To Portland by Train....and Back Again

To celebrate the successful conclusion of the 55th Edmonds Arts Festival, and my last Festival as a director, Nonie and I took the train from Edmonds to Portland, Oregon for a long, lazy weekend away.

part of the Heathman Hotel sign, taken from the bar window

We stayed at The Heathman Hotel, in downtown Portland.  We usually stay there as it has a lovely restaurant and is centrally located with Powell's just a few blocks away.

I love Portland.  The downtown has its share of tall buildings, but they are not overly tall, blocking out the sky, but are tall enough to be interesting subjects for photos.

There are lots of great little places to eat, some very plain and others quite fancy.  We had a bit of both on this trip.

art by Beth Kerschen from an Urban Landscapes postcard

And then there was Powell's, the reason we opted for a weekend in Portland.  Nonie and I both love Powell's and can spend a lot of time browsing the aisles, looking at this book and that one.  We both bought so many books we shipped them home as we didn't want to even try to haul them home with us on the train.

I spotted this tag promoting my friend Bee's wonderful collage book.  That was fun!

I love the water fountains.  I've only ever spotted this sort, with the four heads, in Portland.

We had all kinds of weather....rain, wind, sun, drizzle, gray, cold, warm, and yet more rain.
A typical "Junuary" in the Pacific Northwest.

The train ride was great fun, in both directions.  Lots of scenery, both urban and country.  And lots of rather interesting graffiti.  Some of it was very artistic, if one is allowed to admire graffiti.

We had such a good time we are planning a repeat visit in the autumn.

Admitting to Having a Book "Problem"

I was looking for a particular book this afternoon.  I checked the pile on my dresser.  Not there.

I checked the pile on my night stand, the pile on the left, and, no.  The book wasn't there.

I went to the big pile o'books on the prayer chair in the living room....and it wasn't there either.  

So I went back to the bedroom, checked the pile on the right side of my night stand.  Still no book.

I finally located the book in the kitchen, on the counter.  

It was at this point that it began to dawn on me just how out-of-control my book "problem" has become.  I have piles and piles and yet more piles of books all over the house.  I have four large bookcases, you must understand, but they won't hold all the books.  That's why I have piles.  And more piles.  

I love books.  (Obviously!)  I think having a stack of unread books is like having money in the bank....just waiting for a rainy day.  But, perhaps.....just maybe.....this is getting out of hand?

So I went for a walk and was rather startled to see how much more "spring" there is to see in town, only a few days later than my last photos of the stirrings of the warmer season.  It is getting to be down right colorful!  Things are popping up and budding and blooming and it's lovely---just really very lovely.

There are lovely tulips and daffodils and heather blooming outside the Historical Museum (right next door to me).

Some gorgeous azaleas were blooming in pots down on Third Avenue North.....

This house on 2nd Avenue is sporting a gorgeous spring garden.  It is truly lovely.

The seagulls even seem to be looking jaunty, not hunched over dripping wet.

One of my favorite pieces of local public art was getting a sunbath....

                                                          Seeing Whales, Richard Beyer, 2003, cast aluminum, gift from the Edmonds Arts Festival Foundation

I think, just maybe, warmer (dryer?) weather may be on its way!