A Day Downtown

I had to go into town yesterday as I was called in for Jury Duty.

I brought my new Alexander McCall Smith book and a small piece of cross stitch to help pass the time.  It turned out to be the right thing to do.  I arrived at 8:30am and was released from serve at 11:30am after the three scheduled trials were all cancelled or settled without the need of a jury.  So just like that my service commitment for the next two years has been fulfilled. 

I decided to run a a couple of errands while I was down town.  The arts council commissioned the painting of several traffic signal boxes between 10th and 13th avenues.  Here are three examples of the work.

The other thing I noticed was how wonderfully well the planters and hanging baskets have faired this year.  

With our hotter than usual summer weather the sweet potato vines have come on strong.

I was impressed!

I decided to celebrate my civic service and purchase cupcakes for dessert.

This is the amazing selection available at Larry's Cupcake Cafe.

50 flavors! 

I got a chocolate mint, ultra-chocolate, chocolate peanut butter, and blackberry cupcake.

Though Voodoo Doughnuts and Crumb Together (cookies) both sang a sweet siren call, I was able to resist!

Instead I headed over to the library to pick up a book.

I passed by a statue of Ken Kesey ("One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest") reading to children. Rosa Parks held court at the down town bus station.  Poor old Eugene Skinner (hence Eugene, Oregon) with hat in hand looks vainly for a view of Skinner's Butte.  Since the completion of the new Lane Community College building, he can no longer see his old homestead.