Located in Oregon, USA, featuring Stayton and other nearby towns in the Willamette Valley.
Archive for June, 2006
The alley
Jun 30th
Today we have a guest photographer! The great image above and description below were submitted by Gr8ful Ted at the Gr8ful Grind.
The night was cold but clear. She said to meet her in this bar next
to the alley in northwest corner of the city and she’d bring the
evidence I needed to get the goods my client was looking for. I
needed to be careful as not to get taken by any thugs she had set up
to waylay me before we made the switch. I arrived early and was just
watching the street to see where I might be ambushed. There it was,
the alley. Why did I choose to be a private dick when there’s so much
more money to be made in oil? Of course I knew: Oil money and
democracy don’t mix. I got outta the car and began to cross the
street….(Salem, OR; February, 2006)
If anyone would like to contribute a Stayton or Willamette Valley area photo, please see the ‘contribute’ section of the right-hand menu on this page. Thanks!
Rack ‘em up
Jun 29th
These are some very lonely bike racks from the elementary school in Stayton. School’s out, children and their bicycles are elsewhere, and here these bike racks sit, unused, unwanted… unloved.
But, still, they wait patiently for the next school year, for the bustling activity that it will bring. Mostly, thought, they await that one thing which brings them joy: bicycles once again being entrusted to their care. They will do their duty with vigilance, with determination. They will stand tall… well, okay, they’ll stand short, but stand they will. Fear not, bicycle riders, for these bike racks have got your back. Or at least your bicycles.
I might also mention the racks and their shadows look like bent paper clips. Then again, I might not.
Streakin’
Jun 28th
A contrail (a vapor trail left by an aircraft) streaks through the evening sky over Lone Oak Cemetery in Stayton, located on 3rd Ave. You can make out the tops of some of the tombstones in the cemetery.
You may be wondering whether Lone Oak does indeed have one singular oak tree. I’m pretty sure there are at least two or three oaks in the cemetery nowadays, but let’s not be picky.
There are some interesting stones in the cemetery. One of these days when I’m feeling industrious (which doesn’t happen often), I’ll take photos of some of them and share them here… provided they don’t suck, as did the pictures of the tombstones I took the other day.
Going to the movies
Jun 27th
The Star Cinema is Stayton’s sole movie theater, with one screen. It’s run by a family who has made it very community driven, holding fund raisers, concerts, old movie night, local sports on the big screen, etc. They get first-run movies as a matter of course, which is pretty darned nifty for a small town movie theater.
The theater has quite the history, having been around for most of a century in one form or another. If you’re interested, head on over to the Star Cinema’s web site.
Not exactly important and vaguely related fact: I saw the midnight showing of Star Wars Episode III at the Star last year. You haven’t really lived until you’ve been in a theater in the middle of the night with 300 somewhat groggy strangers singing along with Weird Al Yankovic’s “The Saga Begins,” which was played before the movie started.
Other views of the theater: at night, matinee sign
Flags on display
Jun 26th
This was taken inside the lobby area of Stayton’s City Hall. It looks out on 3rd Ave. The flag on the right is the Oregon state flag, and the one on the left, obviously, is the United States flag.
If you have really good eyes (and click on the picture to get the big version), you might notice the window across the street, between the two flags, has a Blazers (Oregon’s basketball team) window covering.
You might also notice my purple scooter on the left side of the photo. It’s affectionately known as the Purple Plaything. It says to tell you “hello.”
Roses in bloom
Jun 25th
I spotted these pretty little things growing across the street from the high school in Stayton, on W. Locust St. I hope the people in the house didn’t see me taking pictures of their yard. There’s nothing like standing outside someone’s house taking pictures to make the neighbor folk a might suspicious.
A terribly (un)interesting Stayton fact: The town has several streets named ‘North’ something or other, along with ‘East’ and ‘West,’ but there are no ‘South’ streets. No, I don’t know why. Do other towns do this? If so, whatever on earth for?
Future Christmas trees
Jun 24th
These are a whole bunch of baby Christmas trees, growing in a field at the corner of 10th Ave. and E. Pine St. in Stayton. One day they’ll be harvested and stuck in random parking lots, waiting for random folks to take them home and stick random objects and lights on them. It’s a time honored tradition.
There are a lot of Christmas tree farms in Oregon. Doing a search on StateofOregon.com for ‘Christmas trees’ in the business directory brings up 174 listings. That’s quite a few.
The picture was taken from 10th Ave., looking across the field towards E. Pine St. The field sits across the street from Santiam Memorial Hospital, which is also on 10th Ave.
Kiddie swings
Jun 23rd
These kiddie swings are at the Stayton Community Center Park. The building directly behind them in the picture is the Stayton Public Library.
I want to be a kid again. I want to go swing and play and laugh and run and just… be. Either that or they should make playgrounds to fit adult-sized bodies, especially intended for adults, with the very magical feature of giving said adults the energy and carefree attitude of children so we can play like kids do. ‘Cause I would so be there.
Classic car show
Jun 22nd
As I mentioned a couple of days ago, Stayton has a “cruise in” for classic car enthusiasts twice a month. I happened by the one last night, and I snapped a few photos from the street. I wasn’t able to get a closer look, but I’m going to try again next month.
This was taken at the A&W restaurant on Washington St. in Stayton.
Here are a few bonus shots (click on each thumbnail for a bigger view):
Tall, tall trees
Jun 21st
There’s nothing like looking up at trees which have been around for years to decades, and will probably still be there when I’m gone. It keeps things in perspective.
I’m terrible at identified trees, plants, flowers, etc., but I know at least part of these are douglas firs. Look for the branches with dark green needles. Or don’t. Don’t worry, there won’t be a quiz later.
This is yet another photo taken at Pioneer Park in Stayton. You might have guessed this, but I adore this park. It’s very photogenic, and just a peaceful place. It’s tucked back in the corner of town, in a residential area, so there’s very little traffic.
Not that Stayton is a high traffic area, anyway. Heck, most of the folks in town actually stop their cars to let pedestrians cross the street at crosswalks. I know, that’s truly fascinating.
Hey, what was today’s photo topic again? I seem to have wandered away from it. Oh, well.
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