Sunday, November 16, 2014



Last week I went out to clean up the park as there was a lot of trash. I thank most dog owners for cleaning up your pop. But please next time take the poop with you. Cleaning up bags of poop & trash are not how I want to spend my afternoon. 


Wednesday, November 5, 2014

 
All the trees are starting to turn in the park, it looks wonderful this time of the year. A few weeks ago we put some blocks of wood out on one of the tables. It's fun to see people sitting at the table playing with the blocks. Kids love to build and often sit at the table building interesting structures, almost every day there is a new structure made from the blocks and it's fun to see how long they stand.

Today I noticed the tree along the trail that I guess I have not noticed before it's called a Harlequin Glorybower. In the fall the blooms are red star shaped with a lovely blue center that looks like a blueberry. My neighbors planted the tree several years ago and in the spring the flower is bright white and smells sweet like vanilla. It's a spectacular tree that really puts on a show all year. It's growing next to a Symphoricarpos albus (otherwise known as the Common Snowberry) which the white berries on the Snowberry bush really set off the Harlequin Glorybower.

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Last couple weeks of the 

Farmers Market on Mississippi 

Our Friend Rachel who is on the Friends of Pittman Addition committee is wrapping up the Farmers Market that she has been hosting over on Mississippi. The last couple markets are on Thursdays from 3-7pm. So head on over to North Mississippi & Shaver to see what's available Thursday September 25th from 3-7pm, you will not be disappointed. 



Thursday, September 11, 2014

Walking the Kitties


Every evening between 6 & 8pm our cats want to go out into the park and go for a walk. All four of our cats love to follow us into the park and just play….we love to watch them as they frolic. This is my husband on the bench with all the kitties wondering around him in the early evening.

We had another fire in the park this afternoon…remember the bark dust if very dry and will catch in fire if you drop your cigarette. Please be careful….our kitties really love the park.

Thursday, September 4, 2014

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT!!



Fires in the park

Over the last month we have put out 3 fires that appear to have started from cigarette's being dropped on the bark dust path. The last fire smothered for several hours under one of the picnic tables. If you smoke please be careful where you drop your cigarette, make sure it's out…we would really hate to lose the park to a fire.

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Pear & Apple Juice


I can't believe it's been over a month since I posted anything….Sorry it's been a very busy summer. 

The pear and apple trees are dropping fruit like crazy. Last year I made several apple pies. I have not been very interested in the pear tree till just recently. I found out that I love pear juice and last summer we bought a steamer. We finally decided to try it out and picked up a bunch of apples and pears. The first batch of apples only produced about 32oz of juice and the juice was a little sour. The second batch we used pears, we got about 64 oz of pear juice and it taste wonderful. I have been going out and picking up the pears that fall on the ground, cutting them up and putting them in the juicer. We have several container of pear juice. Last year I also put up several container of apples to be used in future pies. 

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Fruit Trees!!!!

The fruit trees in the park are in full bloom. I think this year we will have a nice crop of pears and apples. Though the pears are already dropping from the tree they are not fully ripe they need a little more time. The apples are coming in and I expect to be making several apple pies this fall. If you come to pick the fruit please do not destroy the branches to get the fruit. Some kids did that the other day, they climbed into the tree to shake the branches thus breaking off a couple large branches out of the tree and onto the table in the park. 

Thursday, June 26, 2014


Pittman Addition HydroPark Opening
The band was great all the kids danced, several artists came out to say hello. Fun was had by all.

Julian Voss-Andre & Jim Schmidt two of the park artist. 


THANK YOU TO PETISCO 

For providing a plate of snacks for the Pittman Addition HydroPark opening on Sunday June 22nd. 




Saturday, June 21, 2014

Join us Sunday June 22nd from 4-7pm 

at the

Pittman Addition Hydro Park 
Not really just a beautiful sunset


Salvation Mountain in California

Hope you can make it!!!

Monday, June 16, 2014

Julian Voss-Andreae, one of the sculptors in the park, was featured in the June/July 2014 Pacific Northwest Sculptors newsletters. 


Check out the article Here

Come see one of Julian's pieces at the Park Celebration on Sunday June 22nd from 4-7pm.
Meet your neighbors and dance to the sound of The New Iberians.

Friday, June 13, 2014

Pittman Addition HydroPark Celebration 

Sunday June 22nd from 4-7pm 


We are getting ready to celebrate the fact that we have 5 pieces of sculpture in the park. The park in in bloom and really looks nice. There is one sad fact…the park benches are going to have to go away. The biggest problem is the graffiti that has covered the benches over the years. There is one bench that was hit the hardest, mostly because it is back in the far east corner of the park. Folks always find their way to this particular bench and do things that are not appropriate. SO…we are going to replace 2 of the 3 benches that are in the park. That being said here is one of the latest photos of the park in full bloom.


Everything is very green and the park looks so nice. We hope that you can join us on Sunday June 22nd from 4-7pm for a celebration of sculpture in our little park in North Portland On Going Court between Concord and Colonial…Behind the Plaid Pantry on Interstate and Going Street. 

Monday, May 5, 2014

For the last 9 months the end of the street has has been the staging ground for the sewer repair that has been happening in the area. There were large concrete pipes, barriers, and a cargo container that held tools and supplies for the construction crew.  




Last week the construction crew everything away…even the cargo container.




Now you get a nice view of the park and all the sculptures that are up. The trees are in bloom and the park is looking very inviting. We are looking forward to seeing the community come visit the park for the opening on June 22nd from 3-7pm. We hope to have a nice selection of musicians, activities and food for everyone to share and enjoy.  

