Fall foliage and the Big Pink--can't get much better on a blue sky Saturday

Click here for a trip to City Daily Photo, transporting you around the world every day.



Last Saturday after my volunteer work at the Architectural Heritage Center was done, I walked north on SE Grand from SE Alder to East Burnside. My intention, to catch the next 12 or 19 bus home, struck a short-lived snag, but on the way I got to take this fall foliage, Big Pink, colorful Central Eastside Industrial District photo. Crossing SE Ash, I noticed that if I stood in just the right spot, I could make it seem that the Big Pink came up out of the corner of that vintage building painted a pale butter yellow. (I read something recently about plans to tear down the pale butter yellow building and put up some sort of taller building. I am not happy about that. I hope it doesn't happen.) Anyway, I check the traffic signals and the traffic, then stood in the street and took myself this photo. Success! By the way, the Big Pink is on the west side of the Willamette River, and I'm over on the east side taking this photo, almost a mile away! Come back Sunday for a photo or two of the short-lived snag.

Street-level matching accessories

Couldn't resist taking this photo after work last Friday. I got off the bus at the east end of the Hawthorne Bridge for the express purpose of photographing fall foliage. I walked south, then west on the bridge approach to take a few photos. As I traced my path back to the bus stop to catch one home, she popped up, a street-level matching accessory to Nature's paint brush. You see them, don't you? The red jacket, green bag, and rust-colored purse. They match the foliage, fall and otherwise.


I kept walking towards the corner, going the same direction she did, once the light changed. The view to the right. These cars are coming off the east end of the Hawthorne Bridge. More street-level matching accessories.


The view as I stopped for the traffic signal on the corner of SW 1st and Main. All except for the man's cigarette, it's a great photo. I thought about cloning it out at Picnik, but decided to just not take the time. I guess I could stretch and say that the sidewalk sign matches the fall foliage, but it's too wimpy-colored. I like how the green leaves beneath the autumn leaves accentuates the colors. Cool.

Fall Foliage, 2011. I found some! In my old neighborhood!

After spying a photo on Flickr taken at the intersection of NW 23rd and West Burnside, I knew I had to get over there soon, before the leaves got rained or blown off the trees.


So Friday after work I took the 15 bus and traced my old route home, thinking of Mama and how much I miss her. How much I miss that part of Portland. Not that I don't adore where I am now because I do. I just miss the Alphabet District. These trees lining the sidewalk at a shopping center parking lot go a long way to explaining one of the reasons I miss my old neighborhood. I'm standing on Westover Road looking south towards West Burnside.


I took this from the upstairs balcony at the shopping center.


From 2006, through 2010, these beauties trumpeted the arrival of autumn for Mama and me. We never got tired of seeing them. They're in the parking lot in front of Zupan's. The red car is on SW Vista at its intersection with West Burnside. It was someone else's photo of them that got me on the bus.


You see, the trees where I now live have not changed much, yet. At least I'm hoping for yet because there are a lot of trees in my neighborhood. These trees are very near my apartment. I took these photos last Sunday afternoon as a way to gauge the arrival of what I hope will become glorious color.

They're back, as seen from the bathroom window.

Fall foliage, blowing in a stiff wind, shot from the bathroom window a few minutes ago.

And here's the other part of "they," the matching street level accessory!

Y'all have a great weekend!