The Big Head: Scroll down and look at the pictures first, then read this, OK?

Yep. We found a big head, right there in front of PGE Park.

Wikipedia about PGE Park:" PGE Park (formerly Civic Stadium, a name still used by locals; originally Multnomah Stadium) is a stadium located in Portland, Oregon. It opened in 1926, and underwent a major renovation in 2001. PGE Park is an outdoor, multipurpose stadium which can be configured for baseball, soccer and American football." And it was the very day of this event, as noted on Wikipedia (I just love typing that word, and saying it is even better!): "On August 12, 2006, the Beavers will commemorate the event with a Rodney McCray Bobblehead Night, passing out bobbleheads of McCray to fans; and right-center field will be named 'McCray Alley'."

Y'all have seen him on sports' blooper highlights; here's what Wikipedia says about the incident: "On May 27, 1991, the stadium got some national attention when Vancouver Canadians outfielder Rodney McCray, while attempting to catch a fly ball, literally crashed through a wooden advertising behind the warning track. While McCray failed to make the out, he only suffered scrapes and bruises in the incident, and remained in the game. Highlight reels of that play ran for weeks on cable channels such as CNN and ESPN."

I just loved it when some sportscaster interviewed him on Friday; asked what if he'd been in that stadium in Chicago with the brick wall, McCray replied something along the lines of "It wouldn't have happened. I know the difference between plywood and and a brickwall."

I digress. Sorry.

We were circling around on the numerous one-way streets, looking for The Oregonian building (Portland's daily newspaper) when we came across the big head. In a few minutes, Casey was asking me if we could go take pictures by the big head at just the same time that I was thinking we needed to park and go see that big head, up close and personal.

The two of us took turns, posing and with the camera. I like them all, but I especially like the one where the big head has blue eyes and something green in its mouth--it's a tree in the background. That whole thing made me remember back in college, in Magruder at Mississippi State, studying for exams at some point in the mid-'60s. The best I remember it, my roomie Nancie--a highly creative and inventive woman from the getgo--had some sort of big-head-scenario she brought out now and then. And the big head always had a smile on its face, with a piece of spinach caught in its teeth. We were up late, getting goofy tired, when Nancie said we needed to make a really big head to put on the dorm wall, right where the stairs went up and down. She wanted to have the big head wish everyone good luck with exams. We did it, unsigned of course. I remember very well seeing it on the wall, but I cannot for the life of me remember anyone's specific reaction to it, other than our delight at having done it.