tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28611572262565668482024-03-13T20:40:17.229-07:00Rhone Street GardensA gardener in the Brooklyn neighborhood in Southeast Portland (PDX). I'm obsessed with Ornamental Grasses, Perennials and any plant with multi-season interest. I'm inspired by Piet Oudolf, Oehme & Von Sweden, and many other great designers...especially those from the New Perennial Movement. I love vibrant, full gardens that are vibrant without being garish, and sophisticated without being snobbish. Give me a naturalistic prairie garden over formal Fench parterres any day.scottweberpdxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08740930947767329183noreply@blogger.comBlogger364125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861157226256566848.post-41284000362429583382019-10-16T10:55:00.000-07:002019-10-16T10:55:18.101-07:00Wideshot Wednesday - 10/16/2019<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/48903264881/" title="sunny garden in october"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48903264881_313263d04e_c.jpg" width="800" height="533" alt="sunny garden in october"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>scottweberpdxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08740930947767329183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861157226256566848.post-16338134764849796192019-08-21T09:41:00.000-07:002019-08-21T09:41:05.098-07:00A different angle<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/48544026647/" title="vertical corner"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48544026647_6d15624e90_b.jpg" width="683" height="1024" alt="vertical corner"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
I was taking pics of the garden this weekend...and happened upon a view I don't often post...scottweberpdxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08740930947767329183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861157226256566848.post-32700572404727482152019-05-20T12:12:00.000-07:002019-05-20T12:12:17.916-07:00A Lucky Shot!<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/47890517941/" title="Hummingbird with Alliums and Knautia"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47890517941_a78bb61cd9_h.jpg" width="800" height="1200" alt="Hummingbird with Alliums and Knautia"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Never underestimate being in the right place at the right time...scottweberpdxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08740930947767329183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861157226256566848.post-31061243705654431302019-05-08T07:13:00.002-07:002019-05-08T07:13:52.876-07:00Wideshot Wednesday - May 8, 2019<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/47803974501/in/dateposted-public/" title="Wideshot May 8 2019"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47803974501_e73817bde6_c.jpg" width="800" height="534" alt="Wideshot May 8 2019"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>scottweberpdxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08740930947767329183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861157226256566848.post-18968909407614033022019-04-06T12:21:00.000-07:002019-04-06T12:21:28.463-07:00Caturday - 4/6/2019<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/47550728301/in/dateposted-public/" title="boots playtime"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/7876/47550728301_ec09f82b01_k.jpg" width="800" height="1200" alt="boots playtime"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>scottweberpdxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08740930947767329183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861157226256566848.post-3309696529925089852019-01-07T06:42:00.000-08:002019-01-07T06:42:28.696-08:00Seedhead Sunday - Jan. 6, 2019<br />
It's the season when seedheads offer a huge amount of beauty to the garden...and one plant with invaluable seedheads, both aesthetically...and for birds looking for food...is Echinacea. <br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/39659972753/in/dateposted-public/" title="echinacea seedheads 2"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7925/39659972753_e28c740766_b.jpg" width="800" height="520" alt="echinacea seedheads 2"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>scottweberpdxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08740930947767329183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861157226256566848.post-61459739746972780512018-04-08T07:56:00.000-07:002018-04-08T15:17:27.171-07:00Musings - Oudolf & The New Perennial Movement<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/40274502935/in/dateposted-public/" title="hpso oudolf 1"><img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/803/40274502935_2631111bf3_b.jpg" width="800" height="370" alt="hpso oudolf 1"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Hey, everyone...did you miss me??? I recently did a guest post for the <a href="https://blog.hardyplantsociety.org/piet-oudolf-the-new-perennial-movement/">Hardy Plant Society of Oregon</a> and thought I'd post it here as well...I hope you enjoy it! <br />
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I've been thinking about a post like this (maybe even a series) ever since I got back from my tour with <a href="https://blog.hardyplantsociety.org/piet-oudolf-the-new-perennial-movement/">CarexTours</a> a few years ago. If you ever have a chance to visit an Oudolf-designed garden, either domestically or abroad, you should definitely do it!<br />
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As gardeners, most of us at some point sort of settle into a certain design aesthetic...sometimes by happenstance, sometimes quite deliberately. One garden style, while not for everyone, is almost irresistible to those with a longing for spaces inspired by nature. It is the New Perennial Movement, championed by the well-known garden designer, Piet Oudolf. <br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/40274497005/in/dateposted-public/" title="hpso oudolf 5"><img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/896/40274497005_1d7b05793d_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="hpso oudolf 5"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
What defines this style...what makes it unique...what is its appeal?<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/40274493015/in/dateposted-public/" title="hpso oudolf 8"><img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/801/40274493015_0fc802684a_b.jpg" width="800" height="412" alt="hpso oudolf 8"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
While closely related to the naturalistic style, which often strives to emulate natural plant communities, the New Perennial/Oudolf style is more concerned with capturing the atmosphere of a natural environment.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/40457906674/in/dateposted-public/" title="hpso oudolf 9"><img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/804/40457906674_23ea584069_h.jpg" width="800" height="1230" alt="hpso oudolf 9"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
While I consider the style dramatic, compared to many other garden styles, it can seem relatively restrained, so I think of it as "demure drama", more Upstairs/Downstairs than Falcon Crest.<br />
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The New Perennial movement embraces any plant that looks good and performs well in context. Preference is typically given, however, to plants that have a more natural appearance, versus an overly-bred hybrid. The closer to the species the better, in general.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/40457899094/in/dateposted-public/" title="nature 1"><img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/887/40457899094_3bb41f0ff0_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="nature 1"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
