TheTravelsketcher’s Tuesday Tip – Maybe I need the tip?


Aficionado – love and knowledge Collector – Ownership and curation When it comes to writing instruments I am an aficionado, not a collector, and therein is the dilemma. Here I am on the deck at The Inn at Otter Crest with my normal appurtenances – monocular for spotting ships and whales, a pint of stout,…

This week in The Pearl – April 3, 2025


We have had a good week in spite of all the negative news going on. We often watch the late night talk show monologues on YouTube since we don’t have live news. “A spoonful of humor helps the yuck go down.” (Apologies to Julie Andrew’s.) This morning I woke up thinking about the tranquility of…

This week in The Pearl – spring is coming


The buds on the trees right outside our fourth floor window are growing every day, new leaves cannot be far away. Last Saturday was such a good day. We visited Adam in the morning, then a quick stop at New Seasons to pick up the fixings for Sunday lunch – large portobello mushrooms and Yukon…

TheTravelsketcher’s Tuesday Tip


Try painting the darks first. Traditional watercolor practice is to work from light to dark, which makes sense since watercolor is transparent so the dark colors cover light colors. Oil, gouache, and acrylic painters often, usually, start with the darkest areas first, then they lighten as needed. Try breaking the watercolor rule and painting the…