Street roots., April 07, 2017, Page 6, Image 6

Vendors
Page 6
Detached
experiences he feels privileged to have had
throughout his childhood and adult years.
“It’s beautiful here,” he said. “There’s no
getting away from it.”
Kevin talked about going to summer
camp near Mount St. Helens, “the most
BY M EGHANN VA N PELT
beautiful place on Earth,” and hiking and
S TA FF W R IT E R
camping outside of the city. He has a
genuine curiosity for the natural beauty of
n a city ever growing with transplants,
the city and the taken-for-granted
Kevin is a proud Portland native who
wilderness we are surrounded by in
does not mind the changing pace of his
Portland. This love of the
hometown. But he remembers days past of
outdoors, along with his
a different city than the one we see now.
embrace of Eastern
“I could tell you about Portland before
religions, has made its
the light rail. Different things have
way into Kevin’s calm,
changed, like the Saturday Market; it
peaceful demeanor.
used to have a bohemian atmosphere,”
“I try to practice
he said. “A lot of things I’ve grown up
peace and meditation.
with have evaporated. Now
It has really helped
everything is kind of mechanical;
me in
you jump on a train and then get
communicating with
off, like a potato head.”
people. When I
Kevin grew up near the Lloyd -
sleep, I go into
Center. He says he kept himself
horizontal
busy. “I used to get around
like the Beach Boys song.”
And got around he
has. Kevin was
eager to talk
about the
beauty of the
Pacific
Northwest
and
VENDOR PROFILE
by Ron Sanford
Wondrous nature churning outward
Waves of beauty land on my face
Oblivious to the outcome
I find myself detached from the race
No hurries, no worries, I’m lost in space
Peace in my mind, living outdoors
You know even God has to rest
I am one with the rays from the sun
I am refreshed then I return
On an endless cycle of laws
Leave all the numbers above
Whatever names are called it shall be
Answers to Page 15 Puzzles
Kevin
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Street Roots • April 7-13, 2017
meditation,” he said with a laugh.
Kevin found out about Street Roots
through another vendor while spending
time at Operation Nightwatch. He has been
selling the newspaper for the past two
years.
“I’ve had my good jobs, and I’ve had my
bad jobs,” he said. “Street Roots has been a
really good experience for me. I’m glad I
got involved.”
Kevin redirected a string of questions to
enthusiastically mention his current passion
of birdwatching.
“I’ve been watching for about four years,
and I am still learning,” he said. Going up to
Sauvie Island with the Audubon Society,
Kevin recalled, they once saw around 35
species of birds on the trip, his favorite
being the birds of prey.
“I like anything from the bald eagle to the
red-tailed hawk,” he said.
Kevin typically sells Street Roots outside
of the QFC in Westmoreland and, with its
proximity to Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge,
has a prime viewing spot for birds that fly
overhead. Sometimes he has binoculars in
hand. When I asked him any advice for
novice birdwatchers, Kevin’s reply, other
than to look out for the ospreys returning in
late spring, was, “Just let it happen.” Fitting
advice coming from someone who says he is
Taking life just one day at a time.”
by Elizabeth Considine