Hawthorne Bridge 2010 Centennial Calendar Launch Event, Sept. 10, 2009, and a dahlia with a bee! I saw lots of bees at Swan Island Dahlias!

Please scroll down to see today's dahlia, Gitts Respect, from Swan Island Dahlias.

Remember when I was so excited and I just couldn't hide it? Here's the rest of the story, so far--well, just a bit of it today, more soon.

Here's my photo that is on the December 2010 page in the Hawthorne Bridge Centennial Calendar. If you clicked on the link above you saw where it's placed on the page. I was so excited when I first unrolled the print and saw it! At 11x14, this is the largest print I've ever had done of one of my photos. And then I was so excited when I saw it matted and framed. I grinned and grinned, not really believing what I was seeing. Then I walked into the event and saw it on an easel. Swooned. I practically swooned!


Now for some info about the Hawthorne Bridge and the event itself. Opened in 1910, the Hawthorne Bridge is the oldest vertical lift bridge in the U.S., likely the world. With next year's 100th anniversary in mind, the Friends of the Willamette River Bridges has produced The Hawthorne Bridge 2010 Centennial Calendar, a 12-month, 26-page, full-color booklet.

A calendar launch and gallery viewing of selected works from the calendar is scheduled for Thursday, September 10, 2009, 4-7pm in a historic trolley barn under the east end of the Hawthorne Bridge.

The trolley barn, at 1403 S.E. Water Avenue, is now the Multnomah County’s Bridge Maintenance headquarters. (The County owns and maintains the Broadway, Burnside, Morrison, and Hawthorne bridges across the downtown Willamette River.) The launch, sponsored by the Friends of Willamette River Bridges, in cooperation with Multnomah County, is open to the public. All ages are invited.

Here's the sign that greeted folks as they arrived.


Here's my photo's first fan, photographer Randolph.


Here's Randolph's spectacular photo, which is on April's page.


Here's Multnomah County Chair Ted Wheeler beside my photo. He attended with his family and made remarks about the Hawthorne Bridge and in support of next year's PDX Bridge Festival.


And here's my photo with the man who bought it, on the left, Bill D. whose company printed the calendar, and on the right, Ian C., Multnomah County's Bridge Services Manager.

Yep, you guessed it. I was so excited--again!

Today's dahlia, Gitts Respect. Facts from Swan Island Dahlias--Bloom: 10" Red and Yellow, Bush: 3 1/2'

Love the bee!