Baby Bird Rescue and Garden Pearls in Pearl District

Not alot of progress on "Free Bird" - I did finish up (using correct colors) the white Peacock, and made some progress on the red Peacock.

 Part of my evening though was taken up with a "Baby Bird Emergency".  When Tom-Cat and I strolled around to the back patio this evening, I spied a baby Barn Swallow on the ground.  Though I was pretty sure it was dead, I walked over and picked it up...and it was alive!  So there I am alone (with a cat) and a baby bird in my hand.  I went into the house and got our biggest utility ladder, and positioned it under the nest, and climbed it one-handed - but the ladder was not quite tall enough.  So off I went to the garage, where I found a taller ladder and brought it over to the nest one-handed.  Thankfully, at that point, my Mother returned home.  She helped me position the ladder, and held on while I climbed up with the baby bird.  The nest is build on a pillar with no more than an inch or so clearance to the overhang ceiling.  Thus I had to be extremely careful to get the baby Barn Swallow up and inside the nest.  I managed and within seconds the parents came swooping back to resume feeding their clutch...of two beaks...then within ten minutes there were once again three hungry beaks so I think the rescue mission was a success! 

I wanted to share some of the small urban gardens I saw in Portland's Pearl District.

A side garden / patio on an end unit...

A quiet, green courtyard...

Isn't this a welcoming front entrance?

Interesting use of plant materials... 

These Coleus glowed in deep shade...

Each small front garden on 11th and Hoyt was different and personal..

I liked the exuberance of this one - zinnias, salvia, helenium...

This double unit belongs to an Art Gallery owner...note the flag on the fence...

His front porch garden has both plants and art sculptures...

I think green spaces are restful to the eye and soul!