Whidbey Island is my favorite place to be in stormy weather. Sheltered in the warm and cozy in the cabin, I can watch as the sea and sky both turn a steely grey, and rain and wind lash the windows. Luckily for me, we had perfect stormy fall weather on our last minute weekend trip to the island. Before heading to the cabin, we stopped in Langley for coffee and some bookstore browsing, and I picked up the perfect weekend reading material. For the first time I can remember, we hadn’t packed a ridiculous amount of food, and we wound up having a dinner of chips, salsa, and breakfast sausages. Oh, and plenty of red wine. Not sure what we’d been thinking when we packed food for the weekend, but we survived!
Read moreLife: Week 42
This was a week of brisk, foggy mornings, leaf strewn sidewalks, and warm, sunny afternoons. While I found few opportunities during the week to get outside and enjoy the lovely glorious fall weather, I did manage to fill my weekend with plenty of time outdoors. Headed to the Iron Goat trailhead Saturday morning for a early start to meet my book club group for our October hike, I witnessed one of the most magically misty mornings I’ve seen in years. Low clouds hung heavily over the mountains, and as I drove east, the sun began to pierce through, catching the orange and golden leaves lining the highway and making them glow. Knowing I had a little time to spare on my drive, I even took the opportunity to stop at a small fishermen’s access to the Skykomish River to soak in the misty morning and snap a few photos. By the time I’d reached the trailhead, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. If it weren’t for the distinctly autumnal colors lining the trail, it would’ve been easy to mistake the balmy day for July instead of late October.
Read moreLife: Week 41
Astonishingly, sunshine has continued to stick around well into October, making for a truly glorious fall. I’ll take the cooler days and vibrant foliage of fall over the smoke and heat of summer any day! Over the weekend, Andy and I were roped into something neither of us were much looking forward to - family photos. Thankfully we didn’t have to get up too early, since my parents cabin isn’t terribly far away. Somehow, even though it’s October, we were all surprised by the chilly weather and spent a good part of the morning shivering between poses. As uncomfortable as the cold was, the frost and ice sparkled in the early morning light, and eventually the sun climbed high enough to reach the valley and provide some much needed warmth. Even if I had to be in front of the camera instead of behind it, it’s hard to beat a fall morning in the mountains. By the time we’d finished photos, it was early afternoon - perfect timing for Andy and I to stop at the pass for lunch and beers at Dru Bru! Since we’d both had exhausting weeks, Andy and I decided to take it easy Sunday by spending the day binge (re)watching Game of Thrones while keeping the apartment warm with a cozy fire. All around, not a bad way to spend a fall weekend!
Read moreLife: Week 40
Cider pressing with Andy’s family at their property on Vashon Island is my absolute favorite fall tradition. While it’s only a short ferry ride from Seattle, Vashon feels like a peaceful and remote retreat, far from the noise and bright lights of the city. After talking about it for years, this year Andy and I finally managed to spend the weekend in the Birdhouse - a tiny off-the-grid cabin nestled amid the old-growth maples. We got a late start Saturday morning, but still arrived on Vashon with plenty of time to wander around town, exploring main street and stocking up on pastries, tea, coffee, and cider. After all our drinking and window shopping, we loaded all our goodies into our packs for the short hike down to our home for the night. It was surprisingly cold in the Birdhouse, but our toasty sleeping bags kept us plenty warm!
Read moreLife: Week 39
For weeks, I’d hoped to spend the last weekend of September off on one last backpacking trip before a blanket of snow descended on the trails. Sadly, after an exhausting week for both Andy and me, those plans were canceled for a more restful weekend. Even if we weren’t going to spend the weekend camping in the mountains, I dreamed of a long hike near Mt Baker or Mt Rainier to soak in the autumnal wonderland that had been crowding my instagram feed all week. When Andy suggested a specific hike much closer to home on Sunday, I begrudgingly agreed. The trail we wound up on is close enough to home that we were able to sleep in and still make it to the trailhead at a decent hour, and I spent the short drive grumpy and feeling like I was missing out on a real adventure. After only a few minutes on the trail - which we had to ourselves! - I couldn’t help feeling a peaceful joy. Thoughts of grander trails disappeared as we climbed through the quiet maple forest. Social media makes it temptingly easy to chase the adventures of others, but this hike was a great reminder of the peace that can be found in the mountains when you venture off to a trail less traveled.
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