Seen last week while out and about with Sarah

After we visited Tanner Springs Park last week, Sarah headed for my apartment by crossing the Willamette River on the Broadway Bridge. I haven't paid any attention to the bridge on the rides I've been on with Lamont--the bridge is alongside Interstate Avenue which is the street where Kaiser is located; we've been there quite a bit lately for doctor appointments and blood draws. I will be going on Interstate Avenue to Kaiser a lot between now and probably February, 2016, as I undergo chemotherapy and then radiation therapy.

Seeing these workmen on top of the bridge puts its size in proportion, doesn't it? I mean, we're used to seeing vehicles crossing it, but I've never seen people on it. What a job! When I checked it out at its next-to-largest size, it was easy to see their safety harnesses. Gosh, I remember when my husband used to wear a safety harness, now and then, on his job--he was a construction laborer. Am I ever glad that I didn't witness any of that. Whew.



Here's a 10-second video I shot as we drove out from underneath the cover that protects vehicles while the bridge is being painted.

I read this online: Field work began on June 26, 2015 for a project that will complete the repainting of Multnomah County’s historic Broadway Bridge. The project will repaint the truss structures above the traffic lanes and handrails on three spans: two at the west end and one at the east end. The center spans and the substructure of the entire bridge were repainted in 2004 – 2005.

The bridge was closed to motor vehicles from 7 p.m. on Friday, June 26 until Sunday night, June 28 while the contractor installed traffic control for construction. Two of the four lanes on the bridge will be closed during the work.

F.D. Thomas of Central Point, Oregon, is the general contractor for the $6.9 million project. Work is scheduled to be completed by the end of March 2016.

The contractor will remove failed paint from the three spans and apply a new three-coat paint system (featuring the same Broadway Red as the rest of the bridge). After scaffolding is installed, painting will take place within containment structures designed to prevent the release of contaminants. Some steel repairs may also be required where corrosion has occurred. Most work will take place during the day on weekdays.

Traffic Impacts

The contractor plans to keep the two center lanes open to traffic throughout the project, with one lane in each direction. With the two outside lanes closed during most of the project, bridge users will experience some delays, especially at peak commute hours. Other bridge users may want to consider alternate routes to avoid delays. Highlights of the traffic plan include:

The project will shut down Portland Streetcar service across the bridge and to the eastside from June 26 to August 15, 2015 while the contractor paints the area above the center lanes. This will require deactivation of the streetcar’s electrical system. After mid-August, one sidewalk may need to close at times during repainting of the sidewalk handrails. The contractor will keep the other sidewalk open to two-way bicycle and pedestrian traffic. We recommend that large trucks, trailers, campers and buses avoid the bridge during peak travel times to reduce congestion.

After we visited Tanner Springs Park last week, Sarah headed for my apartment by crossing the Willamette River on the Broadway Bridge. I haven't paid any attention to the bridge on the rides I've been on with Lamont--the bridge is alongside Interstate Avenue which is the street where Kaiser is located; we've been there quite a bit lately for doctor appointments and blood draws. I will be going on Interstate Avenue to Kaiser a lot between now and probably February, 2016, as I undergo chemotherapy and then radiation therapy.

Seeing these workmen on top of the bridge puts its size in proportion, doesn't it? I mean, we're used to seeing vehicles crossing it, but I've never seen people on it. What a job! When I checked it out at its next-to-largest size, it was easy to see their safety harnesses. Gosh, I remember when my husband used to wear a safety harness, now and then, on his job--he was a construction laborer. Am I ever glad that I didn't witness any of that. Whew.



Here's a 10-second video I shot as we drove out from underneath the cover that protects vehicles while the bridge is being painted.

I read this online: Field work began on June 26, 2015 for a project that will complete the repainting of Multnomah County’s historic Broadway Bridge. The project will repaint the truss structures above the traffic lanes and handrails on three spans: two at the west end and one at the east end. The center spans and the substructure of the entire bridge were repainted in 2004 – 2005.

