Buck 的个人资料It's All About the Data照片日志列表更多  |  工具 帮助 |
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2月24日 Mt Hyak Cross CountryMarjorie had a "craft day" at church today so Christina and I grab the snow chains and take off to Mt Hyak, which is part of the Snoqualmie range. The drive up the moutains through the pass is a little tricky - we see a car flipped on its side and when a car slides across three lanes including the one I'm in, I decide that would be a good time to pull over and strap on the chains. We get to the Alpen site where they have the trails cut, but the wind is blowing the 22 degrees around so hard ice crystals keep forming on my face, and Christina can't see through her glasses. We press on anyway and work through the most exercise I've done in a long time. We spend all afternoon on the slopes learning how to walk, glide, climb, coast and stop using the cross-country, or Nordic, skis. Now I have to dig out the car to get home. I'm ready for a huge dinner. Something involving pork. 2月17日 Dash Point ParkI've been missing the beach lately. Being from Florida, that happens from time to time, especially when you're knee-deep in winter. Today the Lord shined on us all - quite literally. It was 63 degrees out today, with baby-blue skies and nary a cloud. We packed some snacks and the binoculars in the car and headed to the town of Federal Way in Washington, and then on to "Dash Point" park. It's a beautiful beach where you can see Vashon Island just across the water.
The tide was out when we got there, and what really struck me was the variety of rocks in the sand. You could find every color in the rainbow (and then some), and jet-black obsidian from the nearby volcanos, all polished smooth and glassy from rolling in the tide. Seals, Orcas and a huge range of clams also visit the beach. We didn't see the seals and Orcas today, but we saw a ton of dogs running with their owners, getting to know each other and chasing the seagulls.
Just next to the beach is a trail that goes up a tall hill, and along the way we caught sight of many kinds of birds. Washington has many types of Woodpeckers, from huge red and yellow "Kings" to small birds with just a swish of color on their cheek. We sat at the top of the ridge and listened to the noise from the flycatchers and robins and tried to count the different songs. With all the bad weather, there were many trees that were felled. providing all these birds lots of nesting areas. Even destruction has its beatuiful side.
2月4日 Jo Anna comes to town - and brings good weather!My mother came to visit last week, and now I have to sit down and write everything we did down so I can remember it! She got in late Friday evening, and Saturday we went to Seattle to hit the highlights and then on down to Pioneer Square for a stop at the Elliot Bay Bookstore, and out for dinner. Sunday after church we went hiking on the East side of Tiger Mountain, into the frost line. All in two days!
While I was at work and Christina was at school, Marjorie and mom started redecorating our loft to be a music room. Christina plays the violin and I play a little on keyboards and the guitar, so we wanted a place to practice. Mom embroidered a music staff and musical notes on the curtains, and then I sawed some molding to frame Chistina's instruments on the wall. Marjorie backed the places I framed withblack silk, and it really looks great!
On Wednesday I took a vacation day for mom's 68th birthday and we carted her up to Snoqualmie pass, to the central ski area. They had 103 inches of snow, so she definitely knew she had changed climates from Florida! Since we still had daylight, we drove down the pass and went to Snoqualmie Falls, and the day was perfect for it. In fact, it didn't rain, snow, hail, or anything the whole time she was here! After the Falls we came back home and I cooked her favorite dinner.
Mom and Marjorie worked some more on the room, finishing up early Friday. Christina and I helped with the last parts, and then we all enjoyed a movie. Bright and early Saturday morning we took her to the airport. She mumbled something about having to get home so that she could sleep all this off. As we drove away from the airport, it started to rain. |
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