Imagine a peaceful island minutes from downtown Portland

Sauvie Island offers a respite from the hustle and bustle of city life.  It's a short (under 20 minutes) drive from downtown Portland.   The Audobon Society, apparently, owns or has some involvement regarding part of the island since there is an abundance of birds.  

The Oregon Zoo

 I have mixed feelings about zoos.  I don't like to see animals in captivity.  I see the educational value in showing people wildlife and educating them about habitats.  Environmental issues are in the forefront of one's mind (I think) when one sees the amazing diversity of wildlife - and learns how we are losing and have lost so many creatures to development, pollution, senseless killing, and so forth.

Portland -- Portlandia -- Keep Portland Weird

 I've been here 8 weeks now, moving from desert sandstone red tones to lush Columbia River Mt Hood green tones.  Portland, to me, is like a return to the late 1960s.  Creativity abounds.  People who are odd don't hide it.  Art, films, dance, music, outdoor markets - it is all here.  I visited Chinatown, and afterwards we strolled around the area.  I love the brick, city hiking paths, art.

 

 

 

Placebo

So, "for what it's worth," I just decided to put a link to the Placebo tune which was the inspiration for my blog title.  I love this band. I've seen them perform 4 times, twice in the DC area in the late 90s and twice in Vegas in the mid-00's.  We had excellent tickets to 2 more performances for their 09 (?) tour but it was canceled when Brian became ill.  I'm really hoping they will perform in the States again soon. The new DVD set, which included a video with parts of their world tour, is fantastic!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBeCgtgr6Rs

These links aren't like FB, opening up into a direct link to youtube. One has to copy and paste (and for this one, watch an ad for Cage the Elephant), but it's worth it.

Goodbye Nevada and my photographer friends

I'm  missing my photography teachers and friends from Las Vegas.  The Las Vegas Document class, about which I posted some earlier musings and photos, was a wonderful opportunity to see Las Vegas from different points of view (those of fellow photographers).

Now I suspect a lot of my photography ventures will be solo.  For now, in Portland, I'm trying just to get reorganized, update my website, begin my next Spanish class, and then start thinking about photography work up here.

Meanwhile, I wanted to post some 4x5 film shots which I took over the last few months (most of which were taken on my summer two month road trip).  It's a high maintenance camera, the 4x5, but I'm always happy with at least a few of the shots.

Columbia River, Oregon

Montana field

Near Yellowstone National Park

Mackinac Bridge, Michigan

Gulfort, Mississippi fishing pier

Red Rock National Conservancy near Las Vegas, Nevada

Close-up Red Rock