While perousing the musings of a fellow blogger I came across this post called “The Weather Machine”  by A Nudibrach.  She writes about her experience with this statue that she has walked by perhaps a hundred times before. But on this particular day a strange transformation takes place as she witnesses a crowd of people rushing out to witness this magical machine come to life.

Her writing is luminescent. Her choice of words, delicate and descriptive. Being still a stranger of her city of choice, I am unaware that this “Pioneer Square”  is an actual place. This vivid description of this statue at first appears to be simply a glorius figment of her imagination. But, behold!  this fairy tale story is, indeed, real.

And where, oh where, might one find this awesomeness. Well, PORTLAND, ofcourse.

The Weather Machine, a 33-foot-tall (10 m) metal column topped with a large silver-colored orb, was constructed and installed in 1988 by Omen Design Group Inc.  It broke shortly after. Now fully restored, at noon each day the following day’s weather is announced with a fanfare of trumpets, flashing lights, and a spray of mist. The orb opens to reveal one of the following: a golden leaf sun, for a clear day; a silver great blue heron, to forecast a drizzly, misty, or overcast day; and an open-mouthed copper dragon, when storms are forecast. Light bulbs on the side of the machine are reminiscent of a mercury thermometer and light up progressively as the temperature increases.

 Far out!!

Check out A Nudibranch’s experience with The Weather Machine here.  Click  here to check out some video of it in action. Skip ahead to the second minute of the video if you are as impatient as I am. 

– xoxo travelerette