I loved Smokey the Bear growing up — probably because his story of renewal was inspiring to me. Out of the charcoal of a tinderbox forest fire in New Mexico, he was rescued, made a “spokes-bear”, and inspired generations to come. I remember Smokey saying, “Only YOU can prevent forest fires.” So I wonder, as my beloved Pacific Northwest burns in so many different fires and the … [Read more...] about Emerging through the smoke towards renewal
Pacific Northwest
Lumberjack road trip to timber rich Vernonia and rural environs
Columbia County is a quiet area of Oregon located north of popular Portland. The population is just over 50,000 people, who mostly live in small towns lining the mighty Columbia River. This includes my hometown of Scappoose -- now considered a bedroom community of Portland due to the convenient location on a beautifully scenic and easy highway only 15 miles away. This … [Read more...] about Lumberjack road trip to timber rich Vernonia and rural environs
Nisqually Wildlife Refuge — remarkable day access to nature’s balance
The Puget Sound is a commanding body of water that encapsulates a rich diversity of plants, trees, animals and interesting nooks and crannies -- all changing with the rise and fall of the daily tides. Where high tide exudes a water world of salty goodness, the low water mark reveals the underwater secrets -- uncovering giant kelp beds, mud flats and mollusks bathing in the … [Read more...] about Nisqually Wildlife Refuge — remarkable day access to nature’s balance
Seattle to Deception Pass — including things to do in Anacortes
This article outlines a fantastic day trip itinerary taking in the beautiful nature of the Salish Sea -- from Seattle to Deception Pass. The itinerary includes things to do in Anacortes Total drive time from/to Seattle 3:57 hours. Total distance from/to Seattle 184 miles. Table of contents -- Seattle to Deception Pass including things to do in Anacortes A local's … [Read more...] about Seattle to Deception Pass — including things to do in Anacortes
Time zone appreciation week — the best of summer in the Pacific Northwest
I appreciate living in one time zone. After a busy 2019 working my way across the globe over 135,000 miles to 15 countries and about the same number of states, it feels good to slow down and enjoy a steady -8 GMT for months upon months. I didn’t plan it this way — like many of us, there were grander images of exotic locales on my list of places to go in 2020. I even had an … [Read more...] about Time zone appreciation week — the best of summer in the Pacific Northwest
