Seen on the street, February 16, 2013, No. 5

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On this particular Saturday, it rained off and on, the sun came out now and then. I liked how the darker sky in the background of this photo and the lack of leaves on the trees make the buildings pop. Those tree limbs speak to me of summer-time-shade. The buildings are on the north side of West Burnside. The trees are on the south side of West Burnside. I'm at this intersection most every workday, on my way home on the bus. On Portland Trail Blazers' game days, I catch the MAX Yellow Line to the right of this photo and head for the Rose Garden Arena. If you look closely, near the No Parking sign on the left, you'll see two male skateboarders. One is on a bench; the other is standing at the end of the bench and is mostly hidden by the sign. 

The large structure just to the right of center is one of the many fountains in Portland. I found on the city's Web site that it is officially untitled, that it has become known as the Kelly Fountain. It runs spring through fall, 8 a.m.-10 p.m. daily. Also online, this description: Oregon artist Lee Kelly won an international competition to design this sculpture. Kelly has designed several other sculptures in Portland and throughout the Pacific Northwest. In this work, water flows over several 20-foot-tall steel structures. In conjunction with the Regional Arts and Culture Council, the Water Bureau helped to restore Kelly's fountain to its original beauty in the spring of 2004. The fountain had become run-down over the years. 

Popularly known as The Car Wash

Untitled fountain SW 5th and Ankeny


This tubular fountain designed by Carter, Hull, Nishita, McCulley and Baxter was installed in 1977. A wind gauge shuts off its water on gusty days to prevent hazards for motorists.


Not to mention the pedestrians. I get to walk by this fountain every weekday morning when I change from the 17 to the 4 bus. And, yes, I have seen no water spraying on windy days.


It was turned completely off for a little over two years while the bus mall was being revamped--lots of construction to make the mall better and to add another light rail line.


When the mall re-opened and bus lines returned to SW 5th and SW 6th, the fountain came back to life.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008 ... Jamison Square, the Pearl District, Portland, Oregon

Saturday before last before I walked over the Burnside and Morrison bridges, I rode the streetcar to Jamison Square so that I could take photos of folks enjoying a sunny Portland afternoon along with a unique fountain.

The water's deep and the fountain's flowing while children play, their adults relaxing in the sun.

The water's less deep here. Have you got an idea what has happened to it?

The water's back in this photo that shows some of the Pearl's surrounding buildings.

Here's a close-up that gives you a clue as to the different depths.


Bits I found online about Jamison Square:

The Portland Streetcar stops just across the street from Jameson Square in the Pearl District, Portland's trendiest neighborhood. The square boasts four totem sculptures designed by Kenny Scharf, play structures, and a fountain. The square is a magnet for Pearl District residents and visitors, especially those with children. The park’s main feature is its kid-friendly fountain, whose water tumbles out of a stack of rocks in a series of mini-waterfalls. The water cascades into a large pond that – designed to mirror the ebb and flow of the ocean tide – periodically drains and then refills.

And here's a link to more complete information from the city of Portland's Web site.