Kayaking Adventure

The gentle sound of the paddle meeting the water.

Calls of birds and ducks in the air...

Perhaps a sea lion poking his head above the water...

What a joy to be on the water in a kayak!

How wonderful to be so close to the water and almost at eye level with any sea life!

Every kayak adventure is different. There can be the thrill of going over swells.
There can be glass-like stillness.

In Washington state there are so many opportunities to see the orange, purple, or beige starfish. These are more accurately called sea stars. Growing up and vacationing on the East Coast the only sea stars I had seen prior to being in Washington were beige.

When I am in the sea environment, I access peace more consistently than anywhere else I can be.

Where do you find peace? When the stress of life starts to get to you, what helps you to get centered and restored to a solid, healthy place?

Dad Jim getting Jackson into his safety jacket.


















Elizabeth preparing for the kayak with Thomas


















Elizabeth and Thomas

Thomas is trying out paddling his way

Jim, Elizabeth, Thomas and Jackson

Sledriding on the 4th of July, Mount Baker, WA

Oh the joy of flying down a hillside on a sled! As Jackson and I got ourselves arranged on the sled at the top of the hill, I asked myself if this was such a good idea. This was a different kind of sled from what we used in the old days. Did I even remember how this was done?

I've skied fairly recently, but haven't done any sled riding for many years. My four-year-old grandson deserved to come out of this experience without me piled on top of him! As we started down the hill at quite a rapid pace, many memories of fun times in the snow came to mind. I remember our Doberman Pinscher chasing us down the hill and just occasionally trying to "save" us by nabbing some part of our clothes!

Jackson and I had a great, exhilarating ride!....and on the 4th of July? That's a first for me!

How many times have you been at the point of making a decision before letting it all go?
Have there been times that your hesitation has kept you from a great experience or business opportunity?

Elizabeth and Jackson speeding down the hill!











Here comes a snowball!












Amy and Maxwell take a turn















Jackson and his dad head up the hill















Thomas gets a ride with his mom, Elizabeth.











Story time










Oh the fun of playing in puddles!







Treehugger














Amy with Maxwell in the backpack











Lunch by the lake
My hiking boots in the foreground and yes, Jackson had been in the frigid water ( very briefly and only up to his calves). He thought it would be great to swim here. Thomas is in the center and Maxwell to the right.

Strawberry Picking

What's more fun than picking fruit and eating it as you go along????
Strawberry picking at Boxx Farm was amazing. You can see snowy Mount Baker in the background and huge fields full of strawberries. All of the three boys enjoyed picking although not many unsmashed berries remained in their buckets.
There's something very special about eating what you have picked yourself.

Amy and Maxwell picking strawberries and playing the put them in the bucket, take them out of the bucket game!















Suzanne with her bucket filling up.












Jackson and Thomas with strawberry faces.

Here's one for you!














Amy and Maxwell with one strawberry face!!










Thomas, Jim, Elizabeth and Jackson

Hiking June 29

For me, getting out in nature is always restorative. And to be in the midst of the awesome beauty of the Northwest and feeling the refreshingly cool air is such an incredible experience.

After pondering Hiking the North Cascades by Dr. Fred T. Darvill, Jr, my son-in-law and I decided to head out with his sons, Jackson (4) and Thomas (almost 2) and a neighbor, Hannah. Our destination was Hannegan Pass and Peak, the nearest access to North Cascades National Park from Bellingham.

What amazing sights! Snowy hillsides, waterfalls, and a bit of fog from the rainy day. Up there the temps were in the 40's.

Below are some photos of the day....
Click any of them to see an enlarged view.











Are we there yet?









Thomas checking out the Park Pass










Snowy peaks












Fog over the peaks












Suzanne









Jackson, Jim, and Thomas












Hannah












Nooksack Falls











The hikers