In many ways, December is my favorite month. The days my be short and dark, the vibrant color of fall drained from the landscape, but they are also filled with friends, candlelight, and plenty of good food. Compared to last year, so far this December has been surprisingly warm and dry. During the week, the days passed quietly and slowly. As we near the solstice, the days are so short that even working from home, my only opportunity to get outside during daylight hours is at lunch. Usually the days fly by without my noticing, and by the time I think to go outside, it's already far too late. That makes the weekends this time of year all the more precious, and this one was spent well, visiting friends in Bellingham.
Like every visit with our friends in Bellingham, it was a trip filled with delicious food, amazing cocktails, and some truly gorgeous views. On Saturday, after a late brunch we found ourselves drawn to the water to soak up the gorgeous winter light. After a short hike down from Chuckanut Drive, we found misty views and golden light on the Salish Sea at Teddy Bear Cove. I could have easily lingered for hours, watching the sun dip below the horizon, but dinner called us back to the city. The next day, we headed towards Mt. Baker with plans for some snowshoeing along the Nooksack River, but found only a light dusting on the ground. Even if it was less wintry then we'd planned, the frosty views were magical. It's not quite winter yet, so hopefully there will be plenty of snowy adventures over the next few months!