An Eternal Love

Every year we take this particular drive to see the fall colors. We often end up taking it twice because the first time we go too early. I am quite certain that we could eliminate this redundancy if we did a wee bit of research before hand. Each year one of us mentions this little fact and each year we both look away and pretend not to have heard a thing. We like this drive. We take our time and will often take mysterious side roads for no apparent reason other than curiosity. It adds a sense of adventure and discovery to our little drives.

We follow rivers and waterfalls to cut through mountain passes and ski resorts. There are sweeping vistas of the richest greens cushioning fierce and rugged mountain peaks with crystal clear waterfalls seeming to pour from every rock and crevice. When winter’s cold hand turns them to ice it will look as though the mountain is crying diamonds.

Passing downward we again follow along the rapid flowing river as it winds its way through the mountain pass. There are so many places to stop and marvel that it is impossible to imagine having to pick only a few. We always turn our heads to grab a quick peak at Deception Falls. That is an entirely different trip though so we have to pass it by on this one. Spring time is the best for that one when the snow is melting the falls are rushing and roaring so loud you can barely the person next to you. But this is fall so we just give it a fond glance as we pass by.

The scenery on this drive is enough to break your heart. You almost have to wonder at the purpose of such beauty. Edward O. Wilson suggested that the world was beautiful to us because we were creatures of it. In his book Consilience he connects science to beauty in such an elegant and reverent way saying that everything about who and what we are is created to perceive this beauty. It is as though our very existence were meant to rejoice in the beauty around us. I am gratefully not finding it difficult to perform this portion of my human duties.

The river winds along chasing rocks and fallen trees as we follow it to the valley below. The trees and shrubs along the way are bursting with an unimaginable explosion of color and seeing the sunlight through the autumn leaves always makes me cry. It is as if these two elements were always meant for one another. It is a beautiful love affair between them, perfect and eternal. I feel small against this spectacle. It is one of those blessed times that I am granted a clearer perspective of my own humanity.

Of course fall is one of those cozy up to the fire times full of pumpkins, hay bales and hot apple cider. It is warm and pleasant with the sweet melancholy of sepia toned photographs and faded summer flowers. There is a moment however just before that which touches my soul deeper than any memory or personal thought ever could. It is this beautiful dance between eternal lovers. When the sunlight hits those leaves its like there’s no one else in the room. It’s just them, each one glowing in the other’s gaze. And so we stop at this little grove every year to watch this dance between the sun and the trees. There will be plenty of time for pumpkins and cider but for right now I am content to watch a beautiful love story play out another chapter in this golden romance.


We will follow this river to our next stop in Leavenworth for some Bavarian fun and then onto the Wenatchee orchards for tree fresh apples and pears. There may even be some grapes left at the vineyards.

Walking with Giants

We decided to take a walk today. A forested ferny moss covered and cool walk in the shade. We decided a little forestry road along Hwy 2 in the Cascade Mountains would be the place to take this walk. It's just past Deception Falls and up a rough dirt road past the old train trellis is a trail head. Without the greeter/permit board it would look just like what it is; a hole in the shrubs. What it beyond that hole however is an amazing world of old growth trees, dinosaur sized bog plants and enough ferns and moss to supply all the fairy stories ever written. The paths are narrow, winding and soft with countless years of forest fluff to cushion your step. The light trickles in through a wonderfully high canopy of towering old giants. Their trunks revealing teasing views of the rushing mountain streams. Simple wooden bridges offer brief passage over the smaller waterways. More elaborate ones span the rocky river beds.





During the summer months it is hard to imagine how savage this place can be in the winter. The snow is amazingly beautiful and can lure an unprepared hiker to his doom. Those massive trees are often tossed about like swizzle sticks in the winter storms. In spring that crystal clear ribbon of water turns into a churning mass of liquid energy tearing through anything in its path. But for right now on this hot August day it is a cool and sparkling retreat with moss covered stones. So we decided to take a walk.



There were signs this day. Important signs and we took heed for they were good signs. Ok, these were the signs.


But hey, they were good signs! The cherries were excellent and they went well with the blueberries we had picked up at the last fruit stand we passed, which was right after the one with the plump raspberries. Now the sign with the “Hempuccino” was maybe a little questionable so we were less inclined to heed that one. We did however go with a coconut iced latte and that was good. We frequent the Espresso Chalet whenever we drive out this way which is fairly often. Their claim to fame is that “Harry and the Henderson’s” was shot there some eons ago, 1986 to be exact. Sure, why not? A movie about Big Foot and the family that takes him and tries to find him shoes that fit. What they are famous for now however is that they have the best coconut latte I have ever had. I’ve had a few.

I am going to have to say though that the very best drink of the day was this one. You just can’t put perfection in a bottle no matter what you call it or how you pronounce it. It has to be scooped up ice cold and sipped out of your hands. That’s perfection.