First Snow

It's snowing!!! It's snowing!!! Experts say that the coastal areas of Washington get, on average, only two to three days of snow per year due to the "warm" Pacific breezes that keep the temperature hovering just above freezing, but we were lucky enough to move just in time for this year's two days of snow. The only snow we saw in California was in Tahoe when we were snowshoeing! I didn't realize how much I missed the changing seasons until I saw the giant white drops of snow outside our window this morning. Hot chocolate, days spent by the fire, bowls set out to catch snow for snow cream, snow balls, snow angels, sledding - all the wonderful things about winter almost passed us by this season. In fact, the week before Thanksgiving was spent sunning on the beach, and the week of Christmas, oranges waited unpicked on many front yard trees.

Today, however, I plan to pack all of winter's wonders into one day. As I sat down to write this, I opened a Dove dark chocolate candy, a chocolate lover's fortune cookie, which instructed me to "find my passion". Well, find it I have. I am drinking fair trade hot chocolate, enjoying a fire in the fire place, looking at a new book I can't wait to curl up and read, and seriously considering bundling up in my coat, scarf, and earmuffs to walk in the snow to the nearest coffee shop. Ted and I visited two coffee shops on Tuesday, and found that there is much more to the local coffee scene than Starbuck's. These people are as serious about their coffee as Napa Valley vintners are about their wine! To the residents of Olympia, coffee making, and coffee drinking, are art forms. The local blends have a deep, rich, dark flavor - lacking the bitterness of some dark roasts. My favorite out of the two coffee shops was Batdorf and Bronson, a small local chain that roasts and brews their coffee right in the city limits. Talk about fresh! I have a feeling that everyone who received a surprise day off work or school to enjoy the fresh snow will also be visiting the warm environs of one of the local cafes. And walking, bundled up in the snow, to enjoy a break from the rain, and the richness of this seldom seen winter wonderland.
Right now, a young girl is passing my window, face upturned, catching snowflakes with her tongue. Does life get any better or any simpler? Enjoy the day.

Post By: Rebecca
Photo By: Alan (Taken while snowshoeing in Tahoe in February)

What We Don't Know Can Hurt Us

This is the Washington we have seen so far - strikingly beautiful, but scarred by man's ever increasing footprint. As we drove towards Ocean Beach on Saturday afternoon, we passed a sign advertising a scenic view ahead. Naturally we pulled over, expecting a view of the ocean or the mountains in Olympic Cascades Park. Instead, we saw thousands of felled trees waiting to be processed by the adjacent paper mill, framed by the smoking twin towers of a nuclear power plant. Not quite the view we were hoping for, but one we needed to see nonetheless.

On the two hour drive to the beach, we passed hundreds of acres of clear cut forest, rows of pines replanted with military precision, steaming paper mills, mountains of sawdust, clusters of houses with peeled paint and sagging roofs, and miles of steel bridges and pipelines. When at last we arrived at the beach, we were amazed to see SUVs driving through the surf and clunkers parked on the beach, dripping oil and depositing road sediment in the sand. Fast food wrappers and empty coffee cups were strewn next to the parked cars, and people stared vacantly into the grey surf as they listened to music turned two notches too loud. Dogs, horses, cars, and people all shared the miles of beach front - each depositing their own forms of waste in the sand, hoping it would be washed out to sea. A little girl was forced to look both ways for cars before trotting back to her sand castle!

We were too disgusted to walk the beach, so we drove to the nearest Irish pub to discuss the situation. Thankfully, Galway's By the Bay offered a comforting fire, authentic and delicious Irish fare, and warm and friendly service. A few hours by the fire and a shepherd's pie made everything seem a little better, and we talked about other areas that may be more pristine and suitable for hiking. In the middle of the conversation, however, we both realized we cannot, as a couple or a nation, continue to run away to the dwindling wilderness to calm our fears about environmental disaster. In a way, it was good to see the effects of our wants and waste firsthand. I know I will think twice the next time I grab a "scrap" piece of paper, leave the lights on when I'm not in the room, buy coffee in a disposable cup, or throw something usable away. We were both able to see the width of our own footprints more clearly, which led to an honest discussion about ways to improve our own lifestyles.

I struggled with putting this on the blog, since I know most of you like to read about the fun adventures we have. But I feel it is also important to truthfully report what we see. Part of traveling is seeing the good and the bad of what this country has to offer. John Muir, famed environmentalist and founder of the Sierra club, was able to preserve thousands of acres of forest because of his beautiful and descriptive writing coupled with his activism. When he saw the effects that people were having on the land, he wrote about it and petitioned for change. I believe it is important for us to do the same. Living in the utopic bubble of Palo Alto allowed us to temporarily forget the urgent nature of our world's environmental and political crises. Now that we are seeing them firsthand, we realize that our immediate action, along with the actions of everyone we know, and everyone they know, is vitally important to the success and effectiveness of the solutions to these issues.

