Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I hope you have a wonderful Christmas with your family and friends, and best wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous 2015.

MRS. TROWBRIDGE'S "SELFIE" PAINTING

Mrs. Trowbridge spent many hours recording the flora and fauna of the rain forest. Occasionally, she would paint a "selfie", where she would include herself in the scene. This is one such painting. Her painting process was slow and laborious because she gave such great attention to detail. But she left a lasting legacy for us of what life was like in the Quinault Rain Forest 200 years ago.

She used various herbs and berries to make her paints. She found the deep blue hue of ripe huckleberries to be ideal for her drawing ink. On this page of her journal, she talks about early morning painting sessions. 

 http://trowbridgechronicles.blogspot.com/2008/04/daybreak-at-falls.html

Have you seen my other blog, Bron Smith's Flights of Fantasy: http://bronsmithart.blogspot.com/

WINTER PROVISIONS

Throughout the summer months Mrs. Trowbridge and her family were busy gathering provisions for the coming winter. In the above page she sketches and describes the basic comestibles that they required to survive the winter. By now their gathering tasks would be complete, and soon they would be using their twig bundles to heat their cottage as the temperatures would begin to drop and fall would turn to winter in the rain forest.

MRS. TROWBRIDGE PAINTS A CONCH SHELL.

Mrs. Trowbridge enjoyed painting the odd novelty, found items, trinkets, knickknacks and sea shells. This is a sea shell that she painted that was typical of shells that are found on the shores of Polynesian islands. She enjoyed honoring her ancestors through her paintings. Over ions of time, the Trowbridge shrew migrated from the Mongolian Steppes across the Polynesian islands to South America, then their migration path took them north to their present habitat in the Olympic Rain Forest .

Have you seen my other blog, Bron Smith's Flights of Fantasy?

VIOLET TROWBRIDGE'S RHODODENDRON PAINTING

One of my favorite of all of Mrs. Trowbridge's floral paintings that are contained in her journal is this lovely rhododendron painting. She was undeniably the Grand Dame of watercolor in the Quinault Rain Forest. The notes in her Trowbridge Chronicles journal revealed that she spent 93 hours on the above painting.

My Trowbridge shrew research expedition to Polynesia several years ago was most fascinating. We found tiny petroglyphic evidence among the boulders in the forest and along the shoreline of the Trowbridge Shrew's presence on the tiny island of Motu Taakoka in the Cook Island Group (above). We even found bone fragments, including an intact skull. Look for more of Mrs. T's floral paintings in upcoming posts.

Have you seen my other blog, Bron Smith's Flights of Fantasy? 

CAMELLIA FLOWER, by VIOLET TROWBRIDGE

If Shrew Khan was the King of Trowbridge Shrews, Violet Trowbridge was the queen. Her lovely watercolor paintings and hand-scribed journal became legendary throughout the Great Forest, today known as the Quinault Rain Forest. This camellia flower is part of her series of paintings commemorating her ancestors who lived in the Polynesian islands.

Have you seen my other blog, Bron Smith's Flights of Fantasy? 

MRS. TROWBRIDGE'S RED HIBISCUS PAINTING

Every opportunity that came Mrs. Trowbridge's way was a golden opportunity. She spent many hours at the Huckleberry Hollow library studying about her ancestry. She was fascinated with her ancestors that had lived, oh, so far away in the Mongolian Steppes. And their migration across the South Seas to South America. 

So she seized the opportunity and began a series of paintings of the flowers that occur in the South Pacific islands where her ancestors had lived. I saw many red hibiscus such as the one that Mrs. Trowbridge painted above on my last trek to the South Pacific islands. 

Stay tuned for more of Mrs. Trowbridge's lovely floral paintings in future posts on this blog. 

Have you seen my other blog, Bron Smith's Flights of Fantasy?

PLUMERA FLOWER, by VIOLET TROWBRIDGE

This is the second in a series of lovely paintings by Mrs. Trowbridge in honor of her ancestors in the Polynesian islands. This is a frangipani, or plumera flower. It is a common species in Polynesia. I have encountered this beautiful tropical flower on my trips to the South Pacific for my research in tracking the migration path of the Trowbridge shrew from Mongolia, across Polynesia to South America, to their current home in the Northwest United States.

Have you seen my other blog, Bron Smith's Flights of Fantasy?

TROWBRIDGE SHREW ANCESTRY

Mrs. Trowbridge was very intrigued by her ancestors. I, too, have become interested in Mrs.T's ancestral roots, which have been traced back many centuries to the Mongolian Steppes in Northern Asia.

It is thought that the Trowbridge shrew migrated over many centuries of time from Mongolia through the Polynesian islands to South America, then northward to Mrs. T's home in the Olympic wilderness of North America. By the process of carbon dating some pages from Mrs. Trowbridge's journal, we learned that she lived in the Quinault Rain Forest a little more than 200 years ago, about the time that the Lewis and Clark Expedition was taking place.

