March On

The month of February slipped by in my house and, quite honestly, I'm glad it's gone! Don't get me wrong, here, in the Pacific Northwest it was a beautiful, unseasonably warm, dry month. But there was that painful Seahawk loss and then flu hit our home and hit it hard. Might have had something to do with sharing those sticky Skittles at our Superbowl party. In fact, the whole neighborhood has been sick.

On the bright side, we celebrated my better half's birthday(and Valentines day) between bouts of flu with our sweet children and a great home-cooked meal, including an incredible chocolate blood orange tart made by my daughter. I also got to make my Cabbage Burgers which I make every year for my aunt on her birthday. Since we can only buy traditional 'Nebraska' cabbage burgers in Nebraska they are a real treat for her. They are a labor intensive treat!

Cabbage Burgers or Runza

I am grateful to have accomplished anything when, for the most part, I just wanted to sit and sleep! The 'tidying up' continues and I've begun listing my de-stash.

Crobots: 20 Amigurumi Robots to Make  in Cage Free Fibers

Yesterday, feeling rested and refreshed, we took a walk through the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden in Federal Way, Washington and discovered more blooms than usual for this time of year! 

Pacific Bonsai Museum

I'm grateful God is with us through the tough seasons. Really, if we didn't have hard times, how would we truly understand the wonder and depth of simple, joyful times?

Philippians 4:11B by GodsWordandWorld on etsy

Here's to a productive, joy-filled March!

Linda <><

Just Another Day in Paradise

Yesterday my daughter and I loaded the back of the pick-up truck with 7 boxes and 11 bags of discards to take to the thrift store. 

Now there is room in my moms old steamer trunk
for some of my daughters' treasured toys

And today the discarding continues, it feels good. But it also feels good to get out and enjoy this beautiful world. 

Paradise at Mount Rainier with Edith Creek and Tatoosh Range

After another powerful message at church on Saturday night we chose to head for the mountains Sunday morning. Needless to say we did not require long underwear! It was in the 60s and with the sun reflecting off the snow and the workout snowshoes provide we were just plain hot!

You can see the steam coming off the top

We packed a snack for lunch.

Our view for lunch

We've been promised rain for next Sunday, that's fine, we'll be glued to the TV.

A mountaintop 'twelfie'

I hope you, too, can take time out from your everyday activities to celebrate the beauty of God's creation!

Heading back down

And, 

Sing for joy, O heavens; shout, O earth. Break forth with song, O mountains, for the Lord has comforted his people and will have compassion upon them in their sorrow. 

  --  Isaiah 49:13

The end!

Linda <><

My Favorite Season

Folks sometimes ask, 'What's your favorite season?" I've been pondering this and finally came to a conclusion. My absolute favorite season is the one that presently encompasses me. Like now, the cooling of the days, the brilliance of the colors, the bounty of the harvest. I love fall! But I also love Christmas, hot chocolate and the pureness of freshly fallen snow. Then there is the new hope of spring. And here in the temperate climate of the Pacific Northwest, summers are delightful. How could I pick only one from the beauty of each season?

Ecclesiastes 3:1 Faith Bag by LauriesGiftsBiz

We have had quite a few 'bonus days' this fall with those Indian summer days of sunshine and warm temperatures. Rain is here now and I love it, too. 

Psalm 118:24 instant download by PrintableMotivation

My hope and prayer is that in life, just as in the year's seasons, I can find joy in each one.

Philippians 4:11 necklace by AuthenticallyMade

The following pictures are from a delightful, full weekend of urban and mountain hiking.

Waiting in line for the Seattle REI's garage sale

Silliness in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle

A Sunday hike on the Naches Loop Trail at Chinook Pass.

After hike lunch of cheeseburger and fries at Wally's Drive-In

May this season of your life be filled with Our Gracious Heavenly Father's beauty and blessings!

Linda <><

Cool Stuff -- Snack Time!

What's your guilty pleasure? I've got a t.v. show or two, like Revenge and Mad Men, that I'm hooked on. And when it comes to treats there's one I can't keep in the house. If I do, it's okay until it's opened, then in a flash, it's gone. For that reason I like to make my treats from scratch most of the time. We like to make baked sweet potato chips and popcorn on the stove with coconut oil. When it comes to store bought snacks I can pass up the chips and Doritos! But we recently discovered Cosmos Creations and I fell in love. My favorite is Sea Salt and Butter with Cinnamon Crunch and Salted Caramel both a close second. We are not able to just keep these around. For us they are a special snack time treat!

Sea Salt and Butter Cosmos Creations

We have thrown a bag in the car for after hiking. It was gone in minutes! When we hike we usually bring some trail mix, jerky and fresh fruit along with our water. Then we treat ourselves to a meal we might not normally eat when we're finished.

 That's exactly what we did Sunday.

Wallace Falls was a beautiful five and a half mile hike starting under some major power lines complete with the crackling, continuing along a rapid filled river with three waterfalls. 

Lower Falls

Middle Falls

One of my favorite things about hiking through an old growth forest like this is the tree stumps with their own mini bio systems. 

The vastness and varieties of moss here was also fascinating.

Like many woody hikes here in Washington much of the hike reminded us of the  forest moon of Endor or the Hobbit's Mirkwood. 

Emma thought it was a much better hike than the grueling eight miles of Mount Si we did for Mothers Day. Every other hike we do this summer will be a piece of cake!

Micah 6:8 by MySweetCoconut on esty

This is but one way I like to walk humbly with God. I am awed and humbled my His vast, yet deeply intricate creation. As I finished this hike I as completely exhausted and trail grungy, but my soul was refreshed! 

What do you find refreshing on a Sunday afternoon? What's your favorite 'guilty pleasure' snack?

Linda <><