Stories
Stories about dogs
Blame it on Beatrix Potter - Members of my family dress up their pets.
Another Thing About Bill - Bill steals my pets.
Leo, The Occasionally Good Dog - Meet my dog Leo.
One Time When Leo Was Good - I feed compelled to defend Leo's honor.
Biker Bob Goes for a Walk - Biker Bob helps me walk the dogs.
Biker Bob Goes for a Walk - Biker Bob helps me walk the dogs.
Seals Aren't Smarter Than Leo - Leo is a smart dog, apparently.
Rosie and the Bear - Rosie protects me from a bear, sort of.
Ways to say "Leo," Part 1: Reading the Menu - Short animated cartoon about the Occasionally Good Dog.
Another Way to Say Leo - Short animated cartoon about you-know-who.
Ways to say "Leo" - The Drive-by - Another animated cartoon about Leo.
Rosie and the Bear - Rosie protects me from a bear, sort of.
Ways to say "Leo," Part 1: Reading the Menu - Short animated cartoon about the Occasionally Good Dog.
Another Way to Say Leo - Short animated cartoon about you-know-who.
Ways to say "Leo" - The Drive-by - Another animated cartoon about Leo.
Stories about birds and other wildlife
The Yard Robin Liked Me Better - Finally, a pet that Bill isn't able to steal.
May is "Garden for Wildlife" Month - How Bill and I set up a wildlife habitat.
Rosie and the Bear - Rosie protects me from a bear, sort of.
The Last Great Ladybug Eviction - I have to throw the ladybugs out of the farmhouse for good.
Listen to Orcas Live on the Hydrophone Network - If you ever wondered how an orca whale sounds, here's your chance to find out.
BAD BAD BAD Kitty How to make a bad kitty behave.
Wildlife Management (Not) What I know about managing the wildlife in our yard.
Stories about crows
Meet Bertram - Introducing my "pet" crow, Bertram.
Bertie Goes Golfing - Even Bill wants me to dress up Bertram.
Peanuts for Two, Please - Bertram and his mate Corvina, are now nesting across the street.
Bertram's Disappearance - The strange disappearance of our favorite crow and a possible reason for it.
Bertram is Back - And looking a bit frazzled, too, I must say.
Boy, Girl, Who Cares? - I decide not to worry about which as which. At least when it comes to crows.
A Marauding Eagle - A bald eagle threatens the nest of Bertram and Corvina.
Crows are Getting Some Bad Press - Crows protecting their nests get a negative news report.
New Kids on the Block - The kids are learning to fly.
Help Name the Baby Crows - How can I write about them if I don't know their names?
Crow Science - Like me, scientific researchers have become very interested in crows, but for different reasons.
Watchbirds - Crows are the German Shepherds of the bird world.
Bertram's Disappearance - The strange disappearance of our favorite crow and a possible reason for it.
Bertram is Back - And looking a bit frazzled, too, I must say.
Boy, Girl, Who Cares? - I decide not to worry about which as which. At least when it comes to crows.
A Marauding Eagle - A bald eagle threatens the nest of Bertram and Corvina.
Crows are Getting Some Bad Press - Crows protecting their nests get a negative news report.
New Kids on the Block - The kids are learning to fly.
Help Name the Baby Crows - How can I write about them if I don't know their names?
Crow Science - Like me, scientific researchers have become very interested in crows, but for different reasons.
Watchbirds - Crows are the German Shepherds of the bird world.
Stories about people
On Being a Role Model - My daughter Liz gets some bad news at school.
Biker Bob Goes for a Walk - Taking a simple walk isn't all that easy.
The Year of the House - Misadventures trying to sell one house and buy another.
Christine, a Made-up Story - Sometimes silliness is just what the love doctor ordered.
Pete's Home Texaco - More than just a stop on the road to paradise.
The Smoking Rock - My sister and I escape the house.
Dear Bessie - Teachers aren't always people.
On Being Friends - Friends broaden my perspective on things, like what makes a good pet.
Sharp Metal Objects - How I became a favorite great auntie.
Gate C - Sometimes patience pays off, and sometimes it doesn't.
