buildings (up and down)

On my walk yesterday, I came across this horrible sight.

The bulldozer looked like a fierce animal eating away at this house. If you look closely, you can see the chandelier of the dining room swinging back and forth from the hitting force. That made me all the more sad. Somebody’s house, somebody’s HISTORY and MEMORIES taken out by the swing of a machine.

While I have no idea what was wrong with the house, or why they may have decided to rather take it down than renovate it, this violent action touched me. Walking around in my neighborhood, I witnessed similar actions; you can read about it here and here.

People build houses rather quickly around here. You go on vacation and when you come back there may be two houses on a formerly empty lot. Yes, I know – building wood houses is a lot faster than putting up brick after brick to build a single wall.

Knowing that the bulldozer probably will haven taken out the house in the video within 24 hours, I walked back over there later last evening.

huge gap between the garage and the house

a gaping, open wound

Again, not knowing HOW one decides to destroy a house like this, I still don’t understand WHY they are not preserving the materials for later use.

A few weeks back, they took down a house next to my shop… and this is what THEY did:

first they removed the windows, then the roof

all the wood carefully removed and loaded up

Granted, it took them about two weeks to remove all the materials. However,  whatever was taken out there can be either recycled properly or resold to someone who is renovating another older home. I applaud companies like this one!

In the case of the above (video) house, I am afraid that all the construction rubbish ends up on a landfill.

For the ‘newly’ made (razed clean) empty lot, I’m afraid to see monstrosities like these going up:

I don’t get it: look at the scale between the older house on the left and that tall, skinny weirdo!

Hey, I like NEW houses. Modern, sleek, well-designed buildings. Just not those functional, non-descript lot fillers.

something blue

Over the past two decades, I have been fortunate to be able to afford to buy three NEW cars.

The first one was a BLACK Renault5, which I sold when I moved to the US.

The second one was a FOREST GREEN Volkswagen Golf, which I sold when I moved back to Germany.

And the third one was (and is) a DARK BLUE  Mazda3, which I bought when I came back here.

I do have a thing for cars and I do believe that the car you drive says something about you. But I also pay attention the the color of the car. It is important to me that all the colors on the car go well together; and I LOVE all the new colors  (the reds, yellows and weird greens) of newer cars but don’t like how they don’t go well with the brake lights. Call me silly.

Soon after I got the black car, I determined it is probably the WORST color for a car although it looks awesome. Dust and dirt shows immediately and it does not help when your best friend scrapes the side of it with her bicycle… (I have forgiven you, E. – don’t worry!) I think after the black episode, I knew I wanted DARK nonetheless. When I bought the green VW, I actually had hoped for a blue one but they did not have the color on the lot and I wanted the car RIGHT AWAY. (sorry G. for ruining our anniversary dinner that night)

However, I was ready for my next vehicle to be BLUE.

my commuter vehicle. blue. even the helmet.

By the time I was ready to buy my Mazda, I utilized the internet. I specified everything I wanted – dark blue color, 5 speed manual, sunroof. I had the patience to wait for the right one to show up.

and it did. I still love it.

I am still fascinated by cars and I am especially drawn to blue ones. While traveling on the above mentioned commuter vehicle, I found a few:

Saab.

still don't know the make. but LOVE the shade of blue.

not really blue. Cadillac. gets 5mi/gallon (30l/100km) the owner told me.

Nissan Leaf. electric in all aspects.

now you're shocked. a red Thunderbird.

what a beauty!

I would run away with the owner of this car. Even though it’s red. (or because)

Happy sunny weekend!

 

I move and see

The other day, a friend of mine posted something to the effect of: moving makes you feel better. Actually, I think the article was about ‘exercising’ and how your mood increases, your stress level goes down and you just feel better when being active.

I do not think that I needed to read the article, just the headline alone says it all. The article described a study done with mice and moving, and being chased and how in the end the one that ran around had better brain readings of some sort. I forget.

What I DO know, though, is that if THIS mouse (me) does not move, I get crabby. Big time. I actually do not so much feel this in my body (stiff limbs and such) but IN MY BRAIN. Something does not compute well up there if I just sit or surf the couch. I need to move to feel good, to feel balanced to feel in sync with myself and the world.

So, I have been rather happy and grateful for the pleasant weather as of late. Because that means that I can ride my bike to work. Biking is fast enough to get me there in 20 minutes and slow enough to take in the smells and the sights.

I have mentioned the pretty houses along the way before but lately I have been seeing CARS. As of today, I gathered a handful pictures that I like to share.

I love the bully front and orange color!

either an Oldsmobile or Chevy... and BLUE!

I want that one. In that color - maybe a few years older than this.

The first electric car that actually looks good.

Nissan Leaf. Zero emission car. Goes 90mi on one charge. Now, if we only discover how to make electricity without polluting the earth.

