Visitors at the Lan Su Chinese Garden

Portland is home to an authentic Chinese garden. I stopped by there today to pick up some Strong Fire oolong tea from the Tao of Tea. This is the view looking from near the tea shop. Lan Su attracts many different visitors. Some come for the tea, some for early morning tai chi, some to sit and read. Others wander through as these people did.

And then there was this fellow with his skate board. He looked so typically Portland that I asked if I could take his photo. Without a word he dropped into this pose. Such a gentleman...

Fremont Bridge

Another bridge today, this time one that I run by fairly often. And today the Fremont Bridge was on my route as I looked for Tom, the fisherman who frequents one of the benches nearby. Tom wasn't there but this beautiful scene was.

Grays Bridge

Today's adventure took me to Astoria, Oregon. I decided not to come back the usual route but to cross the bridge into Washington and then drive down to Longview before crossing the Columbia back into Oregon. In addition to the length of the bridges, this route adds at least 30 more miles. However, I also took several side roads and came across Grays Bridge, the last covered bridge in Washington.

Bumper Sticker ~ No Place Like ...

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Today I headed over to the Center for Health and Healing along the South Waterfront here in Portland. At one point I spotted this VW and followed it to several stop lights until I could capture its image. Having always had Apple products, I was at first attracted to its license plate but then I became intrigued with the bumper sticker. The fellow is definitely a techie!

The Leaf

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This leaf managed to align itself so that it had both a reflection and a shadow. Autumn is a magical time here in Portland.


Another "seasonal" image, a carved pumpkin


plus a ginger cat in keeping with the orange of the season...

Early Morning View

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The view of Mt. St. Helens from the top floor...

Two for Tuesday

Here we are on Tuesday. I spent the day at OHSI and then went out for appetizers. The first image is of the salt and pepper shakers at the table. A little black and white for the white and black condiments. And then a selfie.

Halloween on NW 23rd

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The store windows on NW 23rd here in Portland are filling with tributes to Halloween. First up is the Buddha at Shogun followed by the always entertaining window at 3 Monkeys.

A Thousand Acre of Dogs

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Own a dog in the Portland area? Do it and yourself a favor. Take a field trip to Sandy River Delta Park and enjoy a Thousand Acre Dog Park. Off-leash dogs explore and romp through woods, meadows and play in the Sandy River.

Channeling Charlie Brown

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Today it seemed as if I was searching for the Great Pumpkin. Django and I had ventured out on to Sauvie Island north of Portland. Lots of farmland and any number of pumpkin patches dot the landscape.

Another NW 23rd Store

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The 3 Monkeys, a unique store on NW 23rd, will keep you visually occupied for hours. This mannequin seems ready to go out on the town though.

First Date

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The other day I had come across a set of mannequins that made me immediately think "First Date". Today another set was in the doorway of a shop on NW 23rd here in Portland...



Here's the one from the other day; it was in a Nordstrom window...

Simplicity

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A simple leaf will sometimes capture your attention ...

Early Morning at the Portland Art Museum

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and a slightly alternative point of view...

Color on the Streets

The trees on the streets are painting Portland red, orange and yellow. They took their cue from the sunflowers that have been there for weeks before. This sunflower took some time out this afternoon to remind me of that...

Grant Wood Found at Lucky Lab

Lucky Lab boasts a larger than life appropriation of Grant Wood's American Gothic. We haven't visited this brew pub in a while and so were quite surprised to see in the outdoor seating area where your dog can be with you this amazing rendition of this American Classic. Combined with the lunch and most recent issue of the LGBT publication Just Out, this becomes a classic Portland scene itself.

Shy Leaves

Autumn colors are everywhere now in Portland. The display will get better and better until all of the leaves have fallen from the trees and been swept away by street cleaners. Here are some Fall leaves hiding shyly behind a gauze curtain.

"Broken" Sculpture ~ Portland Art Museum

Not working at least...

Matthew McCaslin's sculpture "Alaska" at the Portland Art Museum includes eight interlinked TV's ~ only five of them are currently working. Only time will tell when they'll all be operating again.

Seasonal Yellow

The leaves have started to drop here in Portland. Autumn is in full swing ~~ the leaves will soon be followed by rakes and leaf blowers. Grab your ear protection, you'll need it in the coming months.

Director Park

This view of Director Park here in Portland always intrigues me. During certain times of the day the sun reflects off the Fox Tower onto the back of the building on Salmon. Today the clouds were big and puffy. It was a glorious time!

Reading on the Street

Here's an opportunity to tell Dr. Marten's about your first time. I'm certain they get more that just anecdotes about shoes and boots. Even some of those are probably quite racy.

Upside Down

Sometimes life seems upside down. And then you come across a billboard that reinforces that notion.

Portland Open Studios

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Today was day two of the first weekend of Portland Open Studios. We only ventured to one venue... around the corner at Thurman Street Studios ~ yes, on Thurman between 27th and 28th. The head in this display is one that I couldn't pass up and then put in a seasonal still life.

Alison Eriksen: ceramics

What I considered buying but didn't was this sculpture that some say looks as if it's a scaled shower head. I like to think of it as chicks emerging...

Hsin-Yi Huang: ceramics

A is for Abstract, B is for Bee

New Frame Shop Opens in Portland

Today was the grand opening for Mel's Frame Shop. Mel Townsend has left Art Media and opened her own store on the corner of SW 10th and Morrison. Support your local framer and go see Mel with your next framing order.

First Thursday ~ Reach Out and Touch You

Tonight was the First Thursday monthly event here in Portland, Oregon. Galleries in the Pearl and Downtown stay open late making it easier for people to visit and become familiar with the art being produced today. Some galleries still serve refreshments and food although not as many as five or six years ago. The last gallery we were in was at PNCA on Johnson and 13th.

It's always intriguing to see what's happening there ~ always something extremely impressive. Here the art is reaching out to touch you, literally and figuratively.

The Chihuahua Goes to Work

Imagine walking into an office anywhere - this is at the Portland Art Museum - and finding a chihuahua in a supervisory position. Sitting stoically for twenty minutes, he never spoke, just watched.

Intermission at Oklahoma Performance

Unfortunately no cameras are allowed inside the Gerding Theater here in Portland Oregon. If there had been I could have shown you the amazing cast to this year's production of Oklahoma. The singing, dancing and acting left the audience smiling with hearts singing as they left the theater after the final act.

Large White Buddha

My Photoshop class is on the east side of the Willamette River herevin Portland, Oregon. A few blocks away is anBuddhist studies college complete with this large Buddha. It's so calmingg.

Contemplating Claude Monet

Rumor has it that the iris was Claude Monet's favorite flower, not the infamous nymphae, water lilies.

http://fiftytwopieces.blogspot.com/2009/12/claude-monet-waterlilies-and-irises.html

Mt. St. Helens ~ Layers of Gray

Today I journeyed to Johnston Ridge Observatory up near Mt. St. Helens. It was a long journey and the volcano was covered with clouds. It looked a great deal like a cake with frosting.