St. John's Bridge

South end of the St. John's Bridge is Cathedral Park. In the summer of '49, a fifteen year old girl was murdered under the bridge. Reports go that every summer in the late evenings, screams can be heard, but when the police show up, there is no one around.. So sad. But it's a beautiful park..

How I feel...

"The infinite checkerboard symbolizes the balances and opposites of existence; the hump on the subject's back is the baggage all humans carry; the flower on his sleeve represents life; and the skull hat pin is a reminder of death." James Christensen

Roses at the Cemetery

This was the only colorful thing at the old cemetery..

Cemetery Ramblings..

SO I've been on a kick to visit old historic cemeteries. So far as I know, Portland has quite a few. I visited the Lone Fir on a great evening. There was a Twilight Ceremony going on when I went. There were Buddhist Chanters that sprinkled petals and holy water over what's known as Block 14 so the spirits there would be at rest. Back in the day, Chinese immigrants that died were buried there temporarily until they could be sent back to China. However, not all made it back. The city decided to excavate and get rid of the bones and built a government building on top of the site know known as Block 14. After a big fight, members of the cemetery were able to prove there were still bones underneath and the city had to give it back.
The tombstones themselves were very old and really neat. One in particular is supposed to be well known for its carving. A picture of the couple was taken and carved into a great piece.
Today I also went to Columbian Cemetary in North Portland. It's a very small cemetery where I guess not many people visit.. So said the man who was walking his dog when I stopped and asked for directions. When I say small, I mean small. There were a few trees and a small hedge garden but not that many headstones. There were mainly placards, most could not be read anymore. Sadder still, it seemed to be a baby cemetery. The majority of markers were all babies or kids under 10 years old. Many were twins who had died on the same day of their birth, or a few days apart. It's pretty well kept for an old cemetery, but the website talks about financial struggles. The cemetery is owned by the family of the people buried there and funds are limited.

Lights!!

My nightmare was overshadowed by the vibrant colors... OH MY GOD THE COLORS!!!! I was lost somewhere up north, but I was close enough to see the Northern Lights. There was a waterfront park and marina and also some kind of crater that all pretty much glowed under the lights.. it was amazing, We will skip the other parts of the dream :)

The Auroras are definitely on my "Things to see before I die" list .