The bridge was closed to motor vehicles from 7 p.m. on Friday, June 26 until Sunday night, June 28 while the contractor installed traffic control for construction. Two of the four lanes on the bridge will be closed during the work.

F.D. Thomas of Central Point, Oregon, is the general contractor for the $6.9 million project. Work is scheduled to be completed by the end of March 2016.

The contractor will remove failed paint from the three spans and apply a new three-coat paint system (featuring the same Broadway Red as the rest of the bridge). After scaffolding is installed, painting will take place within containment structures designed to prevent the release of contaminants. Some steel repairs may also be required where corrosion has occurred. Most work will take place during the day on weekdays.

Traffic Impacts

The contractor plans to keep the two center lanes open to traffic throughout the project, with one lane in each direction. With the two outside lanes closed during most of the project, bridge users will experience some delays, especially at peak commute hours. Other bridge users may want to consider alternate routes to avoid delays. Highlights of the traffic plan include:

The project will shut down Portland Streetcar service across the bridge and to the eastside from June 26 to August 15, 2015 while the contractor paints the area above the center lanes. This will require deactivation of the streetcar’s electrical system. After mid-August, one sidewalk may need to close at times during repainting of the sidewalk handrails. The contractor will keep the other sidewalk open to two-way bicycle and pedestrian traffic. We recommend that large trucks, trailers, campers and buses avoid the bridge during peak travel times to reduce congestion.

After we visited Tanner Springs Park last week, Sarah headed for my apartment by crossing the Willamette River on the Broadway Bridge. I haven't paid any attention to the bridge on the rides I've been on with Lamont--the bridge is alongside Interstate Avenue which is the street where Kaiser is located; we've been there quite a bit lately for doctor appointments and blood draws. I will be going on Interstate Avenue to Kaiser a lot between now and probably February, 2016, as I undergo chemotherapy and then radiation therapy.

Seeing these workmen on top of the bridge puts its size in proportion, doesn't it? I mean, we're used to seeing vehicles crossing it, but I've never seen people on it. What a job! When I checked it out at its next-to-largest size, it was easy to see their safety harnesses. Gosh, I remember when my husband used to wear a safety harness, now and then, on his job--he was a construction laborer. Am I ever glad that I didn't witness any of that. Whew.



Here's a 10-second video I shot as we drove out from underneath the cover that protects vehicles while the bridge is being painted.

I read this online: Field work began on June 26, 2015 for a project that will complete the repainting of Multnomah County’s historic Broadway Bridge. The project will repaint the truss structures above the traffic lanes and handrails on three spans: two at the west end and one at the east end. The center spans and the substructure of the entire bridge were repainted in 2004 – 2005.

The bridge was closed to motor vehicles from 7 p.m. on Friday, June 26 until Sunday night, June 28 while the contractor installed traffic control for construction. Two of the four lanes on the bridge will be closed during the work.

F.D. Thomas of Central Point, Oregon, is the general contractor for the $6.9 million project. Work is scheduled to be completed by the end of March 2016.

The contractor will remove failed paint from the three spans and apply a new three-coat paint system (featuring the same Broadway Red as the rest of the bridge). After scaffolding is installed, painting will take place within containment structures designed to prevent the release of contaminants. Some steel repairs may also be required where corrosion has occurred. Most work will take place during the day on weekdays.

Traffic Impacts

The contractor plans to keep the two center lanes open to traffic throughout the project, with one lane in each direction. With the two outside lanes closed during most of the project, bridge users will experience some delays, especially at peak commute hours. Other bridge users may want to consider alternate routes to avoid delays.

Highlights of the traffic plan include:

The project will shut down Portland Streetcar service across the bridge and to the eastside from June 26 to August 15, 2015 while the contractor paints the area above the center lanes. This will require deactivation of the streetcar’s electrical system. After mid-August, one sidewalk may need to close at times during repainting of the sidewalk handrails. The contractor will keep the other sidewalk open to two-way bicycle and pedestrian traffic. We recommend that large trucks, trailers, campers and buses avoid the bridge during peak travel times to reduce congestion.

River traffic will not be impacted.

