Cool Water II

Light of Hope

St. Paul's Church on S. Liberty.

House to Office II

This beautiful house was moved to it's new home on S. 12th St. and restored. It is one of two vintage houses used as the medical offices of Dr. David West. The ceiling of the room at the front (left) has the most intriguing and complex wallpapering. Unfortunately the building was closed the day I was there. But, I will return to get a few shots and attempt to learn it's history.

Cool Water

Bush Park drinking fountain, designed for use by kids or wheelchairs.

Salem Hospital has a great oncology staff who extend kindness, patience, and encouragement. My DH's treatment starts today.

C.O.M. Building

The Center for Outpatient Medicine is a new building on Salem Hospital's expanding campus, connected by a network of skybridges. This was taken through the glass from one of them, resulting in some nice reflections and lines.

And this is my 300th post!

Faith, Hope, and Love

Today is our 34th wedding anniversary. Some of you may remember that we rang in the New Year in the ER. Subsequent tests brought us the news that my beloved has cancer. We will know more this week when we get the results of a biopsy.

Finally

The county crew finally made it down our road to cleanup after the ice storm we had just before Christmas. They removed from the roadside and put through the shredder all the broken branches and remains of trees that enterprising individuals with pickups and chainsaws left behind. If I had known they were coming, I would have moved the huge pile of broken limbs from the yard out to the ditch.

Golden Glow

An early morning sunshine separated some wild plum trees from the field and woods.

Beautiful Skies

The Cow and the Cat

Near the children's play area in Bush Pasture Park.

Hot (or Cool) Wheels

Not exactly on the same level with Virginia's coveted red truck, but this cute tricycle is a beauty. For sale at the Wings of the Soul gift shop on Owens S. between Commercial and Liberty Sts. There is also one in powder blue!

Mom

My Mom never lived here, but loved to visit. She thrilled at the giant Douglas Firs that we always hiked through at Silver Falls State park, on the trail to Pamelia Lake in the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness area, and around Timothy Lake in the Mt. Hood National Forest. She loved walking along the surf at the coast and was surprised at the frigid temperature of the water. And she loved picking wild blackberries, so abundant here, and sampling the subsequent pie. Good thoughts of y0u, Mom, until we meet again.

Rose Garden

Tending the rose bushes at Bush Pasture Park.

Moonrise

Fog filtered the almost-full moon as it rose.

House to Office

Salem has many older houses all over town which have been converted to offices. These two houses of the Bungalow or Craftsman styles (correct me if wrong) on Liberty St. SE are beautiful examples.

Harbinger

Signs that spring is on the way. Found in Bush Pasture Park.

Our Liberty Bell

This reproduction of the Liberty Bell is one of 53 cast in France in 1950. It stands at the west entrance to the Capitol. Given to the government by seven metal companies, they served as the inspirational symbol of the U.S. savings bonds drive. After the bond drive was completed, the replicas were presented to each state, as well as Alaska and Hawaii (which were not yet states), Washington D.C., Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

The dimensions and tone are identical to original Liberty Bell when it rang out in 1776.

Crown Point

I am not able to get out and about for new photos, so am posting a few sunny ones from my 'archive'.

Yesterday's photo was from the interior of Vista House at Crown Point. It is located in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge about 15 miles east of Portland. You can read about it [here]. This is more in Gresham Photo Blog territory, but I don't think she will mind.



It sits over 700 feet above the river.

Stairway and Stained Glass

Love this opaque stained glass.

Feather Friends

When you get low on photos, it's always nice to have some feather friends around. If this is a chickadee, it's the chubbiest I've ever seen. [Edit--Thanks to Pelican for letting me know this is a Dark-Eyed Junco.] This was during our white Christmas, outside my computer corner window. That's an aromatic red cedar tree we planted in 1978. (It survived the ice storm.)

Icy Fingers

This isn't current, but from our pre-Christmas ice storm. An enterprising neighbor came by with a chainsaw and pickup, and carried off the bulk of the fallen trees for firewood. It was a pretty sight before the fall.

Changing Weather

While out shopping, I noticed this dramatic weather change when I emerged from a store, from pleasant blue skies to chilly, biting wind and rain. Now I understand what the weather people mean by a 'front' moving in!

Before and After

A recently-built new house is for sale down the road. It was built into an existing stand of trees (birch, poplar?) which I recall was planted 15 years or so ago. The trees made for a dramatic entry onto the property.

This photo was taken about a month ago.

After our recent ice storm, the landscape was changed dramatically.

And More Wall Art

I seem to have a theme going here. This stunning 9' x 6.5' painting entitled "Willamette Valley View" by April Waters adorns a wall in the C.O.M. building at the Salem Hospital complex, where we spent a few hours of New Years Eve. It gets worse--we rang in the new year in the ER! My husband this time. Thankfully he is doing well.

Happy New Year 2009