Belle France

Just back from a wonderful trip to the Beaujolais Region, Southern Burgundy and Provençe, France.  Lots of sketching.  These are a few of my favorites, starting with hubby's luggage packed 5 days early!  Then to the long flight on Icelandair with a quick plane change in Reykjavik before heading to Paris. 

Loved sketching the vintage Citroen and several French delights such as white asparugus!  Then on to our gite in St. Saturnin-lès-Apt from which we spent 6 glorious sunny days travelling to nearby villages, taking in an antique fair and pottery market, and just loving life in the French countryside!
 


The Long Flight

 

 

 So Delightfully French

 

Our Gite in Provençe

En Visite en France

Next week we leave for a long-planned trip to Southern Burgundy, the lower Rhône Valley and Provence.  Getting my sketching gear together, I just couldn't resist sketching our itinerary and of course with a map!!  À Bientôt.

Mid-Winter Sketching in the Desert

As luck would have it, I was in Arizona for work and family visit the whole week Puget Sound got walloped with snow.  Here are travel sketches from Wickenburg and Scottsdale. 



Seen around Wickenburg, AZ



Smokey's cowboy boots.  Saguaro against background of the blanket on my bed.



Cactus downtown Wickenburg.  Our Lady of Guadalupe from blanket pattern.

Watercolor Saguaro



Saguaro skeleton at The Saguaro Hotel in Scottsdale.

Winthrop and the Methow Valley

My birthday usually falls at the peak of fall foliage season. This year we headed for the Methow Valley for my birthday getaway to find some fall color and sunshine. It was our first family trip with Duncan, the dog, and we found a cabin on the Methow River that was perfect for us. Duncan did great.

I only had one day of sketching, but could have used several more. I was uber-inspired by everything around me. Everything on the other side of the mountains is just breathtaking this month. And Winthrop is so kitschy. I'm inspired to organize a sketchers' retreat in the Methow Valley next October as soon as the shoulder season rates go into effect. 5 nights, 4 days. Seriously.

The Methow River, right behind our cabin

Pearrygin Lake State Park

Sherry's Sweet Shop

Shafer Museum

Old Schoolhouse Brewery

For those of you who just can't get enough of my birthday (I'm milking it for all it's worth this year), Dan posted some photos of our trip on his facebook page.  http://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set=a.304971256186811.91835.100000218183963&type=1

Sketching on an OTHER ISLAND

In the middle of TWO GLORIOUS WEEKS on Beaver Island in the middle of Lake Michigan. Sketching the houses, the harbor and anything I can see!

Here is the "Wendy Ann" in Paradise Bay Harbor at the Beaver Island Marina. In the background, across the Bay, the CMU Boathouse.

 

Quintessential Beaver Island!  Along the main street, across the street from the harbor, the lilies, daisies, lavender and bright flags of Dalwhinnie's Deli and Bakery.