While it isn't trying to recreate nature, natural plant communities are the inspirational jumping off point of the style. The types of plants used, their comparative ratios, and the patterns in which they are placed, are all equally important in this style (and so many other styles, to be sure).<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/41126118632/in/dateposted-public/" title="nature 3"><img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/873/41126118632_5a9e453dd5_h.jpg" width="800" height="1066" alt="nature 3"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Above is a type of planting combination you can find in most Oudolf-inspired designs. Diaphanous grasses paired with more graphic stems and flowers. On top, at Vlinderhof in The Netherlands, is a pairing of Deschampsia caespitosa and Succisa praetensis. On the bottom, we see wild grasses and chicory in a seeded meadow planting in Portland, Oregon. One pair (semi)naturally occurring, one completely planned...but they could almost function interchangeably in a garden.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/40274480465/in/dateposted-public/" title="nature 4"><img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/899/40274480465_fa7836a5fd_k.jpg" width="800" height="1638" alt="nature 4"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Sometimes a certain type of plant can be almost emblematic of a style, and, in addition to grasses, I'd argue that Umbels are the go-to plant to create a feeling of wildness. In the two gardens shown above (top and bottom images), the sublimely elegant Selinum wallicianum recalls wild patches of Queen Anne's Lace, so often found in wild areas..and as seen in the middle image. The wide, flat heads of umbels are the perfect foil to the linear verticality of a grass-heavy space.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/40276403675/in/dateposted-public/" title="Spired Inspiration"><img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/878/40276403675_372b618732_h.jpg" width="800" height="1067" alt="Spired Inspiration"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Nothing contrasts better with flat-topped umbels than spires. Their tapering candelabras counter-balance the umbels' horizontality. Both gardens above are using Verbena hastata (or similar), not just for flower color, but for the long-lasting vertical element they will contribute. Also, note again the neutral backdrop created by a veil of tawny grasses. This design technique is a calling card of Oudolf's style. The grasses are not just beautiful in their own right, but provide a contrast to the darker, more defined shapes of other plants, throwing them into contrast and ensuring that they will stand out, rather than get lost amidst visual clutter.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/41170637731/in/dateposted-public/" title="nature patterns 0"><img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/872/41170637731_85d0d186c9_b.jpg" width="800" height="500" alt="nature patterns 0"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
That brings us to patterns found in nature. In the photos above, as our eye moves from close-in to a wider vantage, we can see pattens emerging...ribbons of different plants ebbing and flowing, following topography and highlighting it. We may not even be aware of the patterns, but we notice them subconsciously, as our brains try to find order amidst chaos.<br />
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In the three examples above, you can see the same motif, created in different ways. Soft, undulating waves of land and plants, gently flowing into each other create a calm, serene landscape. This is a pattern, a landscape motif, that most of us have seen repeatedly in wild areas around us throughout our lives, so it reads as “natural” to us, even if the plants used are different. Neither garden is trying to literally recreate the natural landscape, but, rather, take visual cues from it.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/40459721834/in/dateposted-public/" title="patterns 3"><img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/880/40459721834_1bdf78cb6b_b.jpg" width="800" height="406" alt="patterns 3"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Here again, we see a planting imitating a pattern seen in nature, where different plants form colonies and then communities, which move about a landscape in dots and bands, almost like brush strokes on a canvas. <br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/40457876074/in/dateposted-public/" title="oudolf mutual inspiration"><img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/880/40457876074_f981e4a08e_h.jpg" width="800" height="1067" alt="oudolf mutual inspiration"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Of course, all this talk of patterns, communities and motifs can sometimes lead us to forget that, regardless or what style is used, a well-designed garden should be beautiful and exciting. Through a camera's lens, we can see how different gardeners, working in different locations, and with completely different plants, can still come to a similar outcome. Good design is good design, right?!? <br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/39360030640/in/dateposted-public/" title="z hpso oudolf 12"><img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/808/39360030640_8410f9eb6b_h.jpg" width="800" height="1230" alt="z hpso oudolf 12"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Of course, this is just my own musings about the style...and, to be sure, it just scratches the surface of my thoughts on the matter...let alone the varied interpretations of other gardeners and designers around the globe.<br />
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At the end of the day, the important thing is to immerse ourselves in our gardens and have a good time. If you've ever been intrigued by Oudolf or other nature-inspired plantings, I hope this rambling post might inspire you to take the plunge and give it a try.<br />
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scottweberpdxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08740930947767329183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861157226256566848.post-58144661347924443302018-03-18T18:40:00.001-07:002018-03-18T18:40:35.758-07:00Seedhead Sunday - March 18, 2018<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/39080067810/in/dateposted-public/" title="Vernonia snapped"><img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/793/39080067810_5302eff260_h.jpg" width="800" height="1200" alt="Vernonia snapped"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
<b>Vernonia 'Southern Cross'</b>scottweberpdxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08740930947767329183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861157226256566848.post-43032902864921765062018-03-12T07:08:00.003-07:002018-03-12T07:08:48.892-07:00Seedhead Sunday - March 11, 2018<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/26733811758/in/dateposted-public/" title="Vernonia 7"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4756/26733811758_ee88a61982_h.jpg" width="800" height="1203" alt="Vernonia 7"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
