jessica – Small Town Sketchers

Duncan’s Mills Country Store

January 8, 2018jessica 7 Comments

Duncan’s Mills is a tiny town (pop. 150) in Northern California, about 4 miles from the ocean. It started as a mill and railroad stop. Now it’s a fun stop for some charming shops, a few restaurants, and an annual rodeo.

SKetch© Diane Perin

Stone Wheels

January 7, 2018jessica 6 Comments

These huge stone wheels (old millstones) can be found all over the grounds at the Tubac Presidio Historic Park, many with varied carved designs. Two wheels would be mounted horizontally on a center post – one was secured and the other could rotate above it – turned by horses or donkeys tethered to a crossbar. The grain was ground between the two wheels.

Tubac, Arizona (pop. 1191)

Sketch© Jessica Wesolek

Upper Lake

January 7, 2018jessica 10 Comments

Met a friend for lunch at Upper Lake and found this unusual holiday “decoration.”

Upper Lake, CA (pop. 1052)

Sketch© Vivian Aldridge

Potato Barn

January 7, 2018jessica 5 Comments

This is a sketch of a potato barn built into a small hill to preserve potatoes through the winter. I’m guessing it was built in the early 1900’s and is still there in 2017! Town of Monroe Center with a population of 398.County of Adams, State of Wisconsin.

Sketch© Teri Casper

Pink and Purple?

January 5, 2018jessica 15 Comments

This building in Ft. Sumner, NM (pop. 915) does not look like this now. It is abandoned? and falling apart, but that someone once loved it, is obvious. Who wouldn’t love a pink door and purple lattice window covers? Was this once a salon? The tulips are wooden and surviving. So far, no one has picked them.

Sketch© Jessica Wesolek

Sattley Cash Store

January 5, 2018jessica 7 Comments

Sattley, California (pop.49) located on Highway 49 in the Gold Country.

Sketch© Vivian Aldridge

Needles on Route 66

January 5, 2018jessica 6 Comments

Needles (pop. 4988) is located very near where I-40 crosses the border into California. Being on I-40 in these parts, usually means you used to be on Route 66. Needles is a nondescript town of sun baked colors and not much contrast of any kind, so imagine my surprise to find this very colorful sculpture along the I-40 Business Loop.

Moss Beach Distillary

January 4, 2018jessica 6 Comments

This is the Moss Beach Distillery, a restaurant in Moss Beach, California (pop.3103), where the ghost known as the “blue lady” floats around. However on a sunny warm day I am sure she would be impossible to spot.

Vineyard Barns

January 3, 2018jessica 12 Comments

When you take Highway 88 off Interstate 99 in California, you enter a different world of tiny towns and bucolic scenery. This vineyard is just outside of Lockford, CA (Pop 3233). The Shenandoah Valley in The “Gold Country” foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, is being called the next “Napa” with its 51 wineries.