Inspired by her Polynesian ancestors, and the beautiful flowers that flourished in the South Sea islands, she set out to paint a series of florals depicting flowers that grow in the Polynesian islands. The flower above that she painted so deftly is a tree hibiscus.

The flower on top was hand-scribed, then the flower was rendered in charcoal. Mrs. T made her own charcoal sticks. Click here if you would like to learn how she made her charcoal sticks from Douglas fir needles.

The next post on this blog will be another of Mrs. Trowbridge's lovely flower paintings.

Have you seen my other blog, Bron Smith's Flights of Fantasy?

The Northern Realm of Trowbridge Chronicles

 Many of you know that about ten years ago I happened upon a tiny journal encased in a small gold box while hiking cross-country up Wild Rose Creek in the Olympic Wilderness of Washington State, USA. A glint of light caught my eye from the other side of the creek. I was puzzled that any solid object deep in the wilderness would reflect light. So I crossed the creek, climbed up a mossy ledge and found the little gold box resting on a bed of sphagnum moss. That's the short version of how I found Mrs. Violet Trowbridge's tiny journal that she called The Trowbridge Chronicles. Mr. Trowbridge was a Trowbridge Shrew, by the way. As a superb scribe and watercolorist, she journaled much of life as it was at that time (about 200 years ago) in the tiny forest village of Huckleberry Hollow on Wild Rose Creek. I've made several treks up Wild Rose Creek, which was Mr's T's home territory. It has always been a thrill to be "in her neighborhood".

I kept the journal for about three years, then decided to make it public, one page at a time. That's how The Trowbridge Chronicles was born to the world. I hope you've enjoyed Mrs. T's writing, scribing and watercolor work on this blog. I'm continually inspired by her work.

The above photo, taken by my good friend, noted photographer Ross Hamilton, looks south across Dungeness Valley and the town of Sequim on the North Olympic Peninsula of Washington State, USA. The snow-capped peaks of the Olympic Mountains loom in the background. Mrs. T documented her journeys through the Olympic Wilderness with her family and friends, and some of her family treks took her to the northern boundary of the Olympic Mountains, which you see here. This is The Northern Realm of The Trowbridge Chronicles. I was born and raised in this valley, in the town of Sequim.

Have you seen my other blog, Bron Smith's Flights of Fantasy?

FINALE

With this episode, we bring The Legend of Shrew Khan to a close. Though Mrs. Trowbridge lived over 200 years ago, her almost-retro painting style seems to fit well into today's graphic novel genre.

Next week we will return to the regular Trowbridge Chronicles pages. I hope you enjoyed Mrs. Trowbridge's The Legend of Shrew Khan.

CHEERS FROM ABOVE!

After a spectacular observational voyage, a fire broke out in the Royal Balloon, which contained Emperor Nang and Keno. In last week's episode, Emperor Nang and Keno had landed safely after a rapid and fiery descent in the Royal Balloon. Now they are joined by their comrades.

Have you seen my other blog, Bron Smith's Flights of Fantasy? 

WHERE IS EVERYBODY?

Keno and Emperor Nang have survived their fiery balloon crash on the desert floor at the Giloh outpost. They had once again eluded the revenge of fate. The rope and hook that Keno had thrown out from the balloon basket toward a bush had managed to snag a branch at the last moment, averting a tragedy of royal proportions. Our story continues... 

Have you seen my other blog, Bron Smith's Flights of Fantasy?

IMPENDING DEATH!

Now we return to our current episode of The Legend of Shrew Kahn: All of the vanities of life fade into oblivion when death is only a moment away. Keno and Emperor Nang will crash into earth within a handful of seconds. But will the branch in the bush catch them, sparing their life? Read on...

Have you seen my other blog, Bron Smith's Flights of Fantasy? 

HOLIDAY AT CRESCENT SEA STACK

This week we take a brief departure from our Shrew Khan graphic novel to join Mrs. Trowbridge as she and her family travel north from Huckleberry Hollow for their summer holiday at Crescent Sea Stack. The natural beauty and gentle sea breeze made Crescent Sea Stack a favorite holiday destination for the Trowbridge family. This is one of my favorites among Mrs. Trowbridge's paintings.

I will always remember the day that I visited the very same sea stack that Mrs. T visited so long ago. It's located on the north Olympic Peninsula in Washington State,  just a few minutes west of Port Angeles. Follow Highway 101 west from Port Angeles, then turn off onto Highway 112. Turn right on Camp Hayden Road to Crescent Bay on the Strait of Juan de Fuca. You will immediately recognize the beautiful sea stack in the bay. 

Have you seen my other blog, Bron Smith's Flights of Fantasy? 

HURLING EARTHWARD!

In our last episode, we found that the Royal Balloon had caught fire as Keno and Emperor Nang observed the battle to free the desert outpost at Giloh. They are hurling toward earth like a flaming meteor from the Zodiac. Our story resumes...

