The Grand Old Dame of Saint Johns

22The Saint Johns Bridge; Portland's very own.

Built before the Golden Gate, so it was the longest suspension bridge in existence for a short while. Originally slated to be painted red and white, so as to be easier to see by planes lifting off from Portland Airport, which was on Swan Island at at that time; they painted it green anyway, but Portland Airport outgrew Swan Island so fast it never really was that much of an issue.

Picture taken July, 2018.

Hood Over Powell: May, 2021

21A photo from 2021, taken looking east on Powell Blvd from the Ross Island Bridge end.

The mountain, they say, is out. And when it comes to Hood, no matter where you go ... there it is. 

The Forest At Leach Garden

20The entry to Leach Botanical Garden is just south of the intersection of 122nd and SE Foster Road in Portland. Johnson Creek runs through a gully parallel to and just south of this. 

The pictures I've shared so far were at the entry which is at the upper level. At the back of this there is a grove of evergreens, thick and primeval, clothing the slope down to the creek.

You can see SE 122nd Avenue going downslope to the bottom of the Johnson Creek gulch.

There is a 'tree walk' that allows you to be up amongst the trees. We'll view this presently.

Going into the woods is accessible to all here. 

Sunlight on the Garden

19To keep the vibe going, here's a single picture from the entrance of Leach Botanical Garden, the lawn adjacent to the pollinator garden, and the sun that drenched it that day.

The plants did as they should, playing with the light and giving it up in gorgeous green luminosity.

Sparkling Johnson Creek

18Just a picture of the sun sparkling off the rushing waters of Johnson Creek at Leach Botanical Garden.

Nothing more ... and certainly nothing less. It's a vibe. A PDX vibe.

Pollinator Plants at Leach Botanical Garden

17Here begins a series of scenes at that hidden east side Portland gem, the Leach Botanical Garden.

There's an upper area and a lower area. The geography places it along the brow of the gully that Johnson Creek cascades down before adopting a more leisurely course going west from the Lents area of Southeast Portland. This part was on the upper area and was in deliciously bright sunlight.

Click on each photo to embiggen.

Along the start of the pollinator walk.

Closeup on some pollinator blossoms

Lovely light blue blossoms. The scent was wonderful.

Even More!

One of the things I adore about plants is the way some take the light an multiply it. They don't become brighter, though, but more luminous. More vivid.

Watercolor works the same way.