Winterland tours

From our Airbnb's window we could see that the low, gray snow clouds had lifted, giving me my first real glimpse of the winter sun since my arrival in these parts two months hence. We looked east across the valley through pristine conditions to see the blazing white volcanic Cascade range featuring Mount Pilchuck, Three Fingers, Glacier Peak and their white cloaked foothills. Their gleaming sharp peaks biting into the the underbelly of the blue heavens was an exhilarating site for me. I gave my girl a squeeze, "Look at that - we ain't in Texas anymore Todo."

"Yah, I grew up here; I used to see this all the time."

She says to me, "Get dressed and let's go for a drive around. I want to see if I can find Grammy Cane's old house, she used to watch us little kids." 

 

I agreed, "It's your time and your old haunts. I'll drive, you ogle and give me an audio tour of the olden days." 

 

She added, "I'd also like to go by Lake Goodwin, I used to teach swimming and water safety out there - only it was summer and it was a little warmer than it is now, but maybe not that much warmer. At least there wasn't any ice in the lake that summer."

Sue enjoyed touring back-country roads, traveling the old country environs of her girlhood in the heated interior and electric-butt seats in the safety of 4WD. She thrilled at finding many old sites and memories in the surrounding areas and marveling at some of the changes since she departed for Texas almost 40 years ago. 

 

The next day we went to visit her sister Cathy, husband Eric and their 3 in Mukilteo. The land was still firmly in the grip of winter and subfreezing temperature, so we decided it would be a fine day to go to Mukilteo Beach before we dropped in on Cathy and her family.

Mukilteo Beach in snow

She had packed her swimsuit (in case our first night at the hotel spa had a pool or hot tub - it didn't). She flat out refused my suggestion of doing a swimsuit shoot on the beach in the breezy, 25 F conditions. I was not all that surprised. Next time. Maybe.

Only the water birds at Mukilteo Beach were attired and willing to enter the water, otherwise the regular beach activity was going on; the gulls were squawking as they circled, dogs were dragging their owners around and over icy patches, the sea waves kept up their eternal rolling of the beach stones and someone was sailing into the cold, stiff wind - I assume for some perverse pleasure cruise.

Dressed for a sunny day at the beach - sunny but 25 F degrees with windchill

Wincing in the cold as Sue strolls along the sea strand

The chilly December breeze fills the sails and lifts the gulls off Mukilteo

The following day, my sister Wendy and Barth had us over for New Year's Eve in Anacortes.

 

Keeping our social and family events calendar full, we spent a long time savoring a rib dinner with Bob and Ann in La Conner on New Year's Day. 

 

As the 2021 calendar was drained of days, we savored every last one. Every day was different and varied, but each was fun. Again, timing is everything, fortunate that I'd made arrangements for being away from the snowed-under job site and my travel trailer home during this cold, white weather.

Snow-capped Mount Baker from the shore of Mukilteo Beach