Field trip from California got off the bus

After work on November 3, once I left the Hawthorne Bridge and got on the 4 for part of the ride home, I realized I had boarded a bus loaded to the gills with energetic, talkative kids, mixed in with several curious adults as well as your standard Portland commuters. I couldn't make out a single word the kids were saying, but I could hear the adults discussing the location of their next stop. When I stood up to get off the bus, I asked one of the men in the group, "Is this a field trip?" "Yes," he replied. "We're here from California." Then without pausing as the bus pulled to a stop, he turned to the rest of the bus and said loud enough to be heard over the din, "This is our stop. Line up on the wall." Which they all did.

Special Delivery for Greg Oden

I've just been reading some of the comments at the Trail Blazer Facebook page--some of those people are way too mean, others are thankfully very supportive.

Greg, I want you to know something that is very important to me. My almost 85-year-old mother and I moved here to Portland from Jackson, Mississippi, the summer of 2006. My two wonderful sons had already moved here and welcomed us with open arms. When you were drafted by Portland in 2007, my Mama perked up at all the news stories and became a basketball fan--she'll even miss "Wheel of Fortune" to watch the Trail Blazers. This is a cutie-pie little ol' lady who merely tolerated all sorts of sports during her 57 and one half year marriage to my Daddy who always had the TV on some sort of sporting event, but never basketball. I myself have been a basketball fan since the 1960s watching my brother play in school, and I kept score for the high school teams where I was a librarian for six years, home and away games. I adore the squeak of sneakers on the gym floor.

Anyway, I want to say a great big THANK YOU for the part your smile and your desire to do your best for Portland had in turning my mother into a basketball fan because we now have one more thing we can share as a couple of widows living together. She sits in her recliner, pulling for the Trail Blazers, pleased as punch when things go right, uttering a four-letter word that starts with an S, which she turns into two syllables, when things go bad. She's asked me to explain all sorts of terms--pick and roll, in the paint, setting a pick, and from the bench, to name a few. I've had to look some of them up on the Internet, rely on my ol' lady memory, and/or call my brother in Mississippi to get some help with the definitions. He's in the wrong time zone to be much help. Beside Mama on the table, she's got the schedule I printed from the Internet so that she won't forget about an upcoming game--she's keeping up with the wins and losses.

I sit in my chair watching the games, too, but some of the time I'm watching my Mama, the basketball fan. Thanks, Greg. Mama and I wish you the best with your surgery and recovery. We know you will rise again. We know it.

I got off the bus to take this photo before they all blew off, they lit up the vista.

Wednesday, November 3, I decided to get off the bus and walk back east onto the Hawthorne Bridge. Too many beautiful trees had gone un-photographed by my trusty Nikon D50. Not wanting to be too late getting home, I decided to try this shot from the north side of the bridge approach, rather than walking down the stairs, beneath the bridge, and then back up the other side. I sort of like the railing at the top of the wall which shows up at the bottom of the shot. I especially like the golden tree in the center of the shot, as well as the green leaves mixed with the reds. While some of these leaves remain on the trees, in the last 12 days, rain has fallen and winds have blown. All over the city, leaves line the curbs, cover the cars that haven't been driven, and either cover or speckle the sidewalks. Slippery when wet applies.

Here’s a link to the Mayor Sam Adams' leaf pick-up fee fiasco, for which he’s taking the blame.


Later that evening after I got off the bus and walked east on our street, I took this photo. You can see that while leaves cover the parking spaces and most of the sidewalk, lots of leaves are still on the trees. Today they're all blown down, waiting to be removed. Click here to see lots and lots of autumn leaf photos from November, 2008, and to read all about the NW Portland Clean Sweep.

Colorful walks beside the MAX

Once again I'm at the MAX station near the Lloyd Center Mall. Only difference between this photo and the others with the colorful hair is that this time I'm on the same side of the fence as her.

Colorful rides the MAX

I couldn't get focused quick enough to get a photo of this woman before she got on the MAX. However, I did manage to get this one that shows her vivid pink hair after she had taken a seat. And how about that autumn leaf stuck on the fencing? It sort of looks like a feather, stuck there on purpose. By the way, this is the MAX station near Lloyd Center, a shopping mall, and it's where I saw a cute girl clown with shocking, neon, sort of purplish pink hair.

