Is it too exclamatory to say this is my favorite place in the world?

...Is it?

If you've ever been to the San Juans, then you know. If you haven't: get up there immediately. This is where my family spends Thanksgiving weekend, partaking in an annual tradition we have named the 'Down Coat Dinner'. The digs on this island are what some might call, umm... primitive. Our cabin may or may not be a shed-turned-teeny-cabin, and our kitchen is definitely entirely outdoors and lacking running water, an oven, a dishwasher, a refrigerator, or any other such modern convenience. So, cooking Thanksgiving dinner is an exercise in improvisation and patience. 

Doubly so for washing dishes.

But really, who cares about dishes when it looks like this:

I have a new job. I work on a farm.

My last job required staring at a computer screen until 3:30am, and now, here I am, breathing fresh air as I pull weeds and harvest raspberries. I teach nutrition and gardening to kids, I dig in the dirt, I watch things grow... Truly, I can hardly believe my luck.

And that's not to mention the scenery...

Here's to summer.

I'm back?

What can I say, I'm embarrassed.

I start a blog, I write what, three posts? And then completely lose momentum... But I'm back, and hope to stick around. This is fun.

Not surprisingly, a lot has happened since I posted last June, though the most photo-worthy event was by far a cross-country road trip to Austin, Texas. It was a doozy. Not only did we decide to drive across the southern states during the longest, hottest, most unrelenting heat streak in living memory (110º in Vegas, and that is NOT a joke), we were in Preston's dark blue Audi sedan. Without air conditioning. Packed to the brim with everything he owned. NOT. A. JOKE.

Recap: Dark colored car. Black leather seats. 110 degree weather. NO AIR CONDITIONING.

Honest to god, I'm surprised we made it in one piece.

First we drove down the coast. Through Seaside and Manzanita and Cannon Beach, then camping on the dunes of Florence.

Then it was on to California and backpacking in the awe-inspiring redwoods. They're just...so...TALL.

All the way down Highway 1 to San Francisco, enshrouded by a strangely beautiful, eerie fog.

Napa for a day. Wine, food, wine, wine, sleep.

Then we headed east to Yosemite. I think John Muir had it figured with this one. I would live here if they'd let me...

On to Nevada and seemingly endless stretches of dusty, barren road...

A quick stint in Vegas, and then without intending to, we were suddenly on Route 66.

And then, the Grand Canyon. Our first look was at sunset, and I instantly felt smaller than a grain of sand. All I could think was: This place couldn't care less about us. 

It's important to feel humbled every once in a while.

And then, in New Mexico, we were beamed to the moon. And I'm really only half kidding... If you've ever been to White Sands National Monument, you know what I mean.

Dry, deserted, and literally smoldering, western Texas passed by quickly. Austin finally greeted us in all it's Longhorned, quirky, 'don't mess with Texas' confidence.

Just thinking about it, I'm jealous of my past self... That happens to me a lot. I think it's a good thing.

The Lake of Green

Bring your dog! Your stroller! Your huddled masses! It's a rare sunny spring day in Seattle, and for many (Preston and I included) that usually means one thing: Greenlake. 

Countdown

It's April. Which means that next month is May, then June; so if my calculations are correct, we have exactly 12 weeks, 5 hours and 8 minutes until the 1st of July. HOLY CRAP, I can't wait! It's not that I don't love Seattle year round. I do. Promise. But I spent last weekend in our State's best kept secret (the banana belt that is the San Juan Islands) and it reminded me of what life is like in the sun. Hiking, boating, reading on the dock, sunglasses, bonfires, dungeness crab feeds, trips to the Oregon coast... I miss it. But, seeing as the daffodils have only just bloomed, and we're still awaiting the tulips' arrival (good luck, Skagit County), I've had to resort to digging up pictures of summers past and eagerly counting down the minutes until our next Seattle Summer-–and yes, that is a proper noun.

Hello from Summerland

Why Not

Well, here I go. Blogging. Yes, blogging...

I wasn't aware until recently that a 'photoblog' is actually a thing (let alone a real word), but I was intrigued. So, as a personal challenge, I am creating said 'photoblog', mainly because photography is an art I've always loved but never pursued, and also because I just want to. This will be a way to force myself to explore. Learn new techniques. Post pictures. Create.

So, here I go. I'm blogging. Wish me luck.