October 28, 2007 - little did I know that I'd live within walking distance of this intersection by the end of January, 2011

I cannot even remember why I was at this intersection on that particular day. I had to have been in a car, stopped at the traffic signal to get this perspective which I am really enjoying. Nowadays, Monday through Friday if I've been to work and am going straight home afterwards, I walk across NE 20th Avenue at this intersection with NE Sandy Blvd. which is the wide street on the left side of the photo. My apartment building is nearby.

The Blue Diamond PDX is in this building, right behind the Halo Salon. It's sign is just visible through the tree trunks on the left, mostly between the second and third tree trunks. On days when I'm exhausted, I walk on the sidewalk to the right because a doorway to my building is closer if I take that edge of the triangle. On days when I've still got plenty of energy, I walk on the sidewalk to the left. If I'm going to the Blue Diamond before I go home, either sidewalk works--the front door is on the left beneath the sign, the back door through the kitchen is on the right. I am blessed to live in this neighborhood. The Blue Diamond is one of the reasons I say that. By the way, when I took this photo, Bev and Steve didn't own it, but Janessa worked there. Small world, for real.

My neighborhood, it's all in the direction that you look.

Yesterday on one of my walks in the sunshine, I took a photo looking each direction, while I stood at the corner of NE 22nd Avenue and NE Flanders Street. This one looks north towards NE Sandy Blvd. where NE Glisan Street intersects it a few feet west of where NE 22nd intersects with NE Glisan--it's one of many unique multi-street intersections in Portland. The tall hedge corners the southwesten border of the front yard at Albertina Kerr--the steps I go up and down on my walks are to the right of that red sign in the distance. Those great wooden benches where I rest are up those steps.



Looking south on NE 22nd Avenue. The streets in my neighborhood, known as Kerns, are wide enough for two-way traffic and parking on each side. 



Looking east on NE Flanders Street. I am blessed to live in a neighborhood with sidewalks in such great shape and so level, too! And how about all of these trees! Soon I'll be walking this way, making it the whole two blocks down to NE 24th Avenue and back. Eventually I'll make the loop which will total six blocks! I return to work on Tuesday, May 26, so my goal is to increase my stamina incrementally, and making the loop will certainly help.



Looking west on NE Flanders Street. That's my building to the right. When I leave for work each morning, I go out the side door of the building which is down this sidewalk a little ways. I walk down to the intersection with NE 20th Avenue--where you can see blue and white way down the sidewalk. I turn right, push the walk signal button and wait to cross NE Sandy Blvd. so that I can turn right after I've crossed the street and walk about 15 feet to the bus shelter. Oh, I forgot to point out that when I go this way, I walk right by the back door of The Blue Diamond PDX, my neighborhood bar--the best one in Portland as far as I'm concerned! Since surgery, I've been going to the front door of the Blue Diamond on NE Sandy, though, because it's a longer walk by a couple of hundred feet--I need each of those steps, not only now when I'm recovering but always!

The other few moments that I witnessed during the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon on May 20, 2012, at the intersection of NE Sandy Blvd. and NE 20th Avenue, right in my neighborhood!

The sign boldly states "Street Closed." Well, until the Portland Police Bureau officer (and a nearby, out of the photo TriMet employee) decided that the time had come to let the traffic stopped on NE Sandy flow east and west. Thus, the runners came to a stop, waiting silently, speckled with falling rain. I heard only the sound of tires traversing the wet pavement.
 

This intersection must have been just one of many on the route at which runners had to stop for a short time while law enforcement officers cleared the stopped traffic. NE Sandy Blvd. is one of the major thoroughfares in northeast Portland, used by two busy bus lines, even on a Sunday. Since it was cool and rainy, I wondered whether or not the runners welcomed the short pauses. I have to imagine that, for the most part, they didn't.
 

The intersection is almost cleared now. Runners, ready!
   

There they go, on their way mid-way from mile 10 to mile 11 and beyond!

The first of a few moments that I witnessed during the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon on May 20, 2012, at the intersection of NE Sandy Blvd. and NE 20th Avenue, right in my neighborhood!

A woman on a bicycle cautiously approached NE Sandy, heading north on NE 20th Avenue. Since there's a police officer stopping traffic from the center of the intersection so that runners in the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon can continue on their way, she crosses the street. I like how the red hand on the traffic signal looks as if it is attached to her bicycle helmet like the comb on a rooster!
 

Here comes the next bicyclist crossing Sandy behind her. I have to say that I am shocked somewhat to see that the two of them are bicycling the city streets in flip flops. Thank goodness they're wearing helmets. I'll bet they're together--the flip flops give them away.

 

The two of them wait patiently on the corner, searching for a break in the runners. You can tell how much rain the man's been riding in when you take a look at the discolored front of his shorts; her pants are wet, too, but the difference in color is not easy to discern unless you click on the huge original size of the photo which I cannot put here on the blog--sorry. On that original size, it's easy to see drops of rain here and there, too.



Just about made it, threading the needle all the way across NE 20th, heading west.
 

Yep, home free now. What cracks me up is that when I looked at this photo as I cropped it, I wondered what in the world is that woman doing with the toes of her left foot? The dark spot caught my eye, and I had to see for myself, so I clicked on the huge original size of the photo to take a look. She's got those two outer toes crooked upward like she's trying to keep them from hanging off the edge of her flip flop as she trots along beside her bicycle. How many of us do something similar, unconsciously? I used to do that back when I wore flip flops.

Neons are in! Street level matching colors, No. 3

Last Saturday on the way home from a fine lecture at the Architectural Heritage Center and a rewarding trip to Powell's Books, I got off the bus for the block and a half walk to my apartment building.

On the corner, I noticed these two stacks of orange traffic cones as I crossed to wait for the traffic signal to change at the corner of NE Sandy Blvd. and NE 20th Avenue. "Hmmm," I wondered. "Is tomorrow's Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon coming by here?"

Then I saw the man approaching on the bicycle, wearing, of all things, an orange knit hat covering,  I imagine, a head full of dread locks. I couldn't believe it--orange and orange, right at the same instant that I stood on the corner, camera on its strap hanging around my neck.

Yea for serendipity!

(And more about the cones later on in this series.)