Forty Year Blizzard

I was so excited when the weather forecast a few weeks ago predicted snow. The morning I woke up to see white, fluffy flakes coating everything and still falling I went out with the camera and trekked all over. We only got a few inches that day, but the cold weather stuck around in a very uncharacteristic fashion. We wound up with something like a foot of snow, an odd inch or so of ice, and plenty of steadily below-freezing mercuries before Christmas week was over.
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I braved the worst of the storm to trek to work by streetcar, bus, and train, with a fair amount of walking tossed in for good measure. The city slowed to a creep during the worst days, with lots of hospital employees sleeping at work, most of the restaurants closed, and skiers and snowshoers in the streets.
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I woke yesterday to pleasant temperatures near fifty, and a Portland that looked more familiar without its coating of snow. The detritus left behind made it look like people had believed the snow would remain forever: cigarette butts, trash, and other messes that people would normally pick up, now exposed by the thaw.
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Rose

The Grotto

The Grotto is the location of a Servite monastery and chapel.  The Grotto itself is a shrine carved out of the rock cliff.  Outdoor mass is held there weekly throughout the summer.  An elevator takes you to the top, where there is a lovely garden dotted with religious sculpture.  Pictured above is the Peace Pole.  The inscription is repeated in three other languages on the other sides of the pole, and it guards the entrance to the Peace Garden.  I wandered the gardens while the Sunday crowd attended mass at the chapel at the foot of the cliff.  I stopped in the meditation chapel to read familiar words from the Tao Te Ching: words I've been repeating like a mantra lately, "things arise and she lets them come, things disappear and she lets them go."  The monastery is here, secluded, at the top of the cliff; and I can imagine the peace and solitude the garden must offer at sunrise and dusk, when it is closed to the public.   I thought about staying to attend mass, but the spirit of the garden had already filled my soul, and I didn't want to chance spoiling it.

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Rose

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p.s. Click here to view all of today's photos on Flicker.

Everything's Great When You're... Downtown

Since getting back from my trip, I've signed up for several nights at work, but haven't been needed. SPM was here a few nights ago en route somewhere else, so we had a delightful visit with him. Yesterday we watched the opening ceremony in Beijing, which I was simply fascinated by.

We took advantage of a weekend off work and went to the Portland Saturday Market today. It was crowded with people and food and booths of great arts and crafts. Then we sauntered over to the Art Museum for the Klaus Moje glasswork display they have up. Of course we never go to the art museum without stopping to see Monet's Water Lilies. It was a perfect day without too much sun, and yet still without rain.

Now I'm going to watch the Olympics with jc and eat salty snacks. If I'm going to be lazy, I might as well enjoy it.

rc

Back to Sea

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The weather for the Rose Festival was so crummy, and I was so unmovitaved that I never made it down there. I did drive by the Waterfront Village on my usual route to and from work both weekends. The waterfront is always lit up and pretty at night, but it was even nicer with the ships and the Ferris wheel. The ships went downriver by the house on their way out of town.

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We finally got the loft bed together and found a mattress. We shopped around and got a pretty good deal. Mattress salesmen can be really sleazy. One guy's price went up $100 in 24 hours. That's worse than gasoline!

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Ki'il and the Scholar will be here next week. We missed them and can't wait for them to arrive. (I hope Ki'il brings some of her kimchi.) I got a Korean language CD to listen to on the commute, and that encouraged me to get the computer program going again too.

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Today is slated for housecleaning. When I get out of bed, that is.

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Rose

A Rainbow View

Another View from Home

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If you considered the dearth of original photography coming from me lately, you might think it was December. I'm digging through old images that are still stored in the "Temporary" file, meaning that I was saving them to use. This picture was taken quite a while ago. The view is a lot more leafy now. If Portland can muster a sunny day this week, I should take a new one for comparison.

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All is well here.

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Rose

Shanghaied to Brazil

We took the bus to the Shanghai Tunnel in Old Town. We had trouble finding the place, it's not the greatest part of town. We walked by a dumpster, a street performer with his hat out, and some scaffolding. We finally found the narrow storefront with a few cafe tables on the sidewalk and a long bar inside with old movies playing on a huge flatscreen television. The bartendener wisely recommended a smooth, flavorful Xingu black beer, all the way from Brazil, for me.
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We walked down the metal steps, past the kitchen into the low, dark basement. From 1850 to 1941 as many as 1500 people a year were snatched from bars and dropped through trapdoors into cells in this and other basements to be sold on the waterfront as slave laborers, earning Portland a dangerous reputation as the "Forbidden City".
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We ordered macaroni and cheese. It came in huge bowls, topped by a fortune cookie. The flavor was indescribably and delightfully unlike anything I have ever tasted. I savored every bite of spicy pasta, tempered by diced, fresh tomatoes. The stereo played interesting music, including Koko Taylor's Insane Asylum. When we first sat down, I was doubtful about the mostly empty room and badly worn seat, but I was won over by the time we walked up the steps, back into a city glowing with the setting sun.
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R. Connors

Washington Park

I snapped this shot near the Rose Garden earlier this week. Snow was seen in Portland today, although all I saw were a few snow pellets. We had a lovely day, a home-cooked meal tonight, and the place is getting more cleaned up every day, although boxes are still stacked all around. The trillium are blooming in the little gulch near the condo. I'll try to get a shot later. I'm off to work in the city for the first time later tonight, so I'm suppressing the little butterflies that want to flit around my stomach.