The week before the end of Daylight Saving Time, when I could see

Wednesday, November 3, once again I'm at the corner of SW Washington and SW Broadway, waiting for the 15. Ah, the joys of being in the right spot at the right time. It certainly didn't hurt that this Dodge Daytona was thumping, so much so that I had time to look, get the camera out of my bag and turn it on, then point it for several quick shots. When the light changed to green, the driver slowly advanced for the left turn. I'm loving this blurred bicycle and rider. Those reddish smudges on the pavement are actually the blurred rims of the bicycle's wheels! What I want to know is where is the bicyclist's head? Even at the largest image, I can't say for sure, but I think he's lowered it between his shoulders. At least I think it's a he. And I can see that the driver of the Dodge Daytona is a man. Fun, I'm having fun with this photo!

The evening of July 18, downtown Portland, look what I saw and had seconds to grab the camera

I'm loving this photo, just about as much as I love that back window. This is the last photo I got as it pulled away.


This is the first photo I got as we pulled up behind it at the traffic signal. See what I mean about that wrap-around back window? Magnificent.

Anyone have any idea about about the make of this beauty?

Sunday evening, corner of SW Broadway and SW Washington, waiting for the 15

After an excellent, exciting, wonderful SYTYCD live show, we rode the MAX from the Rose Garden into downtown. Leslie got off at the Big Pink--her significant other works on the 30th floor at the Portland City Grill; we enjoyed Happy Hour there before we rode the MAX to the show--and I continued on to Pioneer Courthouse Square where I got off and walked to this corner. I can't count the number of times that I've waited here for the last bus home, the 15, after work, after volunteering, after watching the lighting of Portland's Christmas tree on the day after Thanksgiving, after walking downtown streets looking for those special sights to photograph.


Looking north at the same intersection. Where I wait is beside Pazzo Ristorante which you can see there on the right corner of the photo. Just out of sight to the right and around the corner on SW Washington, I wait in front of two huge windows which are in the bar section of the restaurant. There's an awning and lots of light at that particular spot, a perfect place to wait for a bus in the evening. The irony of how often I wait here rests on the 11th floor of the white and brick building on the left side of the photo--the one with the well-lighted exterior stairwell. That's the Benson Hotel, the place where Mama and I stayed for our first visit to Portland in 2004, from June 30 through July 9. We never had to turn on the air conditioner, never had to shut the windows AND there were not any screens. No bugs, no mosquitoes, no humidity. I mean I knew I wanted to move to Portland when we got off the airplane and onto the MAX for the ride to the Benson, but the fact that we didn't have to turn on the AC, that we didn't have screens, that we never saw a bug--wow! Totally sold me and planted the seed of moving here firmly in Mama's mind.

A few more SYTYCD 2009 photos

Randi Evans and Evan Kasprzak danced contemporary, choreographed by Mia Michaels. It will forever be known as the "butt dance."








I like the fact that she took off her shoe--it gave her the opportunity to move her butt around even more.








I'm not sure when the other shoe left her foot, nor am I sure when his hat took off.

More of my 2009 SYTYCD live show photos

Two of my favorites from that show, Brandon Bryant and Janette Manrara. I got to see Janette this summer when I went to see "Burn the Floor" at the Keller Auditorium. Exciting. Plus Pasha and Anya from an earlier season of SYTYCD, who returned in 2010 as all stars to dance with the new hopefuls.

The countdown has begun. I'm going with my friend Leslie on Sunday evening to see this year's "So You Think You Can Dance" live show!

So I think I will share photos of the show I saw in November 2009 here in Portland.


The Top Ten Dancers!


Melissa Sandvig


Evan Kasprzak


Kayla Radomski


Jeanine Mason - Jeanine Mason was crowned America's Favorite Dancer on August 6, 2009, making her the second female to win the show.


The Top Ten Dancers, plus Caitlin Kinney. Here's what I found on Wikipedia about the plus: Tour - So You Think You Can Dance will again be going on tour to 40 cities across the US and 1 city in Canada, Toronto. Nigel Lythgoe also announced that Phillip Chbeeb and Caitlin Kinney would also be going on the tour as swing dancers since they made it to the top 12 before being cut.

Come back tomorrow for more photos of individuals and groups. Believe me, I've got loads of photos!

Autumn Lining the Streets

This is our street in the Alphabet District of Northwest Portland. Our building is on the right on the corner. That wall with the windows that you can see is across the side street. to the east of our building.


