No place better than the PNW

Home!

Every year I feel more like a tourist here, as you'll see from upcoming posts with photos of unimportant things like moss.


You might be able to make out the tiny German flag I've put under my parents' big flag.

We've already seen some new-to-both-of-us places like Mt Hood and the North Cascades loop (the "American Alps"). I was surprised that Mt St Helens is still a devastated moonscape. Steam was shooting out of it, like "I'm not done yet."

I got to meet Becky Bean, her husband, and her terrific, entertaining kids. Then I met their enormous horse Caspian, a horse who has never snuck up on anyone in his life. I'll be posting some pics of Becky on her horse and talking about my experience climbing up onto him. 

Aarene let my nephew and neice meet Fiddle, the goats, dogs and cat. My neice was in awe, speechless when she saw Fiddle, huge and gleaming. She said Fiddle looks like the King of the Wind horse, and loves how her black and brown colors mix together. My nephew was able to get Fiddle to do her litany of tricks, and Fiddle licked his hands thoroughly afterwards. He had the biggest smile, I don't think he's been around horses before. Aarene forced me to eat a pickled cherry, and then we were off to Omak following Jim's directions - and Jim, we saw the Oso landslide!

Lake Chelan was nothing like I expected, as my sister said, "It's like standing on the surface of the sun." *IN* the lake was the place to be, where you could see to the bottom through the clear water. My mom told me it's the cleanest lake in the world.

Geocaching Carnation, we were able to surprise my friend Tami who was getting out of her car about to join her knitting group. She was sure shocked to see her German friends in her neighborhood! We'll hook up next week.

We've taken two ferry trips - one to Shelton to see my dad (and cache the entirety of Harstine Island) and one to see friends on Bainbridge Island. We prefer ferry fees and convenience to bridge tolls and long drives.

I've experienced new species of birds and I'm taking pictures of every single one, which I'll bore you with soon.

So much to do still, I'm not on the computer much, but I will be soon.