Several weeks of no precipitation has spoiled us in the Pacific Northwest. Blackberries staying beautiful long past their time. Rich colored crispy leaves. Dusty smooth trails.

Looking into forecasts that promise Yellow Sun day after Yellow Sun Day.  We’ve spent the last few weeks getting ready for the storms.  Gutters Cleaned. Wood Stocked. Boats Turned. Gear Secured. Garden Prepared. Lawns Mowed. Soup Pantry Supplies Stocked.  Bread Making Ingredients a Plenty. Rubber Boots and Rain Gear on the ready.  The hardest part to prepare – is the heart. It takes a special kind of person to really really love the Pacific Northwest in the Winter. Many a settler made it into this beautiful country and turned back to Portland or lands further east or south. This is one crazy corner of the world we live in.  For the surf, we’ve heard many times – “If you can surf in the Pacific Northwest – on the Oregon Coast – you can surf anywhere.”  Strangely enough, we spent the last few days of our Indian Summer in the water.  Go figure. We really are PNW Natives.

In the Subaru headed home from the surf.

Jon and his coach headed out to the Surf.

Nate got about 6 inches cut off of his hair this week.  It will grow back . . .

After watching a board break in half and a guy break his wrist on a flying board – the boys thought maybe body surfing would be a good idea.

Back at home yesterday – We will have many mornings like the one below – but it will be the last day of dry dry dry.

I kept willing the fog to burn off all the way to the west. I would paddle right up to it. It felt like the kind of fog that was thick cotton. Like you could cut it with scissors. Thick White Blanket.  So I turned around.

Looking back towards our house. Ours is the last building on the right.

My merganser friends hang out on the log by our boathouse.

Home again home again. After this weekend, I am hoping we don’t have so much of a beach front – it will make it easier to carry the canoe to the water for sure. It will be good to have it all washed down!  Green grass will be here soon!