July 26, 2008, out and about with the biggest reason I am me--Mama

Mama wanted to ride the MAX Light Rail and take in the sights. So on that sunny Saturday, we first rode the bus downtown from our apartment in the Alphabet District to have our favorite Portland brunch at the Bijou Cafe. Then we walked a few blocks and boarded the MAX Blue Line, west to Hillsboro. We rode all the way to the end of the line, got off that train and boarded the Blue Line to Gresham which is east of Portland. We didn't ride all the way out there, getting off instead at what was then PGE Park where we caught a 15 bus to get us within a couple blocks of home. We had a blast!



Here's a great example of Mama's outlook on life: Look ahead, take it in, and enjoy the view while you do!

I miss this little ol' lady a whole lot but am equally happy that she's not here to experience this cancer thing up close and personal. I wouldn't want to witness her initial fear and pain when I got the diagnosis. But, knowing her inner strength, I have no doubt that she'd be standing right beside me ready to reach out to squeeze my hand or give me a pat on the back.

City Daily Photo Monthly Theme Day: Cobblestones

Cobblestones along the MAX light rail tracks near then PGE Park, now Jeld-Wen Field, of the Portland Timbers, our MLS team. The patrol car you see heading east is the Transit Police, on patrol. See other Theme Day Cobblestones posts here.

Seen from the MAX Yellow Line, snaking rail cars along the east side of the Willamette River, heading north.

Saturday in Portland, the sun shone, the breeze blew, the temp chilled, and I rode the light rail train to get my flu shot, taking photos to my heart's delight. At this particular point in the ride, the train has crossed the Steel Bridge, heading east towards Interstate Avenue, then north on it.

"Thor," coming and going

On Valentine's Day before I made it to Pioneer Courthouse Square, I came upon sculptor Melvin Schuler's "Thor," one of the public art pieces that dot two downtown Portland avenues, SW 6th and SW 5th, also known as the Portland Bus Mall. In January, 2007, when TriMet moved the bus operations to SW 4th and SW 3rd so that renovations to the mall could take place, including adding light rail, TriMet moved the public art for safe-keeping--here's what TriMet had to say about the process: Nearly all of the existing public art sculptures on the Mall have been temporarily removed to protect them during construction. The sculptures will be cleaned and refurbished, then relocated along the Central Mall at sites more congenial to viewing them in the round.

In the past few months as construction nears completion, some pieces have been placed in their new sites. "Thor" is one of them, created by Schuler in 1977. It's copper on redwood. It's on SW 6th between SW Taylor and SW Yamhill. Here's the view as I walked closer to it.

And here's the other side of it, looking southward.

Wouldn't that curved section make a great place to take a photo of someone special? At eight feet tall and a lovely verdi gris, it would make an effective backdrop.

Here's an interesting bit about sculptor Schuler:

A professor emeritus from Humbolt State University, Schuler received his BA and MFA from the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland, CA and studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen, Denmark. He carves his sculptures from recycled old-growth redwood. In order for the work to weather the out of doors, he covers it with copper in the same way that the hulls of the American clipper ships were covered. The copper is placed shingle-like and fastened with bronze nails, hammered and then a cold patina is applied. His works can be found in many distinguished private and public collections throughout the US.