This week in The Pearl – actually La Conner


We did spend the weekend in The Pearl. The cold weather made the warmth of the Mediterranean sound so inviting. For Sunday lunch I took inspiration from the roulade I did for Thanksgiving. We had a lone chicken breast in the freezer so I used gruyere, and spinach for a filling and did another roulade…

The Travelsketcher’s Tuesday – Reviewing a pen


Last week I was contacted by Alizza, from Ellington Pens. She had read my post about traveling with pens and she wanted to know if I would be interested in reviewing one of their fountain pens. If you follow this blog you know there is no way I would say no to a free pen….

This week in The Pearl – Central Oregon II


Last week we continued exploring the John Day Fossil Beds. These fossil beds have had a place in my memory since I was a child. I read and re-read The Shy Stegosaurus of Cricket Creek by Evelyn Sibly Lampman when I was still in grade school. It was a story about a couple of children…

This week in The Pearl – Colorado


This last week we were in Colorado, not at home in The Pearl. Our friends, Lisa and Tim, invited us to join them on a trip to Glenwood Springs. The objective of the trip was so Lisa could put her parents ashes to rest at the top of the Aspen ski run, a place they…

TheTravelsketcher’s Tuesday Tip – August 26, 2025


If your sketches are looking flat the dark areas are probably too light; the dark areas give depth and interest, don’t be afraid of them. I am revisiting the issue of getting the dark areas right. In other posts I have revealed that for most of my art life I was afraid of getting the…