The mural on the old police station said it all, “Welcome to Concrete, the center of the known universe.”
“Well, that’s pretty presumptuous,” I said to Chris. Continue reading “Creeped Out at Devil’s Tower”
Kickin’ It at Kiket! An Easy Hike and Free Apples
Not all adventures need to be big ordeals. Too often, we hear people say, “Yeah, we should go hiking or take the kids outside somewhere, but none of us have good hiking boots.” Or, “If Lily misses her nap, she’ll be a bear later.” Or, “I can’t imagine a hike with little kids and no stroller.” Or, “I usually don’t go farther than I can haul a cooler.” Or, “I really need to get some buckets and shovels for the beach.”
Here’s the thing. Continue reading “Kickin’ It at Kiket! An Easy Hike and Free Apples”
Hiking in the Dark (with Kids!)
Dare we give up our secret spot? The spot with no parking lot, at the head of a spindly little trail leading to the secluded beach with the weird sea creatures and island views leading to the greenest, grassiest bluff, alive with towering tufted terraces and slippery seals swimming below? The destination of the surprise hike & picnic Chris led me on on our “Three Hour Date Night” when I was 8.975 months pregnant, nearly four years ago? That place long withstanding in Chris’ boyhood memories? YES, I suppose we’ll share it. Continue reading “Hiking in the Dark (with Kids!)”
Smelling Fragrance Lake
February 3, 2018
We slept in a bit and then drug our feet. One cup of coffee turned into two. The gas fireplace rumbled on; my robe begged to stay wrapped around me, warm and sheltered from the showers outside. Chris searched…and searched…for sun.
“There’s a slight chance it’s in Bellingham or Whidbey, but it’s not looking very promising. What do you want to do?” Continue reading “Smelling Fragrance Lake”
Welcome
It takes a shift in thought to find the sun beyond the rainclouds; a shift in focus to experience that fleeting, fascinating moment; a shift in speed to savor the ever-changing details of a life.
-A.K.
“Quick! Kids, get your shoes on! Dad found the SUN again!”
We jump in the car, no solid plans, like we always do in weather like this; a real-life, spontaneous Pacific Northwest family, SEARCHING FOR SUN on even the dreariest days. We always find it. And you should, too.
Follow us as we explore, live life, and savor the small things, from pigtails to rainbows in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
I Almost Blew Away: Ala Spit & Fort Ebey
December 2017
Sideways rain and gloomy skies led to prime couch-surfing conditions. A typical predicament in Western, WA, we pushed our blankets aside, searched for the sun and found a glimmer of it likely shining intermittently one hour away near Whidbey Island.
Fish Guts, a Haiku
December 2017
Slippery fish slide
Down the hatch our children go,
Art experienced.
No, No, No! You Would DIE.
November 2017
“The sun’s gonna be out in Bellingham by 2:00 tomorrow. Wanna go? Leave by 9?” Chris asked me, knowing my answer.
Naturally, we went, with no real plans except to hike around some Pacific Northwest waterfall trails, which I assumed wouldn’t really be all that impressive this time of the year. Boy, was I wrong. Continue reading “No, No, No! You Would DIE.”
New Year, Ghost Town, Decisions
January 1, 2018
New Year’s Day was a fog. That’s probably an accurate statement for many, but for us it was the real deal. Fog hovered low and billowy, a white shroud of fallen cloud, up one street and down the other, temperatures near freezing. Continue reading “New Year, Ghost Town, Decisions”