Rainy Rhododendrons

I had a whole day in front of me. Why not see some flowers in the rain?

Arting up Alberta Street

The character, the activism, and the arts from the complicated and heroic history shine through on Alberta Street today.

If your home is full of strangers, go to the zoo

My landlady wants us out of the house so she can sell it. We actually had this conversation a year ago, but I begged her to let us stay another year so Tara could graduate from high school first. Graduation is in one month and that means no more stalling: we have to go. The […]

Squirrel Proof?

I’m not sure this pole is as squirrel-proof as the company who sold it to me believes it to be. However, I added some olive oil, and that was more effective. P.S. Don’t you just love the symphony of bird voices I get to hear while I work from home?

Lan Su Chinese Garden

Right in the middle of Chinatown (but of course), Portland boasts the lovely Lan Su Chinese Garden.

Clear, cold, colorful New Year’s Eve

I stood in the middle of the Hawthorne Bridge last night and took lots of blurry photos. I don’t know if it was the vibrating bridge that shook a little more each time a car pounded past me, or the dry cold air blasting into my face that had me in tears the entire time. […]

Scenes from the Willamette

I was saved from the creepy people!

Bird Cache

I should have been focusing on my work, I know. But sometimes it’s much more interesting to gaze through the window at the backyard. One of the ubiquitous Western Scrub-Jays was digging with its beak. He must have been hitting a small rock in the soil, because it went “tink, tink, tink,” as the bird […]

Dragon Boats on the Willamette

The Dragon Boat Festival is held in September, and presented by Dragon Sports USA.

We Are Portland Proud!

My Tara was in the parade for the first time this year!