with Lorelle and Brent VanFossen

Author Archives: Lorelle VanFossen

Lorelle VanFossen is one of the top bloggers in the world, and host of the Lorelle on WordPress, providing WordPress and blogging tips for bloggers of all levels. A popular keynote speaker and trainer, she is also editor, producer, contributor, and official disruptive thinker for Bitwire Media which includes WordCast, Making My Life Network, Stories of Our Journeys, Life on the Road, WordCast Conversations, and the very popular WordCast Podcast. She is also author of one of the first books on blogging, "Blogging Tips: What Bloggers Won't Tell You About Blogging" and the recently released ebook, Social Media for Crafters: Covering the Basics of the Social Web. Taking Your Camera on the Road, founded by Lorelle, is one of the oldest personal websites in continuous existence in the world.

Hauling Away Hurricane Katrina

I found this image in my files. I was driving through Mobile, Alabama, and saw the railroad had been repaired with fresh gravel lining the fixed rails. Hurricane Katrina had done its damage along much of the railroad system that followed the gulf coast, washing out and twisting the rails like licorice sticks. I liked […]

Photography Patterns: Putting the Spin on Tulips

I love patterns and shapes, inherent in nature as well as manipulated. A favorite manipulation is to spin the camera at a slow shutter speed when photographing flowers, specifically brightly colored flowers like tulips, creating fascinating whirls of light and color. In this series, I was working with tulips from La Conner, Washington, and the […]

Lavender Festival, Washington County, Oregon

For the past few years, we’ve enjoyed the popular Lavender Festival in Washington and Yamhill County, Oregon. Covering North Plains to the north, south to McMinnville, and east towards Beaverton, many farms around the area hosting beautiful gardens, food, galleries, shops, games, and artwork. This year the Oregon Lavender Festival is July 9-10, 2011, in […]

Journal: December 18, 1996 – Friday the 13th The Journey Begins

The following is a draft of chapter one of our book, Home is Where Lorelle Is about what started as a one year life on the road experience that turned into almost 16 years living on the road traveling across the planet. “What you’ve done becomes the judge of what you’re going to do — […]

Tree Crushes Two Cars Near Laurelwood, Oregon

In the spring of 2007, not long after we moved to Gaston, Oregon, a strange wicked wind storm smashed through the area bringing down huge trees and ripping roofs. I thought we’d left such freaky weather finally behind us. Driving to Beaverton up and over Bald Peak on Albertson Road, at the intersection of NE […]

Blogging Tips Book: What Bloggers Won’t Tell You About Blogging

The following is the press release and announcement of my newest book, Blogging Tips.

Microsoft Offers New Image File Format

How Travelers Waste Money on the Road

Fodors offers “8 Ways Travelers Waste Money on the Road”, which offers some good basic tips: Not reading the fine print on the credit card for foreign transaction fees. Avoiding hotel websites – online prices can be cheaper. Travel only during high seasons – off season can save you money. Renting cars – use your […]

Will the EU Ban Smoking?

According to the International News Tribune, the health chief of the EU recommends a smoking ban for the European Union countries. The European Union’s health chief urged all countries in the bloc Tuesday to prohibit smoking in public places, following bans in Ireland, Italy and Sweden. Banning smoking in places like bars, restaurants and the […]

UK Flights Hit With Another Tax Increase for Pollution

BBC News reports an air tax increase for all flights from the UK. Laws doubling the amount of passenger duty people pay when taking flights from the UK have come into force. The increase was announced by Chancellor Gordon Brown last December. He said airlines should pay more for damaging the environment. Hundreds of thousands […]

Creating Snow Sculptures Again

Here’s an interesting tidbit few people know about Lorelle. She creates great snow sculptures. Indeed, I do. I have a long history of creating fun snow sculptures. When I was young, my mother would travel every November around her birthday to a warmer climate. She’d head for Hawaii, Mexico, Arizona, anywhere but the cold Pacific […]

Space: The Next Destination

Your next vacation destination? Why not choose space as your next destination? Not just “get some space” but really get into space with the space tourism program with Virgin Group: The Spaceship Company, a joint venture of Richard Branson’s Virgin Group of London and Burt Rutan’s Scaled Composites of Mojave, Calif., plans to begin test […]

Is Your Trailer Worth a Million Dollars?

Is your trailer worth a million dollars? What about your motor home? How would you like your trailer to be worth a million dollars? According to a CNN report (print version), residents of a trailer park in Florida are preparing to sell their trailers and trailer lots to a developer for more than a million […]

Howard “Bud” West (1937-2006)

My father, Howard W. West, died a few days ago. There will be a memorial service Wednesday, October 25, 2006, from 6-8PM at Solie Funeral Home, 3301 Colby Avenue, Everett, Washington. Howard W. West Jr., was also known as “Bud” or “Howie” to his friends and family. Born April 20, 1937, to Faye Vaughn West […]

Hitchhiking to All 50 US State Capitals

BloggingPro pointed out a blog about two guys, Scotty and Fiddy, who have set a goal to hitchhike to all 50 US state capitals in 50 consecutive days. Their site is Hitch50.com. It’s official. Hitch 50 begins Tuesday, October 10th at 10:00 AM Eastern time. We will be in Times Square hitchin’ to New York’s […]