Winter Solstice

December Sunrise


YEA! It's the shortest "day" of the year - tomorrow we start into longer ones... Except that out here it's going to be dark until about 7:50 AM thru most of January.... but at least we get our "more day" in the afternoon : - ).

And best of all it is not 27 degrees at night anymore and I hope thats gone for a while...at least until my floors get rid of their chills.






Bald Eagle

It's holiday season - and I hope yours is a good one. We don't have partridges in pear trees but this morning a neighbor alerted me to this eagle in a cottonwood tree : -)

The one downside

Life in a floating home is neat...but there is a downside - like yesterday... It was soooo cold my feet never got warm... We not only do not have basements - we have cold water running right under our feet....and there's enough space under our houses to allow the cold winds to chill the floors too...

But - I'll cope with the cold... just need to get some heavier socks and some very heavy warm and toasty slippers....and know that this cold snap will soon go away : 0 )

Oregon Prescription Drug Plan

The plan that was passed in the last election is happening! That's good news for those who have no drug coverage and those who fell into the donut hole....

Even if you have Medicare Part D - if you have NO other prescription coverage, you are eligible - as long as you are a resident of Oregon.

Here is the link to the OPDP website were you can download the application: http://www.oregon.gov/DAS/OHPPR/OPDP

Portland's metrofi availability

Read today that Metrofi is available downtown. That's nice for when we are there - but the article also says to let them know where you live and that you want the free service. So go here http://www.metrofi.com/cities-16.html - list your address, send and it will tell you it's not available in your area - but then click on the link to "tell me when it is coming."

Christmas Ship Schedule

The North Portland Harbor schedule is for December 8th and 15th.

For the full schedule go to: http://www.christmasships.org

See & Be Seen Bike Light Parade

Kick Off Portland Transportation's See and Be Seen Ad Campaign

Don't sit at home in the dark.

Light up your bike!
& come on down to the

Community Cycling Center

NE 17^th & Alberta

Last Thursday, Nov. 30^th.

Join Commissioner Sam Adams and his bike at 5:00 p.m.

Be one of the Best and the Brightest - prizes awarded for:

Mr./ Ms. Safety
Best Artistic Expression in an Illuminative Context
Hey! Point that thing somewhere else, you're blinding me!

This is the kickoff event for See & Be Seen, Portland Transportation's new safety campaign to encourage drivers to see bikes and cyclists to get lit. We will unveil the new bus, bench and bus stop ads that begin in December sponsored by our partners at TriMet, Community Cycling Center, PGE and other supporters.

The press are invited so BE SEEN in your finest and shiniest. SEE you there!

Bridgeton Trail project

Patty Freeman, who co-led the meeting on the levee project has uploaded a page about it on Portland online [click here]

Also from Patty: "Please, if you have not yet had a chance to complete your comment form, take a few minutes and send us your feedback! We have received a little over 30 thus far, but we'd really like to get comments from everyone we can. They are so helpful in developing consensus and direction for the project. We have created a web-based comment form, so those who have not yet commented may do so on line."

This is a neighborhood project so let your voice be heard....

Art Show and Sale on November 19th

Come and LOOK - you'll see a variety of gift ideas

The "Bridgeton Blogger" [aka Lynn] is part of a group of artists having a show and sale on November 19th at Havurah Shalom in N.W. Portland.

Artists include Rosana Berdichevsky, Lynn Dorman, Leslie Elder, Robin Esterkin, Diane Fredgant, Carole Glauber, Sara Harwin, Julie Hockley, Esther Liberman, Sharon Segal, Eddy Shuldman, and Sabina Wohlfeiler. We come from various parts of Portland and Lake Oswego.

After a showcasing exhibit at the Oregon Jewish Museum in September, with much larger space available at Havurah, the artists will be showing more of their work and for some - a variety of mediums. Artwork includes paintings, pastels, jewelry, photography, beadwork, painted silks, fused glass, lithographs, textiles, nature art and more.

Art makes for great gifts - prices starting at $2.50.

Havurah Shalom is located at 825 NW 18th Avenue.
The show and sale is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Admission is free. Payments can be made by cash, check, or VISA/MC.

As the work is both secular and Judaic; you don't have to be Jewish to come, look or buy!

Thank you

A big thank you to all who helped out with the neighborhood clean up yesterday, to the rain g-ds that held off til we were done : - ) and to Channel's Edge for stoking us with caffeine as we worked.....

We filled the 3 dumpsters - one was full soon after we started! The neighborhood looks great today - rain and all.

Prepare for the coming monsoons.....

VOTE VOTE VOTE

If you did not mail in your ballot today, it's a safer thing to drop it off at the Library or the ballot box at Goodwill on N. Lombard.

It's due IN by Tuesday evening - and why mailing at your mailbox may be iffy....

Let's show Oregon and Portland that our precinct/neighborhood votes in large %'s.

Fall cleanup

Hi neighbors - it's that time of year again....It's FALL cleanup this Saturday November 4, 2006

10AM to 3PM

Volunteers Needed - it's fun - a way to meet more neighbors and beautify the area

Three 30-yard dumpsters will be located at three sites along Bridgeton Road.
We will accept all types of junk, yard debris, tires, etc.

