Spring Has Sprung in our Great Big Backyard!

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves." ~John Muir 

In my opinion, the sun in the Pacific Northwest is shinier, brighter and more glorious than anywhere else in the country. When I lived in the Sierra Nevada region sunny days were bountiful, beautiful and hot. Did I say bountiful? Living there made me appreciate rain. I can remember days where the sun actually annoyed me. Is that possible? Was I ungrateful? Maybe that is the key to why the sun, when enjoyed in Washington state, just seems so....heavenly; people here never lose appreciation for it.

The month of April, while bringing it's signature showers, was also generous with it's beautiful sunny days that foretold of a coming summer. I have been able to get out and enjoy the woods of Washington on several occasions already. As I've said before, I consider the natural world around me; the state parks, forests, national parks, rivers, lakes and mountains, our backyard.

After many failed plans to go hiking with one of my oldest friends, Valerie, we finally made it happen. Up early one morning, when the kids happened to be at their dad's, we both had the first half of the day to drink in a healthy dose of nature's vitamin D. The challenge was in finding somewhere nearby. As it turned out, it wasn't much of a challenge. To my pleasant surprise, there are many places within 20 minutes of home that I had never explored before.

We headed south to the capital city, Olympia. First we took the mild but beautiful trail near Tumwater Falls. We walked only a short ways and realized, due to construction, half the trail was closed. Still not in the mood to return home, we headed back north and pulled off I-5 toward Tolmie State Park. Both photography enthusiasts, Valerie and I had a heyday with the mossy green forest, and the sparkling blue bay. I enjoyed this place so much that I returned the next day with my sister, Emily, and best friend, Aaron. On the way home we stopped for coffee and wrote down our goals for this summer. It is the outcome of this spontaneous meeting that will be the topic of my next post.

Two weeks after my first Spring venture into the great backyard, we were blessed with another dose of sunny weather. In fact, it was so warm, I decided we would head up to Mt. Rainier for National Park Week with the added bonus that during this week none of the usual fees applied for park entry.  The kids and I, and, of course, my little sis, Emily, changed our clothes after church, packed a lunch and headed on the road to 'The Mountain'. We decided to enter by way of the north side...but apparently I haven't learned my lesson in researching before a trip...because that entrance was closed til summer.  So we made our way back down and ended up at Buck Creek Campground at the base of the mountain.

This place had it all. Secluded sites to park and picnic, trails through mossy green forests, an icy rushing river for us the kids to play in, and breathtaking views. We spent the entire day here, just soaking in the beauty that surrounded us. As Emily stated, "There's nothing like a mountain to make you feel small." This is a great feeling to me. I love to feel small and insignificant. I know that seems to go against the grain of modern thinking, but it is a feeling that tends to make all of life's stresses melt away. For how can the things in that our lives that seem such a BIG DEAL really be so, when we are so small?

Sunny days to all,

Gina