April gave us one of those wonderful weeks of sun that lulls you into thinking that the gray and rain is done, so it was a brilliant week, yet my weather apps are telling me that there is still some clouds coming in. For those not familiar with our weather here, it does not rain everyday of the year, in fact from about the end of June all the way through most of September it is not uncommon to have no rain at all. We tell you all it rains all the time to keep away the crowds.

The Trust For Public Lands Park Score Index ranks Portland, Oregon as 9th among the top 100 most populous cities in the US for its number and quality of parks. Friday we visited one of the best, the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Test Gardens in Southeast Portland. Tricia will be posting photos and info today so check it out.

When we got home I baked Italian almond-orange cookies. These look and taste amazing, yet they are quite easy to make.

We of course are finishing-up our planning for Europe in just a month, so I was listening to a playlist of travel songs and Jimmy Buffett’s “A Frenchman for the Night” came up, triggering an idea for a painting.

On Tuesday Tricia was at her bookclub, so I went exploring. There is a place not too far away called “The Life of Riley,” a bit of a dive bar that I have planned on checking out. The sun was shining, the trees have new leaves, a nice time for a graphite, ink, and marker sketch.

Another of Portland’s best gardens is the Japanese Garden at Washington Park. After a bit of exploring with Tricia I settled in next to the pond for a sketch.

When we got home I made a birthday card for our Japanese daughter. When Alexis was in High School we hosted a Japanese girl that we so connected with. Now she is a wonderful mother of two, married to a great guy, and we still stay in touch, even visiting them in Japan, and she came for Alexis and Joe’s wedding. Like our daughter, we are so proud of the women they have become.

Note: Making your own greeting cards, and postcards is not only easy and fun, it is a lot less expensive. I plan to give a couple ideas next Tuesday for those who say they are not artistic. A handmade card makes it more special.

Monday we walked by a new restuarant, it was its opening day. Thursday we went there for happy hour. It is Hearth & Vine, located in the old Wienhard Brewery building. What an amazing place.

The service, ambience, and food make it at the top of our list in the area that is for sure. We had the hot wings cauliflower, garlic knots, and shrimp in butter and garlic.

Over the last few months we have seen signs of The Pearl bouncing back from the damage that the pandemic rendered. A new, top-of-the-line, food and wine establishment adds to the growth. We will be regulars.

I hope your week has been a good one, that even in the midst of life you found some joy and peace. Spring is here, grab a sketchbook and capture some moments. For those who struggle, go back to a few of my posts about sketching for the beginner and give it a try, download my free PDF book, and even send me a message if you want help or inspiration.

Thanks as always for following.