Cool weather but sun returns

Grey skies and wind, but tulips everywhere

When Lily and I visited the tulips last weekend, the day before was sunny and warm, but when we got there, it had turned cold and the wind made it seem even colder. We enjoyed ourselves very much, but it wasn't the sort of day for hanging out and strolling among the gardens. Even if they were beautiful, we were both a little bit underdressed for the cold. So, we didn't stay for long, although we enjoyed the display, after about an hour we decided to call it done. We drove to Mt. Vernon and spent some time in the Skagit Valley Food Co-op. I wrote about it on my Sunday blog, but here it is Tuesday again, and time for my weekly post on this blog.

I am writing this post before heading to the Retina Specialists' office for my next eye jab. I don't seem to be as anxious this time as I have felt before, but that might be due to me knowing that they will now give me a pill for anxiety beforehand. I am not sure what the tiny pill they provide is (they have told me numerous times, but I just cannot remember the name). It definitely makes a difference, but having the injection is not my favorite activity, that's for sure.

I have been hopeful that as time passes after that February fall on the ice, my right hip would get better, so that I might be able to rejoin the Tuesday hikes once again. But frankly, right now I can feel that the time has not yet arrived. Although I can go for around three miles without too much pain, it's definitely not getting better enough for a five-mile hike. I know that as the days go by, I will be losing more fitness, but there really isn't anything to be done to hurry the process. 

Saturday's excursion, photo by Lily

I am really hopeful that by this time next year, I will still be able to see well enough to take pictures like these. But just in case I can't, I'll have my dear friend to help with it all. And we get to travel in her wonderful comfy car as well! So, even if things are not the way I would prefer, I still have so very much to be grateful for.

:-)

Seriously scary winter weather

Seen on a tree in our neighborhood yesterday

Six of us Happy Wanderers went on an impromptu walk yesterday, Wednesday, since our regularly scheduled Tuesday hike was canceled because of wind. So, on a quite nice day between storms, we enjoyed walking from the Senior Center to Irongate and back, about six or so miles, led by Barb. It was really nice, and the sun even came out to visit for awhile.

Today, for our Thursday hike, Don and I decided to take a walk of our own from the coffee shop to the Ferry Terminal in Fairhaven. The weather wasn't bad at all when we started out, with the temperature around 36°F, but it was supposed to be the high temperature for the day, with cold air and wind projected to get worse as the day went on. Sure enough, by the time we finished our 6.5-mile walk, it was definitely colder with a light breeze already starting. We haven't seen much winter weather so far this season, but it's sure on the way now. Here's what the Weather Channel predicts:

Record-breaking cold temperatures are expected to spread across western Washington this afternoon and tonight and continue into at least early next week. The coldest temperatures and wind chills are expected Friday through Sunday followed by a very slow warming trend.

Right now, at 3:40pm, the temperature has dropped to 21°F and the wind has started (feeling like 15°F) coming out of the Frasier River Gap in Canada, and it is expected to drop our temperature to around 8°F with gusts to 55mph. We lost electricity for four hours on Tuesday, and I suspect it could happen again, with winds like this. Which means, if that happens, another scary cold snap that could make our humble abode uninhabitable. In such a case, we would be looking for somewhere with heat. My first guess would be the coffee shop, of course. But until it happens, we will hunker down in our home and hope for the best.

We are not alone in our cold snap. I learned that much of the country will also be subjected to really awful winds, subfreezing cold, and blizzards for the next few days. I really feel for the critters who won't be able to be in a warm place, as well as all the homeless people. Warming centers are opening to help house the homeless in our area. I fear for all of them. But we will get through this; we just need to stay calm and look for that elusive silver lining. 

:-{

Trappist beer

I love a good beer

Well, what do you know about beer? I know very little, actually, except for what I enjoy after a satisfying hike or a nice repast at the end of the day. I also like red wine, but there's something special about a good dark beer that just cannot be beat. When I was in Germany years ago, I was introduced to a wonderful Trappist beer, dark and heavy, nothing like I had experienced in drinking American beer.

