UPDATE and the skies of Portland over the past few weeks

UPDATE: Slept well until around 3:15 a.m., then slept off and on until 8:30 a.m. I've been outside before the predicted rain started so that I could get in some walking. I'm walking in the building off and on now. I don't have much stamina yet, but I'm working on it. In fact, I walked the two blocks to Subway and got a tuna sandwich which I carried back home in a rain shower--I wore my hooded raincoat on purpose, y'all, so I was fine and able to rest at the somewhat wet picnic table at the Blue Diamond's back door on the way there and back. Y'all, thanks for your continued prayers, love, and concern.



I took this photo today, mid-morning, when I went out for a walk. For me, the sky tells the tale of why this flag flys at half mast--the heaviness in a lot of folks hearts and minds after the murders at Umpqua Community College on October 1. I assume that's th case, that Albertina Kerr followed the President's call to lower the American flag to half mast; however, they've not returned it to the top of the flag pole yet--the order was half mast through October 6.



Portland has some fantastic blue skies, sometimes with clouds which magnify their impact. I took this photo on October 8, six minutes after I took the next one on today's post. I was on my way home after work. I waited at East Burnside and NE Grand for a 12 or a 19 bus. That building on the left will end up 21 stories, not all visible from this position since the ground floor of it rests below the height of the Burnside Bridge, and I'm at that height here on East Burnside. The one on the right tops out at 10 stories. Both of those heights are what I found online in early stories about the construction--I assume there have been no changes.



Thirteen blocks south of the previous photo, same day, 2:34 p.m. I took this one as I sat at the Portland Streetcar shelter, waiting. I like the juxtaposition of the rust-induced-chocolate-truffle-colored public art with the blue sky. The sculpture's title is Inversion Plus Minus.



Downtown, outside the Portland Art Museum, September 26, when Leland and I had been inside at The Artisans Cup American Bonsai exhibition. I'm sorry to report that I don't know the name of this sculpture; it's in the outdoor courtyard between the two buildings that make up the PAM. The 175-foot tall church bell tower peeking between the trees and the cloud is across the South Park Blocks; it's the First Congregational United Church of Christ and is amazing in its architecture and Povey Brothers Studio stained glass windows.



One last photo of Portland skies, this one taken as I arrived at work on September 22. More of Inversion Plus Minus, the public art which also appears at the opposite end of the block and is shown in an earlier photo in today's post.

Blue skies make us happy in Portland, especially on Friday!

The iconic Portland, Oregon, sign stands on top of a building on the west end of the Burnside Bridge. I get to see it every week day on my morning commute. Today it will be backed by blue skies. Happy Friday!

Sunshine and blue skies

Close crop of a bit of serendipity--the man's sunglasses reflects the blue sky (see next photo). A bit more serendipity, how the reflected color matches the glowing hair around Jerry Garcia's head. And the last bit of serendipity--how that other man's head almost completely pops out of the guy's dreadlocks, as if he were a two-headed man, current on the right, future on the left. Love it!

You know, I could have taken the time to clone a few of those dreads to completely cover that older dude's shirt, making it look even more like we were looking at a two-headed man. But I decided to only crop and straighten. I'll leave cloningfor another day.
 

Here's the wide shot of our beautiful Union Station. I took this photo on July 14 as I approached to enjoy Union Pacific's 150th birthday event.

As far as the eye can see, in both directions

Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm's Tulip Fest, on April 22, 2012, a splendidly sunny, warm spring day in Woodburn, Oregon. The high temp at Portland International Airport was 82, a new record for that date.

Sunshine and blue skies, predicted for the majority of our thee-day weekend!

Here's how I feel about it all!

I'm about to eat some oatmeal, finish getting ready to go, catch the bus and head for the Park Blocks to see today's American Muscle Cars, then onward to the rest of Saturday! Actually, I can't believe I'm awake this early and about to be out and about again because it was well after 1 a.m. before I fell asleep. Plus my allergies hit with the force of a sledge hammer yesterday, all day and into the evening and continuing into today--all because I was an idiot and stirred up some dust which immediately flew into my lungs where it went to work, wreaking havoc!

Here's the reason I was up so late (after taking an hour and half nap when I got home from work). I went late to the Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival and about 9:15-10 p.m. listened to Robert Cray and his band. Sarah and I lucked out and got a place to sit down on the grass where we could see the stage off in the distance and the giant TV screen right in front of us! Super! Then I made it to my first ever After-Hours show at the Marriott where I thoroughly enjoyed Maceo Parker and his band along with my friend Sarah and her friend Teresa. After a couple of songs from the Rebirth Brass Band, we realized we were done for the night and got a cab back here where Sarah had parked her car. We're doing it again on Sunday night so that we can see Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk and another group, Honey Island Swamp Band. I imagine we'll try to get there in time to get into the festival itself for Buddy Guy! All it takes for admission is a suggested donation of $10 and two cans of food. The festival is a huge source for the Oregon Food Bank.

In honor of blue skies, No. 5

Pontiac Firebird, seen at NW 11th and NW Everett, from the bus

In honor of blue skies, No. 4

Customized Ford Thunderbird, seen just after is crossed SE Grand on SE Morrison, on the approach for the Morrison Bridge that spans the Willamette River

In honor of blue skies, No. 3

Two-tone 1956 Mercury Monarch Richelieu, seen on the corner of SE Morrison and SE Grand as I waited for the bus.

In honor of blue skies, No. 2

Two-tone 1956 Mercury Monarch Richelieu, seen on the corner of SE Morrison and SE Grand as I waited for the bus.

In honor of blue skies, No. 1

Two-tone Ford F100 Custom Cab, seen on the corner of SE Morrison and SE Grand, as I waited for the bus.