TheTravelsketcher’s Tuesday – Crowds in Prague


As I contemplated writing this I acknowledged that some, many, will take issue with my thoughts, I am fine with that since they are just mine. We are in Prague, I am sitting at a cafe in Old Town Square getting ready to sketch the building that holds the famous Astronomical Clock, it draws a…

This week in the Pearl – March 27, 2026


We stayed pretty close to home this week but still a few highlights stand out – especially with food and people. Saturday morning we had a WhatsApp video chat with Shirley and Jim, our friends and former neighbors in Mukilteo, who now live in Paris. Though technology can be a pain, we are thankful for…

This week in The Pearl – January 30, 2026


We started last weekend with a birthday party for Tricia. We had some friends and family over and called it a BYOHH party (Bring Your Own Happy Hour). Lots of good food, conversation, music, and I even got to dance with Alexis. Our dance floor is pretty small! On Sunday Tricia made crispy Parmesan rounds…

This week in The Pearl – April 16, 2025


One of the reasons we chose The Pearl district of Portland is that it does have a bit of a Parisian ambience. Here is my view as I write. A cobble stone – technically basalt stones that were originally used as ballast on ships – tree-lined streets, bicycles, people walking, and sitting outside at a…

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…