I also learned that German beer is changed dramatically by the laws and regulations that allow beverages to be imported. All I can say is, don't bother to look for a good dark German beer here.  However, these days there are many delightful beers to be enjoyed if you live in the Pacific Northwest, where all kinds of dark beers are brewed. But there's nothing is quite like a Trappist beer. There is an amazing history to these monastic beers that you can read all about on that link.

Tonight, I am sitting here in the evening hours while I drink a good winter ale from a local brewery, and it did bring back memories of those days in Germany when I learned a great deal about beer. Today I am drinking this ale because of a massive change in our environment, which started when I woke up this morning to a home without electricity. You don't know how much you need it until it's just not there. Dark, wind blowing a gale outside, and no internet, no coffee, no nothing!

I got myself out of bed and went to the car to drive somewhere that would be able to bring me some caffeine. By the time I go to the first intersection, I saw lights galore, so I went off to the coffee shop. We ended up being four or more hours without power, but I was able to communicate with my guy through text messages until I learned it was time to come back home. Our hike for the day was canceled, and I didn't get in a walk, but otherwise it's been an okay day.

Tomorrow I will take the bus to the coffee shop and will maybe go to the Senior Center. Our terrible weather is predicted to start tomorrow night, while much of the country is already in the midst of severe winter weather. Anyway, that was my day and now I'm thinking it's time to chill even more and then  hit the sack.

:-)

Raptor Ridge

Owen, Penny, Linda, Beth, me

I didn't take this selfie, Penny did. That's why it looks like she's concentrating so hard, trying to get us all in the picture. I've never taken a good selfie, so I asked somebody else to give it a try, and I think she did a pretty good job. 

Since there were only five of us, it was much easier to be able to visit with everyone. Last Tuesday's large group of 22 meant that I didn't actually get to socialize with most of the participants. Today, we drove in one car to the North Chuckanut trailhead, and everyone was able to enjoy each other's company, along with the weather. It was raining when we started out, but quickly faded to nothing. The mild temperature and lack of rain was quite well received. But it didn't last: before long as we gained altitude, we were needing to put our rain gear back on. We took the Huckleberry trail from Hemlock, both parts of it, and were able to skip most of the Hemlock trail's steepness. This adds about another half mile to the trip, but nobody minded. 

Penny taking a look at the "view" from Raptor Ridge

The higher we climbed, the more the wind and rain picked up. This scene shows you why we didn't lollygag out on the ridge; instead we retreated until we found a place pretty much sheltered from the fierce wind to have our lunch.

Our lunch spot

Nobody was all that warm, but we are hardy Senior Trailblazers. Although we didn't dawdle, we were able to enjoy a nice break from all the uphill. (We did cover around nine miles in total.) We returned the exact same way, although there are plenty of other ways to approach and return from Raptor Ridge.

After lunch and before we started back

We not only hiked nine miles, we also went up and down around 1,700 feet or so. A few devices showed more, but we agreed on this number. And as a bonus, by the time we were around a mile from the trailhead, the sun came out! Full sun, so we began removing some of our extra clothing until we looked like we were on a springtime hike, rather than the first Group 2 outing of the year.

End of the Huckleberry trail

We were back at the Senior Center before 2:00pm, and everyone was happy that we had enjoyed such a great day together. Now I am tired and really glad to have been along on this lovely adventure!

:-)

Tulip Festival

Tulips galore

Today we, Melanie and I, headed down south to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival which is, I can attest, filled with tulips at the RoozenGaarde display gardens. It's really late for the flowers to be appearing, and we saw lots of fields that are still only showing buds, with unopened flowers that will be showing their beauty at some time in the next week or two. Since Melanie will be out of town next week, we decided to venture down to the fields today. The one good thing I will say about the weather is that it wasn't raining.

