Drawn the Road Again

Category: Before & After

  • From a certain angle

    From a certain angle

    Lime Kiln Point is one of Washington’s best state parks. For one thing, it’s on my favorite island (and since I love all of Washington’s islands with a mad passion, that’s saying something). For another, it’s got a great lighthouse—which is something for which I’ll always come running. Best of all, if you happen to…

  • Eastern terminus

    Eastern terminus

    This post is part of an ongoing series called 66 Fridays, which explores the wonders of old Route 66. Click on the preceding “66 Fridays” link to view all posts in the series, or visit the initial overview post here. To help you keep your bearings in this 66 Fridays series, and to provide an…

  • Through the rear-view mirror

    Through the rear-view mirror

    Since the year is about to end, I figured it was the perfect time to look back and see how far I’ve come this year. I did all my traveling in the first two-thirds of the year (the last third saw me stuck in the studio and chained to big projects and their deadlines, hence…

  • Red and green

    Red and green

    If you find yourself in a New Mexico restaurant, your server will ask you if you want red or green chili sauce with your entrée. If you happen to want both, you can answer “Christmas,” and they’ll know what you mean. Well, I didn’t happen to have a sketch of “Christmas” on a plate, but…

  • Like peas n’ carrots

    Like peas n’ carrots

    The air has gone from crisp to cold. The leaves are thinning on the trees. And apparently half the vegetables in Washington are currently in our root cellar. I think that means it’s November. We’ve already dipped into the pumpkins for tomorrow’s festivities—and if you find yourself in the States at the moment, here’s wishing…

  • Sturdy Gertie

    Sturdy Gertie

    Seventy-five years ago today, the original Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapsed in a spectacular tangle of twisted cables and swaying concrete. You can actually watch “Galloping Gertie” meet her doom on film (complete with cheeseball movie reel narration, sped-up footage and sound effects), readily accessible thanks to the magic of the internet. The only casualty was…

  • Pillar of the community

    Pillar of the community

    This is the nineteenth installment of my Mission Mondays series, exploring all 21 Spanish Missions along the California coast. You can read more about this series, and see a sketch map of all the missions, at this post. Mission San Francisco de Asís (or Mission Dolores, if you prefer the nickname) is the centerpiece and…

  • Campus mission

    Campus mission

    This is the seventeenth installment of my Mission Mondays series, exploring all 21 Spanish Missions along the California coast. You can read more about this series, and see a sketch map of all the missions, at this post. Like its neighbor in Santa Cruz, Mission Santa Clara de Asís is one of those missions that’s…

  • Model mission

    Model mission

    This is the sixteenth installment of my Mission Mondays series, exploring all 21 Spanish Missions along the California coast. You can read more about this series, and see a sketch map of all the missions, at this post. After the splendor of Carmel and San Juan Bautista, I have to admit that Mission Santa Cruz…

  • If these walls could talk

    If these walls could talk

    This is the fifteenth installment of my Mission Mondays series, exploring all 21 Spanish Missions along the California coast. You can read more about this series, and see a sketch map of all the missions, at this post. San Juan Bautista was the first mission I ever visited, more than two years ago now. It’s…