Something magical happens on the trail in the rain. With distant views obscured by mist and cloud, the world becomes smaller. Instead of landscapes of jagged, snow-capped peaks, your views are of moss and bark, puddles and branches. Sound is literally dampened by the weather, with the drip-drumming of the rain on your trusty rain jacket as a persistent soundtrack. Unless you're not wearing a rain jacket, but if you're out hiking in the PNW in January, I very much hope you are!
Read moreLife: Week 5
Early February is an odd time in the PNW. It doesn't quite feel like winter anymore, but it's also definitely not quite spring. Right now the days still feel too short, especially during the week. February gets hated on a lot around here, and some years I hate it too. As usual, I've been longing for the drawn out evenings of summer, but this year I'm finding a lot to enjoy in the shortest month of the year. There's so much promise, so many green things just beginning to bud and sprout and poke up through the soil.
Read moreLife: Week 4
This was a week of wet & stormy weather. Andy and I started the week by leaving behind the snowy peace of my parent's cabin. Returning to real-life after the hygge atmosphere of a cabin is always hard, so I was thankful for my shortened work week. I also appreciated the loaf of pulla left over from our weekend - a much tastier way to ease into my morning than my typical breakfast of coffee and a hard boiled egg. Because of the novelty of our new espresso machine, I've been drinking too many lattes, so this week, I started drinking more tea. I love a good latte, but hadn't realized how much I missed my morning cup of tea. I think for me a latte is better as an occasional treat rather than an everyday drink.
Read moreGold Creek Pond Snowshoe
Typically, when planning an Alpine Trails Book Club outing, I start with the book, then wrack my brain to come up with the best possible trail to pair with it. To start off 2018, for once I knew exactly where I wanted to go: a short snowshoe around Gold Creek Pond paired with a stop at my nearby family cabin would be the perfect way to ease out of the holiday season. I envisioned a laid-back morning of snacking, hot beverages, and meandering conversation. The trouble was I couldn't come up with a fitting book, but when Ashley suggested reading The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking, I knew we'd found the perfect combination. I'd already unintentionally planned the perfect hyggelig day for our meeting!
Read moreLife: Week 3
This week was busy with planning and preparation for the January meeting of the Alpine Trails Book Club. We were spending a long weekend at my parents cabin up in the mountains, so every night was spent making large batches of soups and sauces to freeze in preparation for our weekend. After all the busy preparation, arriving at the peaceful cabin was a relief. Friday, we spent a quiet evening watching movies while snow fell outside. Saturday morning, we woke up to several inches of new snow, just enough to decorate the trees and hide our tracks from the hike in. By the afternoon, our group expanded with the addition of Ashley and her little one. After some snowy exploration around the cabin, we settled in for another quiet night of card games and puzzles. We ended the weekend with our perfectly hygge January Alpine Trails Book Club hike, which I'll be sharing soon!
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