NO Hazardous Materials such as batteries, gas, oil, paint and chemicals.

NO appliances. We will have a special clean up for bulky items next Spring.

Document shredder. This has become a popular item ;-) We will have three secure locked bins for documents that you want shredded. They will be at Channel's Edge- 207 N. Bridgeton
(We recommend a $5 donation for banker box size amounts.)

We need help in pulling weeds at the Marine Drive/Gantenbein intersection.

Come out and join the fun this Saturday - any help you can offer is greatly appreciated.....

Customer Dis-service

This morning one of my tires was very low and 2 others were low so I went to a local "place" to get air. I put my money in and put air in the lowest tire. Then I moved to tire #2. At tire #3, the pump stopped pumping air. As I can usually do all 4 tires I was puzzled but put more money in and tried again...no luck - all it did was allow air to escape.

I went to the worker pumping gas who came over, tried putting in more money and then gave the machine a swift kick...It worked. He went to a tire and the gauge said it had 60 pounds in it - I said the gauge was wrong, look at the tire. Nope - he kept allowing air to escape....I finally said stop and by now the tire was almost flat...so what did he do? He threw the air hose down and said - I have customers to wait on and walked away. I said what the f*** do you think I am? So now I had two very very very low tires.

Luckily there was an air hose at a nearby other "place" [which, by the way, now charges $.75 for air] and I got air in the two very very low tires....never again will I go to "place" #1 or even #2. I'll go to Les Schwab - even tho they are not that near me - there they actually understand customer service! Fie on the other "places!"

VOTE

We have our ballots - so now it's time to vote....Let's have a very high percentage from Bridgeton....[ right now we are among the areas with very low voting rates : ( ]

Art Show and Sale

Save the date!

November 19 - 11 Am to 4 PM
Havurah Shalom
825 NW 18th Ave

My art group [ORA] is having an art show and sale. There will be original art from the 12 of us - with prices ranging from $2.50 to $2,500.

We've rented the entire synagogue and each artist will have space for selling many items and many types of items.

I'll post more later - but for those planning ahead - save the date.....

Path along the levee

Come to a special meeting on October 18th to discuss your ideas for the path/trail/promenade along the levee. Portland Parks will be there to present some ideas for us to comment on.

The meeting is at the Residence Inn at North Harbour
120 N. Anchor Way
7 PM

Note - it is not at our regular meeting place

Are you registered to vote?

Let's have a major voter ballot turn in for our neighborhood this November!

Deadline for registering to vote in Oregon is October 17th.

Here is a link to information on registering and voting: http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/votreg/vreg.htm

Gas prices

If you live in the Bridgeton area, you have a choice of many gas stations in and around our neighborhood. As there is up to a 20 cent a gallon difference, it actaully "pays" to check out prices. And if you have not been to the 138th Street Costco - the gas station there is now open..

Here's a good link for checking gas prices: http://www.portlandgasprices.com

So good that I put up a permanent link to this site on the blog : -)

What a surprise

Officer Foesch sent this photo from Afghanistan where he has been deployed ... He was "our" police officer until he left.....Nice to see him again and we all wish him a safe return to Portland....

Debut Art Exhibit

I have blogged very few times this month - been busy - what with my son being here and then the Bridge Pedal - and all those other excuses... like it was often too hot to have the computer on....

But I was busy doing photography and am one of 12 artists in a show debuting next week at the Oregon Jewish Museum.

Come see a lot of great art from a newly formed group; ORA - Northwest Jewish Artists.

It's a special "First Thursday" Debut Exhibit at the Museum -
come meet the artists on September 7th from 5-8 PM

The museum is at 310 NW Davis Street and the exhibit will be there through September 19th.....

P.S. All but one of my photos is from the Bridgeton area - mainly views from my moorage....like this one...
















© Gray Wolf Productions 2006

Summer "fun" in our neighborhood

We seem to have something of great interest going on - a sunken boat being pulled up piece by piece..

Everyone driving and walking by stops when they see the crane

Here are some pix:

This is all of the work barge I could get in the photo
















Here is what seems to be a piece of the deck
















And it was placed down next to wood pulled out earlier

Blues and the 4th of July

Been "doing" the blues festival - what a good time everyone is having.....

Tomorrow is the 4th of July and we have a choice in Portland of seeing fireworks on the Willammette or Columbia.

Our neighborhood is a great viewing point for the Columbia fireworks but along with our "good seats" comes some concerns.

If you do come to Bridgeton to watch - please don't shoot off your own fireworks over the moorages - floating homes burn quickly and most of the boats on the river have gasoline aboard.

Keep it a safe and happy 4th for all...enjoy!

Look who came home

21 days - almost to the hour! Everyone is happy !

Missing kitty

Sheba has been gone for a week now - maybe she got into your place while you were away...please check garages, boats, basements....and we all thank you...

If you see her or find her - my info is on posters all up and down Bridgeton Road

Got a vision?

