It is sunny in Portland. The sky is deep blue - not a shade of gray to be seen. Fluffy clouds float by. I am in shock - this is not usual. Well, to be fair, I have experienced bright sunshine in the past but it is rare and is sandwiched between dramatic shifts of weather within single days - overcast and gray in the morning, sun breaking briefly through followed by a short light rainfall, then a return to gray and gloomy - and it has been like this since last November. So today (and yesterday) have been startling. Beautiful and warm. How warm? Today it hit the low 80s. I know that summers are supposed to be glorious in Portland (and can get quite hot) so guess I am getting the first inklings. Looking ahead? It will soon return to the 60s and we will have rain on Monday and Tuesday but the latter half of the week is going to be gorgeous, in the mid 80s. Oh my goodness. Sun . . . in Portland.
Visitors who came in to the library today reacted in several ways. We assured the tourists among them that this is typical weather for Portland (most knew enough to know we were kidding) but it was the response from locals that most amused me. One laughingly put up his arm to protect his eyes from the sudden onslaught of the sun, another assured me that he was looking forward to the return of rain later in the week (again with a wink and a smile), another warned, "Well, just wait a minute." It was charming (and so unexpected) to see sun dresses in downtown Portland. And, get ready, no hoodies. Well, there were a few die-hards, but most people were hoodie-less. Just too hot.
I came straight home today (yes, working diligently on my To Do List - 31 down, 11 to go), no stopping to play in the downtown area. Am glad I did because of the sight that greeted me as I turned the corner onto my street. I know there are lots of kids on my block (let's see, I can quickly count 8 below the age of 10 in the houses immediately surrounding me) and they were all out playing in the sunshine. Scooters whizzed by, a group of parents were blowing huge bubbles that children raced to pop, chalk drawings decorated the sidewalks (my favorites were the door mats carefully drawn in chalk on the street in front of each of the houses), and parents had dragged chairs to sit on lawns to watch the kids who played nearby. Thankfully, not a lot of cars drive down this street so it is a relatively safe place to play but I automatically look twice, make that 4 times, before I move out from my driveway onto the street. Today, make that 10 times.
Stephanie and Dan dropped Wesley off at 4 - I am keeping him overnight. Have to squeeze in every opportunity before leaving a week from today for an almost 2-month absence. He immediately wanted to go across the street to visit the neighbor who has chickens in her back yard. Yesterday, when we visited, only 3 of the chickens were out. He wanted to see the 4th, the one that often hides. Today we were in luck. Opie was strutting around in her magnificent plumage and Wesley watched delighted. They also have a beautiful garden and invited us to pick raspberries. Wesley loves berries more than just about anything and soon had a slightly stained mouth from popping them in as fast as he and I could pick them. It is interesting to watch him interact with the neighbor children. He is almost the youngest - by about a year - which is significant when you are closing in on 3. He is often reticent; holds my hand tightly. However, now that we are outside more, he is getting to know the kids and was interested in more interaction. I am sorry that I will be leaving so soon, it would be nice to further this along.
So, who knew? Bright sun and blue skies in Portland. I can attest that it even happened two days in a row. Although I am looking forward to my time in California and my trip to Africa I am also sorry that I will miss most of the Portland summer experience.
Tomorrow will be a bit cooler but I will be inside - working hard, working hard. Have now laid out which tasks need to be completed in each of the remaining days and I am driven to meet my deadlines.
Bless the upcoming days of rain - it will help me focus. Hmmm, I think I am becoming a true Portlander.
Visitors who came in to the library today reacted in several ways. We assured the tourists among them that this is typical weather for Portland (most knew enough to know we were kidding) but it was the response from locals that most amused me. One laughingly put up his arm to protect his eyes from the sudden onslaught of the sun, another assured me that he was looking forward to the return of rain later in the week (again with a wink and a smile), another warned, "Well, just wait a minute." It was charming (and so unexpected) to see sun dresses in downtown Portland. And, get ready, no hoodies. Well, there were a few die-hards, but most people were hoodie-less. Just too hot.
I came straight home today (yes, working diligently on my To Do List - 31 down, 11 to go), no stopping to play in the downtown area. Am glad I did because of the sight that greeted me as I turned the corner onto my street. I know there are lots of kids on my block (let's see, I can quickly count 8 below the age of 10 in the houses immediately surrounding me) and they were all out playing in the sunshine. Scooters whizzed by, a group of parents were blowing huge bubbles that children raced to pop, chalk drawings decorated the sidewalks (my favorites were the door mats carefully drawn in chalk on the street in front of each of the houses), and parents had dragged chairs to sit on lawns to watch the kids who played nearby. Thankfully, not a lot of cars drive down this street so it is a relatively safe place to play but I automatically look twice, make that 4 times, before I move out from my driveway onto the street. Today, make that 10 times.
Stephanie and Dan dropped Wesley off at 4 - I am keeping him overnight. Have to squeeze in every opportunity before leaving a week from today for an almost 2-month absence. He immediately wanted to go across the street to visit the neighbor who has chickens in her back yard. Yesterday, when we visited, only 3 of the chickens were out. He wanted to see the 4th, the one that often hides. Today we were in luck. Opie was strutting around in her magnificent plumage and Wesley watched delighted. They also have a beautiful garden and invited us to pick raspberries. Wesley loves berries more than just about anything and soon had a slightly stained mouth from popping them in as fast as he and I could pick them. It is interesting to watch him interact with the neighbor children. He is almost the youngest - by about a year - which is significant when you are closing in on 3. He is often reticent; holds my hand tightly. However, now that we are outside more, he is getting to know the kids and was interested in more interaction. I am sorry that I will be leaving so soon, it would be nice to further this along.
So, who knew? Bright sun and blue skies in Portland. I can attest that it even happened two days in a row. Although I am looking forward to my time in California and my trip to Africa I am also sorry that I will miss most of the Portland summer experience.
Tomorrow will be a bit cooler but I will be inside - working hard, working hard. Have now laid out which tasks need to be completed in each of the remaining days and I am driven to meet my deadlines.
Bless the upcoming days of rain - it will help me focus. Hmmm, I think I am becoming a true Portlander.
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