As work slows down for the summer, I'm beginning to have the energy and time for other things in my life. I've finally started to catch up on my towering backlog of books, made a dent in the mess our apartment had become, and wonderfully even had time for a walk after work! It was the perfect week for it too, since the days have been increasingly sunny. I'm sure soon I'll be whining about the heat and sun, but for now, for a few days at a time, I'm happy for the sunshine. It was especially appreciated on our Saturday hike along Boulder River for the May Alpine Trails Book Club meeting. The river was raging, and a much milkier shade than when Andy and I visited last year in April. After the hike, we stopped in Arlington for lunch and a beer at Skookum Brewing. Definitely one of my favorite things about Washington - there's always a good beer stop on the way home from the trail!
Read moreMeerkerk Gardens
I've always enjoyed meandering through a large garden. Growing up on books like The Secret Garden, Alice in Wonderland, and the work of Beatrix Potter, they've always had a rather magical appeal. After years of vaguely talking about Meerkerk Gardens on Whidbey Island, on an overcast morning this spring Andy and I finally made the trip. The entrance to the gardens is through a picturesque stone hut, and when we arrived, since the garden staff hadn't arrived yet for the day, we left our $5 admission fee in a small kiosk by the entrance.
Read moreLife: Week 19
If April shower bring May flowers, May showers bring only loud complaints. Especially if it should dare to rain on the weekend! Meanwhile, I'm still loving this stormy spring. Maybe it's because I'm still so busy with work that I hardly have time to get outdoors, but I can't get enough of the rain drenched views out my window. All this rain just makes the few days (or hours) of sunshine all the more enjoyable. Between the many showers this week, we did have a few brief bursts of sun at times that I was able to make it outdoors. All the rain has certainly made for a green and flower-filled May. Maybe it's the grey skies, but blooms seem more vibrant than usual this year.
Read moreLife: Week 18
I thought we'd had an impressively stormy spring already, but this past week was especially dramatic. The week started cool and overcast, but Wednesday morning the the sun was shining and temperature began to climb. Throughout the afternoon, clouds began to gather and conspire, eventually deciding on a torrential downpour to lull me to sleep that night. Thursday, along with the previously mentioned rain, saw a series of intense thunderstorms, with more lightning than we see in most seasons packed into one day! By Friday morning, the sun was once again shining, as if nothing had happened. Andy and I had taken Friday off to drive to Wenatchee for his dad's 60th birthday. After the storm, the rivers were crashing alongside the highway well above their usual spring levels, and I could barely resist the temptation to stop for photos or even a short hike. With Andy driving there were no stops, and we made good time to our destination.
Read moreLife: Week 17
After a lovely weekend spent on Whidbey Island, Monday morning, we had to pack up and head home. I always find it hard to leave Whidbey, but it's especially difficult when the sun is shining. After a stormy weekend, we the island sent us off with beautiful weather, so before heading home, we stopped for lunch on the patio of one of our favorite cafes on the island. By Monday night, back at home, it was once again raining.
I think at this point in our excessively soggy winter and spring, even those who love the rain are over it. Not me though! While I'm not happy about the amount of snow that's left in the Cascades, that will continue to linger well into summer, I'm loving all this wet weather! I always sleep better with the sound of a good storm as my lullaby, and all this wet weather has been keeping crowds down on trails! I've been on several hikes this year on popular trails I expected to be packed with other hikers, only to find peaceful, uncrowded trails. On our hike to Barclay Lake this past Saturday, we saw only a few people. It was chilly and overcast, but still it was a surprise to have such a popular trail mostly to ourselves.
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