We had a good week, for some reason not a lot of photos, nor chances to do a lot of art. Friday, needing a bit of a balm, which for us is usually found together at a table, we went back to WildFin in Vancouver. Tricia had the Parmesan Encrusted Sole, I had the grilled trout. It was a sunny day and the river flowing by contributed to our peace.
Sunday we spent the afternoon with Tim and Lisa on their patio. We had some great pizza and a bit of music – good to spend time with them just days before Tim was scheduled to have ankle surgery, which by the way has gone quite well.
We cooked: Tricia made celeriac cakes, I did seafood St. Jacque, then paninis on Wednesday.
Last Saturday we went to the ICE facility in Portland to see what this “war torn” part of Portland looked like.
Pretty scary huh? Now, yes, it was in the morning, and more crowds came at night. Tricia even got to talk to one of the protesters whose photo was on Stephen Colbert, everyone was peaceful and calm.
These are hard times, not because Portland is a “war torn hell” as the President claims, but because it is not that at all. People here are enjoying the sunny fall days, Sunday is the Portland Marathon which will go just a couple of blocks from where we live, and people are happy.
We of course frequently watch the British show “A Place in the Sun”, and I do tend to sketch people and places while watching. From an art point of view it is good for me because I have to be quick as the images change, but it is fun.
Rod McKuen wrote years ago, in one of my favorite poems of all time, “You have to make the good times yourself/ and save them for the times that are not so good.” For us food, friends, travel, and of course our art is where we make the good times. What works for you?
As always, thank you for the part you play in my life just by reading this and commenting, it is nice to have friends around the world. I hope you are finding joy, eating with friends, and capturing moments in color and sketches.
theTravelsketcher 
I was thinking of you two when I heard the news. Hope it stays peaceful when the reserve/army fill the streets. Maggie
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Thanks, it is quite upsetting.
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I heard about the ICE facility in Portland this week, and I’m glad to hear you’re doing okay in the city. These times are precarious, but at the same time, there are still beautiful moments to look forward to, such as the fall season and good TV shows. Have a good weekend, and stay safe!
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That is what we try to do, most days it works, sometimes it is hard.
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I was thinking about you when I heard about Portland in the news. With family in the US, I do worry. Anyway, your post is a delight as usual. What makes good times? Definitely food, good conversation and blue skies and sunshine.
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I think through most of history people have had to find ways of getting through bad times, maybe our resilience is one of the most important traits we have as humans.
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Very true.
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Glad to hear that Portland not as described by you know who!
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So are we! Yes there is sometimes a bit of confrontation near the ICE building, but it is just a one block or so area, not the whole town.
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Rod McKuen—I haven’t heard that name for YEARS! I’d forgotten how meaningful so many of his comments were. Thanks for taking me back to my college days! Poor war torn Portland; looks real scary….(not). CRAZY situation. I have to stop for lunch now because the discussion of food and the photo has made me hungry. (And I have no idea what a celeriac cake is….but if Tricia made it it’s probably fantastic (although I’m still not so sure about her love for cauliflower…)
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Yet those college day, at least for me, were pretty similar to today. I am reading Robert Reich’s new book and just went through a section about 1968, it was pretty bad.
Celeriac is the root of the celery plant, looks pretty ugly but when grated and mixed with all the goodies Tricia puts in it is so good, almost as good as cauliflower.
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Food, travel and being together is what works for us. 😊 It’s unbelievable what’s happening in your country. I didn’t think such a thing would ever happen.
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Neither did I, yet reflecting on the lat 60s, early 70s, I am reminded that we survived, hoping for a repeat of that.
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Yes, you went through a difficult period then, too.
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Well I still think it was worse in the US then than now, but we are catching up.
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I hope so, too.
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Clarification: I mean that I hope the current situation never becomes as bad as it did in the 60s-70s.
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I got that, thanks for your support
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Thanks for the ‘on the spot’ update, Terry. Stay safe.
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As it works out I am going with Tricia to the Rally, I will be safe, and try sketching if things permit it.
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