Miss Reesy Travels — Spring into Washington State
“Can words describe the fragrance of the very breath of spring?”
Neltje Blanchan
It is Springtime. As I open the sliding glass door and step outside onto the worn patio deck, Bently, my mighty Chihuahua-mix darts ahead and hops onto the dense grass below.
A cool fresh breeze welcomes me. I inhale the intoxicating fragrance of pine, cedar, flowering plum trees, and growing grasses. To my right, I hear a calliope of twittering sounds coming from hundreds of small birds dining on tiny seeds, insects, and the occasional grub among the towering trees that partially surround my home.
Such are the pleasures of springtime in the Pacific Northwest. For a transplanted Californian (don’t hate me) living here is heaven. There is so much green, so much varying weather patterns. One moment it will be sunny and almost warm, the next minute it is raining. And never use an umbrella, it is a sure sign that you are from out of state. Also, because of the winds which many times accompany the rain, umbrellas tend to be blown inside out.
I was part of the massive SoCal migration of the ’80s and ’90s into the Pacific Northwest. For myself, I ended up living near the city of Ferndale in Washington State. However, my brethren scattered themselves throughout the PNW and where they settled housing prices escalated. Needless to say, the locals were not happy and there was some friction between both.
The University of Washington in its desire to interest students and to expand it’s knowledge of regional history, created the Center for the Study of the Pacific Northwest. It’s first lesson? “Who Belongs in the Pacific Northwest.” (Sigh….)
JUST SAY, HI
When hiking or walking about, the first thing I learned is what I call casually friendly. For example, when I began hiking one of the many, many trails around Whatcom County, whenever I came upon a fellow hiker, they would smile at me and say hi and then continue on their way. This startled me because I was used to the typical SoCal attitude to be aware of the possibility of stranger danger and to walk quickly past someone you don’t know when out and about.
Then I realized that this person’s greeting could mean either: 1) Nice to see a fellow hiker; 2) I am greeting you to show that I mean no harm to you. Therefore, my appropriate response would be to smile back and say “Hi.” Which I did, and we both went our separate ways.
For an introvert such as myself, these simple interactions heightened my love of hiking and helped me overcome my shyness. Know whenever I am on a hike, I am usually the first to greet my fellow hikers. I have also become more of a people watcher, smiling and saying “Hi” to people who seem like they need encouragement or look lonely.
The House of Tears Carvers of the Lummi Nation created these totem poles telling stories of the Nooksack River where the tribes used to fish, hunt and forage.
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