Noise

The contractor may work on some nights, usually to set up a new work area. The project has taken several steps to mitigate construction noise and maintain neighborhood livability during construction:

All equipment will comply with US Environmental Protection Agency noise standards, including mufflers. Reduce truck movements at night. Use silent “smart alarms” instead of standard reverse signal beep alarms on vehicles at night. Use portable noise meters onsite to measure noise levels. The containment structures will help contain construction noise. Maintain a 24-hour Construction Information Hotline (503-988-4884) with information on the work schedule. Maintain a 24-hour telephone response line for noise complaints (503-329-5490). The contractor will assist the County to address complaints within 24 hours or before the next scheduled night work. River traffic will not be impacted.

Noise

The contractor may work on some nights, usually to set up a new work area. The project has taken several steps to mitigate construction noise and maintain neighborhood livability during construction:

All equipment will comply with US Environmental Protection Agency noise standards, including mufflers. Reduce truck movements at night. Use silent “smart alarms” instead of standard reverse signal beep alarms on vehicles at night. Use portable noise meters onsite to measure noise levels. The containment structures will help contain construction noise. Maintain a 24-hour Construction Information Hotline (503-988-4884) with information on the work schedule. Maintain a 24-hour telephone response line for noise complaints (503-329-5490). The contractor will assist the County to address complaints within 24 hours or before the next scheduled night work. River traffic will not be impacted.

Noise

The contractor may work on some nights, usually to set up a new work area. The project has taken several steps to mitigate construction noise and maintain neighborhood livability during construction:

All equipment will comply with US Environmental Protection Agency noise standards, including mufflers. Reduce truck movements at night. Use silent “smart alarms” instead of standard reverse signal beep alarms on vehicles at night. Use portable noise meters onsite to measure noise levels. The containment structures will help contain construction noise. Maintain a 24-hour Construction Information Hotline (503-988-4884) with information on the work schedule. Maintain a 24-hour telephone response line for noise complaints (503-329-5490). The contractor will assist the County to address complaints within 24 hours or before the next scheduled night work.

Seen while out and about in the Pearl District, with Sarah on Thursday afternoon.

Lilies in the afternoon sunshine, so bright that I couldn't see where I pointed my iPhone 6 Plus to take this photo. Tanner Springs Park, one of three Portland city parks in the Pearl District, Northwest Portland, is Sarah's favorite park in this part of Portland. Sarah took me there on our Thursday afternoon out--we'd been way west of Portland to the Helvetia Tavern for lunch, drove back into town on Skyline Drive, a winding road high atop the Tualatin Mountains, then onto West Burnside and down into mine and Mama's old neighborhood, then through the Pearl District to park for a few minutes so that we could walk through the not-quite-an-acre park.



Sarah pointed out that this is where Tanner Springs enters the park's design. You can't tell from my photo, but it runs in a stream-like-way on stone lined paths through the north end of the park where we walked. I don't know if the stream is at the south end because we didn't walk that direction. She explained that the stepping stones used to be on the streets of Portland and before that served as ballast in wooden sailing ships that came into the port of Portland many years ago. So cool!



More bright sunshine, plus my doofus self led to an upside down video that I made of Sarah stepping barefoot into the center of the circle that marks where Tanner Springs comes up out of the ground at the park. You can hear a little girl there with her mom, Sarah, and me talking about the rocks being slippery, the center not being slippery, and that Sarah will be careful.



This video is of the Art Wall on the park's east side. I guess I could blame it on the bright sunshine, too, the fact that I incorrectly called these railroad tracks railroad ties. Doofus me. I really like that it is made of railroad tracks because the Pearl District is where the rail yards around Union Station used to exist, along with warehouses and light industry. Portland Terminal Railroad onated the rails, recovered from the region. Some rails date back to 1898.

