Winter Opposites - No. 11, In the forefront, the ladies of the wedding party, the photographer and her helpers. Toward the back, the men of the wedding party.

While I couldn't figure out from yesterday's photo just which man is the groom, in the photo the bride is readily recognizable in her beautiful white wedding gown. I like the shiny black and silver dresses for the bridesmaids--I can tell from another photo that the black dress is worn by the flower girl, at least I think that's what she is because she's holding a small silver bucket. Their dresses go very well with what the men of the wedding party are wearing. The bouquets look very pretty, too.
    

Here's the photo that shows the girl with the bucket. Do you think she's the flower girl? Naturally I took the photo just as the bride blinked. Do you like it that everyone has a similar hairstyle? Is that a trend?

Winter Opposites - No. 10, The men of the wedding party

Downtown Portland's South Park Blocks often provide a backdrop for wedding photos--I've seen several. Just I lucked out with this photo on August 1, 2009. Just north of the statue of Abraham Lincoln, these fellows relax in the shade and sun, waiting patiently for their time in front of the wedding photographer's camera.

Seen downtown, No. 5

Let me count a few of my daily life blessings for you.

First, from my employer I get a 24/7/365 mass transit pass. 

Second, I work in a building a single block from a bus stop where three bus lines that go west over the Willamette River stop at the beginning of my lunch hour. 

Third, those buses all stop a couple of blocks from the Wednesday downtown Portland Farmers Market, located at Shemanski Park in the South Park Blocks, behind the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. 

Fourth, while this particular version of the PFM is less than a square block, I prefer to think of it as being village-like, intimate and personable and filled to the brim with the bounty of folks who must have huge hearts because they're willing to grow all of these vegetables, fruits, and flowers--or to bake tarts and breads and cookies and quiches or make goat cheese--so that we can zoom over there on our lunch hour and shop among the trees. 

Fifth blessing, those founders of the city who donated the downtown blocks of land which have become home  of two versions of the Portland Farmers Market, this small one at the north end of the South Park Blocks and the huge Saturday PFM at the south end of the South Park Blocks.

So, this week on Wednesday I happily saw once again, up close and personal, why it is so ever-lovin' OK that it rains in Portland. These vegetables. Other fruits I didn't get a photo of because I was carrying too many vegetables back to work with me and couldn't manipulate the camera. And the flowers in the next photo, one that I took before I had all of the vegetables to lug.




Once I got home from work, I took everything out of the bags and washed it all and put it in these two colanders to drain.

Sixth blessing, knowing I'll soon cook and eat all of these beautiful vegetables. More on that next time.

• Seventh blessing, my friend Sarah of Portland Creamery sold me some mighty fine chevre and gave me a great big hug!