Pacific Northwest morning, it's raining gently (big news)

[woofless]

and I am sitting up in the loft about mid tree level. All around are good sized Doug Firs, Northern Red Cedar and Alder trees. The moss grows on everything. A slug got in under the front door yesterday and slimed the rug. There is a trout stream about a quarter mile down the hill. There are small falls on another smaller creek about the same distance the other way. Mount Baker ski area is about 35 miles up the road. The road ends there. No I mean ENDS. Past that nothing but the Northern Cascades wilderness. It rarely snows much here. Up at Mt. Baker they measured the record snofall for one season (98-99) at 1140 inches. One could conceivably snow board in the morning and dig clams in the afternoon and never drive more than 100 miles. One day I counted 41 eagles on the drive (12 1/2 miles) to the convenience store. This place beats the HELL out of Missouri.

Why tell you this? Just working up to the magic 1000. Ask me anything.

[GOPisEvil]

1. Sounds lovely! How did you end up there?

[woofless]

7. Just the last stop in a long migration

that began in Mass, then S. FL then the midwest, 2 years in Idaho then here. It was a concious effort on our part to find the best place to live then find a way to make it work. So far so good.

[Andy_Stephenson]

2. God I love those mountains...

it is one of the things that keeps me here in the PNW.

Lucky you...livin up in the hills while I suffer here in the city.

[greatauntoftriplets]

4. "Suffer", my ass!

What about that great view of Mt. Rainier when you head south on I-5?

Or the sunset views of the Olympic Mountains when you head west?

[Andy_Stephenson]

5. There is nothing like livin up

in the mountains...so peaceful.

[greatauntoftriplets]

6. Where I live is almost as flat as a pancake.

Not quite that flat, only Kansas is.

[woofless]

10. You're right Andy.

Up here in Maple Falls, once the traffic dies down on Mt Baker Hwy one can actually hear. Another great factor is that there are no strangers. EVERYONE is friendly and accepting. Nothing like ShowMe MO.

p.s. you have my vote.

Woof

[woofless]

12. There is a highway up here that is only open during the summer.

US 20 or the Northern Cascade Highway. It is nearly impossible to drive it and concentrate on what you are doing. Every turn creates another spectacular vista. There is a string of lakes created by hydro-elec dams that are breathtaking in their beauty.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

3. Wow...you're making me jealous...

Sounds like you have fantastic surroundings. I'm jealous. I'm in Oklahoma. Have a nice day. Congrats on the soon to be 1000 posts.
Duckie

[woofless]

8. Thanks Duckie. I lived near OK for many

years in Joplin, Mo. Always wanted to know,who said Oklahoma is OK?

[YellowRubberDuckie]

15. Whoever said it didn't live here long, I'm telling ya.

[Andy_Stephenson]

18. Do you know why Texas is windy?

Cause Oklahoma SUCKS!

[YellowRubberDuckie]

20. Actually, the way I heard it is...

That the reason OKLAHOMA is windy is because Kansas Blows and TEXAS sucks.

Duckie

[icymist]

9. Meanwhile, on Capital Hill in Seattle....

I awaken to the sound of the recycling trucks squeaky breaks. People stand at the bus stop, half asleep holding lattes, ignoring the two street people searching for a McDumpster morning breakfast. The pigeons are flying around in a circle, I don't know why. I look out my kitchen window and am reminded that my 'view' of the Cascades has shrunk 1/3 the size because of the new apartment building being built. Listening to the news, I hear how the traffic sucks today because of the rain and I'm glad that I don't have to go in to work today. Still, Seattle is much better than Central Illinois!

[woofless]

11. I had to go to SeaTac twice last week.

Driving in King County just plain puckers my butthole. Cannot see how you folks do it every day. Ah well, we all have to make a living. Come on up and we will have a cold one at the Frosty Inn.

Woof

[icymist]

13. That's a pretty good drive.

People drive like maniacs on the I-5 corridor. That's the only thing I miss about the Midwest is that people seem to be better drivers. I quit drinking beer, though. Now, I just drink wine...and the Pacific Northwest has some very very good wine! :)

Congrats. on the 1000 plus posts!

[woofless]

14. Thank You

and thanks all. Okay, a glass of Burgundy then. Salud!

Woof

[m-jean03]

16. Hi woofless!

Beautiful day in Bellingham, too!

[Andy_Stephenson]

17. it started hailing here for a while...

Now we are back to the normal drizzle pattern we are used to.

[AlienGirl]

19. How do you survive?

What can someone do for a living that will allow them to live in one of those gorgeous mountain towns?

Tucker

[DrWeird]

21. I grew up in Everson.

Whatcom county, IMHO, is the most beautiful place in the world.