“In every change, in every falling leaf there is some pain, some beauty. And that’s the way new leaves grow.” — Unknown . Beauty in all the changes. I took this pic last fall when we were on WSU campus and even now it reminds me of all the beauty ,pain and growth that has happened this past year. Would I change it? No. I know in all of it ,God is writing a story more beautiful then I ever could . So I will keep my eyes on him , trusting him as the author to my story…bringing beauty to my mess to glorify His name.
Visiting Fairhaven feels like you have just stepped into a hallmark movie. Unique shops and twinkle lights everywhere pulls you into the magic of this beautiful town. . With its charm also comes history .Fairhaven was settled in 1853, and started out as a booming manufacturing hub , it has since been designated as a National Historic District.
It is also host to the annual Ski to Sea race which takes place on Memorial Day weekend. The Ski to Sea race is accompanied by the Historic Fairhaven Festival, a street festival in Fairhaven to celebrate participants completing the relay race.
If you find yourself in Washington State , this is definitely a stop to add to your itinerary⭐️
Powell’s City of Books in downtown Portland has just about any kind of book you are looking for. There are so many floors of books! You could stay there for a whole day and still want to go back the next day to see more. . Located in downtown Portland ,the store pretty much fills up a city block . That’s kinda cool to think about….a city block of multiple floors of books. Wow! A book lovers dream. . So grab your list of books you are looking for and go.. you are sure to mark a few off your list .If you have been there , let me know what you love in the comments ⭐️
Colchuck Lake has easily become a yearly favorite . The first time I ever had the privilege of doing this hike it turned into a crazy day . We had an injury in our group, we experienced bouldering for the first time , many of us ran out of water , it took us way longer then we planned , and we met our first skinny dippers at the lake 😂 Since then, we have had so many laughs looking back at that first time.
Here is some of the first boulders we experienced.. but stay to the right and you will find a path that makes it easy to get through.
This hike is so captivating that when you first get the glimpses of the water you are in awe that you have just stumbled on this hidden gem . It is surrounded by two of Washington’s tallest peaks ,Dragontail and Colchuck Peak. Literally, I could stay there all day ! So beautiful and the water is so clear .
Colchuck Lake is one of the two gateways to the Enchantments. It’s an iconic hike in itself but if you want to challenge yourself more ,you can continue on to Aasgard Pass, the door to the Enchantment Core. Makes me think of a portal to another world , which now after doing Aasgards ,it actually does seem like a whole different world you step into . Look for that post later!
“A thousand circle suns, not old Time will stretch and loop and fold So stop, breathe out, breathe in, behold The trees have sung a story told” .
Jakob is located in Issaquah and stands around 14-ft. tall, looking as future friends come to find him . You will find him paused between two trees as if to say peek a boo to all who pass by. He is fashioned entirely out of recycled materials, and wears a necklace of birdhouses.
One of the unique things about Jakob,is he is the first troll who has a ponytail with the ponytail holder and bracelet he is wearing made by the Snoqualmie Tribe.I love how this connects and weaves Coast Salish tribal communities with Danish and Scandinavian traditions, all through the beauty of environmental art.
Jakob Two Trees is one of the six trolls that are part of the Northwest Trolls: Way of the Bird King created by Thomas Dambo .The other trolls are on Bainbridge Island; Ballard, Seattle; Portland, Vashon Island and West Seattle. Check out our post below of the other trolls:)
Kamiak Butte Trail is a beautiful trail tucked into the rolling Palouse farmland and comes with some great view points that is near Pullman ,Wa.
It was the perfect trail to stretch our legs after a long drive and take in the beauty of the area. I love that the landscape is so differant there . It reminds me of parts of Texas with its rolling fields that look like a quilt of patched farmland everywhere you look.
There is also a beautiful park with playground by the parking lot if you are looking to have a picnic with views and want to skip the hike.
Here are the stats ⬇️ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📍Kamiak Butte Trail 🧭 Palouse , Wa 🥾 2.5miles RT ( we came in at 2.57) 🏔️ 715ft elevation gain ( we gained 704) ⭐️ Stats based on AllTrails and Apple ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I could wake up to this beauty every day ❤️ Even though you can’t see it , there was snow on the ground and the air was so crisp. I literally had to step carefully to not slip on ice on the deck. . So thankful to get to be in this moment .. hot coffee in hand at a beautiful home with the Columbia George in full view and laughter and chatting all around me. . Here’s to a year of many more memories like this❤️
Check out this cute Airbnb we stayed at on our recent trip to White Pass. It was the perfect spot to stay to refuel, rest and play games before heading back to the Mountain. The hot tub was amazing and we loved the fire and the cabin feel.
Cute living space Loved the kitchen ❤️Coffee Bar
. Comment “Getaway “ below and I’ll send you the info on this Airbnb for your next getaway 🎿
Randonnee Coffee Co @randonneecoffee was a great place to stop and grab coffee on our way back home from our hiking trip. It was super cute and the baristas were so nice! They even tried to help us plan lunch by recommending a stop ❤️
They offered a great selection of drinks including matcha tea , cappuccinos ,Cortado and so many flavors of lattes …yum! And the food smelled amazing! We could smell bacon just going in the store ❤️
Add this to your list of stops on your next adventure when you are in the Columbia River Gorge area…it’s a must see and offers great coffee❤️
Having an inviting table doesn’t have to be super fancy . You can take a few things to make a beautiful setting that is practical and inviting. . The memories , conversations , plans, school work and sharing of life that happens around a table is immeasurable. It is essentially the hub of a home. A place to gather , cry , work out life and laugh ❤️ . I do wonder if every grain in the wood of this table could contain all of it. Would the grain lines of the wood be darker when there were years scorched by fire or hardships ,would the grain have lines wider in years being well watered and flourishing in love or have thinner lines in years of drought ? Interesting to think about what it would hold. . What ever season you are in , remember it’s just that a season. Take time to enjoy your family or a friend around your table. Invite them to linger and stay a little bit longer. Savor the grain lines that are forming 🍁
“she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest.” Proverbs 6:8 ESV
