Foggy morning commute, April 7, 2014

Once I crossed the street after stepping off the first of two vehicles which make up my morning commute, either two buses or a bus and a streetcar, I immediately realized I had to get my camera out of my backpack and take a few photos. Fog, the streetlights on the Burnside Bridge, the Big Pink disappearing into the fog, the neon Portland, Oregon, sign. All called out to me. Happy to have had the chance to take several photos before the streetcar arrived.



I took this photo as the streetcar slowly headed south on MLK--a split second opportunity.

ABC Wednesday - S is for more than several S words

Sitting in the sunshine, my hands on the steering wheel while we waited at the traffic signal, I looked to the left and looked to the right. That's where I spied a senior citizen on an electric scooter. I grabbed my camera and clicked off several shots through the windshield. Her decorations made her scooter so special, from the colorful spinner at the front to the sunflowers at the back. She had her silver crutches, accentuated with several colors, attached to the side. There's even a word that starts with an S on the side of her scooter--I can't make it out because something is hanging in the way.

Isn't it wonderful that she had this method to get outside and enjoy the sunshine on a Saturday?

When the cross-the-street-sign flashed the little white-light-pedestrian for all to see, the senior citizen scooted across the street, from sidewalk to sidewalk. She took no notice of the sign on the side of the Nob Hill Bar and Grill, advertising the Street Car Special--cheeseburger, fries and soft drink. You can't tell from the photo, but the streetcar turns left at the traffic signal, to the senior citizen's left in the first photo. That juxtaposition must be the inspiration for the special's name. I've had a burger and fries there, but not during the special's hours. Nevertheless, it was tasty and satisfying.


If you're of a mind to, please go to Mrs. Nesbitt's Place for loads of other ABC Wednesday blogs! Look at the list of links per Mr. Linky.

I missed the show, but I got the photos!

Mama and I are in the car, driving east on Everett, headed for the Steel Bridge. Our goal? Cross the Willamette River and head for Marsha's, to pick her up for the Hood River Fruit Loop Tour. My camera and Flat Stanley rest in the backseat of the Buick, safe inside a tote bag.

We hadn't gone two blocks before I spied something odd on the street in front of us. Well, not so odd for Portland because I've seen this sort of rolling sign here other times. I've even seen (and missed the chance to photograph, doggone it!) a rolling Ikea room.

"Oh," I groan. "My camera's in the back seat." Mama looks over her left shoulder and calmly states the truth: "I can't reach it."

Instantly I realize that when I stop at a stop sign, I should be able to jump out and grab the tote bag, as long as there is no vehicle right behind me. And that's exactly what I do, seven blocks later. Above you see the photo that I took a couple of blocks after that when I stop at the next four-way stop.

And here's the photo I took just before we drove up onto the approach to the bridge.



One of the things I love about Portland, among the many, many things, is being in the street in the car alongside mass transit entities--bus, streetcar, MAX--or approaching an intersection where mass transist is about to cross in front of me. At this particular intersection, here's the Buick, behind a bus. A block in front of us, the MAX lines cross the street and continues to the left, up onto the Steel Bridge.

It may sound silly that such a mundane thing as mass transit makes me love Portland, but it does.