Melanie and I bundled up

You might be able to tell by our clothing that it wasn't warm: a twenty-mile-an-hour wind really brought down the temperature, and the fact that we never saw even a little bit of sunshine, meant that we wandered around snapping pictures while trying to stay moderately warm. Thank heavens for gloves, hats, coats and the ability to walk at a fast pace. When the wind was at our backs, it was much easier to enjoy the tulips, hyacinths, and daffodils.

River of hyacinths

One of my favorite places is the display garden hear the entrance. This river of blue hyacinths made for a wonderful fantasy of flowers among the multicolored (and multi-petaled) tulips. There are so many of my favorite tulip varieties mixed in. 

Red tulips make a lovely heart

When I saw this design, I was sure it was multicolored tulips surrounding a red tulip heart, but when I showed the picture to SG, he said maybe it's a glass of red wine. Who knows for sure? I loved seeing the bright colors all around it. 

Tulips to infinity... and beyond

Then we went out to the massive fields of tulips in the area behind the display gardens. They are so beautiful, and the brilliant colors were in no way diminished by the overcast skies. Although I would have spent more time out there, I was trying my best to stay warm and managed to keep walking, even when I would have liked to linger. The wind made it difficult.

Fields and fields of color

We walked around for as long as we could without getting too uncomfortable, and then we went back to the main area to shop in the great gift shop at the gardens. We did make a stop by some favorite displays, like this one.

Another hyacinth ribbon among the tulips

We really did enjoy the fabulous eye candy, and Melanie introduced me to her favorite fudge, available for purchase and to eat there or take home. I bought a sampler of several different kinds of fudge and managed to keep myself from eating too much of it all at once. It's rich and delicious. After that, we went to the gift shop to warm up and also to buy some souvenirs. Or she did, I looked but didn't end up buying anything in there after all.

Farewell until next year

And then it was time to say goodbye after another wonderful trip to the Tulip Festival. We climbed into Mel's car and headed back to Bellingham and drove to Lake Padden to walk 2.6 miles around the lake before going off to have a nice lunch together. It was truly a lovely day, but I am glad to be inside as the rain begins. We are so lucky to have such beautiful places to visit near our homes. Once again, I am grateful for all the fine places available to enjoy, just a short drive from Bellingham.

Melanie snapped this of me unawares

This picture gives me the ability to use it to say, "It is definitely springtime in the Pacific Northwest and thanks for coming along!"

:-)

Fifteen years

Lilac buds ready to pop

Walking home today in the blustery wind with raindrops spitting every few minutes, I was hunkered down inside my fleece and with my raincoat pulled up to protect me from the wind and wet. It wasn't pleasant, but on top of that, the sun kept trying to come out to change the narrative. Before long, I was almost home and happy to be thinking about coming inside and getting warm and dry once again.

Just before walking up the driveway to my apartment complex, I saw these lilac bushes sporting beautiful buds, soon to become flowers. Lilacs don't last a long time, but while they're around, they are one of my favorite flowers. And they're purple, too!

Yesterday marks fifteen years since SG and I pulled into this driveway with a U-Haul filled with our Colorado belongings, ready to start our retirement years here in the Pacific Northwest. He had come here earlier, with his car, to find a temporary place for us to use as a "jumping-off place," and he had found a nice two-bedroom apartment and starting staying there for a month or so, before flying back to Boulder to finish our journey. As it has turned out, we are still here, in that same apartment, fifteen years later. 

And we decided that Bellingham was just the place for us after all, not needing to look any further for a good community to join. It was important to find somewhere close to the ocean and not too far from the mountains. Bellingham fits us just right. I am still hiking in the mountains and know the trails around town intimately. We didn't know any of this when we got here, but I cannot imagine having found anywhere else that fits us so well. 

At first, we traveled to Canada (just a half hour away) quite often, but as the years have passed, we have stayed closer to home, and the pandemic closed the border for a few years anyway. Now we make short excursions to local stores for supplies, but otherwise we have graduated from being world travelers to elders who enjoy puttering around in our small home town. Having each other is the best! I hope we can continue like this for awhile longer, while we still have our health and mobility. Who could ask for more?

