What do you think made me take these photos?

Cropped close-up. Gives you a great big clue, right? Across the street from her, I rushed up the sidewalk towards the intersection, hoping I'd get close enough to be able to stop, zoom, focus and get a decent photo of that golden, spiked backpack. Since I had noticed it before on a walk around my work building, I figured that I just might get a chance to take a photo of it another time. But, why take the chance that I'd have my Nikon in my hands? So I said to myself, "Step out, ol' lady!" With the traffic signal on my side, I caught up with her and her quirky backpack!



Co-existing successfully, the joys of city commuting. Car stopped at traffic signal, waiting to go north. Bicyclist going east, pedestrian and her fascinating backpack going west. But, how far west?



Ah, there she goes on the Hawthorne Bridge ramp. Downtown? Tom McCall Waterfront Park? This girl has options for enjoying the sunny afternoon.

Flower Study, No. 2

It amazes me how these clusters of blossoms just come out of the trunk, not on stems or tiny branches, just right through the bark. I cannot remember noticing such a sight back in my home state of Mississippi. Of course, I hardly ever got out and walked because there were not sidewalks in our neighborhood, the heat and humidity were stifling, and some months the mosquitos smothered anyone who went outside.

Sunny Saturday! Been to a lecture and walked around taking photos. About to go out again into the sunshine, just as soon as I get this posted!

Walking from The Circuit Bouldering gym just of NE Sandy at NE 18th, on my way home today at 12:46 p.m. I had stopped for a few minutes to visit with Lamont and Leland who were in there bouldering. Lucky for me, they had a few minutes to stop climbing and visit with their little ol' Mom! Lucky for me also to get this photo of the two buses that I ride home from work--the 12 and the 19. That's my usual stop that the 19 is at--it's named NE Sandy and NE Flanders. The 12 is at the traffic signal at NE Sandy and NE 20th. The multi-browns brick building is the triangular one that houses Halo Salon, on the tip, and right behind it, The Blue Diamond PDX, my practically-perfect-in-every-way neighborhood bar. Depending on whim or weather, I can walk either direction at the tip of that triangle to get to my building--there's a side door if I go right, and there's a front door on the street parallel with NE 20th. Often I go to the front door so that I can get in a few more steps.

Neighborhood walk reveals the disappearance of a large tree.

Now. About 40 minutes ago the sight of this tree stopped me in its tracks. No, it's not the angle at which it extends over the sidewalk. The absence of its nearest neighbor surprised me.



Then. You can see what I mean in this photo that I took on Feb. 27, 2011, while out on a walk. The loss of a tree in the city brings a sadness to my soul.