Lessons from the Pacific Northwest

Heya,

As promised, I’d like to share some fun pictures with you that I took during my writer’s retreat in the Portland and Seattle metropolitan areas. I got a lot of fiction writing done, cleared my head, enjoyed delicious doughnuts, snapped a ton of references for watercolor, had AMAZEBALLS bao, and met some cool people…and goats. Did I mention the goats? Yep, goats. To wrap up the literary portion of my retreat, I dropped by the BIPOC Book Fair sponsored by the Carl Brandon Society. Not only did I get the opportunity to buy a couple of wonderful books, I also met MOAR cool people, too.

Being out and about in that green area was interesting, because there’s some things Portland folks (KEEP PORTLAND WEIRD, Y’ALL) do very differently than other metro area. They’re big on thrifting and sharing secondhand items, have tons of vegan options—including a dairy-free creamery—screams: “Yes, because 60% of the population is lactose-intolerant ZOMG!”—and allow small farm animals, like chickens, goats, etc. in yards. Portland is also the city of roses; the roses that were deadheaded didn’t bloom quite yet, but I suspect they’ll be gorgeous. If you’re on that side of the country, or have the resources to escape, schedule a trip to Washington Park in a week or two, and enjoy the blooms.

I only spent a few days in Seattle with loved ones and had to navigate the weather a bit, so I don’t have a ton of pics. I do, however, want to give a shout-out to Reckless Noodles. If you enjoy spice and craft cocktails, like my favorite The Aviation, it’s absolutely worth the trip.

With that in mind, enjoy these blooming pictures. I hope you’re faring well, and can’t wait to share June’s journalling prompts with you!