September 5, 2010
Swift Watch 2010
Well, here we are approaching September. And September is Swift watching month here in Portland. For those of you who do not know what Portland Firefly is talking about, I shall explain.
Portland is on the flyway for a type of bird called Vaux Swifts. They migrate from Alaska to Mexico every year and use Portland as a stopover on their long journey. These little birds like to roost inside of old hollowed out trees or very tall chimneys.
The old chimney at Chapman School in North East Portland has been a favorite roosting, resting place for these acrobatic birds for many years. And they do put on quite a show in the evenings just before they dive inside the chimney at night to go to sleep. It is this aerial show that brings Portlanders out for the free event!
These birds are predictable as to the time they go to sleep at night and so Portlanders bring out their blankets, their picnic dinners and we sit and watch the spectacular show.
The Audubon society provides information on this event and here is the link to their website. http://audubonportland.org/local-birding/swiftwatch/swift-watch
If you enjoy watching the International Space Station flyovers you can also coordinate an ISS sighting with your Swift watch. Go to this website for the ISS sighting times in Portland: http://spaceflight1.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/cities/view.cgi?country=United_States®ion=Oregon&city=Portland
So choose a night to attend and perhaps you will see Portland Firefly there…. our family makes it an annual event!
PS: This school is in a residential area so please be sure to respect the property of the local homeowners ~ don’t block driveways and take all trash back home with you. Enjoy!!!
September 3, 2010
Labor Day Weekend
Well, today signifies the last weekend of Summer. In Portland, we have had the coolest summer in 17 years; hopefully our fall will be warm so we can continue to enjoy our beautiful outdoor scenery. We are hoping to go to a couple of parks for walks and picnics and just enjoying each other and nature.
But…. Portland Firefly will be hanging her beautiful large American flag outside early on Friday morning. One last summer’s chance to show my patriotism. I hope you will remember to fly your flag as well!
Have a great weekend!!!
August 27, 2010
Hood-to-Coast Relay Race
International Space Station Sightings 2010
This Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday you will have the opportunity to see two ISS flyovers each night! NASA publishes the times of the ‘sightings’ and you can be sure that they are accurate — it is NASA after all!
One point to remember is that the ISS path takes it generally from west to east, but it may show up in the sky from South West to North West or anywhere in between. Its path is then toward the East. The longer the flyover time, the higher the ISS is in your sky. On Friday and Saturday nights, there will be a 4 minute visibility so Portland Firefly strongly urges you to look at that time because you will have a better chance to see it if you have never seen it before. That will make your future sightings easier! Have fun!!!!
Go to this NASA link to map out your plan for watching: http://spaceflight1.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/cities/view.cgi?country=United_States®ion=Oregon&city=Portland
For those of you in a different region of the United States, you can go to the same web link just input your nearest large city! Your sighting times will, of course, be very different from ours here in Portland!
August 18, 2010
Oregon Air Show 2010
The Oregon Air Show is this Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Hillsboro Airport. For those who live in the area, please be aware that there will be increased traffic and some roads will be closed during certain aerial performances.
Some of the performers are the Marine Corps Harrier Jets, the US Patriots Team, F/A 18 Hornets, Sons of Legends, and many more.
This is one of the best events around our fair city and the weather should be perfect for a day ‘looking up to the sky’.
For more information click on the following link: http://www.oregonairshow.com/
August 4, 2010
Portland Road Repairs
Now Portland Firefly has yet another reason to like Portland….
Week-end night-time repairs…
Yes, this city actually uses their brains in figuring out how to repair roads with the least disruption to the driving public. How? They schedule road repair and road maintainance for night times.. and usually on the weekends when there is less traffic. Then they make an exception… on Holiday weekends, they suspend road repairs and have all lanes open.
Just one more reason to love my new state!!
July 26, 2010
Today is Paper Shredding Day
Don’t forget to take you boxes or bags of paper to the KGW Studios to participate in their free paper shredding day!! It’s today!!
From 5:30 am to 7:00 pm at the KGW studios at 1501 SW Jefferson in downtown Portland. You are allowed to bring 2 file boxes or 2 paper bags full of paper for the freee shredding. Recycle and save a tree!
July 23, 2010
Free Shred Day
KGW is having another free paper shredding day on Monday, July 26, 2010. For every 6000 pounds of paper that we recycle, we save a tree!!
So be sure to take up to two ‘file-type’ boxes or two grocery bags of paper to the KGW Studios (1501 SW Jefferson) in downtown Portland on Monday, July 26, 2010 between 5:30am and 7:00 pm.
