Oregon and OPB (Oregon Public Broadcasting) - Part Two

 My father ran a free library as a youth. So we had lots of book on American and Russian history. All the books were translated in Tamil. It was thru my father library books, I learnt about Rasputin (it had couple of illustration of  half naked Russian women .So I never read that book in front my dad) . BTW, do you guys remember this famous BoneyM number Rasputin. We had a good collection of Boney M and Abba tapes when we bought our first tape recorder  in 19 78 or 1979.

We had this huge book titled “Origone Vazhi Pathai”  (Oregon Trail).  I read every book from my father’s library during summer holidays especially during my elementary years. Never in a million years, had I imagined that Portland, Oregon will become my home away from home. When we moved to Portland, Oregon, I read many books on Oregon Trail and visited Oregon Trail Interpretive center in Baker city, Oregon.

 I read about Lewis and Clark expedition and about the famous Native Indian woman named Sacagawea. When we see this famous landmark Beacon rock on Columbia River, I recollect Lewis and Clark passage thru this rock in 1805. Last week OPB aired very interesting documentary “spirit of sacagawea” . This film gave a fresh view on Sacagawea’s life as young girl accompanying Lewis and Clark thru the eyes of Native American people.

I read this book Columbia River Basketry: Gift of the Ancestors, Gift of the Earth by Mary Dodds Schlick in 1999 . Few years back Art Beat aired program on Mary Dodds Schlick. I wish to meet her in person someday.

OPB aired program on Samuel Hill (1857–1931), founder of Maryhill Museum of Art, and the man responsible for constructing the historic Maryhill Loops Road(http://www.maryhillmuseum.org/loops.html). The first macadam asphalt-paved road in the Pacific Northwest was constructed in 1909- 1913. Every time we plan to visit this museum something else would come up. This July 4^th weekend we were all set to start only to find that our new spanking Garmin GPS was missing. Later on (after a month or so) I realized that I kept the GPS on one of the decorative bowls along with other ceramic wares bound for Good will store this summer.  I think that CB’s christmas present was meant to be donated to Good will store : ).

Thanks to OPB I am learning lot about the my city Portland, oregon, My home sweet home. When you guys get time  check out OPB archives thru these two links.

http://watch.opb.org/

http://watch.opb.org/morevideos.html