Amtrak 40th Anniversary

Millikan Way MAX Station

On a foggy Saturday morning, I decided to go and see the exhibit of the Amtrak 40^th anniversary. I drove to Millikan Way MAX train station and go downtown and with just one transfer I was there. I thought it would be good to fill my Saturday morning. It seems that I never have enough of train. I told Da Wife that we would take the train from Portland all the way to Chicago as my retirement gift, I do not when will that’s going to be. I know I will torture her since it is a slow going compare to just fly, but the destination is the journey in itself.

Portland Union Station

A typical exhibit

Autumn texture and color study

Color Study #4

It was wet in the back yard; it means the rain came last night. This morning was dark and I thought I did not have a chance to take some more images of the fall colors, but I was wrong. When the weather improved just after lunch, I took my camera and drove to the same intersection where I captured some images way back in 2007. I was looking for the “Necklace 2007” and maybe more of that, but to my disappointment, things have changed so much, nothing is permanent. Here are some more of the study images that I captured. I hope you enjoy them.

Autumn 2011 part 2

The Autumn Leaves

Osprey Street, Beaverton, OR

I always inquisitive with this neighborhood when it comes to the fall colors; it is always the first to give out colors, sort of a saying “Get your camera over here and take my pictures before the rain gets a hold of me”. So on this Saturday afternoon, it is exactly what I did.

The ominous clouds could be seen here in the first image; so far it was dry when I scour the neighborhood and not a drop of water falls on my lens. I intend to bring my camera along and search for the images in the next few days, if I am lucky I will have another two to three weeks before most of changing leaves are gone. This year, fall colors come than last year due to a colder spring and summer.

Here are more images of Autumn 2011

The changing leaves

The necklace - 2007

It’s time for me to get the camera and shoot some fall colors; fortunately I do not have to go too far. It is right in the neighborhood within a few miles. This Saturday, I plan to scour the neighborhood and see if I could capture some changing leaves.

Here are some of the images I took in the past: Fall of 2007 and Fall of 2010

Tashina Iron Horse

Tashina Iron Horse
Photo courtesy of www.abcnews.com/2020

Meet Tashina Iron Horse, well, actually we have not met her personally other than watching the 20/20 news magazine last night. Tashina lives in the poorest Indian (Native American) reservation in South Dakota. What struck me the most at the beginning were her three wishes to President Obama namely, fresh water, bubble gum and a backpack. So an idea came up yesterday to send some bubble gum, then I told my wish about getting and sending them to my wife and she said, "Why not a backpack as well?" I am happy to say that we fulfilled her two wishes, we left the fresh water to the government.

It's beginning to look like autumn in Portland

The leaves’ colors are turning, the temperatures are dropping, and sweet corns are in season. It is definitely autumn season in the Northwest area. Soon, I will lug my camera again and hunt for those beautiful color combinations. I am just hoping that the rain will have a chance first in bringing down the leaves.

Endangered species

Phone home?

Soon these public phones will be gone from most commonplaces and you could only see this in the museum. On the way to the market I saw the remnant of such thing and I am happy that my camera is not far from me. Cell phones are very common these days and more and more homes get rid of the so-called “land line”, we eliminated ours about a year ago and even Internet service we use WIMAX (wireless), so no cable goes into the house.

No rain today and this weekend.....



Pittock Mansion



Today is not raining, so I consider it a good day. This weekend forecast is just partly cloudy, so it is still good! Time to explore the farms and look for some sweet corns, the harvest is late this year.  Summer in our neck of the woods (Northwest) is relatively very short. I guess after living here for more than 13 years, we know what to expect.  We just ignore the rain if we need to do something and it has become small nuisances. I feel like ants sometimes, when the weather is sunny, most people are out and about including us.

My first trial of blogging

Multnomah Falls

http://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2011/falls

Aaah...the sun is beginning to hide in the Northwest, the rain will take over from now on until the end of June of next year. This is my first to blog and I have no idea what this design will look like. I will add picture(s) later on in the blog. On my spare time I take pictures for fun and share them with others. I also am a Motorman volunteer for the Willamette Shore Trolley, but...my trolley has been sick for 2 seasons now.

Willamette Shore Trolley

http://www.yongkieandpokie.com/2010/wst