Have you seen my other blog, Bron Smith's Flights of Fantasy? 

FLAMES FROM ABOVE!

Keno has been invited by Emperor Nang to observe the historic air battle against the Phantom Mongol and his fighting forces at Giloh.  Then, glancing upward, Keno saw a fiery ember plummeting to earth from above them. It was coming straight toward the emperor's balloon. Suddenly, the survival of the Nang Dynasty was in jeopardy. Our story continues...

Have you seen my other blog, Bron Smith's Flights of Fantasy? 

ALOFT!

What a memorable sight it must have been for Keno, to be aloft with the emperor, surrounded by a  sea a floating red balloons. Our story continues...

Have you seen my other blog, Bron Smith's Flights of Fantasy?

AIR ASSAULT ON GILOH

In our last episode, Keno is led by Emperor Nang from his room in the palace infirmary to a high tower in the Imperial Palace where he is shown the amazing sight that you see above.  A small spark of an idea from a bonfire somewhere in Shomu led to a revolutionary new airborne battle strategy that would win many campaigns for Emperor Nang's army for seasons to come. Our story continues...

Have you seen my other blog, Bron Smith's Flights of Fantasy?

THE WINDS OF WAR ARE AT HAND.

Emperor Nang has called on Keno in his infirmary room. Keno had awakened in the infirmary after being forced to drink a poison potion in his dungeon. In our last episode, the Emperor had informed Keno that the winds have shifted and the time is right to do battle with the enemy forces. This did, indeed, spark Keno's curiosity. Our story resumes...

Have you seen my other blog, Bron Smith's Flights of Fantasy? 

THE BATTLE FOR GILOH

In the course of scribing and illustrating her now famous journal, The Trowbridge Chronicles, Mrs. Trowbridge found time to write and illustrate stories in her own unique voice. We would now call them graphic novels. One of my favorites is a story based on ancient Trowbridge legend. It's called The Legend of Shrew Khan. You may scroll down until you reach the beginning of the Shrew Khan story if you like.

After being forced to drinking a goblet of poison in his dungeon cell, Keno awakens in the palace infirmary. Emperor Nang is at his bedside.  Our story continues below, hand-scribed by Mrs. Trowbridge herself...

Stay tuned for the next episode of Mrs. Trowbridge's graphic novel, The Legend of Shrew Khan, coming soon.

Have you seen my other blog, Bron Smith's Flights of Fantasy?

KENO IS PLACED IN THE BURIAL BOX.

Keno has been cast into the castle dungeon, accused of being a traitor. He was forced, at the emperor's orders, to drink a vial of poison potion. Keno drank the potion...then, after an indeterminate space in time, he wakes up in the castle infirmary, with Emperor Nang at his bedside...our story continues.

Have you seen my other blog, Bron Smith's Flights of Fantasy

THE IMPERIAL CITY OF SHOMU, FROM THE LEGEND OF SHREW KHAN

Mrs. Trowbridge pauses in her Legend of Shrew Khan story to paint a picture of the Imperial City of Shomu, with the Imperial Palace towering over the shanty houses. Shomu was not an exotic locale. The city's residents were mostly poor working class shrews, the majority of them from theTrowbridge line. The regular episodes will continue next week.

Have you seen my other blog, Bron Smith's Flights of Fantasy? 

KENO AWAKENS

As the plot continues to thicken, we wonder what deceit and disguise will reveal itself in the episodes that lie ahead. In the last episode, Keno was forced the drink the poison potion from the silver goblet in his dungeon cell. Now it appears that he is still alive! Our story continues...

Have you seen my other blog? It's totally different than my Trowbridge Chronicles. It's called Bron Smith's Flights of Fantasy. 

THE POTION IN THE SILVER GOBLET

In our last episode, Keno was commanded by Emperor Nang to drink the contents of a silver goblet, as he sat on the floor in a wretched state in the palace dungeon. Terrified, Keno was beginning to sense that the end was near, that he was doomed to suffer a slow and painful death. He knew that the potion must be poison.  Our story resumes...

Have you seen my other blog, Bron Smith's Flights of Fantasy?

THE SILVER GOBLET

In our last episode, Emperor Nang appeared before Keno in the palace dungeon room. With a clap of the emperor's paws, a guard appeared before Keno bearing a torch and a silver tray.  A single goblet had been placed on the tray. As he gazed up at the guard, Keno wondered if he would ever be found by his compatriots. Had a search been mounted to find him? He felt so alone and so afraid. Our story continues...

Have you seen my other blog? Bron Smith's Flights of Fantasy

DESPAIR IN THE DUNGEON

In our last episode, Keno had been seized and thrown into the palace dungeon. He shivered in terror as he sat on the filthy dungeon floor, feeling that his time had finally come. He was overcome with feelings of guilt because he felt that he had let his comrades down. Our story resumes...

Have you seen my other blog, Bron Smith's Flights of Fantasy?