:-)

Sunny, cool and windy

Above the ground but a long ways from a bloom

Walking back from the bus this morning, I took some pictures of the burgeoning plants coming up in this garden. I had to hold my phone on the other side of the chain-link fence, and I was hoping I wouldn't drop it, since two rather large dogs decided I was paying way too much attention to this area, so I quickly snapped this and hoped for the best. I thought I might need to straighten it, but no, it's pretty perfect just as it is. 

I know from previous years that these will be tulips once they bloom, but our cool and unusually dreary winter has delayed all our pretty flowers. This weekend, April 1, begins the Tulip Festival, and I did look at the Bloom Map and found that the only thing in bloom right now are the daffodils, and they are not yet at full strength. The tulips will be coming in another couple of weeks, I believe. And I will be visiting the Tulip Festival once again, hoping for a sunny day in mid-April.

Camellia Japonica

I did pass by this lovely bush that catches my eye every spring, since the blooms are so big and beautiful, and way earlier than even most daffodils. I did have to look it up and believe I have correctly identified the Camellia japonica. If I am incorrect, I hope one of my more astute readers will enlighten me. Here's a closeup:

Gorgeous, aren't they?

Although it's beautifully sunny today, it's also very windy. I realize that I am going to have to find something to cover my ears in such conditions, since my hearing aids began to whistle and complain. Before long, I received a warning on my iPhone that I was being exposed to a very loud and damaging sound volume. But it wasn't true; it was just the wind, and when I realized that I have found another glitch in my bionic ears, I'll need to take care to cover these puppies when it's so windy. And this was mild, compared to what I've endured in the past.

I am hoping to have a sunny and warm hike on Thursday; the weather deteriorates for the weekend, but until then, I'll be listening to the cacophony of birdsong and enjoying the sunshine. Hope you have a great day!

:-)

Frigid but sunny

Lake Whatcom

If I didn't know any better, this picture could have been taken at any time of the year, especially if one didn't realize that is SNOW in the foreground. Melanie and I decided to visit one of our favorite places, the Hertz trail, which would give us a fairly sheltered walk. The temperature has been miserable, with the above scene showing plenty of sun, but the ambient air not even up to the freezing level. All that with a high wind makes for an uncomfortable hike.

Unusual scene for this area

We were really surprised at how comfortable we were in this situation, and we saw plenty of icicles as we made the three-plus miles to the end. This was the most spectacular view, but there were plenty more. There was a little mud, but as you might expect, it was easy to cross, since the mud was also frozen solid.

A beautiful winter's day

There wasn't much new to photograph, other than the usual view with some frosty ornaments. I imagine the weather kept most people away from a morning walk, since we saw fewer people on the trail than we normally do. Maybe they were hoping for some warmer temperatures, but they aren't expected today or tomorrow.

Ice on the right, dry trail on the left

Because we were protected from the worst of the wind, we actually warmed up quite nicely as we walked along. I even took off my mittens and just wore gloves, and eventually had to remove one of my three layers to stay comfortable.

Dappled sunlight belies the cold

We went all the way to the end, then turned around and came back to the trailhead. This gave us more than six miles but little elevation gain, since it's almost flat, having been a railroad bed many decades ago. We finished right around noon, not taking much time to sit anywhere in the cold. Now I am home, having just finished lunch and writing this post, so that I can enjoy reading my book and feeling quite virtuous for the rest of the day.

:-)

Rain now, cold coming later

Angry gnome

I found this picture when I was looking for something else in my vast library of pictures from years gone by. Again I was amused by this little guy, who looks like he's telling us to get lost, or maybe turn around before it's too late. Obviously it was raining then, too. I didn't expect so much rain when I walked to the bus this morning; it looked like it should be intermittent and dry up quickly. But it didn't, and I think it only now it has stopped for the day.