July 16, 2010
Sand in the City
What do you get when you mix over two hundred competitors, thousands of spectators, great food, live entertainment, master sand sculptors, and 450 tons of sand? It’s Yoshida’s Sand in the City! As the premier fundraising event for Kids on the Block Awareness & Powerful Puppetry, this event brings the beach to Downtown Portland.
Grab the kids, and ride the Max to Pioneer Square to enjoy the sandcastles….. no rain expected this weekend!
For more information about this event: http://www.sandinthecitypdx.com/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=336058&lis=1&kntae336058=186FF1BB36CC43E3B93365BFCCE00698
July 2, 2010
Happy Fourth of July
Today begins the July 4th weekend celebrations. The neighbors started shooting off fireworks two nights ago, thankfully not too late in the evening!
Here in Portland and in the surrounding municipalities, including Washington state, MANY of the firework use laws have changed. It is important that you check your local rules so you don’t purchase or use illegal fireworks. Since the rules vary considerable, the fireworks stands may sell you a product that is illegal where you plan to use it.
Some of the stands were even unaware of the rules changes, so don’t rely upon them to give you the correct information. They are … after all ….. selling a product… and they want you to buy it. Also, some cities can only shoot off fireworks on certain days. So Buyer Beware!!! The law enforcement fines are very hefty this year.
Oregon law bans possession, use, or sale of any fireworks that fly, explode, travel more than one foot into the air, or more than six feet on the ground. These fireworks are illegal. You are encouraged to report illegal firework activity through the City’s non-emergency number, (503) 823-3333.
Why are most fireworks illegal in Oregon? It’s not rocket science: Oregon law states that fireworks outside the above definition are dangerous and strictly limit the use of these to professional displays only. Illegal fireworks cause:
- Countless injuries including trauma and burns from unplanned explosions
- Reoccurring trauma to many of our returning veterans suffering the effects of their service to our Country
- Enormous property loss each year by causing fires to residences, landscape, and wildland
- Emotional trauma and anxiety to many small children and animals, who are especially vulnerable
- Environmental pollution, measurable in both air and noise
In Portland, our difficulty is that many of the fireworks that are illegal in Oregon are legal in Washington and readily available to anyone who can drive across the Columbia River. Given the physical, emotional, environmental, and economic costs, as our population becomes more aware about these real consequences, it will become increasingly clear that illegal fireworks in the hands of amateurs is no longer a ‘patriotic’ act.
For those of you outside of the city of Portland, contact your local police or fire department on their non-emergency phone number. Now … if your house is on fire … call 911!
Happy and Safe Fourth of July!
July 1, 2010
Time to Fly Your Flag
Today, July1st is the beginning of our patriotic season!!!!
Patriotic Firefly is getting ready to hang her beautiful large flag outside. I’ll leave it up over the holiday weekend and that will be ok because I’ll have a light on it at night.
Won’t you make the effort to fly your flag also?
June 27, 2010
America’s Got Talent ~ Portland Style
Two nights last week, the America’s Got Talent TV show aired their Portland auditions. As usual there were a lot of flakes and horrible acts, but there were also some pretty spectacular acts as well! The next step for these acts is going to Las Vegas for the competition part of the show and several from Portland were put through to go to Las Vegas.
Some of the acts sent from Portland are:
The 75 year old harmonica player who was a watch maker from Belguim;
The 76 year old lesbian retired teacher who hand-whistles ( and sells her book);
The two sweet blond singing sisters who have Cystic Fibrosis;
The mesmerizing rock-wall dancing couple;
The handsome singer;
The teen-age epileptic young man who flies indoor kites;
The young stunt bike rider;
and the North West’s premier Air Band ~Airpocolypse!
Yes, Portland is Weird and it is that very atmosphere for creativity (weirdness) that lets people develop unusual talents and abilities. I hope that one of our Portland contestants will be the winner!!!
June 26, 2010
Portland Rose Parade 2010
Having grownup in Southern California, Portland Firefly was aware of only one ‘Rose Parade’ and that is the Pasadena Rose Parade on New Year’s Day in Pasadena California. Last June as I was sitting in my recliner recovering from chemo, I heard the news talk about a ‘rose parade’. I thought they were crazy because everyone knows that the rose parade is on January 1st, and not in the middle of June! Well, I was wrong!
Known as the City of Roses, Portland has its Grand Floral Parade during its June Rose Festival. Hence the name “Rose Parade” in June! Last year I watched it from my recliner; but this year a dear friend asked me along for the day. I felt that I could handle it as we took our lawn chairs and I could just sit for as long as I needed. After the parade, we wandered around the Waterfront Park until it was time to leave for home. We had a great day and a lot of fun. I might even do it again next year….
