Road Trip Part 3: Where I Found My Peace

Where I Found My Peace

            There is one thing I realized about myself.  I don’t really need to go very far to have fun.  A short hike on a nearby mountain or a walk in the park is just as satisfying as flying halfway around the world to witness the sunrise or the sunset in a remote island is some country in the tropics.

            The weather here in the Northwest is tricky especially in Washington State.  By April, you’d think winter is over but then you could wake up one morning and everything around you is covered with white fluffy snow.  It’s not that I don’t like snow.  Don’t get me wrong.  I LOVE snow!  For someone like me who was born and raised in a tropical country, the sight of snowflakes falling from the sky is like looking at shavings of vanilla ice cream falling from heaven.  They are overwhelmingly beautiful they almost look sweet and tasty too.   For some reason, when it is snowing, it feels more peaceful.  It is quieter.  The view while sitting at your window, while sipping your coffee in the morning or in my case enjoying a bowl of soup, is spectacular.

           
            In the spring time, the daffodils and tulips on the lowland and the wild flowers on the cascade are blooming.  The display of colors only gets better during the summer time. 

            Last year we drove to different places to find bear grass we use to restore Native American baskets that are more than a century old.  One day, I will share more about our restoration projects.  Anyways, we drove over Chinook Pass and by Mount Rainier National Park and the drive was an experience in itself that’s worth keeping.  We saw all these beautiful wild flowers next to the road and by the lake.  The site was breathtaking; bewitching!  The yellow, purple, white, orange and red flowers are a common scene.  The melted ice is flowing so freely on the sides of the mountains forming small waterfalls here and there.  And the rocks are bragging their rust, gold, red, blue and green colors to anyone the drives by.    Mount Rainier, of course, once again proved captivating charms haven’t died despite global warming.  And when fogs came in, it felt like driving on the road to heaven!

            Below is slide show of the pictures I took using my old digital camera.  Definitely not your art gallery kind of pictures but nonetheless a representation of a wonderful road trip experience!  Enjoy!