Blue and Yellow

May 31, 2009

I liked the colors. This wood-chip-filled landscaped area is over by the small industrial park near Highway 30 and Pier 39.

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Classic Beauty

February 23, 2009

I took this photo just about a year ago on a peaceful evening along the Columbia River from the dock at the Maritime Museum at the foot of 17th Street. It's especially nice if you click on it to enlarge the image. It almost looks like a channel or narrow waterway, but the structure on the right is simply a pier. That's the Astoria-Megler bridge in the background (our connection to Washington), and the radio tower reaching into the sky.

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Boring No More

April 29, 2009

I usually find this industrial building on the River Walk not threateningly ugly, just boring. But it wasn't boring on the evening of April 29, 2009. A beautiful sunset and the right angle changed everything.

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Funny

January 18, 2010

. . . In a town where we get 70 to 90 inches of rain per year. . . . Right! :)

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Sewing Room in the Flavel House

July 30, 2001

That's not a typo in the date. I dug way back into the archives for this one, just because I like it. I haven't been inside the Flavel House since I took the photo, which was about six weeks after I first arrived in Astoria. I had to see the place, which in so many ways reminds me of the way my grandmother's house in California used to be; it was built at almost the same time. The Flavel House is lovely inside, and definitely creates a time warp when you step through the doors.

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Green

January 5, 2010

Even the decking turns green with this much rain. I took the photo from the end of Waterfront Park at the end of 14th Street.

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Colorful deterrent

January 12, 2010

This colorful gate is nailed shut at the moment. It can be found on the east side of the white building on Pier 11. Yesterday I posted the "Oregon Wild Products!" mural from the other side of the building. Can you tell it's been raining?

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Oregon Wild Products!

This mural on the side of the metal building on Pier 11 is a local landmark. I don't know if there's a date on it, but several buisnesses have come and gone and the mural remains the same - fortunately.

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The Cathedral Tree Trail: What's Left of an Urban Forest

The destruction of much of Astoria's "unique urban forest" was not caused by humans, but by wind. On the night of December 2, 2007, hurricane-force winds changed our landscape. Here? In Astoria? I remember that some of the downtown business owners didn't believe it would happen despite the forecast, and didn't think it was was worth taping up their plate glass. Over the next few days they ended up replacing it while city workers put the street lights back together. Here in the forest and around some of the houses on the hill, trees blew down.

Late in January of this year, Francisca and I took a walk up to the Column through the city streets and came back down by way of the Cathedral Tree Trail. A walk in the forest was something to look forward to anyway, but I also wanted to show her our Cathedral Tree and to see it again myself. However, somehow we missed the landmark. On February 7, the sun came out, and took my camera to get photos of the tree. From the bottom of the trail, the trail head is at Irving and 28th Streets. It's only a short way in to the vicinity of the locally-famous tree (see the photo above for the general locaiton of the tree; you'll see the tree itself below). Stairs have been built in the forest to facilitate walking in the steep, slippery mud. Here you can see the walkway being repaired after the storm.

I hadn't been able to understand how I'd missed the tree on our walk, but here's the reason. Although it's only a few yards off of the main trail, it now looks insignificant in its new, battered setting. I'd been remembering something majestic and eye-catching. Yes, that's the Cathedral Tree in the center of the photo. At one time, you couldn't see it until you were right there.

Here's the tree. I'd remembered correctly that there was a bench placed near it so one could sit back and enjoy the tree in its deeply-wooded and picturesque environment.

This is why it was called "Cathedral" Tree. It was not huge, but a child could stand up in the unusual hollowed-out cavern in the base. An average adult could stand inside, but stooping. Nobody was visiting when I was there on Sunday afternoon, but I'd seen a runner and a cyclist on the trail.

Here's the old tree from the back. I could have sworn it was about three times this size.

Even the mighty top of the old Sitka spruce has lost some volume.

Here's more of the new neighborhood.

We're just lucky the Cathedral Tree didn't end up like so many others nearby.

I was gladdened to find these lovely flowers in the forest right by the big tree. Not only were they comforting amidst the destruction, but it was a day of noticing spring flowers and new growth.

After making my inspection and paying homage, I took the board path back toward the trail head. On my way in, I'd come by way of the muddy trail.

A glance backward. Goodbye, Tree. Until next time.

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Bikes here, please.

This bike rack is near the corner of 14th Street and Duane. Come to think of it, I don't know if other bike racks around town are of the same design. I'll have to keep my eyes open. There's one at Safeway that may be similar, but I don't remember its being green. How are bikes tethered on the street in your town?

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