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Rose

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Didn't work after all. Got cancelled. Try again tonight.

rc

Tree Art

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Frustration drove me from the house. I sat on a bench in front of Safeway and cried until the feeling was gone. I made a brief detour to Vinnie's for stromboli and wonderfully cheesy calzone. I passed the house with all the outdoor artwork that I love, just as three joggers, their well-defined legs splattered with mud from their run, breezed by. It made me smile.
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rc

Exploration

Portland Classical Japanese Garden

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I finally scheduled work for this weekend, and then we took advantage of a sunny day to go out into town for the first time. We took a scenic drive through Forest Park to the Japanese Garden. It turned out to be free admission day, so it was far from being the peaceful stroll we had anticipated. Still, it is beautiful, and we plan to go back with our money on a day when you have to pay.

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We then drove by the hospital I'm going to work at this weekend, stopped for lunch, and a brief shopping trip. I inadvertently bought a twenty dollar tin of loose tea. I'm thinking that tea better really taste good. Now it's time to do more laundry.

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Rose

Begin the Holidays

I attended a recital of Handel's Messiah with Ki'il at the local community college yesterday. It was a nice enough performance of music that is always beautiful, but I was very surprised to see the choir filled with mostly white-haired women. There were only a few college students and very few men at all. In addition, the hall was more than half empty for the free performance. I guess they come out en masse if a professional wrestler comes to town.

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Rose

Old Town

This was taken a few months ago. It's Old Town as seen from across the Siuslaw River with the Coast Range in the background. Last night there was a big windstorm, leaving many along the coast without power. No ill effects here. I'm having a lazy day in the hotel before heading back to work tonight.

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rc

This is True

As I waited at our tiny local post office in the village market this morning I browsed the daily local news organ, The Cofffee Break, printed on a single folded sheet of colored paper. The police blotter is printed there in its entirety. I laughed outloud when I read this item:

A bag of marijuana was found and turned in at the police
station. The owner can claim it by showing up and identifying it.

Marina

Here's the view of our town from across the marina. We live a block back, nearly dead center. This, because I have nothing substantial to say after working the last two nights. I should wake my brain upsometime in the next few days.

rc

a Parasite

Dahlia Man employs a local boy-man for yardwork. I'll call him the Flea. The Flea shows up to do yardwork when he's short of cash and can't find work crabbing, fishing, or picking mushrooms. The grass had gotten quite tall by the time the Flea called this time to say that he wanted to come by and talk. Dahlia Man told me to expect his visit when I came Sunday afternoon. He advised me to sit quietly and listen while he confronted the Flea with some facts.
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The Flea is a shortish boy-man in his late twenties. He chose a seat next to Dahlia Man, making eye contact difficult to impossible. He speaks with poor grammar, stuttering and mumbling, necessitating frequent repetition, and saying little of import. Dahlia Man introduced me as his friend Mrs. Connors, making his high regard for me clear. I sat quietly sipping porter.
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After a bit of small talk, the Flea revealed that there was no specific purpose for his visit. Dahlia Man said, "Fine, because I have something to talk to you about. You know I don't pull any punches, so I'll be straight with you. You stole from me."
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The Flea assumed a shocked and bewildered look and said, "When did I steal from you?"
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"I gave you thirty dollars to pay Frank for the mower, but he never got it."
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"I stopped to give it to him that day, but he wasn't there." the Flea stuttered. "I wound up spending it and just gave it to him a few days ago."
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Charlie withheld comment and raised another issue. "I gave you fifty dollars for wood two years ago and I haven't seen it yet. When can I expect to get that?"
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"I didn't have any way to bring it by and then my buddy used up most of it."
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"Then we agree that you owe me eighty dollars?"
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The Flea didn't disagree. Dahlia Man made arrangements with the Flea to come the next day for yardwork and summarily dismissed him. The Flea didn't get the hint and required two more invitations before he left.
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Dahlia Man updated me on the affair today. The Flea showed up as agreed on Monday and worked five hours. He then came in for payment and Dahlia Man told him, "We're even now. You don't owe me anything and I don't owe you anything." The Flea protested, then fumed, then threatened, and finally left. After making wireless calls in the driveway for twenty minutes, he came back in to ask for the loan of ten dollars for gas money which Dahlia Man refused abruptly. The Flea then departed in a huff.
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The Flea called again today while I was there to say that he would be there tomorrow to trim the hedges.
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R. Connors

Today's Ride- photo essay

Kool Coastal Nights- more classic cars in town than permanent residents

Crab Bounty Hunt - appear to be more boats in the water than fish

Finally, a relaxing walk on the beach; hardly anyone here.

rc

Overheard at the Market

I pulled into the Market this morning to pick up yesterday's mail. A super size pickup hauling a trailer full of ATV's pulled off beside me. The driver, clad in a sleeveless shirt, asked the cashier,

"Do you have any sweaters?"

That's why I love the coast.

Rose

Chainsaw Carving Festival

I wandered around this local event this morning, observing the carvers at work. Note the ubiquitous observer accompanied by his little doggies; everyone has doggies and they always bring them along. To close, a peaceful shot of the waterfront, which I much prefer.

Rose

Guilty as Charged

I had my hearing in traffic court today. The officer showed up in a Hawaiian shirt. He read the date of the infraction wrong, but when I pointed it out, he denied his mistake. Despite my excellent moving-radar-doesn't-work/roads-weren't-icy-at-all defense, delivered through my sweaty, shaky, palpitational anxiety; the judge agreed with the cop.

The good news is, he offered me online traffic school to keep the citation off my record. So the ticket is paid, I'll do the driving school, and it will all be over. As a native pointed out to me, don't expect to get a ticket overturned in a poor town like this. Cops are just fundraisers.

Now I'm ready to have a drink and watch DVD's all night.

Rose

I'd Rather be Fishing

We're back in town, and here's some local color.

The fishing fleet should be going out soon.

Crab pots stored in stacks.

Glacous-Winged Gull
One of many local gull species.

Looking up the river, the piling is a channel marker.

Looking out the mouth of the river to the Pacific Ocean.

"The Bar"

Rose