<b>Vernonia 'Southern Cross' seedheads against Panicum 'Cheyenne Sky'</b>scottweberpdxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08740930947767329183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861157226256566848.post-5489380242896219192018-01-21T09:26:00.000-08:002018-01-21T09:26:51.484-08:00Allium nigrum - Seedhead Sunday - 1/21/2018<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/28040725289/in/dateposted-public/" title="sunny allium seedhead"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4662/28040725289_0a3913540f_b.jpg" width="800" height="534" alt="sunny allium seedhead"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>scottweberpdxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08740930947767329183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861157226256566848.post-49810603283274955582018-01-20T09:44:00.000-08:002018-01-20T09:44:08.719-08:00Caturday - January 20, 2018<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/39781012301/in/dateposted-public/" title="caturday sprawl"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4708/39781012301_cf838265b4_h.jpg" width="800" height="1200" alt="caturday sprawl"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>scottweberpdxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08740930947767329183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861157226256566848.post-86815626866481392572017-09-13T11:23:00.000-07:002017-09-13T11:23:24.591-07:00Wide Shot Wednesday - Sept. 13, 2017<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/36369364534/in/dateposted-public/" title="WideShotSeptember132017"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4392/36369364534_c314bfa9cc_c.jpg" width="800" height="534" alt="WideShotSeptember132017"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>scottweberpdxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08740930947767329183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861157226256566848.post-59583042686806384492017-03-20T07:03:00.001-07:002017-03-20T07:03:31.369-07:00New York City-Part 3-Top of the Rock<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/29689920293/in/dateposted-public/" title="30 rock 2"><img src="https://c6.staticflickr.com/8/7472/29689920293_c6ba96ba57_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="30 rock 2"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Ok, ok, ok...I've been a truly bad blogger...I just cant' seem to get up the enthusiasm to blog lately...but I started this post months ago (literally) and finally decided to get on with it!<br />
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So, today we take a step back in time to last fall when I went to NYC for a week, and which I posted about previously <a href="http://www.rhonestreetgardens.com/2016/10/autumn-in-nyc.html">here</a>, <a href="http://www.rhonestreetgardens.com/2016/11/new-york-trip-part-1-museums-and.html">here</a> & <a href="http://www.rhonestreetgardens.com/2016/11/new-york-trip-part-2-wtc-battery-park.html">here</a>. Today post, however, is about one of my absolute favorite places in the city, Rockefeller Center, which most people are well acquainted with, from the Today Show, 30 Rock, and, most notably, the famous Rockefeller Christmas Tree.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30011913300/in/album-72157675170293665/" title="30 rock"><img src="https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5466/30011913300_30d0d15ca0_h.jpg" width="800" height="1231" alt="30 rock"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Here we have the well-known sculpture of Atlas, bearing the world on his shoulders, as we approach the main entry.<br />
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Rockefeller Center is not just one building, it it a cluster of buildings and plazas that were intended to be a "city within a city". Completed in the early '30's, the complex, like so many great NYC buildings, is Art Deco in design...and, I'll admit, I LOVE Art Deco! Very few architectural styles combine both boldness and elegance like Deco does.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30338509885/in/album-72157675170293665/" title="30 rock interior 3"><img src="https://c6.staticflickr.com/6/5565/30338509885_3d49a86c8c_c.jpg" width="800" height="534" alt="30 rock interior 3"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
One of the hallmarks of 30 Rock is the amazing amount of artwork, from many different artists and eras. This piece, titled 'Light and Movement', was installed in the 70's. It's, well, kinda 70's...but I still liked it ;-)<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30252897051/in/album-72157675170293665/" title="30 rock interior 1"><img src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8407/30252897051_17235f37ba_c.jpg" width="800" height="562" alt="30 rock interior 1"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
The layers of light and shadow are fascinating.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/31763980755/in/album-72157675170293665/" title="TopOfTheRock16"><img src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/1/714/31763980755_434aaae3f3_h.jpg" width="800" height="1231" alt="TopOfTheRock16"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Step back and take a look at the bigger picture, however...the grand entryway. There is something so grand about these Deco entryways...sleek, elegant...and, perhaps, over-the-top. I think the fact that their relative opulence was followed by the more sterile modern/international styles makes them even more special.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30922444394/in/album-72157675170293665/" title="TopOfTheRock10"><img src="https://c3.staticflickr.com/1/368/30922444394_0c281eddb6_c.jpg" width="800" height="534" alt="TopOfTheRock10"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
I had decided I wanted to visit the open-air viewing deck around sunset, so we had to show up in time to make it up there...be aware you'll wait in line for at least an hour...probably more, so plan accordingly! There are 3 levels of viewing decks...and they are all jam-packed!<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30954353153/in/album-72157675170293665/" title="TopOfTheRock20"><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5577/30954353153_b2d9a7aafa_c.jpg" width="800" height="518" alt="TopOfTheRock20"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Once you make it up to the viewing decks, the whole city spreads out before you.<br />
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The NYC skyline is so engraved in our national consciousness, it's hard to divorce it from associations with TV and Movies. I seem to always hear strains of "West Side Story" and "Moon River" whenever I look around.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30954351383/in/album-72157675170293665/" title="TopOfTheRock22"><img src="https://c8.staticflickr.com/1/645/30954351383_197d470d9a_c.jpg" width="800" height="534" alt="TopOfTheRock22"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
One the opposite (North) side, you get an expansive view of Central Park and the surrounding high-rise apartment towers. The one on the far right is about the skinniest skyscraper I've ever seen...and, I believe, is new since I was last in the city.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30954354943/in/album-72157675170293665/" title="TopOfTheRock18"><img src="https://c8.staticflickr.com/1/347/30954354943_14eb4f3b9e_c.jpg" width="800" height="534" alt="TopOfTheRock18"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Another sleek, new building bordering Central Park.<br />
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And here we have the older, more classic, NYC buildings which form the borders of the Park on all sides.<br />
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Pulling back, the wide view as the sun starts to set, washing everything in golden light.<br />
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No matter where you go in NYC, it's always a thrill to spot the Empire State Building. I use it to orient myself in the city, since it stands out so grandly.<br />
