It has been an eventful week with visitors from the US, a trip to Caen to finalize our long-term stay visas, a jammed door, a backyard jam session, a thunderstorm, climbing around Roman ruins, a road trip to the Loire Valley, and loads of fun; whew! It started with the arrival of our dear friends,... Continue Reading →
Sonoma County Wine Tasting
Until COVID put a stop to travel, theTravelsketcher and I would take a yearly trip to Sonoma County to collect wine. We did a lot of entertaining (again, pre-COVID) and enjoyed finding new and interesting wines to share with our guests. We missed our trips to Sonoma during the pandemic, so we were really happy... Continue Reading →
I Left My Passport in San Francisco
Last week, theTravelSketcher and I flew to San Francisco to submit applications to the French Embassy for long term stay visas. This has been a dream of ours for a long time; and those of you who are regular followers of our blogs know that we had intended to be settled in France by July... Continue Reading →
Travel Highlights of 2021
I’m so thankful for the vaccine which has allowed a little normalcy back into our lives. We were fully vaccinated by early April, and as a result, theTravelsketcher and I have taken a good number of trips this past year. Our first adventure was in April when we went to Eastern Washington to do some... Continue Reading →
The Medieval City of Avignon, France
A visit to Avignon is a must for any trip to Provence. It is an ancient, walled city surrounded by medieval stone ramparts, situated by the Rhone River. Once inside, you will find narrow passageways, charming town squares, the famous Palais des Papes, and Pont d’Avignon, along with many other interesting sites. Rooftops of Avignon... Continue Reading →
Tipsy Baked Mussels on the Half Shell
The Pacific Northwest is seafood heaven with a dazzling variety of options, availability and creative methods of preparation. Over the years, I have enjoyed cooking with shellfish and have tried many different techniques. I developed this recipe after finding some inspiration online (thanks to the hundreds of recipes available for stuffed mussels). This delicious dish... Continue Reading →
Orcas Island, WA
The San Juan Islands, located in the Salish Sea in the northwestern part of Washington State, are an ideal get away for anyone looking for a place to enjoy the outdoors. This archipelago consists of over 400 islands with San Juan, Orcas and Lopez being the largest in the chain. The islands offer a wide... Continue Reading →
On the Road Again – Wine Tasting!
Have vaccine will travel! And that’s exactly what we did last weekend; our first trip in way too many months. It was so great to be on the road again. It was drizzling in the Seattle area as we left town, but by the time we were over Snoqualmie Pass, the sun was shining and... Continue Reading →
Travel Photos of Florence, Italy
Located in the heart of Tuscany, Florence has been a popular tourist destination for many centuries. It is the birthplace of Leonardo Da Vinci, Florence Nightingale and is considered to be the home of the Renaissance. According to UNESCO, close to one-third of the world's art treasures are found in Florence. And of course, the... Continue Reading →