First day of Summer in Portland.

We love summers in the Northwest. Every sunny day is a golden day. We love to show off our natural beauty to our visitors whenever possible. This picture is of Multnomah Falls, in the Columbia Gorge, a few miles North of Portland. If you look carefully you can see the lower part of the fall on the left side of the first picture. The upper part is way up, above the bridge where people are standing.

We also love our quirky-creative establishments. Here is the famous Powells Bookstore, a three story wonder with old and new books. Our young guests spent a couple of hours perusing, talking to Portlandians. Both of them were visiting colleges in Portland, and soaking up the atmosphere.

In this scene, the young lady in the pink shirt at the street corner across from Powells is soliciting support for her cause. I stopped and talked to her, amazed at how well she engaged her audience, most of whom were willing to talk at length with her.

This area of Portland, is an urban renewal wonder, having both residential and commercial units, easily walkable, close to public transport, accessible small eateries and coffee shops open at all hours, and green spaces with splashing fountains full of families enjoying a summer play day. Notice how everyone is wearing comfortable walking shoes, and trying to tan their bodies on this first day of summer.

Yes, this was July 5th, the official first day of summer in Portland!

We took our rests where we could, happy to impart wisdom to our captive audience of future scientist, teacher, artist. (Our granddaughter and her friend have many interests at this point.)

While we were in Portland, The Waterfront Blues Festival, a 25th anniversary concert that lasted all week, benefiting the local food banks(  www.waterfrontbluesfest.com/) was going on downtown, and we took our granddaughter and her friend to the event.  The last time we went to a blues concert was in Long Beach in 2000. In twelve years, our bones have so deteriorated that sitting on the grass was not as fun as it used to be.

The music, however, was just as good!

Last year, the concert raised a million dollars and more than 110,000 pounds of food at a time when Oregon's food banks have faced the highest level of demand. Oregon has one of the highest number of people with food scarcity.

A few days in Portland,most enjoyable, and most tiring.

Who are we?

                            (Summer, 2010, grandchild and friend at Meyers Beach)

I have counted 273 followers this morning, yet only a handful drop in regularly to leave a comment, delight in the same things, point out something that might be useful. In three years I only managed to keep a few regulars. Statistically this is a horror story.

Who are we, and why do we write here?

We are here to chronicle our days, the way we did in journals and diaries and calendar entries. We chronicle the good, the bad, the ugly, and the occasional turn of the century local story that puts us right in the middle of a pile of something or other. Think now if you were in Tunisia, Sudan, North Australia, Brazil, Haiti, India, how the eyes of the media, in your country or in the bigger world, will scoop down and get your point of view. Suddenly, you are the eyes of the world.

Some of us are writers, published or not, lovers of stories, concocting yet one more personal narrative to illuminate the human condition.


Some are shy and quiet, showing you their world now and then and simply let it go at that. Some are true marketers, combining many skills in the layout of the blog, accessing links and related materials to provide a veritable store of delights for the reader. They are more than blogs; they are web-sites, store-fronts with attractive displays and merchandise to sell.

As readers, some prefer to be entertained; some prefer to  shop or look for companionship.

When I tell my neighbors that I blog, they look at me suspiciously. We just got DSL in this  town. People fish, hunt, ride, boat, kayak, farm and ranch and enjoy the great outdoors even in the rain.

There was a talk about two Americas. I say we have hybrids everywhere; that fifty states are as diverse as fifty countries; that our weather and mountains, topography and shopping habits define us more that the name of our state; that most people can trace their family roots out of the United States; that we vote when we  are sick enough of something or someone; that we love where we live and think everybody else is messing up the country.

Blogging allows us to share across frontiers.

Right now, our school system is facing more budget cuts;  our state is in the top three states with serious hunger. There are more old people in our county than in any other county in this state. We are losing doctors in these rural communities and our commute to see a doctor has now increased from one hour to three.

Sure, I'm happy to be here. I tell you that all the time. I show you pictures of blissful shore visits. But, I'm not working for any advertising company, or for anyone else. I do not represent special interests.  I'm just a one person, reflecting on my life, in this year, in this place and I will continue to share these reflections day in and day out as long as free speech and blogging are both free.

When I am not writing my memoirs, working with the school board, or walking on the beaches, I'm blogging.