SEARCHING FOR A DOG

When I am out and about I cannot help but stop and pet a dog -- I've lived with dogs since I was young. I lost my beautiful Golden Retriever, Sal, about six months ago and I still miss him. What a great companion he was. I am waiting until I can find an apartment that will take dogs before I get another one. I find dogs are the greatest companions for retirees. 

I met this young bulldog featured in this blog's photos in Multnomah Village, a neighborhood in Portland, Oregon. This bulldog was a real sport -- friendly and curious. Not that I am particularly considering a bulldog -- its like I mentioned -- I just like to stop and pet dogs. Keeps me in touch with different breeds.

So I am researching and observing what type of dog I should get that is around 40 or so pounds. My Sal was almost 100 pounds --  I realize now that so many pounds would be rather tough for me to handle.  

I am absolutely undecided as to what kind of dog I should get and would welcome any suggestions from you folks out in blogger land. I would like a friendly breed that likes children. Preferably an older dog. Any dog that fits that description from mutt to whatever. I will keep petting and photographing dogs at least until I find the right apartment as dogs add pleasure to my outings.  

ICE AND POWER

Artistic detail of old brickwork on the historic H. W. Einhard Ice and Power Plant. Built in 1906 -- before refrigerators! Being an ice and power plant meant probably ice was stored in the facility. As far as "power,"  I imagine it was limited to essential commercial buildings as by 1925 only half of the homes in the U.S. had electrical power to light there lamps. Does anyone out there know how this plant functioned?

Very few folks today remember the delivery of ice to their homes for their ice box, which was an early form of refrigerators. 

I could tell a lot of history resided in this building but could not find any that related to the Einhard building online.

The photo above is from the front facade's upper story. Building is still standing and has new tenants in downtown Portland, Oregon.

FALL DRIED PLANTS

Fall is moving in fast. Love this season. Even though the plants turn inward from life at this time of year they are still beautiful in their transition. 

Fall is a great time to photograph plants and also to collect them in their dried state. A large beautiful tied bunch hung on your exterior doors is a wonderful greeting to visitors and you alike.

RURAL RUSTICS - HOOD RIVER AREA, OREGON

Mellow yellow is painted on these old vertical boards of this vintage tin roofed barn. Located near Hood River, Oregon upon one of the many farms that grow hundreds and hundreds of fruit trees for commercial use and also a place where you find many commercial vineyards. A lovely rural area. It still has a rustic feel to its landscapes and has a very low population of us humans.

An abandoned side-of-the-road building -- use unknown -- added some flavor as I passed through this area. What was its original use? 

Haven't you passed these remnants when you are out in the countryside and wondered about their former life?

ESCAPE TO NATURE

Yesterday, my son and I decided it was time to escape from the city. I raised my kids to appreciate nature and to hang out with it as much as possible. They spent part of their childhood years around the lakes and woods of northern Michigan.

Lost Lake near Hood River, Oregon was our destination, about two hours northeast of Portland, Oregon. A fantastically beautiful place where we used a canoe to paddle around its perimeter. My arms are sore today from three and a half hours of paddling. We did make a few stops along the shore to sit and observe nature. Above is what the shore lines were like -- stony and full of bleached tree roots as well as gigantic trees with water so clear you could see the bottom. I only fell in once while trying to exit the canoe to the shoreline. Oh well, it was a warm day and my clothes and tennis shoes dried quickly.

As we rounded one of the many curves -- we got a wonderful surprise. A great close-up look of Mount Hood. 

Few folks were out on the lake and at one section, as the above photo shows, there were no folks at all. So quiet, with soft fragrant breezes blowing from the many fir trees. Lots of dragonflies along with butterflies checked us out at shore stops. It was a fine day to enjoy nature.

SMALL TOWN CAFE -- MULTNOMAH

LOVE THIS NAME AND SIGN!

Found in Multnomah, Village

Portland, Oregon.

GUARDING PORTLAND'S CHINATOWN

Two ferocious guard lions, traditional figures to China, were given to the city of Portland, Oregon by a businessman in Taiwan  (officially the Republic of China) in 1986. Decked out in bronze they stand guard along with an ornate high rising Chinese arch that symbolizes ones entrance into Chinatown. 

But now that the Portland Asian population has mostly moved out of Chinatown -- do these Chinese guard lions protect its new residents -- the homeless?

Everywhere I looked as I passed under the Chinese arch I saw homeless people

Very emotional for me to take a photo of these homeless men

The morning after the night before in Chinatown. 

A homeless activist told me that there are 4000 
 homeless in Portland. 

This includes families with children.

For information on homelessness click here.

For information on the International Network of
 Drug Consumption click here