So please tell the truth that we have seen to others and know that your actions matter too. For a few heartening examples, turn to this month's issue of Utne magazine. Andy Isaacson, in his article "Mimicking Nature", reports that scientists at PAX Scientific are developing new energy-efficient air conditioners and fans that are 25% more efficient than the current models. He hopes to continue to develop energy efficient industrial models as well, which will "decrease dependency on fuel by at least 50 percent" (60). DaimlerChrysler has developed a prototype vehicle modeled after a coral reef fish that is composed of hexagonal plates rather than panels, making the car two-thirds lighter than today's car, and thereby more fuel efficient (62). The list goes on and on. On a more localized scale, people are turning towards organic foods and local farmer's markets as alternatives to large corporate brands, thereby cutting down on packaging waste and shipping costs. (See Harvest for Hope by Jane Goodall for more information about organic and local foods). Also, people are forming bartering coalitions to trade goods rather than buy new things, which also reduces waste. (See craigslist.com for a bartering resource near you.) For more information about reducing waste, refer to Garbage Land by Elizabeth Royte or check out www.earth911.org for a list of local recycling options. Every change we can make, no matter how small, makes a huge difference in the types of products that will be produced, and the ways in which they will be manufactured and transported. As I told my students last year, it is vital that we all become citizens of the world. Seeing the devastation of the land in coastal Washington has only reinforced the necessity of mindful eating and shopping. And, as this famous quotation states, "The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." So take the initiative, spread the word, and lighten your own global footprint for the good of everyone. And remember that you're not alone.

Post By: Rebecca
Photo By: Ted (Taken near a state park, fifteen miles south of Olympia)

More Pictures

Puget Sound framed by the Olympic Cascade Mountains












Rebecca on Percival Landing.










All Photos By: Ted

People Are Strange When You're a Stranger

You all probably recognize the title as a verse from "People Are Strange", one of The Doors' many hits. As Jim Morrison eloquently vocalizes, it is disconcerting to feel alone in a city of unfamiliar places and strange faces. A city that may be beautiful and vibrant feels depressing and empty until you begin to get settled and have time to focus on getting involved with the town.

As we pulled into Olympia in the rain, we could not yet see the majestic peak of Mt. Rainier or the towering Olympic Cascade mountains. All the downtown storefronts were dark, and the steely water of Puget sound seemed oppressive. Hoodies, jeans, and sneakers seemed to be the uniform of choice for the locals, and not a single person returned our greetings. Couple this depressing reception with the warmth of our farewell party in Palo Alto and the sunny weather we had forsaken for our new home, and it is easy to see why reality was not meeting our expectations. Before we left, I spent three straight days packing and trying to trim down our posessions to only what would fit in the car, Ted spent his last three nights at work, and then we both spent a harrowing day packing and debating over exactly what "necessities" we could afford to leave behind. After our day of packing, we went straight to our farewell party, stayed for an hour, then left the party to drive through the night to Washington.

Thirteen hours and a brief hotel stay later, we pulled into our new home. On the up side, we were thrilled to have a woodburning fireplace, and the apartment is the biggest one bedroom I have ever seen! I have my own office space now, and we have a walk in closet big enough to sleep in, which is a nice change. The first rainy night was spent finding food, restocking essential supplies, and locating Ted's hospital. But the apartment is quiet and well insulated, and we spent a warm, restful night together before Ted had to work the next day.

Exploring the town and continuously quizzing locals about resident hot spots is the only way to defeat the depression that accompanies any move, so we set out yesterday to do just that. The sun was shining for the first time in days, and we awoke early enough to enjoy a cup of locally brewed coffee and breakfast delights at Darby's Cafe downtown. After a leisurely breakfast, we wandered in and out of downtown shops where we successfully started a few conversations with local residents. From the woman at the Scarlett Empress, a scrapbook and stationary store, I learned of a scrapbooking club which I plan to attend next Friday. The owner of Hoopla!, a hip clothing boutique, clued me in to the best shopping sites, and the librarian told me about a parade coming up in less than a month. Tammy at Ace Hardware wrote down her favorite hiking spots, and Dave the cable man mapped out his favorite beach for us. The cashier at the pizzeria told us about the local music scene, and the grocer suggested weekly cooking classes we might be interested in. So over the course of a day, through careful research and gregarious questioning, we learned about ways to get involved in the fabric of the community.

In addition to these local tips, we've planned weekend trips to Portland and Seattle, outings to the local farmer's market, which Jane Goodall praised in her new book Harvest for Hope, sailing lessons, and hikes in the local state parks. Seeing everything this area has to offer will take up three months and more, and we are beginning to see that the people here aren't so strange after all!

P.S. February went by so quickly with last minute trips with friends and frenzied touring of some of the sites we had not yet seen, that I didn't have time to update. I apologize for the delay, but I do plan to update daily now that we are settled in to our new home. Each posting will not be as detailed as this one, but I want to write daily to let you all know what we are up to, which is the mission of this blog. Until tomorrow, then . . . . .

Posted By: Rebecca
Photo of Mt. Rainier By: Ted (taken on 03-03)
Mt. Rainier, at over 14,000 feet is the second tallest mountain in North America, and, along with the Cascade Range, provides the backdrop for Olympia and the surrounding towns.