Pachyderm Portrait

What do roses, elephants and the world have in common?

Beats me. This odd mural on the building at Burnside and 1st Avenue in Portland is being painted over, so I consider it my duty to archive it for future generations to puzzle over.

And if you can decipher its meaning--please, enlighten the rest of us.

Solar Luminary

Looking up at the massive chandelier in a lobby of the Central Library in downtown Portland where we enjoyed a free concert of American music--even had some by Aaron Copland, who ranks as one my favorite composers of all time. What a great afternoon!

Aging Shed

An old shed across the street from a new playground we were exploring on a warm February Saturday.

Brick and Blue

My entry into photography opened my eyes to so much visual interest around me, even around the back door of this school near Grant Park in Portland. Contrasts of color, light, shape, and texture--just waiting for someone to notice.

Dry Statues

It seems only appropriate that Portland yard statues would have umbrellas.

Actually, it hasn't rained here nearly as much as I was led to believe. A good drizzle now and then, but hardly ever enough for an umbrella. In fact, you can usually tell the tourists by their umbrellas. Real Portlanders just pull their hood up.

Iron Curls

Curly Q's from an iron door near Burnside and 1st Avenue in Portland.

When I'm out and about with my camera, I'll snap a picture of almost anything. It's not uncommon for me to return with 200-300 shots from just a brief outing. Then as I'm sorting back through photos weeks later, I'll re-discover a nice shot that I had forgotten about. This is one example.

Sidewalk Cafe

Two chairs waiting for friends to meet for an afternoon coffee.

Just noticed that I'm stuck on this "crop the picture into a square" routine. Can't help myself.

Iron Glyphs

Detail from a cast iron column at Ankeny Square near Skidmore Fountain in downtown Portland. The square displays ornamental pieces taken from historic buildings that no longer exist.

Rusty Grid

Rusted window on a school door. Looks more like a prison though.

Easter Cross

Happy Easter!

Orange Beauty

I'm not much of a car buff, but there's no denying the beauty of this fiery GT.

Street Closed

Just a street sign.

By the way, thanks to those who've stopped by lately and left comments! It's always great to hear from fellow shutterbugs.

Patina Gate

The ubiquitous pale turquois metal guarding the public transit system in Portland.

Green Door

A forgotten door to a forgotten building.

Pigeon Fountain

Thirsty pigeons grab a drink from a water fountain, unfazed by the rush of a city train passing by.

Striped Shadows

Afternoon shadows cast from a railing at the mall.

6:36 PM

An interior display at some chic store in downtown Portland. The clock was about four feet high.

Play

The great advantage to being a dad is the excuse to spend Saturdays playing. I realized once that I would have only 936 weekends with each child before they left me for adulthood and I don't want to waste a single one. So Saturdays have been christened Family Fun Day in which we try to spend a significant amount of time enjoying life and each other. There will be plenty of time for working weekends when they're grown. Then I'll drive by empty playgrounds and remember when.

If Only...

For all those times when the good stuff seems out of reach.

Pine Cone

Oregon has many more evergreen trees than rural Ohio, a fact not lost on my three-year old son. No trip to the park is complete until he has as many pine cones and sticks as his hands can hold--presents for mommy.

Ankeny Profile

Why don't statues of women ever have cute little noses? (Taken at Ankeny Square near the Burnside Bridge and Skidmore Fountain in Portland.)

Red Swirly

Somethin' fun at the playground.

Spring Bud

Someone asked me today how we were surviving our first Portland winter. "When was it winter?" I thought. The plants were budding in February!

Lace Curtains

Our neighborhood is lined with some wonderfully quaint houses that just seem to say "Portland" to me.

Cement is Forever

If you're ever going to write in cement, make sure you check the spelling first.

Lonely Leaf

A solitary leaf in late afternoon.

Hatch Lumber

All that's left of an abandoned lumber yard.

Ankeny Motif

A floral relief from Ankeny Square in Portland.

Purses

Display of purses in a shop down at the mall.

Touch of Gold

Tiny yellow flowers by a neighbor's mailbox. I'm sure they thought I was bonkers kneeling down in their yard with my nose to the ground.

Blue Stripes

Out for a photo walk the other day and came across this architectural bit from a building around the corner. The metal is actually copper colored, but with a simple change of the camera's white balance, striking blue stripes pop out.