What I saw while on a NE Portland Kerns Neighborhood Walk with Lamont, Sunday, January 5, 2014, No. 2

These three photos show a span about two feet wide along the top edge of this thick, moss-covered limb which is well over my head as I stand on the sidewalk, entranced by the sunshine lighting up first one cluster of ferns, then another.
 

The second part I wanted you to see, this other cluster of ferns with one curved up into nearly a silhouette against the streaky sky. When I checked it on the camera, I saw what I had to take the next photo of there on the left edge of the image.
 

You can see why I got excited when I realized that I could take a decent photo of this lone soldier, this fern all on its own, glowing in the sunshine. Thank goodness for my zoom lens.
 

Have you been wondering about the background above the limb in the first three photos? I certainly did as I checked out each photo on the camera's screen. Once I realized what caused it, I decided to take this photo of the sky and the myriad branches on the tree which splendidly blurred the background when I focused on the various ferns. You can see the ghostlike blur of green in two spots along the top edge of the limb--ferns as ghosts. I love it!

Vacation, Day 8, 10/28/2009, Part 6

Our lovely friend, Kay, who is more like a sister to me and another daughter to Mama. We are blessed.


Stirring the fajitas.


Closer to sunset.


Supper's sizzling and the jalapenos are HOT.


Everyone is so-o-o-o full. Some are standing around the heater, no only because they want the heat, they're too full to sit down! Look at the flame on that heater-wow!


Bundled up together, Tinkerbell and Kay sit in front of the TV.


Here's what we watched every chance we got while we were at the campground.

Afternoon delight and Mama news

From my work windows. Remember the hole in the clouds I posted Oct. 13? The photos are of the same area; you can see the tower at the top edge of the treeline.

I've never seen clouds like these. Have you?

Mama sat up in her wooden high-backed, padded chair with arms for one hour this afternoon. When I went to visit after work today, her supper arrived--a grilled cheese sandwich, canned peach slices, vanilla wafers, strawberry sorbet, and milk. She ate with more gusto than I've seen since she became ill, I'm happy to report. She also told me that she stayed awake better, too, and felt less dizzy now and then. Tomorrow's the big day. I'll let y'all know how it goes. Pray for strength, stamina and patience--for me! Ha! Pray for Mama above and beyone me, please. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

What I got off the bus to see the other day

As the No. 14 bus headed west over the Hawthorne Bridge, I spied something I’d not yet seen in the 14 months I’ve lived in Portland. It's a barge named New Vision--I see that on the front corner of it--and a tug named The Chief, right in the middle of downtown, on the Willamette River. Neat!

I got right off that bus at its first stop and walked back east, heading north along the river. They were slowly moving downstream. I walked and walked and walked, until I could get the entire barge and tug in the photo.

Look at that blue sky, reflected in the river. Didn't I luck out at what I consider a momentous moment (sorry) in the story of my life in Portland? I think so. And did you know that the Willamette River runs north, to its mouth and the intersection with the Columbia River which then runs west to the Pacific Ocean? That's why I was walking north and the barge and tug were moving downstream.



Here's another angle. The green metal struss bridge is the Hawthorne Bridge, and the double deck cantilever bridge beyond it is the Marquam, home of I-5 as it crosses the river.

If you like ocean-going vessels, you ought to look at my other blog, Mama and Me from PDX, in the August Posts. Scroll on down to August 16 (which takes you by my Aug. 23 parody of "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life," which I entitled, "Always Delete the Spam from Your Life") to see a huge yacht at the marina on the other side of the Hawthorne Bridge.

Here's a tidbit from the barge company’s Web site:

Tidewater—more than a barge line. In operation since 1932, Tidewater has traditionally offered a variety of barge transportation services on the Columbia-Snake River System. Today, in our endeavor to provide extended services to our customers, Tidewater has evolved into a multi-modal transportation company serving the Pacific Northwest with its integrated system of towboats, barges, and terminals. We appreciate the privilege of operating in the Pacific Northwest and are committed to performing in a manner that will preserve the livability of this region for future generations.