It’s the Truth.

Portland, is composed of counties, and one of those counties is Multnomah County.  This county is a leader when it comes to rules and regulations relating to the environment.  In Multnomah County plastic bags – the grocery store variety – are illegal.  So I have discovered, there is an underground market in these bags. They are saved, coveted, swapped, talked about and hoarded.  It appears that a certain group of folk have decided they are necessary in their every day life in ways unimaginable before and so they collect these bags as if they are a precious alloy; the bags have become priceless.  “Yes”, she said, “We have friends in Washington County who get them for us.”   The conversation alone, about the bags is worth the listening.

The Banner

The new banner, of a Portland bridge is now visible to those of you who receive this by email.  Thank you Ann deWT for the photo.  It is such an iconic picture, yet it isn’t.  Thank you Brian B for making it all happen.

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

With the holidays come ingenious ways to earn money.  This man, painted all in copper color, never moved, in fact appeared to be asleep.  I was somewhat concerned about what the paint was doing to his body as it seeped through his skin.  But he deserved the monies he collected, for keeping the broom in place.

Words Fail Me

In my life span I have seen four persons die.  Today was another.  I was one block from my apartment when I happened upon the scene.  I knew he had just fallen by the stunned group gathered around him.  And I knew he was dead by the way his body was planted on the sidewalk.   He was a beautifully dressed, late 30’s, full head of hair and he lay as he had fallen.  When the arms are by the side of the body, not outstretched to break the fall and the face is flat into the cement…. by the time I got there, someone was leaving to the police station a block away and another person had opened his bespoke leather briefcase and was looking at his phone.  A good reason not to lock your phone and to have an ICE address in your contacts.  As I walked by and paused a bit farther along, trying to catch my breath, I thought about how his day was so altered and those that knew him were going to have an entirely different Thanksgiving than was planned.  We never know when our number is up.  All the more reason to have our ‘house’ in order.