Thanks to the winter wonderland that magically descended on Puget Sound on Christmas Eve, Andy and I got a late start getting to my parents on Christmas Day. By the time we made it there, my two-year-old niece was anxious to break into the huge pile of presents under the tree. Happily, one of her presents was perfect for the snowy day - her first pair of skis! After opening gifts, we dashed outside for some easy skiing and general frolicking in the snow. Since I had December 26th off as well, I got a bonus day off to enjoy the winter wonderland before it all melted away. I took advantage of the day with a long walk on the Powerline Trail, brilliant in its snowy glory.
Read moreLife: Week 52
The last week of 2016 was filled with snow, sunshine, family, and sweets! Most of it was spent in Wenatchee, celebrating a belated Christmas with Andy's family. After the hectic scramble leading up to Christmas this year, this was the perfect way to end the year, and start off 2017. We spent hours playing with new games and toys and reading new books with our niece and nephew. We drank hard cider made by my father-in-law from the apples on Vashon and limoncello made by my brother-in-law from the lemon tree in their backyard. We ate far too much delicious food, as we usually do when we visit Andy's dad. We stayed up late playing cards and dice, and catching up on life. We went on several snowy adventures, including two snowshoeing treks, with hot cocoa - or hot rum cider! - to warm us up after. Sadly like all good things, it had to end, but with 2017 off to such a good start, I'm optimistic about the year to come!
Read moreLife: Week 52
This week brought frost and the tiniest bit of snow to Puget Sound. I love the textures and patterns of frost, almost more than I love snow. Thanks to a Christmas present from Andy, I can now keep my feet warm in style by wearing wool socks with birkenstocks, the epitome Pacific Northwest fashion. We spent most of the week on Whidbey Island, and instead of our usual beach walks, this time we went for several "frost walks" where we poked about in the woods taking photos of the frost until we were thoroughly frozen. Then it was back to the cabin to warm up by the wood burning stove! Whidbey is the most wonderful place to ring in the New Year. I vastly prefer the calm, peaceful beauty to the crowds and noise typical to a New Years celebration.