 And this is what I see at the store:

This one makes my heart move.

my commute (coming from…)

With my camera eye on, I am biking home. (actually, my ‘camera eye’ is my phone, as usual…)

I am leaving work (Citrine), dart through a parking lot, pass a park and then have to cross the freeway:

km 1: not a house, the freeway bridge looking East

km 2: 28th&Tillamook (Irvington neighborhood)

km 2,5 (26th&Thompson), had to throw that one in… it is so well kept!

km 3: 18th&Thompson (Irvington), I got to visit this one on the home tour 2 years ago, it is a total remodel of a one story house

km 4: 18th&Failing (Sabin neighborhood), sits right across from the school soccerfield

km 5: 13th&Skidmore (Sabin), the homes get markedly smaller

km 6: 12th&Jarrett (Vernon neighborhood), I like how they matched their car to the house (?), plus I am just such a fan of dark blue cars (and Volkswagen)

turning a corner and I am >>>home

my commute (going to…)

I know I should keep my mind on more important things than gazing around…but I am so amazed by my discoveries that I have to document them.

I have lived in this town for two decades and am still CONSTANTLY surprised by what really lies between those bridges and within the neighborhoods. Now, figure in a bike, some distance and my incorrigible curiosity… and this is what I find!

Today, I decided to take a picture of a house every kilometer that I was riding. My commute to Citrine is just a little over 6km (about 4mi.), which I know because I have that little bike odometer.

My starting point:

km 0 – my house (King neighborhood)

km 1 – 13th&Prescott (Sabin neighborhood)

all these pretty ground covers!

km 2 – Failing&16th (Sabin)…needs some help

km 3 – 19th (Irvington neighborhood)

km 4 – 19th&Knott (Irvington)…huge house!

km 5 – 26th&Thompson (Irvington)

I guess this might be our version of the White House

km 6 – crossing I84 (I know that is not a house)

almost there – 29th (Hollywood neighborhood)

(I find this apartment building rather ugly, it looks like is has a bad hairdo)

>>>At work.

my favorite spring tree

Even when it has ‘only’ leaves, I love the shape of this tree.

Actually, there are TWO trees, one behind the other. Combined, they look like a cascade of pink flowers in the spring.

This year, with spring having such a hard time, I studied the development of the leaves more intently.

March 22

March 25

March 30

March 31

April 1

I think it won’t get any prettier than this.

The first petals are floating to the ground already.

Thanks, tree, for the joy you bring to my walk!

more buildings

Coming form another country, where building restrictions are common, I am continuously surprised by what is possible here.

Don’t get me wrong: I am a TOTAL fan of modern buildings!

However, I don’t understand how a building like this is possible between the turn-of-the-century (LAST century, no less) clapboard sided houses.

Or this monster:

I have blogged about this site before.

The blue house in the back seemed out of proportion for the neighborhood of small one story cottages at the time.

Imagine my surprise when they put up these TOWERS!

Are giants going to move in there???

I don’t understand Portland’s building laws.

Honestly.

random pictures…. February 13

Out with the dog.

Her nose down, my eyes up.

I have lived in this country for 20 years and am still flabbergasted by how houses are built.

… and how ugly they sometimes turn out.

Every time I see one of these tied up horsies, I chuckle. (…and I like how Portland has kept the old rings on the curbs)

The Daphne is ready to burst, I can almost smell her intoxicating scent.

Spring is just around the corner!

 

thrifting (2)

It has been about two years that IKEA moved into town.  A very anticipated and welcome move.  After all, we had to drive more than a couple of hours up to Seattle to get our Scandinavian fix in. While I haven’t been to Portland’s IKEA as much as I thought I would, I ALWAYS hit the ‘AS IS’ department.

I have found area rugs, odd pieces of furniture, fabric, and last week

this lampshade!  For two measly dollars!

It had a pencil mark on it. Came off easy!

Every morning, when it is still darkish outside, I sit by it, enjoying its friendly glimmer and my coffee.

Now — this find is unbeatable:

The dear husband found it on the street!

We had always wanted a bit more light in the upstairs hallway and this door is just perfect!

I have to mention the crafty qualities of the dear husband here:  he stripped the old paint, added wood on either side for the perfect fit, replaced a broken glass and painted it!

What can I say, perfect!

 

after and before (part 2)

Yeah, so much for ‘progress’.

They just tore it down.

Another piece of history flattened.

I thought I was chronicling a restoration project.

Now, they are probably putting one of those non-descript, off-the-rack houses on the lot. They all look the same…I’d rather have a modern, ‘green’ house to look forward to.

When I saw the wrapped/ unwrapped house, I was so full of anticipation.

Oh well, I might just go hunting for the NEW architecture in my neighborhood now.

I’ll take the dog along.  SHE is always hunting for bones. When I proceeded to take the picture of the razed lot, she munched on her treasure bone.

(I need to take Yoga lessons from this dog…)

I bet, there is a name for this pose!