Before the Madness… There Was Summer

Just to confirm your suspicions… no we did not go on a hike this week. That little stroll from my last post took place a bit in the past. I just felt like sharing the pictures of the trees and forest that were in a good state of health well before the 1918 pandemic… are still healthy today. The hike was in the not too distant past mind you, but it was in the past, before sheltering in place was a common theme for the human race. Prior to that it was something that school children were familiar with. Before I retired last April… I also had shelter in place training in association with active shooter training, working in a hospital and all. So sad that school children had to learn about shelter in place associated with deranged humans wielding mass murder weapons… Oh… don’t get me started.

Well… now all of us on every continent have had to learn just what it means. I’m an American currently living on Canadian soil (well, living in Canadian water anyway) and although at this juncture it is certainly my preference… with borders closed to non essential travel, it has been recommended that I and my ex-pat ilk should shelter in place. Interesting notion that… being non-essential. I certainly know about that in my retired state… but really, laying it out just like that. I makes one wonder and consider the alternatives. I think I will remain non-essential for a bit.

Anyway… late last summer we happened upon a place that Les and I visited about 40 years ago. It was our anniversary and we decided to take a ferry out to Orcas Island and stay at the Rosario Hotel. Well… the hotel was booked, but we went anyway and booked a reservation for dinner. So… there we were dining on prime rib and well into a bottle of cab that we could barely afford, and someone in the bar started playing the piano. Incredible, soulful, way beyond the Sunday afternoon hack kind of playing. It went on for a bit and sounded, well… familiar. Our waiter came over to check on us and I suggested to him that the player sounded like George Winston. He calmly stated, as it if was just the normal thing to have George stop by the Rosario Bar and start playing. Well… it was George Winston. Apparently he lived down the street and came in to play for wine. That’s my man, George Winston. Maybe one of these days I will get up the guts to stride up the stairs and get up on that stage, or at least a stool in a bar, and play my guitar for wine. I still wouldn’t be anything more than non-essential, but free wine for slapping my fingers on the frets… hmmm…

We took a hike up to a park surrounding Cascade Lake above the resort. OMG… the first 1/4 mile was straight up, and it continued that way for a bit. Pant box territory. We persevered. Even Kai was panting, something which he seldom does… The lake at the top was surrounded by temperate rainforest flora:

A few days later found us in Cap Sante Marina in Anacortes, not too far from Orcas Island. There was a bit of a weather change and the wind howled for 2 days… Nice to be in a secure berth when the wind get up…