Astoria Women’s March 2019

Saturday, 19 January 2019

Astoria, Oregon

The Joy Train

passing the Garden of Surging Waves

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22 April: Earth and Science Day

Saturday, 22 April 2017

The weather did not look good for our planned political activity.

out the window: wind and rain

Such a day would have been just perfect to read this book that just came from the library:

Nevertheless, we persisted in our plan to go to Astoria.  Maybe the weather would be better there, as sometimes happens across the river.

crossing the 4.2 mile long Astoria Megler Bridge

The weather was not better.

as we drove by to find a parking place

For two hours, about thirty people braved pouring rain and 30+ mph wind gusts to join in the nationwide March for Science.  Our version was a rally, not a march.  This intersection is one of high visibility where every vehicle going east through Astoria drives by.

We parked and joined the others.

I’m pleased to tell you that during the entire two hours, even when the group dwindled toward the end, our ears were filled with a cacophony of vehicles’ horns tooting in approval, and we got many waves and upturned thumbs.  I saw only one negative face, followed by two bumper stickers: One read “Trump Pence” and the other read “[something something something] GUNS.”

my photos:

I am slow with puns and just realized…There is no PLANet B.

My sign held up well, covered with clear adhesive shelf paper and edged with packing tape.

Some walked down to a traffic island down the block.  There, they were visible to traffic coming east and turning toward Commercial, and also to traffic heading west on Marine Drive.  I decided to join them, partly because I wanted a better look at the garden.

a well kept garden

My sign is a large one and the wind was strong on the traffic island.  I decided to rejoin the others over by the post office.

That was the moment when my saturated camera said it had had quite enough of the storm.

I hope it revives!

I turned to my iPhone for a few more photos and then decided that it, too, was getting much too wet.

Here are four photos taken by another attendee (I do not know who):

Someone got much better photos of my sign than I managed to get:

 

Photos by Carol Newman: 

Allan’s photos:

1:01 PM we were done!

And then the rain stopped!

PS. Here is an earth day oriented gofundme to save a local woods. https://www.gofundme.com/help-save-a-forest

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19-20 Feb: two demos

Sunday, 19 February 2017

We had a rainy day off. While I continued to read Bad Feminist and got caught up on the Tootlepedal blog, Allan went to Time Enough Books to get some photos of Karla and the signs she had made for a Town Hall (Tuesday) with Representative Jaime Beutler, who is a Republican politician well known for opposing the Affordable Health Care Act and for not showing up to vote.  In fact, she has one of the worst voting absentee records of all.

The Tuesday event is an hour and a half away, so we won’t be going.

However, Allan and I did go to a demonstration in Astoria on President’s Day…

Monday, 20 February 2017

“Not My President Day”

approaching the busy intersection where cars come from both the coast highway and the Astoria bridge and turn onto the main highway through town (Commercial Street), heading east to Portland.

It was a good turn out despite a chilly rain, with a group on each of three corners of the intersection.  At its lunch hour peak, 60-70 folks were in attendance.

Many vehicles honked in approval.  We got a few one finger salutes, which surely meant “You folks are number one for turning out in such bad weather!”

Northwest corner

Southwest corner

a real sweetheart

view from southeast corner.  That is Allan in yellow.

They drove all the way from South Bend.

“Support Families Not Deportation”

very good dog

my favourite sign

our friend Carol from Ilwaco

We all followed instruction number two, being friendly to the passersby no matter what their attitude.

1. BE SAFE: Do not block cross-walks, intersections, and leave sidewalks accessible to pedestrians.
2. BE POSITIVE: Be nice to each other, drivers, and pedestrians. Ignore hecklers. Do not engage!
3. MAKE FRIENDS: Please–talk to as many people as you can. Network, exchange ideas, and feel free to engage with Indivisible co-organizers about any ideas you have.

me and Allan (Carol’s photo)

the youngest protestor

Allan’s photos of the demonstration:

 

 

 

I have to admit that by the last half hour of the two hour long demo, we were checking our watches for how much longer.

For the last fifteen minutes, when many folks had had to go back to work after their lunch break, those of us remaining consolidated ourselves on one corner.

Allan collected the last sign.

He was the last protestor because he had helped put signs away.

We had parked by the lovely Flavel House Museum.

Flavel House back yard

Afterwards, glad to be out of the dreary weather, Allan and I had lunch at the Blue Scorcher Bakery.

got the last slice of my favourite treat

In the Blue Scorcher

yummy breakfast burritos

We shopped for Dr Bronner’s Soap at the charming little Astoria Co-op.

If you bring a bag, the co op gives one nickel to local causes of your choice.

A shopping for big items at Costco resulted in a bulb purchase.

because we are still a gardening blog, most of the time

Then back across the Columbia River to home.

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