Tall Pines Creative

08/22/2026

A lovely cortado on a lovely morning in Burbank Cafe Grano

07/12/2026

07/11/2026

Exploring Columbia Gorge vantage points... off the beaten trail edition. It's only an hour away from home and I am looking forward to getting back to this spot. Mt. Hood in the distance...

07/05/2026

Waiting for Mt. Hood to make her appearance...

06/28/2026

05/16/2026

I'm going to call this:
"Things you wouldn't know living on the East Coast".
#1: I didn't know that the changing tides reversed the flow of the Columbia River!
I lived in Pennsylvania all my life... until 2020. I spent a large portion of that time in western PA which is where the East Coast officially transitions to the Midwest. The charming topography created by the Appalachians gives way to rolling hills, then eventually, the vast, flat farmlands that stretch west uninterrupted until you reach the Rockies.
I spent a lot of time hiking, fishing, and taking pictures in Western PA... but you can drive 90 minutes in any direction without seeing much change in the landscape. While there is a lot of beauty there, it's not nearly as diverse as the Pacific Northwest.
After many vacations in the Pacific Northwest, we took the plunge and moved here in 2021. It was a really tough move and it took us a while to get back "out there" to enjoy the scenery. But... I will never forget our first trip to Astoria... being within that "90 minute in any direction" footprint, We were absolutely unprepared for the scenery and beauty offered by the Columbia River as it approaches the Pacific. The Astoria Megler Bridge, the cargo ships, the sea lions... and that's all before I even set foot in downtown Astoria. Now, we visit the Astoria / Cape Disappointment area often and we are happy to share it with friends and family that come in to visit with us.
I am grateful for the beauty of our new home and hope that I never lose my wide eyed, gob smacked, touristy fascination with this place.

05/16/2026

02/08/2026

Spring is just around the corner, so I'm putting some places to explore on my calendar ☺️

01/01/2026

Comet Falls; Mt Rainier National Park