Michael and I drove home today from Boise, where we spent Christmas with his family. Coming home we passed through the snow-covered Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon.The weather was dreamily gray and the undulating old mountains lulled like lull-a-byes. Luckily Michael was driving through this beautiful part of the world most people miss. It gave me a chance to doze. And also to daydream. My dreams were reflections of the sunny spots I visited this year, of the new friends I made and the old ones I revisited. Full, rich, blessed...what a year it was. And though I am hoping to stay closer to home this coming year, I do not regret one trip, one dollar spent. This year of erratic and unusual weather for the Northwest was sandwiched by snow. The escapes to Mexico, Arizona and Italy couldn’t have been better planned. And seeing legendary landscapes and gardens I thought I might miss was truly the inspiration I needed. Here’s a little photo essay of the highlights of 2008.
My first winter at the farm reminded me of Wisconsin, snowy, frozen and silently beautiful
February's trip to the Yucatan Peninsula with Michael and his friends Jonas and Christine, was magical and monolithic; here Chitzen Itsa's main pyramid.
In March I headed north from Phoenix with my family to the Grand Canyon. I was, and still am, speechless.
Back at the farm we were still having snow in April. Unheard of.