Fall is my absolute favorite season for hiking. I know I've said it before, but right now it feels especially true. This year, it may be in part due to the fact that it took most of the summer for me to feel comfortable venturing much beyond my own backyard. As though the Cascades were conspiring to lure me back the their fir scented embrace, the condions this weekend were my absolute ideal for an early fall hike. Even the drive to meet my Alpine Trails Book Club friends at the trailhead was stunning, with low swirling clouds and vibrant fall color. I even surprised myself, managing to both hike all the full length of our roughly 6-8 mile hike (no one’s distance tracking device seemed to agree once we were back at the trailhead). Happily I also had plenty of time to pick enough of the tiny but oh-so-sweet alpine blueberries that lined the trail to fill the Nalgene bottle I brought specifically for that purpose. Those now wait in my freezer as a treat for those long winter days when I need a reminder of sunny days in the mountains.
Read moreLife: Week 38
Fall is officially here, with grey skies and dark, rainy evenings. While my work days were hectic, I managed to make it through the week without working too much overtime, but Andy worked late almost every day. As much as I missed Andy, I enjoyed my quiet hours spent knitting before he’d finally get home for a late dinner. I’ve been making slow but steady progress on a new sweater for myself - one I can’t wait to finish now that cooler days are here. With Andy’s sister and her family in town for a visit, we spent the weekend close to home to make the most of our time with them. We even subjected ourselves to a Sunday spent watching football, where I attempted (with little success) to learn to follow the details of gameplay. I think in the future, I’ll stick to the trail while the Seahawks play where I feel a little more in my element!
Read moreLife: Week 38
This week was a wonderful reminder of why fall is my favorite season! The cool, rainy weather has been so refreshing after so many months of summer heat. The chilly mornings do make it harder to get out of bed in the morning, especially with a cuddly cat who'd like nothing more than for me to stay in bed all day, but I sleep so much better now that its cool, and steaming mug of my favorite chai tea usually helps ease my unwilling transition from a cozy bed to the work day!
Read moreLife: Week 38
Now that it's officially autumn, I keep expecting cold rainy weather, but over the past several days it has felt like summer is having a brief revival. The pressure is back on to get outside and make the most of sunny weekends while they last! With that in mind, this past Saturday we headed for Melakwa Lake. Unfortunately, we got a very late start, which meant parking over a quarter mile from the trail and having hardly any time to relax at the lake. However, our late start meant we had some beautiful late afternoon light once we reached the lake. Andy really had to push me to leave the lake, since I kept stopping for "just one more photo!" I was extremely envious of the couple that reached the lake shortly after us with plans to spend the night. Andy and I both agreed we'd like to come back to camp in one of the rather impressive sites we found while exploring the area.
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