I have been known in the past to complain about Washington. I give it a pretty bad wrap. It's tough though when you're suppose to be in the midst of summer and it hasn't reach 60 degrees any day in the first two weeks of June. Washington deserves my complaints when that's the case.
However, I can admit when I'm wrong. Washington is not all bad. It's beautiful here. And green. I love our neighborhood and the area we live in. Washington has many charming qualities. One is the water being so close by.
There is a state park that Joe and I have been to several times. Each time we've gone the weather was warm and gorgeous. That's not a bad thing, but it caused for crowds of people. Something I prefer not to encounter when I'm at a beach. The tides were also high. Which meant we couldn't enjoy the biggest benefit of this beach...the clams, wetlands, sand dollars and mud.
With my parents in town, we decided to take them to Tolmie state park. We had tried going there last October when they were visiting, but the park was closed. That's something to complain about. Why is the state park closed in the winter? Crazy Washington. But, we wanted to take them, so we decided to go on a whim.
We had changed our afternoon plans, because the weather wasn't warm enough to go to the lake, so we thought we'd give Tolmie another try. Boy, am I glad we did. We practically had the place to ourselves, except for a few small families. And the tide was going out.
My dad and Joe dug for clams and found hundreds. We weren't able to stay long enough for the tide to go as far out as the sand dollar bed, but we were told, it looks like Oreo cookies stacked in a line with all the living sand dollars standing on end.
The girls were able to splash in the small puddles of warm water left over where clam digging had occurred. They took mud baths and made mud pies. Gabriella wrote names in the sand. And my mom and I enjoyed the relaxing that comes from a quite, deserted beach. We came home and ate clams with butter and garlic and it was delicious.
I love when family comes because we do things that we don't typically do. I love when family comes because they always bring nice weather with them. And I love when family comes, because it makes me really love Washington and all the fabulous qualities it has.
So, for today, I was wrong. I do love Washington.
8 comments:
I'm so glad you are in a 'I love Washington' mood today. One day you will miss all those places... I do. Glad you had fun. Having family visit is the best.
Posts like this DO make me want to live in Washington someday (or at least be very excited if life took me that way!).
You have such fun adventures with your girls, I love it.
That does look like heaven, especially for me looking at it from here at 9:12 in the morning and I think it's already close to 100 degrees outside. That beach looks incredibly inviting. And it makes me even more excited we're leaving for a month at the beach tomorrow. CANNOT WAIT!
Oh and thanks for the tip about the good summer point ideas from your friend...too bad I didn't check it out until now when we're leaving tomorrow...but it'll help while we're gone too. Great ideas!
That looked so fun. I too love being with family and I love fun adventures. Your girls look like they are in heaven in those pictures. You have totally fooled me on not liking Washington. You are always showing such wonderful and neat things you have done there. :)
I love that you take full advantage of what Washington has too offer. I've lived here most my life and I don't think I've seen half the things you've seen here. You always get me fired up about my home state and remind me of all the cool things there are to do here. I'm so glad you had a great time with your family.
Clams that come directly from the sandy beach? That sounds re-reicious!! :) I'm glad you guys are having such a great time with mom and dad. I love all your pictures! Love you!
ps. Jaime, I need your address. Will you email it to me at carlyjane35@gmail.com
Thanks!!
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