Tag: Living in Portland

Stumble Upons

Dear Liza,

One thing I love about living in Portland is that you never know what you’re going to find. In our time here, we have “stumbled upon” Shakespeare’s plays being performed at Lone Fir Cemetery, comedy shows and Johnny Franco’s music at Laurelhurst Park, and Jazz trio performing on somebody’s front porch.

Last evening, we were coming home after a longer-than-expected walk, just a few blocks from home, when we noticed people forming a crowd in the middle of the street by Sunnyside School’s playground.

It was too quiet for a political demonstration, and everyone seemed to be settling in for a show of some sort. Camp chairs and take out containers were in evidence.

Taking a closer look, we noticed a small amplifier set up by an open window of a re-purposed industrial building. A home-made sign hanging below the window spelled out HEY POET LAUREATE!!

Turns out, this was a semi-regular concert by these two folks. Danielle has a sweet singing voice, and Kyle plays guitar and harmonizes with Danielle. There was some mention of an old Poet Laureate ‘passing the torch’ to the new one, but I didn’t understand it. I didn’t want to bother anyone for details during the show.

As I said, we were returning from a long walk, and my feet were letting me know it was time to head home. We listened for a bit longer and headed out. We saw Steph from Happy Anyway and her buddy Jen in the crowd, so we know who we can ask.

Portland always has something going on, you just need to get out and look for it!
Love,

Grandma Judy

900th Blog!!!

Dear Liza,

June 30, 2017, almost three and a half years ago, was the day of my first blog. I had come up to Portland by plane, then the Red Line train to get to downtown, where I had lunch and met an itinerant poet named Shannon. Then I took a bus to Auntie Katie’s house. The next day I picked up the keys to our first apartment here in Portland. I signed papers, measured the new place, and flew back to Salinas.

Shannon the Poet in front of Powell’s, 2017

That day was a good omen of my life in the city so far. I have pushed myself to walk further, get around on public transit, explore further afield, chat with all sorts of folks, and spend more time on my own.

Auntie Katie and I going out to “Hamilton”

I have written about dinners out, concerts, zoos, and parks here in Portland;

Interspecies fun at Oregon Zoo


vacations to Seattle and Vancouver, B.C.;

Seattle at night from the Smith Tower

trips back to Salinas to see you and your family and friends;

You and Mr. Steinbeck

and some less-fun trips to hospitals and doctor’s offices.

Grandpa Nelson gets looked at

And lately, I’ve written about coping with NOT being able to do those things.

One of my many art pieces since March

Writing this blog, now 900 essays long, is part of the coping. Writing how I feel makes it real and solid and more manageable.

Love,

Grandma Judy