April 2018

Our spring in Seattle was a visual lesson in why it’s called the Emerald City. Although the city is named for its year-round greenery, the foliage in spring is especially vibrant. Our stay in the area began with a housesit in Issaquah, an eastern Seattle suburb.

The magic began once we took the exit for this small town nestled at the base of Tiger Mountain National Forest. As soon as we turned off the interstate, the highway’s traffic, noise, and frenetic energy ceased to exist. In an instant, it became quiet, peaceful, and remarkably green. I mean, GREEN. Many of the trees were covered in a luminescent green moss that shone like jewels against the bark and branches deepened to almost black due to the seemingly ever-present rain.

Our excitement grew as our GPS led us down a two-lane double line road, to a no-line street, to a single-lane bridge over a creek, to gravel, and finally the driveway of our new home for the next few weeks.

The house was located only steps away from a trail that led to what I can only describe as an enchanted forest. To add to our delight, a daily one-hour walk on the trail or road was part of the “requirements” of taking care of the lovely-spirited yellow lab, Maya, during our stay.

Truth be told, having to take Maya for the daily walk was what got us out of the house many mornings. It rained so much and so hard, we would have stayed in if not for Maya’s big, dark eyes and insistent presence following us around about an hour after we got up. She didn’t care about the weather, only the highlight of her day—a good, long walk down the trail or in the wooded neighborhood.

And I was always glad once we got out. For every time Maya stopped to smell or you-know, my eyes were drawn to some incredible foliage or rock/tree formation that would have been otherwise overlooked. If you want to learn to get present or be in the moment, walk a dog.

As long as I’m being truthful, Joe was as excited to get out as Maya. In fact, he often stayed out in the forest long after Maya and I returned home. It seemed every time he turned one way or another, he saw something else. It was a photographer’s dream, and he was grateful for the experience.

Our time in Issaquah passed too quickly and we were truly sad when we had to leave our canine companion and the beautiful home on the creek surrounded by the enchanted forest. But instinct assured me that this was not the last time I’d enjoy time spent here.

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I hope you enjoyed this issue. For the next several weeks, I’m going to continue with stories and pics from our two months in Seattle and the surrounding area.

Coming Next Week! Part 2: Anacortes. Another immersion in beauty.

Until next time… my best, Shelley