Here are some pictures from the parade. I hope you enjoy them. If you scroll over each picture, a title will pop up to tell you which float it is! Enjoy this on-line parade!
June 25, 2010
Big Lunar Eclipse Saturday
This Saturday morning ~ June 26th~ early~ just before sunrise, there will be a special eclipse of the moon. And for those of us on the West Coast it should be spectacular!!! It will be worth getting up early to see this sight; you can take a nap after breakfast!!! Look low and to the WEST just before dawn. Begins at 3:17 am; greatest effect at 4:38 am. I know …Yawn!!!!
Although the eclipse is only partial, it will be magnified in size and charm by the “Moon Illusion”–a result of the eclipse occurring close to the horizon from viewing sites in the USA.
The eclipse begins at 3:17 am PDT (10:17 UT) when the Moon enters the sunset-colored shadow of Earth. By 4:38 am PDT (11:38 UT), the moment of greatest eclipse, 54% of the Moon’s diameter will be covered. From beginning to end, the event lasts almost three hours.
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2010/24jun_lunareclipse/
June 21, 2010
Summer Begins!
|
||||||||||||||||||||
June 19, 2010
Keeping Portland Weird
There are sign all over Portland that state “Keep Portland Weird”. This contributes to the creativity that is found in this beautiful Rose City.
Well, one of Portland’s ‘weirder’ events takes place tonight. Tonight at 10:00pm the naked bike ride ‘ takes off ‘ in southeast Portland near the Eastbank Esplanade and Hawthorn.
Portland Firefly will not be taking part in this event! This is also a very good reason why one should replace the seat on a used bicycle!
June 10, 2010
Cowboys and Country Food Fair
Tonight, Thursday, head on over to Portland’s Director Park for tasty eats and cowboy fun :
Country Food Fair:
- Tonight 5:00 – 9:00
- S.W. 9th and Yamhill
- All proceeds benefit Oregon Food Bank
The family-focused fair features cowboy poetry, a story-telling circle, craft booths, roping tricks & lessons, a stick-horse rodeo for children, a barn dance and more.
The event is sponsored by Country Natural Beef partners, including Burgerville, New Seasons, Whole Foods Market, Bon Appetit and Food Alliance.
On the affordable menu: Burgerville’s Country Natural Beef Tillamook Cheeseburger and Veggie Burger, New Seasons Markets fresh-squeezed lemonade ($2) and free grilled asparagus, Whole Foods Market’s Country Natural Beef smoked tri-tip sandwiches ($3) Bon Appetit’s Ribs ($1) and Oregon strawberry shortcake ($1.50) and more!
June 4, 2010
Portland Rose Festival
This is the week for the Portland Rose Festival. There are many activties planned. Be sure to click on the Rose Festival link at the end of this post to find out more about the festivities over the next two weeks.
The Starlight Parade is Saturday, June 5th, 2010 at 8:30pm. It will be televised live at 9:00pm on KGW NewsChannel 8.
The Grand Floral Parade will be on Saturday, June 12th at 10:00 am. Again televised live on KGW NewsChannel 8.
 |
The Dragon Boat Races are planned for Saturday, June 12th and Sunday, June 13th.
 
 |
For more information go to : http://www.rosefestival.org/
June 3, 2010
It’s Fleet Week!
Here in Portland it is Rose Festival Week and there are many special events planned. Wednesday June 2, to Sunday June 6, 2010 is Fleet Week on the Willamette River and if you want to see a lot of boats, this is the week to do so. Portland is the only inland deep water port in the world (I think) and so it is a pretty special place. But those of us who live here already knew that!
Naval vessels from the United States Navy, U.S. Coast Guard and the Canadian Maritime Forces arrive from around the world for a four-day visit to the City of Roses. Ship tours will be available daily. It is located along Tom McCall Waterfront Park’s esplanade seawall from the Steel Bridge to Waterfront Village. Admission is free (on a first-come basis as time allows)
– ships are outside the Waterfront Village gates.
Due to current world affairs, public tours of Fleet Week ships will be limited and may be cancelled without notice.
Because the ships will be arriving during the week (mostly on Thursday) and leaving on Monday, there may be bridge closures for up to 15 minutes at a time as the ships pass underneath them.
Public tours will be on a first-come basis, usually during these hours: 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
(Note: Tour lines will be closed at 3:30 to allow tours to be completed by 4:30.)
Note: Ships set their own schedules, so some may not offer tours during these times.
