Today after work, I crossed paths with a blade, a bubbler, a babe, some balloons, and a bullhorn.

I first heard something about getting to see a block-long wind turbine blade up close on the radio, I think. Curiosity perked up my ears. Leland and I had seen regular row after row of those turbines last June on our way to Oregon from Mississippi. Surely this would be my one and only chance to see such a sight, up close and personal. I had to Google to get the details of the blade's visit. I could see it this weekend on 1st, not too far from the Willamette. Nice.

Then I read a bit of breaking news about the blade's trek to downtown Portland. The trailer broke on I-84 eastbound close to NE 122nd Ave. Some lanes and a ramp were to be closed for repairs to the trailer, which had stopped on the shoulder. I wondered if the repairs could be done in the hours set aside, from 10 p.m. last night until 1 a.m. Friday morning. The trucking firm was supposed to bring in equipment to lift the blade and its trailer so the repairs could be done. Heavy.

After work, as I boarded the #14 to cross the Hawthorne Bridge, I serendipitously took a seat facing north. Several seconds before coming to my stop, I caught a glimpse of what could only be the blade--I hadn't heard of any rocket-shaped metal objects coming to rest parallel with the pavement in Portland.

I hopped off the bus, strolled around the corner to a bench, grabbed my camera from my black rolling bag and strung it around my neck, the better to have my kind of fun with!

You can easily see why the wind turbine blade could be mistaken, at a glance, for an oddly shaped rocket on a flat-bed trailer.

The distinctive sound of a helicopter overhead distracted me for a moment. Where're the rest of its blades?

Click on this close shot of the PGE van to see sort of what Leland and I saw; I think it was in Wyoming, but I cannot swear to that. It's been a year, more time for my brain to dry out a bit more as I close in on the big six-oh! I digress.

That's an old tire protecting the blade's tip. What a hoot. When I saw that tire, all I could see was old tires nailed to wooden piers in order to protect boats pulling alongside, back home in Mississippi. People fishing from the pier maybe.


The Oregonian reported the length of the blade to be 140 feet while PGE puts it at 155 feet. That's a big difference. You'd think PGE would have it correct, since the blade is on the way to their Bigelow Canyon Wind Farm in Sherman County. Wonder if they'll offer tours there? Over the weekend, if you sign up with PGE for Renewable Power, you get to sign the blade. They point out in a news release on their Web site: "When the blade is installed, it will reach 396 feet in the air, making it much harder to sign." Gee whiz.

Those who thoroughly understand huge trucks could readily explain that wheel up in the air at the back of the cab, right?

Just imagine a crowd of people close around this superb sight tomorrow and/or Sunday and you'll have an inkling at how tickled I was to find it this afternoon, with only a security guard alongside who kindly walked on out of view as I got my last shot.

Around the corner from the blade, walking west beside the MAX tracks, I came across this water fountain. Having seen others, four fountains in one, I wondered at its single self. According to the city of Portland Web site, in 1912 lumber baron Simon Benson put up the first 20 four-bowl water fountains so that his workers would have an alternative to beer during the day. Beer sales dipped with the advent of the free flowing fountains. Also on the Web site I discovered that of the city's 128 fountains, 76 are the single-bowl bubblers.



If you look back at this post, http://mamamepdx.blogspot.com/2007/03/corner-sw-3rd-avenue-and-sw-washington.html, you'll see my homage to the windows at Orijennel at 3rd and Washington. Sadly, the store has gone out of business. As I waited for my second bus today, thank goodness I got the chance to snap a few shots of the last babe in the building, this mannequin who's turned her back on those of us who walked by without stopping to shop. Pensive, yet lovely.


Funny Bone never fails to catch my eye, whether I'm walking on the sidewalk or riding by in the bus. Here's my advice if you're feeling a bit down. Click on the photo to enlarge it. Let the string of green balloons lift your spirits, then scroll down and follow Funny Bone's sidewalk sandwich board's advice: Laugh till it hurts!

As I leaned up against the building at my bus stop at Washington and Broadway, I heard what I suspected was a voice on a bullhorn. "Support our troops! Bring them home!" Naturally, I looked to see where the sound originated and soon saw a small band of war protestors walking north on Broadway, turning east across from where I stood. Exhilarated to witness citizens exercising their right to freedom of speech, I snapped this shot to share with you. By the time they turned the corner, the protest had taken on the aspect of a call and response message that I firmly believe this country should heed. The man with the bullhorn spoke, "Support our troops!" and the people following him called, "Bring them home!" From diagonally across the intersection, a young man loudly voiced his support as they trooped out of sight.