Another truly excellent week! I never regret getting outside - something I really need to remember for the weeks to come. The damp, chilly months of spring are always the hardest for me to get outside. My lack of motivation probably has something to do with my impatience for peak summer hiking. I always forget the often unbearable and bugs and dream of gorgeous trails still under feet of snow, then feel disappointed by the lowland trail options available early in the year. This year, I'm determined to appreciate the trails that are accessible year round for their own beauty, and to squeeze in as many snowshoe trips as I can before the snow becomes too unstable and avalanche danger too high!

While it's still definitely winter around here, I noticed a few signs of spring on the walks I took during breaks at work over the week. Most surprising were the rhododendron buds I saw. They seemed early to me, but it's very possible I've just never taken the time to notice before. Thanks to a lovely blog post by Jill, this year I was on the lookout! 

Last month, I was running low on reading material, but between a trip to Half Price Books this week and a stop at my favorite bookstore in Langley last weekend, I've got lots of enticing new reading material. I've already devoured Wildwood, a new all time favorite book, and over the weekend, started re-reading The Snow Child for the Alpine Trails Book Club, which I am beyond excited about. 

After a fairly lazy Saturday, Andy and I spent Sunday in the mountains snowshoeing! This time we hit the crowded Kendall Peak Lakes trail at Snoqualmie Pass, hoping that the Super Bowl would keep crowds down. It didn't seem to have made much of a difference, at least in the morning, but we still had an absolutely glorious day. I was impressed that we made it all the way to the lakes with a little energy to spare. 9 miles round trip in the snow is not bad! Ending the day with a well earned tasting flight of beer (and one cider) from a new brewery near home is even better!

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