Zuke's where I planned to have a pastrami on chollah bread with a side of potato salad. Yummy. And I have to admit that since it was almost 2 p.m., hunger just about caused me to miss this neat photo!

Seen on the streets of Portland, No. 6

How many of can say that we've ever seen a dentist's chair on the sidewalk? This is my first one.

After PCPA's Volunteer Orientation on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2009, I walked north towards the general vicinity of Kenny and Zuke’s, thinking about pastrami and potato salad. Their call had such a hold on me that I practically missed this photo opportunity.

Drawing even with the door in the sidewalk, I stopped, backed a couple of steps and verified, "Yes, that's a dentist's chair on the sidewalk." So I got out the camera and clicked off a few. I like this one best because I got the highway sign on the truck's side.

Waiting people overflowed out of Kenny and Zuke's, so I postponed my visit, opting instead to head home.

Kenny and Zuke's with Lamont, 1/15/2009

Thursday evening after work, Lamont and I met at Kenny and Zuke’s to eat dinner together before walking over to Powell’s Books.

Lamont had told me how delicious their pastrami is, as well as how huge the sandwiches are.

A week earlier when Marsha and I went to Powell's to attend a reading of ”Beauty of the City: A. E. Doyle, Portland's Architect" by Philip Niles,” we took Lamont's suggestion to heart. I'd tried a happy hour sandwich of said pastrami, on challah--Marsha's was on rye. The two of us shared a side of potato salad. After one bite of that good-sized sandwich, I seconded Lamont's opinion about that delicious meat; Marsha did, too. In fact, we decided that we would return soon, especially when Powell's scheduled another interesting book reading.

Back to last Thursday, Marsha decided since the weather was so much better, she'd take a walk along the ”Eastbank Esplanade beside the Willamette River.” She knew she wanted some good exercise, and she knew that Kenny and Zuke's would be there next time.

Here's a close-up of my sandwich and my potato salad; you can see a bit of Lamont's fries in the background. All in all, a delicious meal--he really enjoyed his Reuben Sliders, too, that you can see in the top photo.


Lamont and I attended Mark Bittman's reading in conjunction with the publication of his latest book, ”Food Matters.” I have to say, after listening to Bittman talk about his food philosophy and how he decided his own ideas worked best for him, I am giving some thought to my return visit to this wonderful deli in downtown Portland. By that I mean I need to eat more plants that entire day, then I can eat meat for supper. Simplistic interpretation, sure, but a starting point, too.

Anyway, I wanted to put my darling first-born son Lamont on the blog because I'm missing him. He's off camping on this cold winter's night, somewhere called Eagle Creek, out to the south of the Columbia River in the Gorge. He's sent me five Spot messages, the last one 6:49 p.m. I am comforted by that communication. I appreciate his understanding of my need for them. Right now I imagine that he is bundled up in his sleeping back, snug inside the tent a co-worker loaned him. He's going to call me tomorrow when he gets into cell-phone range, in addition to sending more Spots. Hooray!

Finally, gee, I wish I had taken a vacation day tomorrow so that I could watch the inauguration activities on TV all day. I'm going to have to settle for the specials tomorrow evening. I am so excited about our new president and hopeful for our country's future. Join me in prayer for President Obama, all politicians and all citizens as we work together to get America back on track. I believe Obama when he says, "Yes, we can."