Art in General
Artists of the First Nations - A visit to the UBC Museum of Anthropology.
Sketching on Location - Drawing and painting quick sketches of a scene.
Artists Are Not Like Software Engineers - What 20 years in high tech failed to teach me.
Art Studio On Wheels - How I set up my art studio in a small space.
Watercolor Painting
On painting
Painting from Photos - Advantages and pitfalls.
The Art of Making Mistakes - On the unexpected gifts given by mistakes.
Tale of Two Paintings - Homework for Tom Hoffman's class.
Digitizing Paintings - My somewhat feeble attempts to get good digital images of my watercolors
Winslow Homer, The Color of Light, Behind the Scenes - Links to an online exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago
Summer Plein Air Schedule - Opportunities for artists in the Seattle area to get together and paint outdoors.
Painting in the Manner of Thomas Schaller - I create a painting by following Thomas' painting process.
Overcoming Fear of Paint - Someone once said to expand your abilities and horizons, you should do one thing a day that makes you afraid.
More Fear of Paint - I'm still putting lots of paint on the page while holding my breath.
Robin's Sketchbook - Photos of a watercolor sketchbook.
Robin's Sketchbook Part 2 - Robin's sketches of children at school and play.
Robin's Sketchbook, Travels Near and Far - Lucky for us, Robin paints even when she's on the road.
What's the What and So What? - Something I learned about painting from Catherine Gill.
Setting up an Outdoor Easel - I demonstrate how I converted my camera tripod into a watercolor easel.
Trying Too Hard - Creativity flees in the face of judgement.
How to Frame a Watercolor Painting - It can be a bit tricky your first time. Here's how I do it.
How to Start a Watercolor Meetup Group. If you're interested in establishing a supportive art community, here's one way to do it.
Watercolor books
A Review of My Watercolor Books - The books currently in my watercolor library.
Books on Pictorial Composition - A review of two composition books I've read.
Watercolor supplies
Basic Setup for Watercolor Painting - Description of what you need to get started.
Watercolor Resources - List of web sites of interest to watercolor painters.
Art Studio On Wheels - How I set up my art studio in a small space.
Photography
Hyperfocusing - How to get an entire scene in focus
Contrast - What it means and some examples
Shutter speed - Stopping motion, showing motion, and "painting" with light
Depth of Field - What it is and how to change it
How to Make an HDR Photo from a Single RAW or NEF File - If you're tired of blurry HDR photos, try out this technique.
Always on the Lookout for Photo Ops - As a painter and photographer, my camera is always handy.
An Excursion to the Flower and Garden Show - Liisa and I found lots of beauty to photograph.
Wildlife/ Gardening/ Environment
Gardening for Wildlife - Find out how to create a backyard wildlife habitat.Rain Gardening for Orcas - Rain gardens help keep raw sewage out of Puget Sound.
Plants for Pacific Northwest Shade Gardens - A list of plants that have thrived in my gardens.
How Much Stuff Does It Take to be Happy? - After trying it both ways, I'm a convert of minimalism.
An Excursion to the Flower and Garden Show - Photos of the 2012 show in Seattle.
Wildlife Management - What I know about managing the wildlife in our yard.
2013 Flower and Garden Show - Bill and I saw lots of ideas for a backyard sitting area.
Planting a Native Australian Shade Garden in Sydney - My daughter, Liz, learns about native Australian plants as she plans her gardens.
A Native Shade Garden in Sydney -- Year Two - Liz gives us an update on her progress.
Writing
On Writing
Nora Ephron, Writer - Quotes on writing
Favorite Nonfiction Books - Books you might like, too.
Laundry Day HaikuThe Art of Making Mistakes
Elegy for a Couple of Trees - Things that are no longer in my life, but are ever in my heart
World Environment Day - I never would have heard about this, but for a comment from a reader in Indonesia.
Buhtan's Gross National Happiness - Would you rather have your government promote happiness or gross domestic product?
How Much Stuff Does It Take to be Happy? - After trying it both ways, I'm a convert of minimalism.
Artists Are Not Like Software Engineers - What 20 years in high tech failed to teach me.
Golden Times - About holding on and letting go.
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