This is one street to the north of our street. In both photos I'm looking eastward.


A final photo for today's post, taken from the northern sidewalk on our street, looking through an opening caused by a space between an office building and an older house that now is a law office, and looking to the northern side of the street that is just north of ours. The tree on the right amazes me every time I have looked at the photo since I took it on October 23--the vivid color peeks out from the corner of the house wonderfully.

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.

Seen on the MAX Light Rail, part of TriMet's public transportation in Portland and the surrounding metropolitan area

On the day before Halloween, I boarded the MAX Blue Line across from the Lloyd Center Mall for a ride to the station across from PGE Park. There I could wait for the 15 bus to catch--it would get me only a block or so from the apartment. I sat down across from a young man holding a rather large pumpkin in his lap. Naturally I had to glance at the pumpkin. Immediately I noticed there was no lid on it. At another glance I noticed the stem was still on, that the large opening must therefore be on the bottom of the pumpkin, and that the inside had been scraped rather smoothly. So I asked, "Are you going to wear that on your head?" "Yes," he answered, going on to state that he'd been doing so ever since he was 16. I didn't pry and ask how old he was, but he certainly didn't look far out of his teens. Anyway, we talked for a moment about how much work is involved in getting the inside of a pumpkin that smooth, and then I asked if he kept his stocking hat on when he wore the pumpkin. "Sometimes I do. It softens the bump," he explained, pointing towards the inside of the pumpkin opposite the stem. "Ah, yes, there's a bump there." He agreed. In a few minutes two cute young ladies sitting across the aisle from us asked about the pumpkin, and he started with the same line about how long he'd been doing this. "Want to see?" he asked them. Naturally when he place it on his head, I lifted the camera and clicked.

Just goes to show you never know what experience you'll get to have on public transportation; it's best to have the camera out hanging around your neck at the ready, I always say.

Today's Monthly Theme at City Daily Photo is public transportation. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants.

Happy Birthday, Leland! Happy Halloween!

I entered a pumpkin carving contest that Zipcar held. Here's one photo of the finished product, treated to the neon effect at Picnik. Mama's on the left of the photo, holding the pumpkin at a tilt for me to take the photo. She's a trooper!


Here's the photo that I submitted to the contest. Although there were no specifics about whether or not the photo had to be unaltered, I decided to err on the side of caution and merely crop my submission. My idea was to have the big pumpkin be the Zipcar and the two little ones be the wheels. So that the entire Jack-o-lantern grin could be seen, I sat the pumpkin on an upside down bowl. On Friday, 10/29, I got an e-mail stating that while I didn't win the big prize, they so liked my pumpkin that I would get $15 driving credit! Hooray!


Leland is 32 today. Happy Birthday, honey! Here he is with his darling girlfriend Kailey. I took this photo on Super Bowl Sunday, 2010. Click on my Sept. 24th post for lots and lots of photos of both sons, mostly from when they were little boys. You'll be glad you looked at them because, like any proud Mama would say, they're mighty cute!

Variations of violet, a secondary color

Starship 2000 spins a violet ring on a cloudy evening at the WaMu Waterfront Village, Rose Festival 2008.


On Saturday, May 8, as I stood waiting for the 15 home, I saw a few vintage vehicles cruising by me. This violet vision same first.


Lavender clouds top the sunrise over NW Everett.

Creative green

Dinosaurs Invade Portland, during the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry's Dinosaurs, China's Ancient Giants. This beauty, the OMSI dinosaur, resulted from the efforts of the Harriet Tubman Leadership Academy for Young Women which is part of the Portland Public Schools.




The sign beside the dinosaur says this about the students who decorated the dinosaur, "Their creativity, enthusiasm, and shared love of science are inspiring."

Green watching ...

A man in a green T watches another man endeavor to get his lizard where he wants it, evidently on his shoulders.


Downtown Portland, in Pioneer Courthouse Square, a bright Saturday morning. As I waited for the MAX Yellow Line to go get my flu shot, I noticed the lady in green. Later on after I had downloaded the photo, I noticed the young man in the green hoodie watching her as she made her way up the circular ramp.


Downtown Portland, a woman in a green sweater crosses SW Alder, heading north on Broadway. Hopefully the driver of the Green Cab noticed her and the two other pedestrians prior to making what I believe was a left turn in front of them.

Man-made green, chartreuse shines on a Studebaker

1949 Studebaker Starlite Coupe, several views