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Of course, the drawback to something being a tourist attraction is...the tourists! I assumed since we were easily an hour early for sunset/dusk viewing, we'd be able to wander and get a decent spot for photos...but there were people who were already camped out when we arrived and they DID NOT MOVE at all the entire time. I sorta understand...but, c'mon...give other people a chance.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30224497712/in/dateposted-public/" title="top of the rock 8"><img src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5530/30224497712_ee39bd19e0_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="top of the rock 8"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Regardless, the show is still stunning, and not even rude tourists could ruin it. As the sun slips lower in the sky, it gilds the edges of each tower in gold.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30308719975/in/dateposted-public/" title="top of the rock v"><img src="https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8559/30308719975_ad103df83a_h.jpg" width="800" height="1231" alt="top of the rock v"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
And one-by-one, as it gets darker, lights start to turn on as the blue sky deepens to a richer wash of color.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30193177782/in/dateposted-public/" title="top of the rock 2"><img src="https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8676/30193177782_4c09885231_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="top of the rock 2"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Gradually, the colors shift from warm, ruddy, sunset colors...<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30531242731/in/dateposted-public/" title="top of the rock 10"><img src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/6/5489/30531242731_9eed8b325c_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="top of the rock 10"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
...to cooler tones as night falls.<br />
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The trip to the "Top of the Rock" was a highlight of our trip, jostling crowds notwithstanding...I highly recommend it, I don't think you will be disappointed!scottweberpdxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08740930947767329183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861157226256566848.post-36105250599275549862016-12-30T07:06:00.001-08:002016-12-30T07:06:18.160-08:00A Garden Throughout the Year - 2016Yep...it's that time of year again...we're almost ready to say farewell to 2016 in anticipation of 2017. It's been a rocky year for all of us, I'd venture to guess. Without further ado, let's take a look back at the past year in my garden. I decided that to keep things simple, I'd focus on one view of the garden as the months progress. So...I give you 12 months of my front hellstrip!<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/31970590905/in/dateposted-public/" title="0116"><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/1/495/31970590905_e7efaeb8df_h.jpg" width="800" height="1176" alt="0116"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
January of 2016 saw us get an actual bit of snowfall! I seem to remember staying home from work that day...which was such a treat. Snow in Portland is rare, and we can go an entire winter or two without seeing a single flake...so any measurable snowfall is a good reason to celebrate!<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/31606211670/in/dateposted-public/" title="0216"><img src="https://c7.staticflickr.com/1/528/31606211670_fbaaca4b9c_h.jpg" width="800" height="1176" alt="0216"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
February is typically when my garden starts to really wake up for the year, and therefore, its also the month I usually start cutting things back. This pic is just before I started the annual cut-back. It's actually the saddest part of the gardening year for me...as I have to cut down all the beautiful grasses and seedheads which provide so much winter beauty. I made the decision during the winter to re-work parts of this hellstrip, replacing plants that weren't doing well and re-arranging things slightly to break up groupings of plants that looked a bit too rigid for my liking. I knew this would mean the hellstrip would look a little threadbare this year, while things settled in...but that's part of gardening, right?<br />
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By the time March rolls around, I've forgotten my temporary sadness, luckily, in the excitement of seeing all the new, green growth. Its amazing how just a few weeks can make such a difference. Truly, its also kind of amazing to have the garden cleared and be able to see all of it in a glance, without the plants obscuring views. Of course, it's also the most dangerous time, as it seems there is so much bare space...and the urge to buy more plants to fill them in is VERY REAL. I try my best to resist, knowing that all that empty ground is an illusion and will be filled up within a few weeks. Still...I always buy a few things and then spend the rest of the season trying to decide where to put them.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/31970589975/in/dateposted-public/" title="0416"><img src="https://c8.staticflickr.com/1/551/31970589975_7fece12e8b_h.jpg" width="800" height="1176" alt="0416"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
April is the last month in the garden where I can almost think of it as demure, before it explodes into growth. It's the month where I'm grateful for the bulbs I've planted...and yet I swear I should have planted MORE! I don't have too many Daffodils or Tulips, since I prefer Alliums and Iris, as they are more reliably perennials and their foliage either withers away quickly, or remains looking good for the rest of the season.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/31854213141/in/dateposted-public/" title="0516"><img src="https://c6.staticflickr.com/1/393/31854213141_a49880ff70_h.jpg"width="800" height="1176" alt="0516"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
May sees the garden erupt with growth...those bare areas are rapidly disappearing...and the bulbs are dominating the garden. I think of this as one of several waves of colorful displays in my garden, which are broken up by periods where calmer, foliar greens prevail. Over the past few years, I've really come to appreciate this white Allium shown above, Allium nigrum...which is not only reliable perennials, but multiplies well...creating ever-better displays. The seedheads are also persistent...a real bonus.<br />
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June is one of the calmer (relatively) periods in the garden, bracketed by colorful May and July, with their abundance of vibrant blooms. This is when I can really appreciate the subtle variations of greens...rich, emerald greens...glaucous gray-greens, and vibrant yellow-chartreuse greens. In this parking strip, I planted several Schizachyrium 'Blue Heaven' in the first year...because I love their steely blue color. However, to make sure they don't get lost, I've purposely tried NOT to plant other silvery-leaved grasses with them...so they always stand out among the varying shades of green.<br />
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Once July hits, though, the blooms start to steal the show again. I've struggled to keep plants going in my garden...but the Echinacea have been good, dependable performers...and they are the herald of summer for me. This year, I decided early on to replace the failing Agastache with Liatris, which seemed to do well...and I'm hopeful they will thrive in the heavy soil. I also added more Daucus this spring...hopefully they will reseed and multiply...fingers crossed! I was fairly happy with this mix, to be honest...the mix of colors and shapes was spot-on for me.<br />