Portland Parks and recreation wants to hear from us about our Bridgeton Trail. If you are in the neighborhood you probably got the mailing. They will be meeting with us on June 21 - 7 PM at the Columbia School [our regular neighborhood meeting place]

Come prepared with your vision.....

Elections

Spring has sprung and it's primary season. You have received your voters' pamphlet by now. In our neighborhood - the primary is very important - so when you get your ballot - vote.

If you are not registered to vote - you have until TOMORROW [April 25th] to register. You can mail in your registration card and as long as it's postmarked by the 25th.

Cards are available online at: http://www.oregonvotes.org.

You can also return your card to a county election office or voter regsitration agency like DMV by the 25th.

Official Ballot

Neighborhood Meeting and Elections

April Meeting Wednesday, April 19, 2006 at 7 PM Columbia School

Agenda:

1. Crime Report by Officer Michael Leonard
2. Spring Clean Up Plan for Saturday April 22, 2006
3. Election of Bridgeton Board and Officers.

Nominees for Board: Mary Hart, Lynn Dorman, Mike Gibson,
Cherry Ann Kolbenschlag, Jon Peterson, Kim Swenson, Matt Whitney,
Chuck Wilson, Walter Valenta.

Officers:
Matt Whitney, Chair
Mike Gibson Vice-Chair
Lynn Dorman, Secretary
Stan Hart, Treasurer

Accept all Nominees and Officers as presented:
YES___________ NO:_________

Or Accept except for changes indicated:_____________________________________

Bridgeton Resident (signature):____________________________________________

Address:_______________________________________________________________

This flyer is your official ballot. Ballots may be returned by email to Bridgeton.neighborhood@comcast.net, mailed to Bridgeton N.A.
417 N. Bridgeton Road, 97217, dropped of at the Channel's Edge coffee shop or
delivered to any Officer.

Please send in your ballot before the April 19, 2006 meeting.

SPRING CLEAN UP
Saturday April 22, 2006

We will have three drop boxes as well as locked document shredder boxes and a new secure computer/electronics recycler. Contributions accepted for the document shredder and the electronic recycler charges per item.

We will have a special clean up detail for Marine Drive and the Gantenbein intersection.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

More info: See the Bridgeton web site www.bridgetonpdx.com

or email: bridgeton.neighborhood@comcast.net

Meeting

Neighborhood meeting and elections on April 19th.

7 PM Columbia School - Marine Drive and Bridgeton Rd.

Come and support your neighborhood

Columbia River Crossing

Do you have a yen for learning more about this project? If so - you can attend an open house this coming Thursday - April 13th on Hayden Island.

Here is the info from the project:

Date: Thursday, April 13, 2006
Time: 4:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Place: Red Lion Inn - Jantzen Beach
909 N. Hayden Island Drive
Portland, OR 97217

Come see how ideas to reduce congestion and improve safety are taking shape.
Tell us what you think, hear stories about Columbia River history and culture, and learn about what is ahead.

We are building on the ideas you shared with us last fall to relieve traffic congestion and improve safety in the five-mile stretch of I-5 surrounding the Interstate Bridge. We received more than 1,000 comments and have used them to develop a range of options. Now we need your feedback on which ones move forward for more consideration.

Bring the kids! This will be a fun event with kids' bridge-building activities and local storyteller Ed Edmo to offer tales of the Northwest and Columbia River history.

Drop in anytime between 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. Tour the exhibits and talk with Columbia River Crossing team members. Storytelling at 4:45 and 6 p.m. Project presentations at 5:30 and 6:30 p.m.

Meeting facilities are wheelchair accessible. Russian, Spanish and Vietnamese interpreters will be available. Individuals requiring reasonable accommodations may request written material in alternative formats or sign language interpreters by calling the project office at 866-396-2726 or by calling Washington State's TTY number, 800-833-6388.

For more information, call the project office toll-free at 1 (866) 396-2726 or email us at feedback@columbiarivercrossing.org.

Be on the look out

Over the weekend I was coming back from the doggy park - stopped at a stop sign - and was crashed into by a hit and run driver! I ache, dog is a bit traumatized and car is not looking too good.


The car that hit me had to have sustained damage too and I am hoping that someone will see it and call the police. It had a lot of yellow [see photo] on what I recall was a two toned car and the damage was to that car's driver side as they hit me driver side to driver side.



After all my city living and decades of driving - this was a first.

The driver scares me - they had no idea if I was hurt or killed - they were more intrested in speeding away. No conscience - no morality - and no concern for anyone or anything.

February Meeting highlights

We met Mike Leonard, our new police officer. Officer Bob is being deployed with his Guard Unit. At the April meeting all current Board members are up for re-election and write ins are also welcome. Mike Gibson was appointed to fill the slot of Vice Chair- thank you Mike.

Neighborhood watches were again discussed and this time more neighbors expressed interest. Spring clean up date is April 22, and a neighborhood bike ride will take place on April 29 or 30. Stay tuned : )

There is a Board meeting on March 15th at Channel's Edge.

ibridgeton

Welcome to the new site. You can read or post as on the old one...just no pre set categories.