It looks like it will be turning cold soon, with lots of frigid wind coming from the Canadian Frazer Gap, which always means unpleasant conditions even if the sun is shining. Oh well, it could be much worse: I could be living in some place where we are much colder and windier, or even somewhere that doesn't have nice warm houses to live in. I should count my blessings and be grateful for the rain, which always brings lovely spring flowers. Eventually.

The news has been horrific: I am afraid to turn on the TV and see if there has been yet another mass shooting somewhere in the country. Only three weeks in, and we have been averaging 12 or 13 a day. I think I will spend my time catching up on watching all the movies I've missed lately, now that the Oscar nominations are out. I've seen a few of them and truly enjoyed "The Banshees of Inisherin." At least half of the nominations are new to me, so it will be fun and a good diversion to check them out. Most can be seen online if I'm willing to pay a few bucks, which I would be doing if I went to the cinema anyway. How about you? What do you do to change the subject from the current world situation? I'm always looking for new ways to cope.

:-}

Fire and ice

Snow on the roses

Yes, yesterday we got some snow in the morning, not much, but enough to grace these pretty roses in the Cornwall Rose Garden. These are just about the last of them until we see fresh buds show up in the springtime. That's another half a year away, I fear. But I can always visit my friends who live in Australia, where they are just beginning their late spring season, with lots of flowers, including roses. Or I can visit some of my own posts from earlier in the year.

After the rain went away, the wind came up, this time a strong flow through the Fraser Gap in Canada, which always brings COLD with it. This time is no exception; I awoke in the middle of the night to the unmistakable sound of our heat turning on for the first time this season. But with the sun shining, I thought it wouldn't feel quite so cold, but I was mistaken. When I walked home from the rose garden this morning, the fierce wind seemed to be in my face, no matter which direction I was traveling. I finished my fifty-minute walk five minutes sooner than I normally would, because I was walking fast to get home and out of the wind. My cheeks were almost as red as these roses.

Then I headed to Fairhaven  for my monthly acupuncture treatment. (This is what I am referring to when I'm talking about the Needle Man.) Today Warren worked on my stiff neck and shoulder, which tends to bother me occasionally, and I decided I'd give the area a bit of extra attention. Once he had the needles in place, he hooked them up to a machine that sends a stimulating vibration, more like a tapping, into the needles. He's done that before for knee or ankle pain, but this was a first for my shoulder.

He also treated my usual aches and pains, and right now I'm feeling quite pain-free. And filled with optimism, as usual after I see him for a treatment. Now if I just stay away from the news, I should be fine for the next little tranche of time.

:-)

Chanterelle Trail in the fall

Leaves, moss, rain

After last week's truncated hike (because of terrible air quality), this week we went across the parking lot to hike up the Chanterelle trail to the viewpoint in pristine air. We do this hike rather often, and today we wanted somewhere that we could turn around quickly, in case either the torrential rain forecast for later today came early, or in case the wind picked up too much. Fortunately for us, neither event kept us from making it to the viewpoint, a nice five-mile round trip.

Rickety bridge crossing

This hike has been a favorite for years, long before it had been renovated to be less steep with some nice switchbacks added to make it feel less arduous. We used to call this hike "Cub Creek," but these days it seems more friendly and winds its way through lovely forests. 

A few leaves remain still attached

I love to see the changes in this environment from season to season. We saw no flowers today, but lots of colorful leaves carpeting the trail. Many big-leaf maple leaves have fallen, and if today's windstorm materializes, most of them will be gone soon. It's a beautiful place to take in nature's magnificence. 

Lake Whatcom, Bellingham in sunshine

When we started out, we were fully dressed in our raingear, but since it didn't materialize as we continued our upward trek, we shed some of it, and watched the trees around us bounce and creak when the wind would pass through. It didn't stay windy, though, although we weren't anxious to extend the hike, in case the high winds got worrisome.

