Delightful/Painful Experience....

      Today we were greeted with....SUNSHINE.  After 2 days of rain forest rain.  Today was also a senior trip into Portland to THE OLD CHURCH for a Christmas performance of a hammered dulcimer, bass and flutes built on native American styles. 
     On the way out of my home park--at the entrance-- I met up with a new mobile manufactured home on the left of the road and a construction truck on the right of the road.  Oh My.  There was a fellow directing me through.  He looked a bit disgruntled when I scraped the left side of my car against the side of the mobile manufactured home.  (I think it was just an electrical connection wire sticking out too far.)   The rest of the drive to the senior center was relaxing with the sun shining on autumn leaves and evergreens. 




     At one point on the ride (in the senior van) to THE OLD CHURCH we passed a tree with small fan-shaped shimmering yellow leaves and blue sky in the background.  Absolutely gorgeous.  One gentleman said it was a ginkgo tree.  We were wondering if it is the source of ginkgo biloba. The same gentleman said it is suppose to help memory, but he keeps forgetting to take it. "Wiki"  says the ginkgo tree is a living fossil.  It can be traced back 270 million years in China. ("Wiki" picture) 
   
                                                                                                                                                                                      THE THE OLD CHURCH is now a performing arts venue.  Built in 1882 it is the oldest Portland church still maintaining its original structure.  The inside features are beautiful with stained glass windows, a huge pump organ that works and antique upholstered furniture in the back rooms.  It is definitely going on my "must see in Portland" list for visitors.    

     In 1883 Hook and Hastings of Roxbury, Massachusetts installed this "tractor action" organ in the Calvary Presbyterian church in Portland, OR.  It has only mechanical connections to produce a unique pipe organ sound and was hand pumped by 2 men in a side room.  (website picture)


Attending this "sack lunch" concert gave me a wee bit of Portland culture.  A few guests came in with their sack lunches and roller bags; one fellow let out two hearty belches and didn't see the need to excuse himself. 
The performers were folk musicians. The healthy 70's looking lady played the hammered dulcimer and various wooden flutes, while the thin, tall gentleman played the upright bass and various flutes.   Quite entertaining.

 

 

     After the concert we were whisked up the hill to the Chart House restaurant overlooking southwest Portland and the Willamette River. It is in the middle of Washington Park that sports huge redwood trees and rustic trails within the city of Portland.  (Another "Must see" entry on my list.) 

     And then it was time to return to the senior center for our drive home.  This was all a delightful experience.  Has anyone guessed by now WHY it was also a painful experience for me?  I brought my camera along.  The battery, however, was home sitting in the charger. 

     Upon arriving home I traded my fancy boots for walking shoes and headedout for a walk before the rains return.  I took along camera AND battery.

                                                                                                



        DECEMBER ROSE               

 

     While it was still dry later in the evening, I hauled out recycling and garbage and brought in an assortment of CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS from the garage.  Yeah!  and Christmas CDs.  It will soon start looking like Christmas.

 

     "On the 6th day of Christmas I sat in THE OLD CHURCH.....

and listened to a hammered dulcimer."

 

     This has been a good senior trip day in the life of Grandma G.

 

    "Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens.  Praise him with the strings and flute."  (Psalm 150:1&4)