Those of us who live in a certain neighborhood of the Lincoln district know that for one month every year we won't have to worry about turning on our porch lights. If the street lamps should fail, well, that's not really of any concern. Say the moon itself were to pop out of the sky and go flying into space. No big deal. Because for a glorious 30 days every winter, we're able to bask in the glow of a house lit bright enough to make artificial sunshine. A sight so startling, it causes commuters to back up traffic as they sit in their cars and gape.

It wasn't always that way. A few years back, the charming old couple who lives in the place started to put out a few lights to decorate their home. The next year they added a few more, and the year after that -- again -- some more. At some point, however, they seem to have developed a kind of high tolerance for luminescence. And when that happened, the floodgates were open. What you see in these photos is the early December version of what, by Christmas day, will be a kind of multi-colored solar flare emanating from the front yard of their home.

It can really be a beautiful thing to behold, as anyone who sees it for the first time can tell you. And those of us who live here have accepted with pride this red and gold meteor which appears in our midst during every gloomy Northwest December.

Can you blame us? We may be the only block on earth entirely visible from space.

#localgem

Central Park Vacations

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Where to stay in Central Park

Downtown Portland - South Waterfront showing picnicing, boating and a bay or harbor

Explore the Portland Art Museum, Oregon Historical Society, and Tom McCall Waterfront Park in this central business district with high-rise buildings. Enjoy walkable streets, and easily access public transportation like MAX light rail and Portland Streetcar.

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Portland which includes a garden and landscape views as well as a couple

3 out of top 10 points of interest in this area

Downtown Portland boasts cultural, educational, and retail hotspots, with attractions like Tom McCall Waterfront Park, Portland Art Museum, and Pioneer Place mall. Enjoy pedestrian-friendly streets and unique residential areas in Southwest Portland.

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2 out of top 10 points of interest in this area

Inner Northeast Portland boasts shopping areas like Lloyd District and Alberta Arts District, while the area near Burnside Bridge offers a lively nightlife with bars such as The Chesterfield and music venues like The Doug Fir Lounge.

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Stretching from the Willamette River to Gresham, Southeast Portland boasts the scenic Mt. Tabor Park and the quirky Hawthorne district with its subculturally oriented shops. Don't miss exploring Reed College campus!

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Pearl District which includes outdoor art

Discover art galleries like Elizabeth Leach Gallery, dine at diverse restaurants, and unwind in public plazas such as Jamison Square. Easily navigate with the Portland Streetcar and explore nearby iconic Powell's City of Books.

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