Weekend Update

Well, this was the first Saturday that I didn't spend the hours of 7am-6pm at Nash's Farmstore in about a year! As much as I have appreciated the people, produce, and landscape of working in the Dungeness, I am quite excited to have my Saturdays back. We had exactly the day of leisure that I had dreamt of:
slept in.
a morning run.
a walk to Good to Go Grocery for the most delicious handmade with love pastry (bear claw with almond filling and a hint of cardamom!) --enjoyed in the sunshine.
a walk to the farmer's market for a look at how all of the fresh produce looks on display and returning with an armload of cheese, smoked salmon, and lovely greens.
a stop at Blackbird Coffee Shop for apple pie and coffee.
an hour in the garden planting more carrots and greens and dreaming of what's to come.
an afternoon drive that took us to Freshwater Bay; where we found 5 eagles feasting on fresh halibut, a river otter that liked to show off its hunting skills, plenty of tide pools for exploring, and a few locals to tell us some Peninsula histories.
an impromptu BBQ at Lazy J farm.

Thank you, Saturday, for all you had to offer us.

This morning, over another leisurely breakfast at the Old Mill Cafe, Justin and I got to talking about all of the opportunities and freedom that our culture offers us--in the ways of hopping on a plane to go here or there, traveling the world in search of adventures, seeking sustainability and simplicity by visiting exotic and distant places. We are so lucky! We have so many options. We have the resources and freedom to figure out how we want to be and live.

However, its such a paradox too...our freedom to travel and learn are, in some ways, at the expense of the cultures that we seek to preserve and to learn the art of simplicity and sustainability from. Justin mentioned that the reason he wanted to move to the Olympic Peninsula was to be close to activities and places that he wanted to explore. And, although we are in this gorgeous place with limitless adventures within a stone's throw from our home, I often find myself dreaming of road trips, weekend visits with friends, flights home to Illinois and Pittsburgh, and adventures abroad. So, I am challenging myself and Justin, to really settling in to life HERE (right here) and taking advantage of the adventures, quirky activities, lovely people and slower pace that this time and place in our life offer us. Stay tuned...

In other news, I start my new job with the Elwha Dam Removal/Restoration Project with Olympic National Park tomorrow! I have been brushing up on my plant ID and fancy Latin names for those plants--I'm quite excited for what this summer will bring.