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August continues much as July did...still very floriferous, but, perhaps, more somber as the days turn hotter. I feel like it was quite a warm summer...but, honestly...anything over 75 is too warm for me and I retreat inside to the a/c. Luckily, mornings and evenings are generally pleasant...and I stroll around the garden daily. I always find this time of year in the garden particularly satisfying...it practically heaves with life...and yet, there is that particular feeling that the wave is cresting...and the downward slide is just around the corner.<br />
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September is a finicky month here in Portland...a mix of hot days with the occasional cooler, rainy day thrown in to remind us of our coming autumn. There is a sweetness to those last, warm days now that their end is in sight. The grasses, which have played supporting and structural roles until now, start to assert themselves more each day...blooming and flushing with fiery, autumnal colors. I am unfailingly tactile...and I cannot walk past the grasses without running my hands through them. The knobbly blooms of the Panicums, the fuzzy eyelashes of the Schizachryium and the pliant straw-like stems of the Sorghastrum never fail to delight.<br />
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The onset of autumn is gradual in Portland, compared to other places, but it still seems as if the garden transforms overnight. Suddenly, flowers are drained of color and it's the foliage that steals the show. The light is warm but mercurial...varying from milky and soft to brash and intense. While I always take advantage of the cools temps and steady (sort of) rainfall to move things around and plant new things, I mostly take it easy. <br />
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As November approached this year, as in most years, I gradually start to settle in for the season. With the promise of Winter, I can unhook the garden hoses and just wander around the garden, not feeling any pressure to actually DO anything for once!<br />
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And here we are in December...we've actually had a fair bit of winter weather so far (snow and ice...oh my!) and it looks like we may even get a bit more in the coming weeks...although I try not to get too excited for it, in case it doesn't materialize. As I look outside this morning, I'm struck by how much the garden has changed, not just this year, but over the 7-ish years we've been here. My mind wanders to the changes I have in mind for next year (nothing major...but changes, all the same). I hope you had a good 2016 in your garden...and here's to 2017...hopefully it will be a banner year for us all :-)scottweberpdxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08740930947767329183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861157226256566848.post-48215555169501341712016-12-11T10:27:00.001-08:002016-12-11T10:27:48.610-08:00Seedhead Sunday - 12/11/2016<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30737448234/in/dateposted-public/" title="seeds seeds"><img src="https://c3.staticflickr.com/1/123/30737448234_8d8258f56a_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="seeds seeds"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>scottweberpdxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08740930947767329183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861157226256566848.post-90421089303711705022016-11-20T08:59:00.000-08:002016-11-20T08:59:09.777-08:00Seedhead Sunday - 11/20/2016<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30315159044/in/dateposted-public/" title="Ruddy Sunrise LIatris Seedheads"><img src="https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5672/30315159044_23b7842de1_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="Ruddy Sunrise LIatris Seedheads"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Liatris 'Kobold' with Panicum 'Cheyenne Sky' at sunrise.scottweberpdxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08740930947767329183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861157226256566848.post-86798307844718579912016-11-14T07:17:00.000-08:002016-11-14T07:17:38.658-08:00New York Trip-Part 2-WTC, Battery Park and a Bridge of Note<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30192436173/in/dateposted-public/" title="NYC HEADER 2"><img src="https://c6.staticflickr.com/6/5613/30192436173_16658ba473_b.jpg" width="800" height="382" alt="NYC HEADER 2"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Today we're taking a look at our second full day in New York a few weeks ago. Let's get started!<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30293201536/in/album-72157675170293665/" title="Sept 11 memorial 4"><img src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5610/30293201536_b8b0b1032a_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="Sept 11 memorial 4"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
After getting drenched on our first day in the city, we were both relieved when this day dawned bright and sunny. We decided to head down to lower Manhattan to see the 9/11 Memorial first, to see if we could beat the crowds. As luck would have it, our hotel just just a block from the nearest subway stop...and, for those of you who haven't been to NYC, the subway is pretty much the best thing ever...it makes traveling in the city so easy, especially once you get familiar with it.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30242395151/in/album-72157675170293665/" title="Sept 11 memorial 1"><img src="https://c8.staticflickr.com/6/5488/30242395151_85f391518d_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="Sept 11 memorial 1"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Anyway, we popped out of the subway station right across from the new World Trade Center building (aka "Freedom Tower"), which is fronted by the gorgeous new Calatrava Transit Hub.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30293194136/in/album-72157675170293665/" title="Sept 11 memorial 9"><img src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5694/30293194136_2fc15ddc6f_h.jpg" width="800" height="1231" alt="Sept 11 memorial 9"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Norm actually hated this building...but I pretty much loved it. It's sort of organic and futuristic...and such a contrast to everything around it.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30320483651/in/album-72157675170293665/" title="calatrava hub 5"><img src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8277/30320483651_5823b0baf7_h.jpg" width="800" height="1231" alt="calatrava hub 5"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
It's true beauty, however, is it's interior space...it's really stunning, almost cathedral-like.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30346267740/in/dateposted-public/" title="911 Memorial Interior 1"><img src="https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5725/30346267740_8588843161_b.jpg" width="800" height="525 alt="911 Memorial Interior 1"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
We spent over 3 hours in the museum, which surprised me, and it was much more of an affecting experience than I had anticipated. I did take photos...but it felt almost disrespectful, so I'll just share this one, which I think sums up the experience.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30242386621/in/album-72157675170293665/" title="Sept 11 memorial 6"><img src="https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8640/30242386621_102acd4a02_h.jpg" width="800" height="1231" alt="Sept 11 memorial 6"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
