Happy 40th birthday to my darling husband Daniel. Steady rock, adventurous soul, deep thinker, God-lover, patient father, loyal and kind friend, humble genius who thinks doctoring the underserved is just the right thing to do, mountain man who still makes my heart skip a beat in those worn hiking boots: you are so special today and every day.
His comment? "This 1000-year-old tree doesn't seem too impressed that I'm turning 40." Classic Daniel.
On Monday, we packed up, went grocery shopping, loaded up Dan and Jill's Prius (thank you, friends!), and drove west. We planned to spend five days exploring the Olympic Peninsula. Our first stop (and home base for the first three nights) was La Push, WA. The fastest route to get there included a ferry. It was so different to travel in a place where ferries are a part of everyday travel.
Water everywhere! See Mt. Baker in the background?
Hello, Mt. Rainier!
Getting all the sillies out before getting back in the car. The trip took most of the day, but it was so fun to see the changing landscape.
After a long day in the car, we rounded the corner and there was La Push. We settled in at our beachfront cabin at the Quileute Oceanside Resort on First Beach at La Push. The whole area belongs to the Quileute Nation, and the resort is the only thing happening on the beach, which made it feel really remote and private (just what we like!). (P.S. The term "resort" is used a bit loosely--more like tents, RVs, and cabins.) It was really fun talking with the Quileute owners in the office, picking up some children's books about legends of the tribe, and learning more about their culture and language.
It was foggy, chilly, moody, and mysterious--and completely different from any beach I've ever seen.
I was not used to all the rivers and streams feeding into the ocean, or the sea stacks and strange rock formations, or the piles of massive logs, or the salmon trying to jump back upstream to spawn, or the frigid water, or the tide pools and crazy sea creatures, or the importance of knowing the tide schedule. I love the smell of the ocean, and that was familiar, but the fog and chill were not. It reminded me of Scotland more than anything else. We even saw seals in the harbor.
Daniel has described scenes like this to me for years, from growing up in Vancouver. I have always loved his stories but I didn't really understand what he was talking about. Now I get it. Wild, fierce, untamed coastline. The perfect place to take my favorite Canadian for his 40th birthday!
Family, friends, blue sky, cold nights, slacklines, good food, campfires, board games, stars, deep talks, laughter, exploring, and a dramatic hammock fail to top it off: we love camping!
Jon-Marc and Laura live here now! We keep pinching ourselves. It's soooo wonderful to have them close.
Our fellow nature-lovers, Micky and Celeste and their beautiful boys Kenzie and Sebastian. We love camping with these adventurers. Always laughter, always great conversations with this crew!
Classic Kortsch-style games. Ankle balloon popping, a nature scavenger hunt (which everyone loved!), the manatee piñata and of course....
Recognize the fork and spoon, the wrapped present, and the hat, mittens and scarf?
Owen requested an Arctic circle ice cream cake.
Oh, how we love our O-Bear. He brings so much joy to our lives with his bright imagination, adorable laugh, deep insights, and tender, kind heart. Happy Birthday, sweetheart!
Happy 40th birthday to my darling husband Daniel. Steady rock, adventurous soul, deep thinker, God-lover, patient father, loyal and kind friend, humble genius who thinks doctoring the underserved is just the right thing to do, mountain man who still makes my heart skip a beat in those worn hiking boots: you are so special today and every day.
After a long day in the car, we rounded the corner and there was La Push. We settled in at our beachfront cabin at the Quileute Oceanside Resort on First Beach at La Push. The whole area belongs to the Quileute Nation, and the resort is the only thing happening on the beach, which made it feel really remote and private (just what we like!). (P.S. The term "resort" is used a bit loosely--more like tents, RVs, and cabins.) It was really fun talking with the Quileute owners in the office, picking up some children's books about legends of the tribe, and learning more about their culture and language.
I was not used to all the rivers and streams feeding into the ocean, or the sea stacks and strange rock formations, or the piles of massive logs, or the salmon trying to jump back upstream to spawn, or the frigid water, or the tide pools and crazy sea creatures, or the importance of knowing the tide schedule. I love the smell of the ocean, and that was familiar, but the fog and chill were not. It reminded me of Scotland more than anything else. We even saw seals in the harbor.
Soccer game! Jack is on the same team again this fall, the Wasps/Red Devils. We love his coach Dawit and he's having so much fun and learning a lot.
Making a paper mache manatee with Daddy.
Classic Kortsch-style games. Ankle balloon popping, a nature scavenger hunt (which everyone loved!), the manatee piñata and of course....
Recognize the fork and spoon, the wrapped present, and the hat, mittens and scarf?
Owen requested an Arctic circle ice cream cake.
