UPDATE - And today's reason I went back outside

UPDATE:

I woke up feeling less energy than yesterday but knew that I needed to go out for a walk. I made it OK and came back to the apartment. I've been out for one more walk, a shorter walk.

I still don't feel like I want to feel today--no fever, no particular aches and pains, just don't feel very well.



I like to walk up and down this street which is on the south of my building. There's lots to look at, and, even though this photo doesn't show it, most of the sidewalk is shaded by trees. Yesterday I noticed that one of the trees in front of this building was gone, replaced by a tiny thing that looks to be some sort of shrub. Since a woman had come out to put her trash in the bin and we'd said hello as she passed, I commented, "Oh, y'all have lost a tree." She let me know that a repair person who came to work on something in the building had hit it, and and that was that. We talked for a moment about how sad that was, to lose a tree. She headed toward the entrance sidewalk and I went on my way, turning to look at the building. I've always enjoyed it architectural details.



I looked up and noticed immediately that we had company. I asked the woman if she had a dog on the second floor, looking out the window. She smiled, and without even looking up, said no, that that was Zoe who was a really sweet dog. This is the first photo that I took when I went back outside today, to see if I could get a chance to photograph Zoe.



Here's the second one, not a whole lot better. I didn't want to spook her with my iPhone, so I turned towards my building and walked on home.

Mama and Duncan, back in the day.

One of my favorite photos of my little Mama and Duncan, the darlin' dachshund. I took it July 1, 2007. We'd been in Portland since, June, 2006, and lived in the Presidential Court Apartments at NW 22nd and NW Everett since October, 2006. Our first apartment, in Southeast Portland, had sold in September, 2006, to be converted into condos. Not what we wanted, period. We lucked out and found this great place where we lived until Mama died in January, 2011; Duncan preceded her in June, 2010. They're out for a walk, as you can tell. Mama's a responsible dog owner, as you can see. Love those two so very much and still miss them to this day. Thank goodness for my camera and all of the chances that I got to take photos of them!

That's our building they're walking towards, with the trimmed green hedges alongside NW 22nd Avenue. We lived on the top floor, the fourth floor, in the corner apartment that looks down onto the intersection of NW 22nd and NW Everett. All three of us thoroughly enjoyed our lives in that apartment. I drove by in the last few months and noticed that all of the hedges are gone, replaced by wimpy looking, sparsely placed cedars, I'm guessing, with some sort of shorter bush in between them. I'll show you other landscaping that is gone in an upcoming post. I'm partial to the way it was.

What do you think made me take these photos?

Cropped close-up. Gives you a great big clue, right? Across the street from her, I rushed up the sidewalk towards the intersection, hoping I'd get close enough to be able to stop, zoom, focus and get a decent photo of that golden, spiked backpack. Since I had noticed it before on a walk around my work building, I figured that I just might get a chance to take a photo of it another time. But, why take the chance that I'd have my Nikon in my hands? So I said to myself, "Step out, ol' lady!" With the traffic signal on my side, I caught up with her and her quirky backpack!



Co-existing successfully, the joys of city commuting. Car stopped at traffic signal, waiting to go north. Bicyclist going east, pedestrian and her fascinating backpack going west. But, how far west?



Ah, there she goes on the Hawthorne Bridge ramp. Downtown? Tom McCall Waterfront Park? This girl has options for enjoying the sunny afternoon.

Flower Study, No. 2

It amazes me how these clusters of blossoms just come out of the trunk, not on stems or tiny branches, just right through the bark. I cannot remember noticing such a sight back in my home state of Mississippi. Of course, I hardly ever got out and walked because there were not sidewalks in our neighborhood, the heat and humidity were stifling, and some months the mosquitos smothered anyone who went outside.

Sunny Saturday! Been to a lecture and walked around taking photos. About to go out again into the sunshine, just as soon as I get this posted!

Walking from The Circuit Bouldering gym just of NE Sandy at NE 18th, on my way home today at 12:46 p.m. I had stopped for a few minutes to visit with Lamont and Leland who were in there bouldering. Lucky for me, they had a few minutes to stop climbing and visit with their little ol' Mom! Lucky for me also to get this photo of the two buses that I ride home from work--the 12 and the 19. That's my usual stop that the 19 is at--it's named NE Sandy and NE Flanders. The 12 is at the traffic signal at NE Sandy and NE 20th. The multi-browns brick building is the triangular one that houses Halo Salon, on the tip, and right behind it, The Blue Diamond PDX, my practically-perfect-in-every-way neighborhood bar. Depending on whim or weather, I can walk either direction at the tip of that triangle to get to my building--there's a side door if I go right, and there's a front door on the street parallel with NE 20th. Often I go to the front door so that I can get in a few more steps.

