From the Road :: VI

Rain. Everyone has apologized for the weather. But I know a secret. Sorry, Pacific Northwest...we brought the weather with us.


I knew it would be this way from Day 1. It had the feel. We lived in Portland for about a year and at the time the weather was refreshing and a novelty. It might have changed with more time but we moved home. To a land of almost eternal summer, where triple digit weather is a norm from July until (now) November. Where we no longer wear long sleeves on Halloween. So, this, this grey drippy weather...it is a loveliness we will likely not see until next January.


So we have played in it and dressed for it and hoped for dry when needed and just embraced. It is the Northwest, right? We outfitted the boys in proper weather clothing at the Columbia Outlet, got away with three dry days on Orcas Island and Tim, well, we just told me the last three days have been the ride of his life.


In the Southwest we have a lot of clay so when rain comes down so too does the earth. It slides and slips away, smashes up trails and one should not ride until the damp drains out. Here, the earth sucks and sucks it up. Few slips and puddles, few problems on the trails, per Tim. Except bears. Yeah, just hanging out next to trails. He has video. Scary but kinda' enthralling too.

I guess what I am saying is that I love this. I know it is almost June and this is not normal per se. I know it is snowing in Edmonton and blazing hot elsewhere, almost 90 farenheit at home. But here, we are just wrapped up in a cocoon of grey, aware that we will leave it to go South and home to the temperatures that soar.

(Tulips in Almost June. What?)

So for me, this just adds another layer. Do I miss the blue sky and sun? Of course. Do I love that we have a fireplace on as I stitch? Yeah, just a little. More than a little.