Autumn Art on the River Walk

 Astoria, Oregon ~ November 3, 2010
Guest Photographer: Alex aka B.G. Owens

Alex wrote: "I happened to be at Safeway this past glorious Wednesday (November 3rd.) and spotted  artists on the other side of the tracks near the trolley stop. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me but, I did have my cell phone, so I snapped these shots thinking what a fabulous November day we are having. Then thought, if any of these pictures turn out, what a great way to remember Astoria in the Fall." 

I think we will all agree, as we enjoy the pouring rain today, January 12th. Thanks for the memories, Alex!

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Photo Contest: "Parallel Lines"

Astoria, Oregon ~ June 26, 2009

Guest Photographer: Debbie Loyd

I believe this is the section between Astoria proper and Alderbrook. Someone please let me know if that's not so.

Debbie Loyd can be found on the web via the links below:

. Web site

. Blog

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Astoria Welcomes You!

May 14, 2010

I love the look of this place - it's about as funky as it gets, but it won't last long without a lot of TLC. At first I thought this was the platform for the train station (the brown building on the right) - and maybe it was a very long time ago, but after that it was a feed and grain storage building. I thought it looked like a station platform, so my first version of this post was about trains. Here's what I wanted to say:
An excursion train ran again for a short while a few years ago, and then it stopped. But a several-year-long project will put an historic steam engine on the line in 2011 that will run along the river through Astoria and beyond to . . . I'm not sure if the end point has been determined yet. I heard about it on KMUN the other day, and when I get a chance I'm going to check out the quonset hut at the west end of town where the work is being done. The project welcomes the public's attention and donations. Here is their web site. Won't it be fun to see the old engine chugging down our rails? I'm up for a ride, are you? I took this photo from the River Walk.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

River Walk near Safeway

February 7, 2010

River Walk near the Safeway Store

46°11'34.37"N 123°48'29.58"W

It seems we're in for some clear weather Saturday, and in case we've forgotten, here's a reminder of what a blue-sky day looks like - this one with strikingly pretty clouds. For non-Astorians, this is the track used by the Astoria Riverfront Trolley. The bench is a nice place to sit just next to the trolley stop, although soon much of the view will be obscured by leaves. Green is just around the corner.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Mill Pond in the rain

As you walk along the River Walk next to the trolley tracks, you pass Mill Pond. Most of us know it as an upscale housing development. The houses are new, and new construction continues. Before my time, this round pond was actually part of the old mill, and was surrounded by buildings related to milling wood. There's a very short waterway (only the width of the River Walk and the tracks) that connects the pond with the Columbia River. Each house is unique, and some are actually quite strange in their floor plans, but I'm glad that the codes required a look that makes them compatible with the old Victorians of Astoria. Birds love the pond, and you can always see various species swimming here or roosting on a few pieces of wood sticking out of the water. The hills behind the buildings are a little higher than you see here. On this rainy day, they're obscured by clouds. Mill Pond is the round body of water near the river's edge in this aerial photo.