Life: Week 17

May 8, 2017 Laura Norsen

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.

Life: Week 16

April 26, 2017 Laura Norsen

The weather has continued to swing wildly from rain to sun - like Mother Nature has bipolar disorder. It's what I love most about spring. Work this week continued to be hectic, as it will for at least the next month. Thankfully we had plans Friday evening to head to Whidbey for a relaxing weekend to celebrate my birthday. For the first time in months, I spent most of a morning reading a book. Over the weekend, we did manage to leave the cabin on a few occasions for visits to my favorite bookstore and restaurant, as well as a morning spent exploring the blooming rhododendrons at Meerkerk Gardens, but mostly we curled up indoors. There are few places I'd rather be than at the cabin with a fire crackling in the old cast-iron stove, watching the ever-shifting view of a spring storm.

Life: Week 15

April 20, 2017 Laura Norsen

It's been an unpredictable, stormy spring. Most days, it would rain off and on all day, but in the evening there would be a few hours of clear weather, giving me just enough time for a walk before dinner. With frequent, rapidly passing downpours, during these period of sun the trees and their new green leaves would sparkle with accumulated raindrops. As much as I'm looking forward to the long, sunny days of summer, I'll miss this beautiful, erratic spring weather. By the weekend, it was sunny and warm - a little preview of summer, and the perfect weather for our April hike with the Alpine Trails Book Club.

Goose Rock

April 19, 2017 Laura Norsen

Deception Pass is a gem year round, but especially in the spring. While most other trails in the state are covered in snow, or at least a heavy coating of mud, wildflowers are blooming, and if you're lucky, the sun is shining. For the April Alpine Trails Book Club hike, we were definitely lucky! While it was overcast and chilly at the trailhead, we warmed up quickly climbing from the beach to the bluff underneath the Deception Pass bridge. We chose to follow the Goose Rock perimeter trail before climbing up to the summit, gently following the waters edge through vibrant green forest. As we emerged from the trees to a rocky trail bluff above Coronet Bay the sun broke through the clouds, and we began to notice early wildflowers scattered over the rocks.

Life: Week 13

April 7, 2017 Laura Norsen

Spring is most definitely, finally here! The early cherries are blooming, and there nearly everything else is covered in tiny buds. On sunny days, the breeze carries the distinct scent of cherry blossoms. After a lazy Saturday recovering from a stressful week, we decided to explore a nearby lowland trail. I'd actually hiked a couple of short loops in the Paradise Valley Conservation Area with my mom and her dogs, but Andy had never been! We were both surprised by how lovely the trails were, although the shared mountain bike trails were extra muddy from all those bike tracks! It was mostly a wet and cloudy walk, but the sun did briefly come out as we made our way back to the trailhead. I was happy to see tons of trillium and fern fiddleheads poking through the undergrowth, sure signs that spring is marching ahead!

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