Big guys like fragant soap, too

While in Portland, Oregon, last weekend my daughter and I entered this soap/cosmetic shop. We sniffed and sampled creams, and so did this fellow.

Ain't all for girls.

ABC WEDNESDAY--"X" is for "Aix"

Aix-en-Provence, that is, my neXt destination once back on European soil. I spent one year (junior/part of senior) studying there in 1968-69. Memories galore relived a few years back with some of us who have kept in contact.  This October we plan to get together for a real flashback in Aix!  I don't plan on sleeping, just talking, eating, and sampling wine....

See other Xs on Mrs. Nesbitt's ABC WEDNESDAY.

The Blue Line

Spotted this hip guy on the blue street car line through a restaurant window in Portland. 

Latkes for breakfast

In Portland for the weekend....we had a lot of good meals, including this Sunday breakfast of latkes served with applesauce and sour cream (for me) and challah French toast for my daughter, across the table.

Yum.

Shadow Shot Sunday-Metropol Palace in The Nines

Daughter and I are on a 'girls' weekend' in Portland, staying at The Nines.  On one table there was a glossy magazine of worldwide hotels and to my surprise, there was Belgrade's recently renovated Metropol Palace.

Maybe I should do a night-out in Belgrade when I return!

See other shadows on SHADOW SHOT SUNDAY.

WEEKEND REFLECTIONS--the window washers

Not a job I'd like to have....

See other reflections on James' WEEKEND REFLECTIONS.

SKYWATCH--The Swing

Have to say that nowadays when I do swing, usually accompanied by a child, the back and forth movement makes me a bit nauseated.  Nevertheless, while my little grandson (not this older boy) was swinging and happily being pushed by his mother, I snapped this photo of an enthusiastic swinger.  He made me think of the following poem, The Swing, by Robert Louis Stevenson:

How do you like to go up in a swing,

   Up in the air so blue?

Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing

   Ever a child can do!

Up in the air and over the wall,

   Till I can see so wide,

Rivers and trees and cattle and all

   Over the countryside—

Till I look down on the garden green,

   Down on the roof so brown—

Up in the air I go flying again,

   Up in the air and down!

See other skies on SKYWATCH.

Fleur-de-lys and....?

I only recognize the fleur-de-lys (alternate spelling:  fleur-de-lis) on the gate of this Seattle garden. Don't know what those pretty lavender one are....

ABC WEDNESDAY="W" is for "weally wed"

You can tell I'm hard up for photos this vacation.....  I couldn't find anything else for W, so I chose to post as if Elmer Fudd himself were posting. Are you aware you can set your Google settings to Fudd-speak? You can, right here.

These bwight wed chairs were stacked up outside a cafe in downtown Seattle.

See other Ws (weal ones) on Mrs. Nesbitt's  ABC WEDNESDAY.

Hospitable Bromeliad

Speaking of bromeliads,, I spotted this truck the other day. I googled Pineapple Hospitality and it appears to be a Seattle-based hotel group, with a hotel in San Francisco and Portland too.

I love their vanity plate.

Pure

A pure white rose after a Seattle rain.  And it even had a fragrance.