Sunday, August 22, 2010

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Ships and Geese

Tokyo Marine Ship The marine layer is still in, keeping the air nice and cool. It's always a pleasure to see the bright Tokyo Marine ships in the morning - this time in a ray of sun against the clouds. The ship's name is Argent Aster, and I don't recall seeing that name before.

Tokyo Marine Ship The pilot boat coming in.

Canada Geese Swimming Seeing Canada geese around Astoria is nothing novel, although I always enjoy them, but what is unusual is seeing them swim past my deck. I see them most often west of here.

Canada Geese Swimming Swimming. . . .

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Hot and Cold on Regatta Day

Astoria's annual Regatta parade took place on one of the hottest days of the year, that being 90 degrees - possibly in the sun, not the proverbial shade. I might not have gone out exept that I wanted to take a few pix for Astoria Daily Photo. The heat had me lying pretty low, but I loaded up a plastic bottle with ice and blended fresh fruit and crossed the street to this bit of shaded park in the median between Commercial and Marine.

Looking back at the home front, Marty had arranged with the guys resurfacing the pilots' place to resurface the front of 1490. I'm partial to the old gray, but I guess this helps keep the property in shape. I accidentally walked on it, but found out from Marty that (surprisingly) Windex takes out the marks left on the carpet by your shoes.

It was hot all the way until the end of the parade, then something happened that I just love our area for. The marine layer came in. Right on the river, it actually became cold. The cloud itself is not the marine layer, but the marine layer either creates clouds or pushes them along underneath.

. . . A lacy insect inside the porch alcove.

As I drove out to Warrenton, I was so invigorated by the cold air, I stopped and walked out to take photos of the low clouds. It's amazing what this burst of cool air did for my state of mind. I parked along Marine Drive and walked out to the water - probably farther than I've been able to walk in some time. Welcome signs of recovery, be they ever so slow.

Walking back to the car - the Suomi Hall and the graceful curve of the bridge.

A giddy view. I like the tree in front of the pier.

More giddiness, now facing the onramp.

New design and new purple paint. I like it.

I took this one without looking, since I was driving over the bridge. The marine layer is growing.

By the time I got back to Astoria, this event was taking place just on the other side of Englund Marine. Every year they do a simulated rescue as part of Regatta.

Up . . . I like the piece of a ship in this one.

You can see the spray tossed up by the 'copter.

Back on the west side of Englund Marine, there were more boats coming to the event on the other side of the building, which now I couldn't see.

Guys on the boat.

I'm not sure what the Port Authority is doing here, although they're also on their way to the Event. It would probably have been more fun before it got foggy and cold.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

"Among Papers #1"

Collage by Sheryl Todd Among Papers 1
by Sheryl Todd
Collage on Paper with Paint
August 14, 2010 ~ Astoria, Oregon


Peace of stories
With dust in the air
Through the glass
Witness to all you did
Perforated
Complex questions
You depart the day
All magnificent
In Piraeus
Or formal prayer
Along a jungle river
And
Out of the herd

(The poem is an experiment. I like the way it came out.)

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Tuesday, August 03, 2010

A Drizzly Day on the Columbia

Fog on the River This is another of my "weather report" photos. Nothing special, except that looking out over the river is always special. It's been drizzly, and it's the most wintery summer I've seen here. People are starting to complain about it. I'm not bothered by it yet, but it is a little weird to be wearing a sweatshirt every day in August and still feeling cold. This is the only photo I took today.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Monday, August 02, 2010