Sharing photos and stories from my travels.
The Portland Japanese Garden located in Washington Park, is a gorgeous 12.5 acre (5.1 hectare) expanse that opened to the public in 1967. The garden was envisioned by civic leaders, including Mayor Terry Schrunk, in the late 1950s to help repair post WWII relations. It includes some of the traditional elements of Japanese gardens including... Continue Reading →
Spring is the perfect time of year to visit Crystal Springs Rhododendron Gardens located in the Eastmoreland neighborhood of Portland. This beautiful, 9 acre (3.8 hectare) botanical garden is currently bursting with rhododendron and azalea blossoms in a variety of brilliant colors. What started as a rhododendron test garden in 1950, has grown substantially over... Continue Reading →
Last Saturday, March 28, 2026 was the third No Kings protest here in the US which drew millions of citizens from across the country, and others in countries around the globe. In fact, there was even a small rally in Antarctica, meaning that there were protests on every continent around the globe. Click here to... Continue Reading →
Lan Su Chinese Garden, aka the Garden of Awakening Orchids, is a glorious, walled garden in Portland’s Chinatown neighborhood. It encompasses one full city block and was inspired by the gardens of Portland’s sister city, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China. Kuang Zhen designed the garden with the help of 65 artisans from Suzhou. Five hundred tons... Continue Reading →
Elk Rock Gardens of the Bishop's Close, dates back to the early 1900s and is one of the oldest gardens in Oregon. Established by Scottish immigrant, Peter Kerr, this 10 acre (4 hectare) garden is perched on the cliffs high above the Willamette River. Kerr was an avid gardener and spent many decades tending to... Continue Reading →
Do thank you notes really matter in this day of instant messaging, texts and emails? Is a quick text with a thumbs up, 👍🏼 or “TY” rather than a hand written note, a sufficient way to respond to a gift, a dinner party or a job interview? There was a time when a hand written... Continue Reading →
As I’ve mentioned before, theTravelsletcher and I enjoy taking walks, in our neighborhood, in a park, garden or forest, and in wetlands and nature preserves. On our recent trip to Central Oregon, we found several interesting and beautiful places to enjoy some rambles. The first one, Sisters’ Nature Preserve, is just outside the historic town... Continue Reading →
As mentioned in previous posts, Oregon has seven wonders, six of which I have already covered. Click here if you’re interested in seeing the posts. The Wallowa Mountains, sometimes referred to as the ‘Alps of Oregon’ are the seventh wonder. Original art by theTravelsketcher. Travel Oregon Images Travel Oregon Images Located in the far eastern... Continue Reading →
Le Pigeon is a French bistro located in Portland that has a earned quite an impressive reputation since opening in 2006. At that time, Chef Gabriel Rucker was just 25 years old and has since earned two James Beard Awards. Interestingly, he dropped out of a two year culinary program at Santa Rosa Community College... Continue Reading →
Travels Through My Lens 