Neighborhood walk

First time this summer

The kids' bathing suits finally got used this year. They were pretty excited when I told them that it was going to be warm enough to go over to Irving Park and play in the fountains. But it had to be after lunch, after naps and after the temperature outside reached at least 80 degrees. 

We left home at 3 p.m.

Bathing Beauties

 I got Genevieve and Danika's tankinis when Old Navy had a great sale.  I love that they cover almost as much as a one piece suit but have the freedom of a two piece. Plus they are super cute!

Danika found a silk butterfly among the maple seeds on the sidewalk. We also admired a lot of yard flowers.

Garrett's first visit as a "big kid"

Though he was a bit apprehensive at first it wasn't long before he was walking around the area without any fear of the water spraying.

The park has a wonderful playground just to the south of this water feature but because I was the only adult supervising all four of them I made them play only in the water part. Even then I was walking around counting to 4 over and over.  Genevieve was pleasantly surprised to see her Kindergarten teacher. She was there with her son, who is Wyatt's age.

 We used sunscreen but I figured an hour and a quarter of play time was enough. Next time I'll bring another pair of eyes so they can enjoy the playground too.

The "Water"park trip was successful 

 Danika looks a little cold here but I think this is the first time we've been there that the kids didn't repeatedly come to warm up in towels every few minutes. 

They also didn't whine about having to leave.

 Flapping like bats

New suits, new beach towels, new sunglasses, and a warm breezy day to walk back from the park.

It was a good day in NE Portland.

A few of the floral pictures

I saw this pink and blue bed of flowers just after the kids went running by it with their bright colored towels. They almost matched them. The single hydrangea photo is the only one that turned out of the bunch that I took.

There is a telephone pole that is covered with a huge mound of ivy. It looks like a big hairy monster and someone has actually put cardboard circle eyes on the street side of it.  As I was walking by it I saw a perfectly white vine of ivy growing among the green. It was really pretty. I wonder if it was some sort of mutation or if it's a new variety or if it's getting white tendrils like I'm getting silver hair.

Freeway closures again this weekend

 

A couple of weekends ago I-5 was closed from the Fremont Bridge on the north to the Marquam Bridge on the south. The I-84 on ramp is right in the middle of that closure. All vehicles heading east are forced to take the Rose Quarter exit and head east on Weilder to NE MLK Jr Blvd then head south to get to the closest freeway on ramp. If I was unfamiliar with the area I'd be totally confused following the above sign. This detour to EAST I-84 tells motorists to turn  right and go against the flow of the one way traffic on Weidler. You won't get there that way.