In search of fall color: A weekend getaway

This past weekend, a friend and I headed up to a friend's cabin just past Snoqualmie Pass along the I-90 corridor in the hopes that we'd get away; have some one-on-one time to catch up and talk, hike, cook, listen to some classic 80's and 90's pop, and sit in the cabin with a fire going in the fireplace as we watched a lame action movie.



I kind of treated our weekend getaway as an opportunity to also scout out plants and views of the Pacific Northwest landscape; studying my natives, taking photographs, and, hopefully, being treated to a spectacular fall foliage show was on my agenda.

Driving through, there wasn't all that much, unfortunately. Along the side of the road as we took exit 62 on Lake Kachess, we noticed a few vine maples that were showing some color. On a morning stroll by myself, I noticed a few interesting groundcover plants alongside the road that I never really get tired of seeing. Our native coltsfoot (Petasites frigidus v. palmatus) and the lovely heart-shared leaves of Asarum caudatum, the Western Wild woodland ginger. These are garden worthy plants (in fact, I grow a gold leaf form of out native coltsfoot that I seriously need to thin out, btw) and to see them in their natural setting is kind of cool.


Petasites along the roadside

In a roadside ditch, the Asarum and its humble hearts.

But what I was really hoping to see were the views from the lakeside with the water and the distant hills spotted in bright yellows, oranges and glaring reds. While the views were still captivating, there wasn't really any color yet.









It was peaceful, tranquil and a much needed break to just regroup and be reminded of what was an awesome summer. The lack of color almost seemed to symbolize a slow transition; almost as if to say that parts of the summer still exist, but nature has to take its course so you just have to trust it and, in time, it will all fall into place.

R.

A much needed weekend getaway!

Friends convinced me to take some time away from work and spend the weekend up near the mountains in a cabin near Lake Kachess, just past Snoqualmie Pass off I-90.



I knew I needed to unwind a bit, but I find it hard to leave town even for just one day because of all the work that needs to be done around here. I sort of owe it to my friends whom I've had to turn down so many times because of my gardening. Sounds silly, doesn't it? lol

Anyway, I had a blast. The company of great friends, food, and the water activities on and along the lake were simply pleasant and just a whole lot of fun! On board my friend's, David and Tony's, boat, we cruised through the lake and just enjoyed the crisp clear breeze skimming the surface of Lake Kachess at near 40mph. In calmer waters, we admired the mountain views (with vine maples already starting their dramatic fall show), soaked up the sun and eventually docked the boat at a shoreline to explore some of the trails and a spectacularly refreshing waterfall I simply had to get under!!








I have to remind myself at times that I have this aspect of my life and that I need to plan and organized my work and business in a way where I should be able to leave work AT WORK and truly savor the times I spend with friends, family and other loved ones.