After exiting the museum itself, which is mostly underground, you walk right out to the twin pools of cascading water.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30242385001/in/album-72157675170293665/" title="Sept 11 memorial 7"><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8548/30242385001_45b5d42f97_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="Sept 11 memorial 7"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Each pool occupies the space where one of the twin towers once stood.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30242387981/in/album-72157675170293665/" title="Sept 11 memorial 5"><img src="https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8139/30242387981_0a9ebd336a_h.jpg" width="800" height="1231" alt="Sept 11 memorial 5"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
So, while obviously not a "fun" part of our trip, I was glad we went.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/29697331593/in/album-72157675170293665/" title="financial district park 2"><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7531/29697331593_077edbd67f_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="financial district park 2"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
After leaving the Memorial, we decided to walk the relatively short distance to Battery Park. Along the way, Norm stopped for a hot pretzel (why don't we have those in PDX?) and I spotted this elevated pocket park.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/29697329303/in/album-72157675170293665/" title="financial district park 4"><img src="https://c8.staticflickr.com/6/5336/29697329303_7bbbaeaec8_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="financial district park 4"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
The plantings were actually quite lovely...and I liked the diagonal planting spaces. It felt very dynamic, but also, very calm.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30242408171/in/album-72157675170293665/" title="financial district"><img src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/6/5701/30242408171_9277a523b6_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="financial district"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
I'm not sure if this is of any note...I just loved it.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30327945545/in/album-72157675170293665/" title="freedom tower 3"><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5467/30327945545_c9b0b3afb9_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="freedom tower 3"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Here we are, almost to Battery Park, looking back at 1 WTC<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30583145206/in/dateposted-public/" title="Battery Park Path"><img src="https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5445/30583145206_91a5c13bf2_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="Battery Park Path"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Battery park is a meeting ground for people waiting for tours, ferry rides and water taxis. We had originally wanted to take a water taxi or ferry, but the minimum wait was 2+ hours...which we didn't feel like doing. <br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30583156126/in/dateposted-public/" title="Battery Park Amsonia"><img src="https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5800/30583156126_8aa282ce99_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="Battery Park Amsonia"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
While Norm walked around, trying to find a shorter line, I walked around Battery Park (designed by the Great Piet Oudolf) and took some photos.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30583148426/in/dateposted-public/" title="Battery Park Lead Plant"><img src="https://c3.staticflickr.com/6/5664/30583148426_3726e81fef_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="Battery Park Lead Plant"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
I love Amorpha canescens...and would totally grow it if I had a bit more sun.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30319335770/in/dateposted-public/" title="Battery Park Pennisetum"><img src="https://c3.staticflickr.com/6/5334/30319335770_8efdac0317_h.jpg" width="800" height="1231" alt="Battery Park Pennisetum"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
It was the first part of October when we visited, but, truly, it seemed like Autumn was getting a late start in NYC, things hadn't quite started turning yet. Oh...and that's Lady Liberty in the background...this is as close as we got!<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30502314502/in/dateposted-public/" title="Battery Park Anemone 1"><img src="https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5550/30502314502_27b95fd64a_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="Battery Park Anemone 1"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Seriously, though, how fabulous are these Anemone seedheads, poking through the arching Calamagrostis!<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30319339260/in/dateposted-public/" title="Battery Park Panicum"><img src="https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5508/30319339260_e218ab2a72_h.jpg" width="800" height="1231" alt="Battery Park Panicum"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
There was a great variety of grasses, and they all glowed.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30319323610/in/dateposted-public/" title="WTC from Battery Park"><img src="https://c3.staticflickr.com/6/5682/30319323610_543977e76b_h.jpg" width="800" height="1231" alt="WTC from Battery Park"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
The Calamagrostis makes a nice base for 1 WTC, right?<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30319332810/in/dateposted-public/" title="Battery Park Sporobolus"><img src="https://c3.staticflickr.com/6/5587/30319332810_56394c9f39_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="Battery Park Sporobolus"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Of course, I'm always truly envious when I see Sporobolus growing happily anywhere.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30583141976/in/dateposted-public/" title="Battery Park Salvia"><img src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5549/30583141976_fcc2159ed5_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="Battery Park Salvia"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
I was struck by the lovely color of this sky-blue Salvia.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30319453260/in/dateposted-public/" title="Battery Park Astilbe"><img src="https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5653/30319453260_1abefebab7_h.jpg" width="800" height="1231" alt="Battery Park Astilbe"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Although I think I might even prefer the warm, ruddy tones of these faded Astible!<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30583137836/in/dateposted-public/" title="Battery Park Stroll"><img src="https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5711/30583137836_940fdbd138_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="Battery Park Stroll"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Futher away from the crowds,you could actually stroll through the garden a little more peacefully.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30583151356/in/dateposted-public/" title="battery park bird"><img src="https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5467/30583151356_d93ac20c89_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="battery park bird"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
