Who is this man?

The answer is Umbrella Man. Anyone who has ever been to Pioneer Courthouse Square knows Umbrella Man. He’s the most photographed person in Portland. Since starting this photoblog in July I’ve seen hundreds of people photograph him from every angle. I would guess he has been photographed over a million times since the square opened. Anyone who doesn’t have a photo of him has never been on Pioneer Courthouse Square with a camera.

Sun break

In the middle of winter, sun on the square is scarce. The only direct sun is during the lunch hour as the sun passes between two buildings. If you want to eat your lunch in the sun, you have to eat fast or move with the sun. There’s not much of it, but it really feels great.

Summer re-visited

Last summer during a concert on the square, I noticed this little girl trying to convince a new friend to dance. Her older sister (who was dressed just like her), was already dancing with a girl she found, and she was trying to find someone to dance with her. It worked. They became friends and danced several songs together.

Tons of literature

Since winter arrived I tend to drop into the Information Center on the square to get warm and use the restroom. A lot of people don’t realize that the center contains hundreds of brochures on attractions in and around Portland. Browsing through the literature I found all sorts of places I didn’t know existed. There’s also a group of very knowledgeable people to answer any questions you may have. I don't know if anyone is interested in this post, but I got nice and warm taking these photos.

End of the day

Three “square” meals

A couple of weeks ago I met a friend of a friend named Scott. We were talking about Pioneer Courthouse Square, and he said I should do a blog post on “square” meals. I agree. When someone is visiting the square and gets hungry, they have three “square” meals to choose from. There are a variety of delicious burritos, hot dogs, sausages, Philly steak sandwiches and burgers. The blogger has tried everything and gives all three carts a big “two thumbs up.”

Familiar faces

A lot of people who visit the square miss these guys. If you want to check them out, they hang around the moat that runs around the Starbucks deck.

Missing the kids

There are far fewer kids on the square in the winter, and I miss them. Some of the best photos on this blog are of kids doing fun stuff. That’s why I was happy to see this little guy running across the square on a very cold day. Personally, I am looking forward to warmer days when all the kids come back.

Some "sound" information

Representatives of the American Tinnitus Association, a national organization headquartered in Portland, were at the square today handing out free earplugs, brochures and magazines about tinnitus. Tinnitus is the perception of sound when no external source is present. For some people, tinnitus is just a nuisance. For others, it is a life-changing condition. Anyone interested in learning more about the causes and treatment of tinnitus can check out the American Tinnitus Association at: http://www.ata.org/

That’s all folks

The Portland Tree will be gone from Pioneer Courthouse Square tomorrow. The branches have been removed, and the trunk will be taken away. Workers finished cutting off the limbs and removing over three hundred T-brackets, so they can be used again next year. I don’t know what I’m going to do after the tree is gone. I think I’ll have to get involved in a twelve-step program for separation anxiety. I’ve been photographing and talking about this tree since it arrived on November 16 at the square. This means I will have to go back to work and find something else to photograph. I hope the chips and bark dust ends up in some of Portland’s beautiful city parks.

Taking down the lights

The first step in dismantling the Portland tree started today. Before the branches can be taken off, thousands of lights have to be removed. We’ll stay on top of this story, so our readers will be fully informed of entire tree removal process. Where else can people get this amazing information?

Happy New Year

There were no planned events on Pioneer Courthouse Square for New Years Eve. There wasn’t a band, a singer, a ball dropping at midnight, or a count down to 2011, nothing! That didn’t stop several hundred random people from showing up to celebrate the New Year’s Eve on the square. The people who were on the square at midnight to celebrate the arrival of 2011, without it being a scheduled event are truly “square people.” These people love Pioneer Courthouse Square, and come down to check it out for almost any reason. Without them, this blog would be impossible to publish. I want to take this opportunity to wish the “square people” everywhere a great 2011.