Neighborhood walk reveals the disappearance of a large tree.

Now. About 40 minutes ago the sight of this tree stopped me in its tracks. No, it's not the angle at which it extends over the sidewalk. The absence of its nearest neighbor surprised me.



Then. You can see what I mean in this photo that I took on Feb. 27, 2011, while out on a walk. The loss of a tree in the city brings a sadness to my soul.

Walk #7, neighborhood sidewalk surrounded by lush greens

OK, so it rains a lot here in Portland. But look what the rain brings us. Beauty in all shades of green, plus in the distance another flowering tree. I am blessed. And that's the tallest hedge I've ever been around, there on my left. Tall, well-trimmed, healthy hedge.

I took this photo last Sunday while out on a neighborhood walk.

I think it's fitting accompaniment for my news. I see the tender buds and the sunshine as representing faith in the future and the nurturing of that faith. My Daddy's baby sister, my 77-year-old Aunt Baker, died suddenly last Sunday afternoon, a few hours before I went on my walk. I needed to clear my head and my heart, if only for a few moments, and to take time also to appreciate the ongoing beauty that is there for the seeing. I loved that woman so very much, as did everyone who knew her. The only peace I have is that she is reunited with those who loved her whose deaths came before and that I know I shall some day join them. I pray for my uncle, her daughter, grandsons and great-grandchildren that they may eventually find that same peace.

Walk #6, interesting spot in the neighborhood

For years I've noticed this house which appears to have been converted into a business. Now I live within walking distance, so I finally got to take a photo of it. And look at the serendipity--that front bumper of the car matches the paint on the house.

Walk #5, interesting concept

As I walked around the neighborhood last Sunday, I remembered that I wanted to take a closer look at the windows at this corner store. Recently I'd noticed the painted signs from the bus window. But what caught my eye as I snapped this shot wasn't just the "Sleep Better ... Buy Local" painted across the outline of the state of Oregon.


Nope. It was the red and white printed sign leaning up in the lower left corner of the window that caught my eye. Deliver a mattress by bike? Interesting concept. Do I ever wish that I'd be outside to catch a glimpse of one of these deliveries so that I could take a photo to share!

Walk #4, what's this?

Last Sunday morning. Clothes in washing machine. Out for a walk. Heard it coming. Looked left. Picked up camera. Got off three quick shots. Here's the first one.


And here's the third one. I've cropped it so that you can get the full impact of the Spunky Monkey van. I don't drink coffee, but I dig this van. How about that statement in the lower right corner of the back doors? Help us play all local music: Bring your own recording and get 10 free coffees! Hey, y'all local PDX recording artists! Y'all know about this? Who's done it? I'm curious.

Walk #3, swinging while distracted

The first few photos I took of the young woman swinging, she faced forward and in one even appeared to be singing with her iPod. In this one, what could have all of a sudden distracted her? is it that she all of a sudden saw what appears to be a giant paint ball splatter high up on the wall? Or did she notice me with my camera?

No matter, I particularly like how the playground equipment framed her swinging.

Walk #2, playground equipment in neon

When I saw this playground equipment, I immediately thought of changing it to neon in Picnik. Success.


The playground as I saw it.

The playground itself is at the east end of the da Vinci Middle School campus. The school is at 2508 NE Everett Street.

Walk #1, blustery encounter at the corner

Sunday afternoon I decided to take a walk around my new neighborhood. Prior to this I had only walked to and from either the bus stop or the Zipcar. I had a great time, despite the chilly temperature, the sprinkles of rain, and the gusts of wind.

While I had my camera hanging around my neck, I had to keep tucking it inside my coat, then pulling it out if I saw something that I wanted to photograph.

The people you see here, walking their dogs, came together and passed so quickly that I almost missed getting any photo at all. But for the tugging efforts of the dogs who so desperately wanted to prolong their encounter, I would have had nothing. Thanks, plucky little dogs!

Autumn Stepping Out

Couldn't get focused quick enough 'cause she was steppin' out! I sort of caught the essence of that with the photo--look at the diagonal lines of the back of her coat. She's got that vivid auburn hair that matches so the autumn leaves. She's walking south on NW 23rd, just past its intersection with NW Flanders. Notice the upward slope? This corner is just a couple of blocks from our place, and the grade has already increased this much and more. These changes in elevation make for a good place for me to walk, right near home. I am blessed.