Mossy log and fallen leaves

We saw only a few other people who ventured out in what was supposed to be a very soggy and windy hike, but we were so fortunate to be spared the worst of it. I do expect later today it will be much more inhospitable. But for us, we managed a nice five-mile hike with about 1,200 feet of elevation, and it was just about perfect.

Me among the ferns

Melanie captured this picture of me, feeling happy to be outdoors in the forest, getting my steps in, and enjoying her company. When we finished our hike, it was just after noon, so we went out to eat again before heading to our respective homes. It was a fine day, and another time when the forecast was worse than what we expected. Another memorable hike!

:-)

Windy, sunny but cold

Big old downed tree

When Melanie and I hiked last Thursday, we had a chance to revisit an area that was completely impassable last time we were there. They have cleared the trail, but so many downed trees are still around, like this one.

I see that much of the nation will be joining us here in the Pacific Northwest in another gasp of winter weather. We are situated just a few miles south of the Canadian Fraser River and what is known as the Fraser Gap,  a cliff that narrows over the river. Cliff Mass, Seattle meteorologist, explains it like this:

The most substantial weakness in the Cascades north of the Columbia River is the Fraser River valley, located just north of Bellingham. When cold, dense air fills the interior basin of British Columbia, a big pressure difference occurs down the Fraser, and as a result cool, dry air pushes along its axis to the southeast.

I found this quote in numerous places, but the fact is that if you live in the area, when the winds pick up out of the northeast, they are usually coming through the Fraser Gap. We are in the midst of an outflow of cold air from Canada, ahead of a big temperature drop to come tomorrow. I suspect that the big tree I show here was felled during a windstorm from that area. That is usually the strongest wind we experience, and I'm quite sure trash cans and small dogs will be airborne in the coming hours. (I hope I am exaggerating about the dogs.)

When I got off the bus this morning, I was facing directly into the harsh northeast wind, and as I bundled up and hurried the mile-and-a-half to home, I got very chilled and wished I had worn even more clothes when I ventured out this morning. And even though the sun is shining fiercely, the temperature is just above freezing and will drop into the low twenties tonight (–6°C) and even colder tomorrow night. Although I will head out again later today, I'll be ready for it, covered head to toe with warm clothes.

:-)

Another rainy one, but lovely anyway

Our walk today

 Mel and I are not sure where the rest of the Senior Trailblazers went today. I suspect they followed the rules and went up to Oyster Dome from the Chuckanut Highway. We decided to go by ourselves to the Hertz trail at Lake Whatcom. It's one of our favorites, and with the forecast for lots of wind and rain, we wanted to be able to turn around if we needed to.

Lake Whatcom when we started out

As it turned out, we didn't, although it was definitely weather-y when we first took a look at the lake. One reason we chose this trail is that the wind was coming from the south, meaning we would be somewhat protected from the worst of the rain.

A carpet of leaves

In many places along this gorgeous trail, we saw lots of leaves on the ground, making a beautiful magic carpet for us to walk on. There were, as we learned, a few rocks and even the occasional puddle underneath this carpet, but we were dressed for it and took our time.

Two fish getting frisky

There are two bridges on this trail that cross over small streams that usually have, at this time of the year, fish returning to their spawning grounds. As we crossed one bridge, we saw these two fish, one male and one female (red arrows in upper left), doing what looked like acrobatics in the water. A park employee had just arrived and explained what we were seeing. He said that the female (the darker one) will get right up close to the male (the lighter one in back) and then she'll roll over on her side in some sort of courtship ritual. I know so little about this, but it was definitely fun to see all those fish contortions.

The wind and rain lessened

As we started back on the three-mile-long trail, the rain and wind had lessened quite markedly. Now, though, as I sit inside my warm apartment, it's started up again and is now looking quite inhospitable out there. I do hope that the other Trailblazers were able to get up the trail and back down before the worst of the wind and rain hit.

In any event, I am happy to have had a very nice outing, with nobody any the worse for wear. It was a great day!