Visitors may be subject to personal search and no bags, strollers or wheelchairs will be allowed onboard. There will not be any ‘holding area’ for personal items and visitors must be able to maneuver on board the ships, including climbing narrow ladders.
June 2, 2010
Rain, Rain Go Away
Well, May, 2010 ended up being the third rainiest May in Portland History. We had more than twice the amount of precipitation that we normally have and it was also quite cool.
I had my surgery last May and I remember it was so hot that my plants had to be watered twice a day or they would die. That was something that was difficult for me to do after my major surgery and it was areal struggle to keep them alive last May.
This May was the opposite story. I had to keep them out of the rain for a few days so that they wouldn’t drown!!! The three-month sustained release fertilizer that I incorporated into the soil around my pansies was ‘released’ during one month! Oh, are my pansies tall and full! Then the rain beats them down and now they are getting all leggy! But I have enjoyed the bright colors that they have added to my world this dreary rainy May!
May 18, 2010
Mt. St. Helens 30th Anniversary
3,000 ft (1 km) steam plume on May 19, 1982, two years after its major eruption
Today, May 18, 2010 is the 3oth anniversary of the Mt. St. Helen’s volcanic eruption. Here in the Pacific North West there will be many television retrospectives recounting the event. There are also special ceremonies up on the mountain itself which Portland Firefly wanted to attend, but her low energy level prevents this and so she will watch the TV presentations.
This is the Wikipedia link for getting more info about Mt. St. Helens. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_St._Helens
Here is the Federal government link to the Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/mshnvm/
May 17, 2010
Oregon Votes
Tomorrow, Tuesday, May 18, 2010 is the day that your Oregon Primary Ballot is due. here in Oregon, your ballot must be received by 8:00pm . That means that a postmark is not good enough… it must be received by 8:00pm on Tuesday night. So do not mail it, but go to this website to find out where the nearest drop box location is located. As a rule of thumb, there are generally well-marked ballot boxes near the front door of your local library.
or call 1.866.673.8683
May 6, 2010
National Train Day
This event is on Saturday, May 8th and runs from 10 am – 4 pm at Portland’s Union Station. Apparently there will be model trains setup in the lobby as well. It should be fun.
National Train Day
| Date/Time: | May 8, 2010, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM |
| Location: | Portland Union Station 800 NW 6th Avenue Portland, Oregon |
| Details: On May 8, 2010, the third annual National Train Day will be a coast-to-coast celebration, and the whole family’s invited to Portland Union Station to join in the fun. Come down and check out the displays, exhibits and information, including:
Union Station is easy to find — look for the big “Go By Train” clock tower, http://www.aortarail.org/index.php/events/national_train_day/ |
|
The information that Portland Firefly was able to find indicates that the event is free to attend. It sounds like a fun Saturday for families!
There will be another event at PSU:
Portland State University
Department of History
Cramer Hall, Room 494
1721 SW Broadway
Portland, OR 97201
Event Date: 05/06/2010
Start Time: 07:00 PM
End Time: 09:00 PM
Event Description: For our third year of proud participation in the annual National Train Day celebrations, the PSU Friends of History will host a program on the history of American train travel as a leisure time activity; showing how train travel contributed to the growth of Oregon and our nation.
Please note that the event at PSU will be held onMay 6th; The event at Union Station will be held on Saturday, May 8th.
April 28, 2010
Northwest Solar Expo
The Northwest Solar Expo and Technology Showcase will be held from April 30 through May 2, 2010 at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland.
You can get information on Solar Electric Panels or Solar Water Heating panels as well the latest on the alternative feed-in tariff that pays participants for all of the solar energy produced by their systems.
For more information go to : www.PortlandGeneral.com/Events
April 27, 2010
Traffic Confusion!!!
Unusual traffic signal lights are showing up around the Portland area. They are legal and are a “new” development toward traffic safety; although personally, I think they make the current situation more dangerous because drivers cannot figure out what they are supposed to do. Hopefully this will answer some of your questions.
You may have noticed a new style of left-turn signals being installed in the area. these new signals are known as ‘Flashing Yellow Arrow Left-Turn Signals“. Like a stop light, the arrow uses red, yellow and green to let drivers know what to do.
A Steady Red Arrow requires you to stop and wait. You may not turn.
A Steady Yellow Arrow warns you that the left-turn signal is about to turn red. You need to stop and wait behind the white line or finish making your turn.
A Flashing Yellow Arrow allows you to turn when on-coming cars and pedestrians are clear. On-coming cars have the green light.
A Steady Green Arrow allows you to turn left ~~~ on-coming traffic is stopped.
