I started to write a post that turned out so much like reading a blow-by-blow of a train wreck that I think we’ll just go with a few pictures from the last few weeks.
I didn’t take pictures of the zilllions of days of dismal 35-degree fog; let’s go with some optimism here.
Yesterday during my bike ride, my friend Rachel sent me some stunning pictures from her family’s vacation to Florida’s Gulf Coast. I ran out of different ways to say, “Wow!” So I started sending her some Washington winter pictures. (You can see my offerings below. Very different from the tropical paradise vibe from her end of the world.)
This photo exchange gave me the idea for the Great December Photo Swap. Every single day in the month of November, Rachel and I will send each other a picture of something beautiful we saw that day. No explanation required.
A few pictures from the rare times we get out of the house in these predominantly dark, gloomy, wet months. Unfortunately the only camera I carry these days is the little one on my phone; fortunately, it’s higher-resolution and smarter at things like HDR than the DSLR gathering dust in my closet. (In fairness, the DSLR is much better at real camera tasks like manual focus, shutter speed, ISO settings, etc; I just don’t take pictures like that so much these days, alas.)
I’ve been back to biking for almost six weeks, since January 18. In that time, darkness, rain, and wind have characterized most of my commutes. But those only serve to heighten the enjoyment of a day like yesterday: Mid-50s, sunny, light breeze, and daylight fading into a brilliant sunset.
I chose to ride across 520 and along Lake Washington Boulevard to fully appreciate the sunset, and I’m sure glad I did.
As promised, here’s a post with pictures from the hikes I took in the Bay Area while waiting for my appointment time.
Just to remind you, here’s what it looked like near my neighborhood on Monday that week:
You can imagine how I luxuriated when I stepped out of the car at a park in the hills above Palo Alto on Friday and got this:
After finishing a 3.5-mile walk at the first park, I had a little extra time, so I drove up the hill a little farther. There I found another couple parks. I picked one and, at the suggestion of a helpful ranger, found a trail where I enjoyed the sweeping views.