I was happily surprised by how many birds swarmed the gardens here...in spite of the throngs of people, they positively raided the grasses and forbs for seeds!<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30011913000/in/album-72157675170293665/" title="Brooklyn Bridge h 1"><img src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8411/30011913000_01789e3b20_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="Brooklyn Bridge h 1"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
After another snack of roasted sugar-cinnamon almonds, we jumped on the subway again and headed off to Brooklyn, so we could walk over the famed Brooklyn Bridge, which I've wanted to do for ages.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30253824131/in/album-72157675170293665/" title="Brooklyn Bridge 7"><img src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8279/30253824131_35c895e3a3_h.jpg" width="800" height="1231" alt="Brooklyn Bridge 7"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
The bridge itself is a photographers dream...just gorgeous in every way...<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30273763566/in/album-72157675170293665/" title="Brooklyn Bridge h 3"><img src="https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5487/30273763566_048f86f699_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="Brooklyn Bridge h 3"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
...but it is absolutely PACKED with people on foot and bicycle crossing. I hadn't realized just how busy it would be...and it was nearly impossible to get a shot with only a few people in it.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30273762026/in/album-72157675170293665/" title="Brooklyn Bridge V 1"><img src="https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8128/30273762026_c96660bfd3_h.jpg" width="800" height="1231" alt="Brooklyn Bridge V 1"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Still, it's a really nice walk and the view is absolutely fabulous.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30011912100/in/album-72157675170293665/" title="Brooklyn Bridge h 2"><img src="https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5486/30011912100_47bf914e44_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="Brooklyn Bridge h 2"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Seriously...how could you pass this up? <br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30193181312/in/dateposted-public/" title="finanical district"><img src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5538/30193181312_530f8ccd86_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="finanical district"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Once across the bridge, you enter a park near city hall (the aptly named City Hall Park), which is bordered on one side by the glorious Wooldworth Building. Sadly, it was undergoing renovation, so I couldn't get a pic :-(<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30273759206/in/dateposted-public/" title="city hall park fountain 2"><img src="https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5696/30273759206_775a13f566_h.jpg" width="800" height="1231" alt="city hall park fountain 2"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
I hope you enjoyed this post, the next one will be dedicated to our jaunt up to the Top of the Rock for the best view in the city!<br />
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scottweberpdxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08740930947767329183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861157226256566848.post-85722402851035802152016-11-13T10:03:00.000-08:002016-11-13T10:03:15.096-08:00Seedhead Sunday - 11/13/2016<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30961661945/in/dateposted-public/" title="eutrochium"><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5647/30961661945_1149cd5ab4_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="eutrochium"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Self-seeded Eutrochium (Joe Pye Weed)scottweberpdxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08740930947767329183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861157226256566848.post-11565838479737721042016-11-06T16:54:00.000-08:002016-11-06T16:54:26.962-08:00Seedhead Sunday - 11-06-2016<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30167927204/in/dateposted-public/" title="Echinacea seedhead trio 1"><img src="https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5562/30167927204_632a2a2601_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="Echinacea seedhead trio 1"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Simple, classic, elegant...Echinacea and Deschampsia FTW.scottweberpdxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08740930947767329183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861157226256566848.post-92178708198373468302016-11-05T09:00:00.000-07:002016-11-05T09:00:12.786-07:00Caturday 11-5-2016<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30790440705/in/dateposted-public/" title="contemplative boots"><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5332/30790440705_8edd403113_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="contemplative boots"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Boots wishes everyone a happy Carturday. I was hoping to get some plants moved today, but it literally just started raining...oh well...brunch it is!scottweberpdxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08740930947767329183noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861157226256566848.post-25754476192461062272016-11-01T07:54:00.000-07:002016-11-01T07:54:08.371-07:00New York Trip-Part 1-Museums and Central Park<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30594646542/in/dateposted-public/" title="NYC HEADER 1 bw"><img src="https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5604/30594646542_dd33d43064_b.jpg" width="800" height="382" alt="NYC HEADER 1 bw"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
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So, as many of you know, Norm and I took a short trip to New York City a few weeks ago...it's actually the first vacation we've been on together in about 2 years! We can only afford one vacation a year (if that, really) and it's always hard trying to decide where to go. After months of indecision, we finally both agreed on New York City.<br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30008443883/in/dateposted-public/" title="Natural History Museum 12"><img src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/6/5779/30008443883_596b36409a_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="Natural History Museum 12"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
On our first full day in the city, it POURED the entire time...so we decided it would be out "museum" day. We started the day at <a href="http://www.intrepidmuseum.org/">The Intrepid Museum</a>, which includes a decommissioned aircraft carrier (the namesake Intrepid), a submarine, a space shuttle and...wait for it...a Star Trek exhibit. For those of you who know Norm, you can guess why we went (hint, there are Klingons involved).<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30554091501/in/dateposted-public/" title="Natural History Museum 11"><img src="https://c6.staticflickr.com/6/5747/30554091501_60fa68ef52_h.jpg" width="800" height="1231" alt="Natural History Museum 11"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Sadly, I didn't get any photos as, again, RAIN. On next stop was the Natural History Museum, which I had been to on a previous trip. I love the Planetarium...it's so very cool.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30554095161/in/dateposted-public/" title="Natural History Museum 9"><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5828/30554095161_1804a6b541_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="Natural History Museum 9"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Even little details of the structure are interesting.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30008447603/in/dateposted-public/" title="Natural History Museum 10"><img src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/6/5578/30008447603_0aea0c55c4_h.jpg" width="800" height="1231" alt="Natural History Museum 10"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