:-)

Chilled to the bone

Bridge in Boulevard Park

It really doesn't look as cold as it was. The temperature today when we walked was only 21°F (-6°C), but the wind! Oh, my did that make a difference. We had cold north winds blowing as high as 25mph, sometimes right in our faces. Melanie and I had decided to hike the Chanterelle trail today, but because of the high winds, we changed our minds and instead walked from Fairhaven to the Western Washington University campus and back, so that we could stay out of the possible path of falling trees.

Lone rose in the frozen garden

We walked past the rose garden on campus, and saw this quite pretty lone rose, with an icy background showing it is definitely last year's flower, but still hanging in there. Unfortunately, every time I took off my glove to take a picture, my fingers got chilled and it took quite awhile for them to recover. My face mask was actually protective from the wind, but after a short while the moisture from inside froze solid! It did help make it even more of a shield from the wind, so I'm not complaining.

Bellingham Bay from campus

Again, I was surprised when I saw this picture that it doesn't reflect our frigid environment. Although I was proud of us for managing to walk 5.5 miles, it was really only when we turned back towards Fairhaven and had the wind at our backs instead of in our faces that I stopped feeling like a frozen icicle. Make no mistake, it was truly a difficult day, but we didn't give up or turn back from the task at hand.

The bay as we headed back to Fairhaven

Once I got home, I bundled up with a fuzzy warm sweater and sat down to enjoy lunch, which I was gifted by Melanie. She's an amazing cook, but the best part were the brownies she shared with me in the car right after we finished our walk. Chewy and deep dark chocolate, they immediately brightened my outlook for the day.

Hopefully, by the time our next hike comes around, the weather will have improved, one way or another. I was glad for every bit of warm clothing I had with me, but I could have used even more, had I known how bone-chilling cold it would be. Now I'm just happy to be inside!

:-)

A fine day and windstorm aftermath

Forest sunlight

 Melanie and I went up to Blanchard Mountain for one of our favorite hikes, where we might visit Lily and Lizard Lakes and return. The trails were a little muddy in places, to be expected after all the rain we've been having. Two days ago we had quite a windstorm in the area, too, which caused lots of people to lose power, but we were fortunate and only had some flickering lights during the worst of it. As you can see from the picture above, it looked like the forest had been spared.

Samish Overlook

We decided to extend the distance a little by taking the trail to Samish Overlook to see if we might have a view under the clouds. As you can see, we certainly did, looking out over the Samish Valley, and if you use your imagination, you can see a dim bump along the horizon, which is actually Mt. Rainier, seen through the clouds. We don't usually get to see it at all. And lots of evidence of recent rainfall with all that standing water.

Samish Bay

Also visible from the Overlook is this delightful view of Samish Bay. We had just about perfect weather, with those high clouds and little wind. Although we had hiked several miles by this time, we had seen little evidence of the windstorm. That was about to change, as we continued on the trail towards Oyster Dome, on our way to the junction with the Lily and Lizard Lakes trail.

Mel in front of downed trees

As we ascended, we saw plenty of uprooted and downed trees, and there were times when the trail was completely obscured. All of this happened just the day before yesterday, and the crews have not begun the cleanup.

Plenty of mangled trees

It seemed odd, since the damage only seemed to be in one part of the forest, in the area heading up towards Oyster Dome. We lost the trail several times and had to work hard to find our way to the junction, but we did. As we continued towards Lily Lake, the wind damage became less and less.

Lily Lake

By the time we made it to Lily Lake, there was little destruction to be seen, but considering that we had lost perhaps a full hour by having to climb over and under trees, and that we still had plenty to distance to cover, we decided to skip Lizard Lake and just head back to the car, given the shortness of our January daylight.

Although it was difficult in some ways, it was also a wonderful way to spend the day, with my friend Mel in rather perfect weather. We covered almost nine miles and more than 2,000 feet up and down. I'm tired right now, but feeling pretty good now that I'm home and finishing my blog post, albeit a little late!

:-)