Street musicians perform on Bourbon Street in New Orleans (photo by Cheryl Landes) The show must go on despite the COVID-19 pandemic! International Jazz Day swings into a location near you on Thursday, April 30. Many of the concerts and celebrations are moving online. Go to jazzday.com/events for the latest schedule and updates listed alphabetically … Continue reading International Jazz Day arriving April 30
Photos by Cheryl Landes Hendricks Park, Eugene's oldest park, is a beautiful retreat at the northern end of the 12-mile Ridgeline Trail near the heart of the city and the University of Oregon campus. This 80-acre forest of Douglas fir trees contains world-renowned rhodendron and native plant gardens. Trails wind through the gardens, attracting walkers … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: Hendricks Park Rhododendron Garden in Eugene
Photos by Cheryl Landes Art is everywhere and can be created anywhere. Take the beach. The sand is like one giant canvas waiting for someone to create. It could be a human drawing an image, someone writing a message, or a dog making a trail or other patterns with her paws as she runs and … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: Circles in the Sand
Photos by Cheryl Landes Mingus Park is a beautiful escape in downtown Coos Bay, Oregon. A 0.6-mile footpath winds around the lake in the park's center and meanders through the Choshi Garden on the west side. In the spring, rhododendrons bloom in an arboretum on the northwest corner of the park, and two playgrounds keep … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: A stroll on the Mingus Park footpath
Photos by Cheryl Landes I never tire of walks through Shore Acres State Park four miles south of Charleston on the Oregon Coast. The beautiful botanical garden, ocean views, and sunsets are a treat any time of year. There's always something different to see. The park is the historic estate of North Bend timber baron … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: Spring at Shore Acres State Park
A pancake shaped like a ram's head at the Davenport Maple Farm Restaurant in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts Photos by Cheryl Landes Vermont is the best known for maple syrup production in the U.S., but it isn't the only state in New England in the industry. In fact, every state in the region has maple farms. … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: Maple sugar farm restaurants in Massachusetts
Photo and coloring by Cheryl Landes Traditional Easter egg hunts are cancelled nationwide this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, so the Iowa Egg Council created a virtual version. Here's how it works: Download this Easter egg. Print out the egg. Color the egg. Place the egg in a window for everyone to see. Also … Continue reading Go on a virtual Easter egg hunt
Photos by Cheryl Landes In mid- to late April and sometimes early May, dainty blue and white flowers with yellow stamens bloom at Lacamas Regional Park in Camas, Washington. These tiny flowers are called Camas lilies, the town's namesake. The lilies are scattered throughout the park, but the biggest concentration is in a field at … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: The Camas lilies of Lacamas Regional Park
Photos by Cheryl Landes Bulb planter outside the Channel Lodge Hotel in La Conner, Washington In March and April, Washington State's Skagit Valley springs alive with bright colors. The daffodils arrive first, quickly followed by acres of tulips. Throughout April, towns in the valley celebrate the season with the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. Some farms … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: Skagit Valley Tulips
Photos by Cheryl Landes Oregon's Hood River Valley is among the Pacific Northwest's largest fruit producers. It's best known for cherries and pears, but some farms also grow apples, nectarines, and peaches. A great way to see the farms is to take a drive on the 35-mile Fruit Loop. It's a beautiful drive any time … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: Hood River Fruit Loop
Tabby Cat's Pawprints 