The huge sphere houses the actual planetarium space...and the show is really great...if you ever visit NYC, make a point of going to the Natural History Museum, you won't be disappointed.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30605971716/in/dateposted-public/" title="Natural History Museum 8"><img src="https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5578/30605971716_85a421a561_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="Natural History Museum 8"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Of course, the museum is huge, and there are a lot of other exhibits, the dinasaurs being a personal favorite. I have to say, it's been a long time since I've been to a museum...and I was really, REALLY mortified at how people acted. It was packed, which is one thing, but, for some reason, parents just let their kids run around yelling and touching everything. People are talking loudly on their phones, it's just generally awful. I'm not sure if I've just become old and crabby...but, sheesh, I could not stand it for long.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30554098701/in/dateposted-public/" title="Natural History Museum 7"><img src="https://c6.staticflickr.com/6/5569/30554098701_71f553fa71_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="Natural History Museum 7"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
In any case, we cut our visit a little short due to the absolute bedlam inside and headed out to the relative peace and quiet!<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30223220301/in/dateposted-public/" title="cobbles 1"><img src="https://c6.staticflickr.com/8/7502/30223220301_f56a8161d6_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="cobbles 1"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
I kind of loved these cobbles.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30274014906/in/dateposted-public/" title="central park 4"><img src="https://c3.staticflickr.com/6/5585/30274014906_8bde587c71_h.jpg" width="800" height="1231" alt="central park 4"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Our next destination was The Metropolitan Museum of Art and possibly the Guggenheim if we had time. Luckily, it's right across Central Park...which, if you have to walk to get somewhere...it's a pleasant place to walk, right :-)<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/29678678784/in/dateposted-public/" title="Central Park 1"><img src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5497/29678678784_db427987d2_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="Central Park 1"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
The park is full of beautiful, mature trees. Its beautifully landscaped and just a perfect place to stroll.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30223221371/in/dateposted-public/" title="central park 5"><img src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8416/30223221371_2eb7985a2a_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="central park 5"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
I love this rustic fence.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30274015536/in/dateposted-public/" title="central park 3"><img src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/8/7578/30274015536_97befbe117_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="central park 3"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
It's great to see so many people really taking advantage of the green space.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/29678426983/in/dateposted-public/" title="met bw"><img src="https://c8.staticflickr.com/8/7471/29678426983_1b462112fb_h.jpg" width="800" height="1231" alt="met bw"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Sadly, once we got to the Met, we realized it was closing in 15 minutes...so didn't even get a chance to go inside. Sigh. That's travel, though, things don't always work out, right? Tired (both of our sore feet and people), we jumped on a bus and headed back to our hotel for some New York pizza while watching the Presidential debate (yes, we really did that)! Stay tuned for future posts on NYC, the next one will probably be about our escapades around Lower Manhattan.scottweberpdxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08740930947767329183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861157226256566848.post-77577881255268051702016-10-31T08:50:00.000-07:002016-10-31T08:50:01.987-07:00Halloween on Rhone Street!<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30651344206/in/dateposted-public/" title="Happy Halloween"><img src="https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5541/30651344206_8efa581188_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="Happy Halloween"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>scottweberpdxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08740930947767329183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861157226256566848.post-63861173921967170872016-10-30T08:01:00.002-07:002016-10-30T08:01:52.369-07:00Seedhead Sunday - 10/30/2016<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30663558905/in/dateposted-public/" title="FluffyLiatrisSeedhead"><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5576/30663558905_8ab39c344d_b.jpg" width="800" height="525" alt="FluffyLiatrisSeedhead"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
Liatris spicatascottweberpdxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08740930947767329183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861157226256566848.post-72626282539577014382016-10-29T10:24:00.001-07:002016-10-29T10:24:25.689-07:00Twas the Caturday Before Halloween<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30431989481/in/dateposted-public/" title="punky licking lips"><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8669/30431989481_33a8a6e1c9_h.jpg" width="800" height="1231" alt="punky licking lips"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>scottweberpdxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08740930947767329183noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861157226256566848.post-65194918779054980992016-10-14T09:11:00.001-07:002016-10-14T09:12:07.856-07:00Autumn in NYCI apologize for having such a limited presence lately...but life gets in the way...doesn't it? Anyway, we just got back from a wonderful trip to New York City...and I have oodles of photos to share eventually, but just wanted to tease with what defines the trip for me...the High Line, which most people (at least gardeners) are familiar with...and rightly so.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/30193179192/in/dateposted-public/" title="High LIne"><img src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5668/30193179192_a19c86795f_b.jpg" width="683" height="1024" alt="High LIne"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
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Stay tuned for more posts on the High Line and many other sites around this gorgeous city.scottweberpdxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08740930947767329183noreply@blogger.com0