Found online at the city of Portland's Web site: Historical Information

What is now known as the Pearl District was once a wetland and lake fed by streams that flowed down from the nearby hills in southwest Portland. These wooded hillsides provided a natural filter for the streams, cleansing the water as it made its way to the Willamette River. The springs from Tanner Creek, named for the tannery built by pioneer Daniel Lownsdale in 1845, flowed into the shallow basin of Couch Lake, now the area surrounding Tanner Springs Park. As the population of Portland grew in the late 19th century, Tanner Creek was rerouted through an underground system of pipes to the Willamette River. The lake and the surrounding wetland were eventually filled to make way for warehouses and rail yards which in turn were replaced by residences, shops, and public spaces. Today, the park sits about 20 feet above the former lake surface.

From the beginning of the planning efforts for the Pearl District in the early 1990s, the creation of a network of open spaces was an important goal of both the neighborhood and the City. In 1998, a conceptual plan for the new parks and open spaces was proposed by the Tanner Creek and Water Feature Steering Committee and approved by City Council. Those recommendations served as a point of departure for planning the district's parks.

In June 1999, Peter Walker & Partners, a landscape architecture firm, was retained to provide concepts for three new parks between Tenth and Eleventh Avenues in the River District. They developed and refined plans for the parks with input from a Project Steering Committee and two public workshops. The final plan is characterized by a series of recurring elements which strengthen the connection between each of the three parks. Jamison Square was the first to be developed.

North Park Square was the working name given the second block to be developed. Planning for this park began in early 2003. Atelier Dreiseitl, a renowned German design firm, and GreenWorks, P.C., an award-winning, local landscape architecture firm, were selected to design the park. A series of community workshops were held between January and June 2003, allowing the public to participate in the design process. After committee review, the name Tanner Springs was adopted in April 2005. The springs connect the park to Tanner Creek that at one time flowed openly through this area; today it flows through large pipes beneath the city streets. Since the design of the park attempts to recapture the area's past with its native wetlands and flowing runnels, the name is fitting.

The Artwall runs along the east edge of the park. It is composed of 368 railroad tracks set on end and integrates 99 pieces of fused glass inset with images of dragonflies, spiders, amphibians, and insects. The images were hand-painted by Herbert Dreiseitl directly onto Portland glass, which was then fused and melted to achieve the final effect.

With Sarah's help, I took some queenly advice!

Here's the advice, straight from H.R.H. Jill Conner Browne, THE Sweet Potato Queen, given to me on April 15, 2015, by way of a Facebook Message: Go out TODAY and buy yourself a FIVE-YEAR CALENDAR and start filling it up. Give no thought WHATSOEVER to being sick in any way. See yourself as healthy and vibrant, doing all the things you are putting in the calendar. Begin thanking God TODAY for your health and well-being. Praise Him for how wonderfully you are made and for all His magnificent Creation, of which you are an important part. All is well and all WILL BE well. xxoojill Thanks, Jill!

My friend Sarah came to my apartment yesterday with Burgerville Chicken Tenders and French Fries and the FIVE-YEAR CALENDAR, plus an added treat, the One Line A Day, A Five-Year Memory Book. Both the calendar and the book are exquisitely made so that they feel good in my hand, at my fingertips.




I'll be writing in them with my little Mama's favorite Papermate Sharpwriter #2 USA lead pencil, the one that advances the lead with a twist of its tip. Since she always wanted to have plenty on hand to use in her crossword puzzle books, I had a couple of unopened packages after she died in January, 2011. Since then, I've made my way to that section of either Freddie's or Walgreens, picked up another package and enjoyed the memory of watching her diligently complete one puzzle after the other while sitting in her recliner in front of the TV--Mama aced every single one! Now I keep a pencil atop this thick glass picture frame--that's us on July 9, 2004, taken by Lamont at the Bijou Cafe, downtown Portland. We ate breakfast there before going to the airport on the MAX and flying back to Jackson, Mississippi, after our first visit with Lamont and his brother Leland in Portland. Sweet memories.



See the tabs? There is one for each month in each of the five years. Enjoy my first entry!



I am astounded at the versatility of the memory book. You can see here how you're able to write in the year on a particular date before you record your memory! Brilliant!

Seen downtown, No. 5

Let me count a few of my daily life blessings for you.

