River Run Inn

Beautiful color in the fall trees from our window at the River Run Inn in Winthrop.

Three days of friends, food, drink and a world of great things to sketch.What a great

get away!

Dude! Watches over the Visitor's Center

Phyllis found two red! pomegranites....

This one got Really Round, but paired up pretty well with some dried weeds I couldn't resist picking.

River Run Inn

When I stayed at River Run Inn in Winthrop last October and discovered there was a spacious guest house available, it was a no-brainer. I knew it would be the perfect place for a girlfriend  trip. I nailed down our reservations last February to make sure we got the house.  It was three days of pure fun - eating, drinking, making merry and art.

Note: I had fun punching up the intensity of  these images with a Picassa effect called "Lomo-ish".

Pomegranates and Red Onion: Our dining table was a perpetual source of still life arrangements.

The view from my window: Ponderosa Pines and Aspens by the river

Faye painting just outside our house

Our cozy hearth: A great place to warm up from the cold outdoors

Women, Wine and Sketchbooks

Take bunch of passionate sketchers from Whidbey, Seattle and Anacortes, give them a big house on a river in Winthrop filled with food and wine and what do get? A hell of a lot of fun and a whale of a lot of fabulous art.

Winthrop and the Methow Valley

My birthday usually falls at the peak of fall foliage season. This year we headed for the Methow Valley for my birthday getaway to find some fall color and sunshine. It was our first family trip with Duncan, the dog, and we found a cabin on the Methow River that was perfect for us. Duncan did great.

I only had one day of sketching, but could have used several more. I was uber-inspired by everything around me. Everything on the other side of the mountains is just breathtaking this month. And Winthrop is so kitschy. I'm inspired to organize a sketchers' retreat in the Methow Valley next October as soon as the shoulder season rates go into effect. 5 nights, 4 days. Seriously.

The Methow River, right behind our cabin

Pearrygin Lake State Park

Sherry's Sweet Shop

Shafer Museum

Old Schoolhouse Brewery

For those of you who just can't get enough of my birthday (I'm milking it for all it's worth this year), Dan posted some photos of our trip on his facebook page.  http://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set=a.304971256186811.91835.100000218183963&type=1