A Week to Reset

The secret to enjoying the cabin, our annual vacation spot, 

is to embrace every kind of weather and water level. 

We were so busy packing and preparing our homestead for a week away, that no one really registered the heavy rains we had before we shoved off on our vacation adventure.

We arrived to high water in the beloved creek next to our cabin.  That means no swimming and especially, no unsupervised swimming.  

However, that means kayaking.  Lots and lots and lots of kayaking, which is quite the treat for these land-lubbers.

At one point, an elk ran across the creek right in front of us.  

Another time, Blossom1 and her paddling partner got to see two deer swimming across the creek!

That's in addition to osprey, bald eagles, cedar waxwings,

and this delightful flock of mergansers we saw every time we kayaked various stretches of the creek.  When they are frightened, their liftoff resembles running on the water.  They are my favorite waterfowl to encounter!

Every day, we predicted the creek would go down and then a shower or two would shuffle through our little hollow.

We embraced showers too.  Showers just mean reading and afghans on the porch... 

tea and hot chocolate on the couch...

a nap whenever the mood strikes...

bike rides and meandering walks in the sprinkles...

listening to the creek's full melody.

We also like to take Ranger rides,

(rain or shine)

especially to a favorite state park

to get Perry's ice cream

and drive trails around the rim of the mountains

to find a favorite new vista.

And then, maybe some more kayaking...

to admire flawless skies

and happy Blossoms.

Then, delicious doughboys, grilled chicken, mountain pies, burgers, s'mores, wood-fired pizza, and foil packet taters and onions.  

Campfire cooking is superb.

Later in the week, we hiked to find a legendary swimming hole five miles back in a remote wild area.

Of course, I admired mushrooms 

and fungus.

Blossom4 admire the toad population.

Binney explored every waterway and led the way

through every sketchy, disappearing trail infested with stinging nettle and bramble... 

but we found it.  

A seldom visited, iconic back country swimming hole.

My sandal busted 2 miles in.  Blossom2 saved the day with her duct tape.  I hiked the rest of it that way. 

And the Rugged Mountain Man baptized Blossom4.

Vacation together is always memorable.  

Times of rest.  

Time to reset.

Time to be truly remote.

Time to realign.

Delightful times.