First, from my employer I get a 24/7/365 mass transit pass. 

Second, I work in a building a single block from a bus stop where three bus lines that go west over the Willamette River stop at the beginning of my lunch hour. 

Third, those buses all stop a couple of blocks from the Wednesday downtown Portland Farmers Market, located at Shemanski Park in the South Park Blocks, behind the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. 

Fourth, while this particular version of the PFM is less than a square block, I prefer to think of it as being village-like, intimate and personable and filled to the brim with the bounty of folks who must have huge hearts because they're willing to grow all of these vegetables, fruits, and flowers--or to bake tarts and breads and cookies and quiches or make goat cheese--so that we can zoom over there on our lunch hour and shop among the trees. 

Fifth blessing, those founders of the city who donated the downtown blocks of land which have become home  of two versions of the Portland Farmers Market, this small one at the north end of the South Park Blocks and the huge Saturday PFM at the south end of the South Park Blocks.

So, this week on Wednesday I happily saw once again, up close and personal, why it is so ever-lovin' OK that it rains in Portland. These vegetables. Other fruits I didn't get a photo of because I was carrying too many vegetables back to work with me and couldn't manipulate the camera. And the flowers in the next photo, one that I took before I had all of the vegetables to lug.




Once I got home from work, I took everything out of the bags and washed it all and put it in these two colanders to drain.

Sixth blessing, knowing I'll soon cook and eat all of these beautiful vegetables. More on that next time.

• Seventh blessing, my friend Sarah of Portland Creamery sold me some mighty fine chevre and gave me a great big hug!

Felt good enough to go to the Portland Farmers Market Saturday

Click here for a trip to City Daily Photo, transporting you around the world every day.

Saturday evening I ate a small, fresh-baked baguette--no kidding, I got it at the Dollar Tree in a package of two which you're instructed to bake on the oven rack for 8-10 minutes until golden brown, imported from Holland, of all places--a sensible amount of Pearl Creamery Artisan Goat Cheese, a sensible amount of Rose City Pepperheads' Mango Madness, a sensible amount of Chop's Farmhouse Country Style Pate, and a sensible amount of Unbound Pickling's Bread & Butter Pickles. Wow. Then for a late lunch today, after a laundry marathon, I ate a sandwich on Pearl Bakery's honey wheat bread--with, once again, sensible amounts of goat cheese, pate, pepper jelly and pickles. I eat sensible amounts of these goodies because I want them to last all week. I cannot get over living in Portland where I am allowed to happily spend my hard-earned cash on products produced with pride by locals. I am blessed. See more details about my purchases below. I'll bet your mouth will water, maybe your stomach will growl. Let me know, OK?


My friend Sarah, a recent graduate of University of Gastronomic Sciences in Bra, Italy, has found a great job with the Portland Creamery. She sweetly posed for this photo holding my purchases. I bought Artisan Goat Cheese, Sweet Fire Artisan Goat Cheese (the addition of marionberry preserves adds the sweet, habanero pepper adds the fire), and Cajeta, Artisan Goat Caramel. Swoon city, y'all. Creamy, flavorful, spreadable yumminess. I am very excited to have these products in my frig, even more happy to have them on my plate!
 

Sarah didn't know that I stopped to take this photo. I love the look of concentration on her face as she listens, ready to answer questions and offer tastes of Portland Creamery's products.
 

I bought Bread & Butter Pickles, pure perfection. From their Web site, every word the truth in my opinion: sweetened with blueberries and pear. Bread and butter pickles, subtracting out large quantities of sugar from the formula while adding fresh Willamette Valley blueberries and pear juice to sweeten the taste equation. Perfect on sandwiches and cheeseburgers or add a flavorful and joyous touch to your tuna or chicken salad.
 

