Bus Stop, Wet Day

...she's there, I say
Please share my umbrella

-- "Bus Stop," The Hollies, 1966

How can 1966, which I remember well, be 46 years ago?

I could sing along with this song right now and remember most of the words and harmonies, but don't ask me what my password is for Blipfoto or Paypay or Flickr or my health insurance or Amtrak or any of the myriad other things that require passwords.

This bus stop abuts the Community Food Co-op parking lot. I'm noticing bus stops more after our week in Portland, where we rode buses every day. If we lived in downtown Bellingham, we could catch buses every 15 or 20 minutes, as we did in Portland. That's a lot more convenient than the hourly bus out where we live, which is why we don't often travel by bus.

Tomorrow is the deadline for the annual "Essence of Bellingham" photo contest, sponsored by the City of Bellingham and Whatcom Museum, so today I've been finalizing my five entries. The judges are looking beyond the usual criteria and seeking photos that exemplify the legacies and strategic commitments that the Bellingham City Council wants to promote and preserve:
(1) clean, safe drinking water
(2) a healthy environment
(3) a vibrant, sustainable environment
(4) a sense of place
(5) a safe and prepared community
(6) mobility and connectivity options
(7) access to quality of life amenities
(8) quality, responsive city services
(9) equity and social justice

I've enjoyed looking back through my blips and other photos, and have chosen, in addition to the photo above, one of my all-time favorites of Zuanich Point Park, a somewhat abstract Fairhaven Library photo, one of several pictures I've taken at Lake Padden Park, and a well-received Marine Park shot.

Wish me luck!