More from Mother's Day, 2014

Sweetheart of a subject to photograph, Rachel, my son Leland's girlfriend



Sweetheart of a photographer, my son Leland

I took these photos at Forest Park on the Lower Macleay Park Trail.

Another sight/site seen on Mother's Day.

Trying to learn more about the settings on my camera, with the help of Leland who already knows and understands and remembers way more than I do. At this point on the walk, Balch Creek moves quickly alongside Lower Macleay Park Trail. I read this online about the creek's name: Danford Balch, after whom the creek is named, settled a land claim along the creek in the mid-19th century. After murdering his son-in-law, he became the first person legally hanged in Oregon.

Seen on my Mother's Day Hike, No. 1

Forest Park, Lower Macleay Park Trail. As I took this photo, several thoughts ran through my mind. Yea, there's the bathroom. Will I be able to keep up with these three fit young people? How close are the woods? How long will it take for the work on the NW Thurman Street Bridge to be completed? I found one answer online--the bridge will reopen in fall, 2014. (It was closed on April 1, 2014.)



A view up through the bridge-to-be in the early stages of being rebuilt.



The woods! The creek! A person on the path in the distance! We shared the trail with lots of people walking, lots of dogs, and quite a few people running.




There's a house up there, in the trees. When we saw someone walking with a paper grocery bag, I mentioned picnic to Leland. He suggested the person just might be walking home from the grocery store! Wow!

Mother's Day, 2014--a blessing.

I took this sweet photo earlier today while on a Mother's Day walk with my sons, Leland and Lamont, and Leland's girlfriend Rachel. At my suggestion, they took me to Forest Park, a public municipal park--all 5100 acres of it--in the Tualatin Mountains west of downtown Portland. On part of the Lower Macleay Park Trail alongside Balch Creek, we walked off the sidewalk and into the woods within moments. It was a treat, a real treat, to be out there with them on such a beautiful morning. As you can tell, lots of people were out and about because, when the sun comes out in Portland, that's what you do.



After walking for .85 miles (according to info I found on the Internet) one way, we turned around at the Stone House and walked back to the start. The three of them went to get the car while I waited and watched people and dogs, then we went to one of my favorite restaurants for brunch--the Bijou Cafe in downtown Portland. A very special day, all around. 



A vandalized map of Forest Park. The map is a decal applied to the plate, not enameled onto it. If it were, then the vandal or vandals would not have been able to scratch those letters on it on the upper right or to scratch off that portion of the map at the lower center. Jerk.