Dark storm front moves by
lightness, darkness, shadows fight
the eyes, the mind sort
A very blustery day in Oregon, on the Willmette River near Salem. The wind was blowing along at 30 mph with stronger gusts. The storm front was moving directly out of the South. Many layers of clouds moved at varying speeds and the shadows/darkness, in the early morning, was surreal as darkness fell with blue sky visible nearby…very volatile weather front.
Seems a little odd to have a submarine tendered in downtown Portland. But, interesting none the less. Each June, river levels and budgets permitting, naval ships pass the bar of the Columbia River, head upriver to the Willamette River and then to Portland, Oregon for the Rose Festival event. So, the submarine is not that unusual, I suppose.
I went down to the South end of town yesterday to take a look at the light rail bridge under construction. I took a few more photographs of the Marquam Bridge and Hawthorne Bridge. The Willamette River runs through the Portland, Oregon/Metro area. It is spanned by twelve bridges (Oregon City to North Portland.
The Portland-Milwaukie (PMLR) Bridge under construction. Ross Island Br. in distance. (Nov. 2013)
The old Hawthorne Bridge with a center span lift capacity.
Marquam Bridge…Double Decker span (SwittersB)
Marquam Bridge (SwittersB)
The PMLR Bridge construction site is lit up at night. I want to explore walking out on to the Ross Island Bridge, at night, and see if I can capture a decent shot. I would try the Marquam Bridge, but there is no pedestrian passage so if you are on foot up there you are usually a jumper.
My son, Tony, went out with family members this past weekend to partake of the last opportunity to fish for sturgeon on the Willamette River (Oregon). All fishing for White Sturgeon in the Columbia River drainages will be indefinitely closed.
The early morning provided some wonderful opportunity for some shots of the St. John’s Bridge on the Willamette River. And, for one of the finest tasting fish swimming….the pre-historic white sturgeon.
Interesting History of Chinese & ‘Insane Asylum’ Unmarked Graves
Block 14
Not a very exciting photo, this SW corner on the Lone Fir Cemetery. A hundred and some years ago, deceased Chinese residents were boated across the Willamette River and then carted up to this spot and buried in unmarked graves. Some records, few records were kept. Also, a nearby mental hospital disposed of some deceased ‘insane’ at this spot in unmarked graves. Years later, knowingly or unknowingly (seriously?) a two story building was built by Multnomah County atop this entire space. Some ten years ago, it was torn down. There was a rush to remove the remains before grave robbers raided the remains. At that time, I recall positioning security officers at this site over night to protect the graves. Now a garden like monument is in the offering to ‘honor’ the notorious spot/plots.
