We are so blessed to have friends and family, food, and a wonderful part of the world to live in. In anticipation of our friends Tim & Lisa coming over for Sunday lunch we spent Saturday doing some cleaning and food prep. Tricia did a repeat performance of her gratin de courgettes, I made a blueberry and cream cheese cake.
Can you guess where my motivation for all the baking of late has come from?
Procreate, the app that I use on my iPad for sketching and painting, came out with a major upgrade, a lot of changes, most I am figuring out just fine. There are a lot of new brushes so I did a painting in oil painting style to try some of the new brushes.
Wednesday we went to Raptor Ridge Winery, our new favorite spot in the Yamhill part of our world. We hung out on the deck, we had a charcuterie plate for lunch while I painted and Tricia took photos. We could see Ponzi Vineyards across the valley, there was a time, before they got so large and commercial, that it was our favorite, now we prefer to see it from afar. Yet it did make for a good plein air painting.
We continue to watch the UK show, A Place in the Sun. Recently we saw episodes of the area in Normandie that we lived in. This one though was Laura showing properties in Cyprus.
Yesterday, inspired by David Hockney, I painted this.
It was a good week, as most are. Art, food, and friends are the best antidote for the unsettled state of our country and the world. Laisse pas les rabat-joie t’abattre — mange, voyage, respire. (I will let you test out your French, or use your translator for this one.)
Have a good week, if you missed my Tuesday Tip check it out and give it a try. Thank so much for following it means so much.
theTravelsketcher 
I love the picture of Neville looking for mice. The cake does look very good.
I have found my little box of paints and must do my squares this weekend….
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Yay! Thanks so much.
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I’ll bet that, where you lived in France, was a GREAT place for catching mice.
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Oh it was, he thought it was heaven.
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Sounds like a pleasant week spent! Likewise, my partner and I are watching the new season of GBBO, and it’s been a lot of fun– watching bakers make delicious goods is inspiring me to get back into the kitchen to bake! Your blueberry and cream cheese cake looks divine– I’d happily try a slice! Have a great weekend and last of September ahead 🙂
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Wish I still had a piece left for you, it went fast. Thanks so much,
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That blueberry and cream cheese cake looks delicious. Beautiful paintings as well.
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Thanks, it did turn out well, will have to do it again.
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Thanks.
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And from Oz….Don’t let the emus kick your dunny down.
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Good one.
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