The perfect day for a stroll in the sunshine......

 

Easter Sunday was a beautiful Spring day in Oregon, sunny and 75 degrees.....so hubby and I took Jack dog for a stroll in a nearby Champoeg State Park.  The park is located on the Willamette River about 10 miles from our home and has great walking trails, bike paths and picnic areas. 

At the last minute I grabbed my sketchbook ( but forgot the camera) and we were off.

We explored the trail along the river and then sat for a bit so I could sketch and Jack could sniff.......

There were lots of families at the park enjoying the sunny day but it was not crowded.  The wildflowers were blooming every where along the paths and in the meadows.

 

I took a photo of this sketch of a Trillium that I drew and then played with it on PicMonkey, a free photo manipulation download.  I liked the high contrast, contemporary look I gave it by playing with the contrast.

No major adjustments to this photo but I wish I could have preserved to exact color of this Salmonberry flower, gorgeous!

Using my sketchbook to preserve some of the wonders of spring.....there were Violets Trillium and Johnny Jump Ups blooming everywhere, such a happy sight!

  

A quick sketch of a monument that marks the spot where the early Northwest Territory settlers voted to make Oregon, Washington and California a part of the America instead of England.  It was a close vote, many of the local residents were former French fur trappers and they felt the American's were too aggressive so they wanted the territory to remain in British hands. There is a lot of interesting history in this area, this is a small piece.

So, this is how we spent Easter afternoon and, also, the beginnings of a new sketchbook for me that I hope to take it along on more outdoor adventures this year!