I bought a loaf of totally wonderful, great textured honey wheat bread (see the one still there with the big white label in the low basket to the right) and one satisfyingly sweet little pastry called a rugelah, I think that's how they spelled it. I decided to eat it slowly; it's small enough to be gone in two bites, but that would be plain stupid. I made it last for five bites. Yea for me! It's in the case on the top shelf, right, as you look at the photo. The lady had just helped me and had a smile on her face--I caught her in this photo with what I'm sure was a passing moment of farmers-market-been-there-since-probably-6:30-a.m. fatigue. I took the photo at 1:03 p.m. 
 

I bought my all-time-favorite pepper jelly, Mango Madness. My gosh. That stuff is so good! Sweet and spicy, a nice-to-the-tooth-and-tongue consistency. Spreads like a champ!
 

I bought a couple of pears, green and red anjou, if I remember right. I know they're going to be good because every other single piece of fruit I've bought here over the years has been. I trust fruit from Draper Girls.
 

When I go to the Farmers Market, I have to have enough money with me to get a box of Cherry Country Dried Cherries & Milk and Dark Chocolate. So outta sight good, melting chocolate and chewy cherries. I can eat them one at a time without cheating myself by eating them more quickly. I really can! There are 20 in the eight ounce box. I like to get the mixed chocolate because variety is the spice of life. I also got a jar of Montmorency Tart Cherry Jam. I shall have Pearl Bakery honey wheat toast and Cherry County jam for breakfast this week. I am blessed.
 

I bought Farmhouse Country Style Pate, to which I readily admit I am addicted. You can see tidbits of it there on the edge of the cutting board, right in front of the Chop man. In my haste to get into the package, I tore through the label, rendering it unreadable. To tell you the truth, I'll be buying it again before too long; I'll be more careful so that I can share the ingredients with you--I'll even take a photo of the slab inside the butcher paper.
 

Finally, I bought a bunch of both the yellow irises and the purple irises. I stopped by the Blue Diamond on the way home and left them for the sweetest bartender in town, Janessa. Her birthday is this Wednesday, so those flowers are her birthday happy from me.

Sing-A-Long Mary Poppins, Cinema 21, NW 21st Avenue

Saturday, March 5, my friend Sarah and I enjoyed ourselves very much at the 2 p.m. Sing-A-Long Mary Poppins at Cinema 21, over in my old neighborhood. Dimwit that I am, I completely forgot to take a photo of the marquee! I have until March 20 to make it back over there to take a photo and attend the Sing-A-Long Grease--it's at 7 p.m.

While we waited in line to pick up our will-call tickets, Mary Poppins herself came out to speak to me--I had on a headband sporting two long-stemmed flowers and a butterfly because people were encouraged to dress up in costume. She wanted to talk flowers-on-your-hat for a minute or two. Delightful. Soon this charming little girl appeared with her grownups. Seeing Mary Poppins literally stopped her in her tracks. I thought it was very sweet of MP to speak with her, to call attention to her friend Winnie the Pooh who had come to see the movie with her.


As we walked through the lobby, each of us received a bag of goodies--turned out to be sort of movie props for the audience's enjoyment, to heighten our sense of participation beyond mere singing. Here you see Sarah holding our cards and her umbrella. Mine's the card on the left.


Mary Poppins held each item up, one at a time, and asked the audience for suggestions when to use them during the movie. Other items included a chocolate penny for Feed the Birds; a Pixy Stix for A Spoonful of Sugar, the umbrella for Mary Poppins arrival and departure, a kazoo for when the penguins show up in the part where Mary and Bert and Michael and Jane jump into Bert's sidewalk art, a Champagne Party Popper to pull and cause to explode at one of the times that Admiral Boom's man shot off that cannon on the roof, a paper fan to blow away all of those other nannies who answered Mr. Banks' ad for a new nanny, and the pink card to hold up while everyone sang Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! You could smell the gunpowder every time that cannon went boom, what with all of us deciding to pull the string on our party popper at different times. One more thing Mary Poppins told us--the words would appear on the screen for each song which relieved my anxiety about remembering all of them.


Here's the silhouette of my "hat," caused by the light behind me inside the theater itself.


And here I am in the hall mirror at home, before heading to the show.

I can't think of what to wear when I go see Grease. I don't know where my scarves are, yet.