Franklin Falls on repeat

We - and this time, the 'we' included a whole troop of reinforcements: Isaac, Natalie, Caleb, Jen, Ocean, Jaguar and Denny - can't stay away. Who in the whole wide world can resist marching through the woods to be drenched by the spray of a waterfall? What gal can not love where she lives when where she lives means tossing off her shoes and wading through water to sunbathe on rocks that make perfect, natural water slides?

Washington is where it's at, folks. And that's that :)

Two hike Saturday

First, Halcyon and I woke up with the early, early birds for a march up Mount Index to Bridal Veil Falls. One of the things I like best about hiking to waterfalls is that you can hear where you're headed; all Halcyon and I to do was follow the roar :)









Then, later in the morning, we high-tailed it up the pass with Craig and Christina to our favorite little Franklin Falls. We've prowled around it in the sunshine and the rain and the snow, and it's delightful every single time. I've decided that somehow, when it's time to retire and glide gracefully into our golden years, we must do it with the ocean as our front yard and a waterfall in the back :)

Knocking at our door...

Had this been a slug, I would have screamed and carried on in revulsion and disgust. This little guy, though, gets his own photo shoot :)

Boston Harbor 4th

First, there are a ton of pictures here; consider yourself warned! :)

Now.

I am a lover of traditions. I love the making of new memories within the context of something that's repeated over and over again; it's one of the things that makes me tick.

I'm also a lover of holidays. I plan out Thanksgiving menus in August and write out Christmas card lists whenever the notion strikes, which is often the middle of April. I love that July is the time to celebrate our country's independence; I love that it screams summer, and that it comes with parades and fireworks and sun and barbeques.

And then I'm a lover of the beach. The sand, the waves, the wind, the sunsets (oh, the sunsets!!), all of it makes me happy.

So, with all of these loves of mine (plus, of course, the most important loves of all - the people!!), you can imagine what a sweet weekend it was - our fifth or sixth 4th of July at the harbor in Olympia with the usual suspects. As always, we find lots and lots to appreciate and be thankful for in our little corner of the world.


Uncles give the best horsey rides!


















There is something very, very endearing to me about these next pictures. I feel like I'm getting a glimpse back in time to what the two of them were doing 20 years ago, and it makes me smile.



Someone else loves the beach! A girlie after my own heart! :)