We continue to just enjoy life in The Pearl. What we like about it here are the small similarities it has with Paris. Our streets are like cobblestone, actually basalt stones once used as ballast in sailing ships. The streets are tree lined, parks, and shops and restaurants are easy walks. There is even Powell’s just a few blocks away, Portland’s answer to Shakespeare and Company in Paris.

On any walk we are quickly reminded though that we are not in Paris. The homeless problem is something that is rare in France, they have healthcare and support systems for folks in need so it is not nearly as prevalent as here. It does not feel as safe here as it did in any city we have been to in Europe, in Paris at midnight we never worried much, we would not feel the same here.

Yet we are enjoying the neighborhood, and with no travel plans for a couple of months we walk and take it all in. Jake’s Famous Crawfish, a Portland icon, has become our go to place. We love the streetcar just a block away for trips to the city center.

Sunday lunch last week we had one of our go to entrées, polenta fries. For our mains we had grilled salmon and hasselback potatoes. Tricia got the idea for the potatoes from Barbara and Thistles and Kiwis; thanks Barbara!

Art of late has been sketches in my carnet de croquis et de refléxions – journal of sketches and thoughts. This is a place to write down ideas, a quote from something I am reading, or odds-and-end sketches. Graphite works so well for this kind of sketching, especially 5.6mm leads; pretty hard to get to caught up in any minute detail. If I was to do workshops for those who say they are not artistic I would consider using this kind of graphite to teach about looking at shapes instead of lines.

I found some Sanguine leads in an oil medium, great for sketching, and because of the oil base they do not smear like sanguine pastel or chalk; enjoying them so far.

Here are a few pages from my croquis et réflexion:

In December I started driving for Lyft, three mornings per week. I head out at around 6.00am and drive for a few hours. Tricia is not as much of an early bird as I am so it works out quite well. I get a chance to chat with a lot of nice folks, usually on their way to work at that hour. Since I love to drive it is really not at all like work, and the earnings help support our dining habit.

I hope your week is going well and that you have a chance to spend time with friends this weekend. Maybe even start your own carnet de croquis et de réflexion? Try using a pencil to capture a moment, a flower, your coffee cup, etc…

Thanks as always. Spring is coming, I am starting a painting of crocus flowers, my spring favorites.