Cricket-dog

Mom's stove

Another Christmas Tree

Mom's this time.

Christmas tree

In the lobby of Big Pink.

Random train passenger

This on the Coast Starlight, coming home from Seattle.

Yet More Reindeer

I was in Seattle for the weekend, and arranged to get into town early enough to meet up with some Seattle Urban sketchers for an outing to the Reindeer Festival at Swanson's nursery.

Two reindeer, Dasher and Blitzen, who were more restless than the ones that I'd stumbled upon earlier in the week.  But then Blitzen turned her butt my way and put her head down to eat.

One camel, named Curly.  Evidently, he was good friends with the festival's Santa.  He stopped by Curly's cage on his way to his shift, and as soon as Curly heard Santa's bells he craned his head around to look for him.  And gave a great harrumph when he hove into view.  Which was camel for "About time you got here!  How about coming over here and scratching my ear?"

I was pretty chilled by now and headed inside to check out the model railroad, sketching in the intervals between kids.

And then finally found the koi pond in the cafe.

Pioneer Courthouse Square

"Allow Me" in an ugly Christmas sweater

And a bit of another group of carolers

Reindeer!

Not your normal everyday urban sketch outing.

Montgomery Park had rented a couple of reindeer and invited the kids from the Montessori school across the street to come and see them.  When the kids lined up and trooped into the building the carol the lunch crowd, I stuck around and did this:


This sweetheart is Dasher, 7 years old and the mother of a 7-month old.  The daughter was nearly as big as her mom, but with short, spindly antlers.

Christmas carolers

Staver Annual Steam-Up

Adults tending to their model steam locomotives, running around to keep them running.  And kids simply running around, chasing the trains.

OMSI After Dark

Just like your usual science museum.  But with food and booze and live music.  And no kids, so you can play all the games without guilt.