SO JOIN US 
 SUNDAY JUNE 22nd from 3pm-7pm


Sunday, April 13, 2014



A recent beautiful day in the park, the trees are in bloom, people are biking through the park and the benches have been freshly painted. Everything looks beautiful and spring like.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014





Spring has Sprung!!!!
The trees are in bloom in the park and it's starting to look like spring is here. 

We have set a date for a community celebration in the park Sunday June 22 from 3-7pm to celebrate all the pieces finally getting installed into the park. 
That is of course after you participate in the North Portland Sunday Parkways. 

Monday, March 10, 2014

It feels like spring, all the grass is looking green, the plants are beginning to bloom everything looks fresh and new. If you look close you can see 2 of the sculptures in the back of the park near the apple tree. The path wonders up to the apple tree at the east end of the park. 



 This is the table that is at the east end of the park. The pattern is based on a traditional string quilt pattern. It's made out of an old cargo container door. The door was filled with cement and then the mosaic pattern was pressed into the cement. The design uses stain glass, mirror and old plates. 

The piece by Jason Jones that was tagged has been covered so that no one else tags it, one tag lead to another tag. So the piece is now a Christo…wrapped in a plastic bag that is attached with duct tape. I guess that is one way to stop graffiti. 


Saturday, March 1, 2014



The last sculpture is now in the park. It's called High Chair Low Chair by Jim Schmidt. It's in the back corner next to the apple tree. It's nice to finally have all the pieces installed. The Friends of the Pittman Addition has worked very hard from getting the concrete pads installed, volunteering to weed the landscape and installing plants, writing a grant to pay artists for the work and then finally through the permit process when it came time to install the art work. 
A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone for seeing it through and working through all the set backs and keeping a positive attitude. 
WE DID IT!!!  

Friday, February 14, 2014

Thought the snow is now gone I think my favorite image in the park is the sculpture by Ivan McLean, it looks so beautiful in the park near the tree, almost like a large christmas ornament. 


The pedestrian overpass that leads to the park looks like it's being invaded by aliens, the lights are just casting a lovely green glow.  


Here are a couple of things to look forward to come spring, cats in the park (stride in the back round). And a table to have a lovely afternoon picnic. 







We are planning a park opening in late spring to provide the community with a chance to view the work that has been installed and celebrate the work of the Friends of the Pittman Addition has done to bring sculpture into our lives and our community.

Friday, February 7, 2014

Today it snowed…ALOT. I had to work and by the time I got home the park was covered with snow. it was so quite and peaceful. I really love seeing the park covered in snow, they say we are in for another 4-5 inches on friday. All the portland public schools have already announced their closures. I kind of hope the kids come out and make snowmen or women




Monday, February 3, 2014



A recent fun piece that was in the park last spring is the bull on a stick. It was attached to what looked like the frame of a Christmas decoration. It stayed for about 3 months before the bull on a stick went missing, the the wire frame was taken. It's fun to see what shows up and how long it stays. These small fun temporary installations are always interesting.

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Unraveling Collagen by Julian Voss-Andreae

The Friends of the Pittman Addition have worked hard to get art installed in the park. We received we received a grant from Union Pacific in 2011 and started to working with a few artists to get sculpture installed in the park . It's not as easy as it sounds even when you are part of the city. Anyway, we have one more sculpture to be installed then all 5 pieces will be in place. We hope folks will walk through the park and enjoy the fruits of our 3+ years of labor. Believe me it's been a long and educational road for the committee. 


Aging Hero by Jason Jones

Saturday, January 25, 2014


Lady in the Tree

At the end of the park there is a HUGE apple tree. The was park started with the lady in the tree. One summer my husband went to volunteer at the Oregon Country Fair to help get it ready. There was this wonderful sculpture that had toppled over, the top was a woman's torso, the bottom was her skirt. The fair was going to burn the piece since it was not possible to repair it, the artist was who created the piece was Nicodemus Macdonald. My husband convinced Nicodemus to give the piece to him so he could install the sculpture in the apple tree. This was the the first piece of art in the park, it was installed in the summer of 2007. This photo is from April 2013. The lady has lived in the tree watching over the park for the last 5 years, people come to visit her daily. We have watched her decay over the years, but still hanging on and giving the tree a purpose. The apple tree is very old and during the summer some of the branched are so full of fruit that they break off. Officials often suggest that the tree be cut down because there is always the chance of a branch breaking off and hitting someone. I think if you are afraid of branches falling on you shouldn't sit under a tree. 


Friday, January 24, 2014


GIANT CARROT


In May of 2011 a giant carrot appeared in the park needless to say the kids LOVED it. It was fun to watch folks of all ages scream "Giant Carrot" and run directly to the carrot. Sadly enough the carrot could not withstand the attention and was becoming distressed, kids poked at it causing some of the layers to peel off, graffiti appeared and one night someone tried to roll the carrot and it came apart. It then was apparent that the carrot could not live a peaceful existence in the park. It was relocated to a simpler life and now lives on top of the Cherry Sprout a lovely neighborhood grocery store very close to the park. It's the only carrot you can see from space. 


In June of 2012 the Ginger Bike Ride stopped by to pay homage to the giant carrot, the Cherry Sprout provided the group with 200 carrots. 

Wednesday, January 22, 2014



The park has gone through several changes, from volunteers landscaping the area with native plants to interesting sculptual elements added by neighbors.