Snow Lust

December 20, 2012December 20, 2012 ~ Crystle ~ 10 Comments

I don’t care that it only snowed two inches, and that the snow has already melted away. My upbringing in Bakersfield, CA has left me eternally deprived of this wintry white stuff; that’s probably why anytime it sleets or snows, I clap with glee while repeatedly asking anyone around me if they’ve noticed it’s snowing. Needless to say, I was outside taking photos from the moment the puffy, sluggish flakes fell from the sky over our neighborhood in the suburbs of Olympia, WA to the moment it all melted away.

Now that this beautiful scenery has returned to it’s normal, wet, evergreen status, I’m back inside, tapping my fingers in anticipation of another brief snow storm (which is tentatively scheduled in our 10-day forecast). If snow doesn’t show around Puget Sound again this year, then that’s fine too. This is all I need to sate my snow-lust until next year when the Army sends us to Alaska for a three year assignment.

Please remind me of this day of snow-day-giddiness when I’m stuck indoors in Fairbanks, Alaska for four months while the extreme winter weather rages on outside. Future me will need the perspective, I’m sure.

Washington’s Wild Blackberries

August 13, 2012December 9, 2012 ~ Crystle ~ 7 Comments

I’m still learning a thing or two about our new stomping grounds in the Pacific Northwest. Just yesterday I ran across a humorous article on NPR that highlighted the joys of wild blackberries to the local newcomer. You Can Never Have Too Many Blackberries by Deena Prichep was absolutely spot on. Longtime locals learn the loathe the thorny ‘weed’ bushes while newcomers recoil at the prospect of cutting them back since they, ahem, give you berries.

A month or so ago we noticed young berries growing in an uncultivated lot nearby. Over the next couple of weeks the fruity nubs of the prickly bushes ripened into a seemingly infinite supply of supple blackberries. We have been taking full advantage of the free supply.

Tonight we went out on our second berry picking adventure. Our previous collection of berries went to my first canning venture where I made a delicious batch of Wild Blackberry Jam. We gathered as many blackberries as we could, unsure of exactly what five cups looked like, visually. After that experience, it was pretty clear that once you’ve got a colander full of blackberries and arm striped with scratches, you’ve got supply enough for a big batch of Blackberry Jam.

Of the eight jars of Jam made, we’ve finished nearly two and were all too happy to send four jars off to family in Oklahoma City.

Deena found some unique recipes calling for blackberries. Unfortunately, during this first trimester of pregnancy I’ve been an incredibly picky eater. The nearly constant nausea has me wincing at the foods I used to love, and merely thinking of vegetables and international foods makes my stomach turn. I won’t be able to try any of the blackberry recipes that Deena recommends in the near future, but we plan on freezing up an extra supply so I can try them when I get to feeling better.

Until then, I’ll be chowing down on peanut butter and wild blackberry jam sandwiches.

Glacier Basin Trail – Mt. Rainier National Park

July 8, 2012December 9, 2012 ~ Crystle ~ 5 Comments

Today’s seven mile hike was wonderfully scenic, albeit a bit more snowy than we expected.

Earlier this week, Jay and I scouted out the Glacier Basin Trail from my favorite hiking guide for hiking Mt. Rainier National Park. We even checked on the trail conditions to make sure it was a reasonable expectation to reach our goal of seeing the Glacier Basin Camp.

In short, two valuable lessons were learned.

Lesson #1: When the trail forecast calls for 30% snowy conditions, it’s bound to be the highest elevation of the hike.

It was, and none of us had gaiters, trekking poles or crampons to help us trapeze the snowy trail. We managed, but it was a bit more difficult without these essential mountaineering items.

I hypothesize that with this gear, I would not have spent as much time sprawled out on the snow. Snow is cold, even in July.

Lesson #2: Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen!

I should have learned the sunscreen lesson on my whale watching tour last weekend, but alack. We all have red farmer’s tans on our left arms and now sit around the living room with taut, stinging sunburnt faces.

On a side note, summer has finally hit Tacoma (today it was 82). Since our house isn’t equipped with an AC, as the local climate doesn’t really call for it, the obvious solution for our mandatory sunburn cool-down is a big batch of Sunday evening margaritas. Call it a post-Mountain Margarita and make it a tradition. We just did.

Regardless of our snowy slip ‘n’ slide defined hike, a great time was had by all.

Mt. Rainier National Park is never a disappointment. The season should remain fair for another 8 weeks or so. Hopefully we’ll get in several more hikes, with sunscreen, before fall!