September through October....

I had this grand idea that I would write an individual blog for each of the fun things we did this fall, but ya know what? It ain't happenin'. So this is going to be half of a massive catch up blog - covering two months of fun and told more through photos than through writing. I'm a lucky gal to have such a fantastic and fun-filled life....

Nate, Ana, Julie, and Jay

In September the current North American Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society scholar, Ana, came to visit! If anyone has been reading this blog, you know that I was the scholar in 1999 and I LOVE hosting current scholars if they decide they want to visit the Pacific Northwest. Ana spent a week catching up on life at our house (occasionally it is really nice to just take a break from a non-stop year). I'm so happy Jay and I could provide that cozy spot for a chance to relax a bit and plan for the rest of her awesome year. We got her out diving one day at the Keystone Jetty near Coupeville. This is a famous dive spot in WA, but I had never been diving there and it was great fun! Nate, the diving safety officer from Shannon Point Marine Center (where Jay works), also came along for the fun.

Ana at the Keystone Jetty

Puget Sound rockfish and anemones

Giant Pacific octopus

We have lived and played in North Cascades National Park for six years now but had never been on its most famous trail - Cascade Pass. We heard it was crowded....so we opted to avoid it all this time. I'm so glad we finally went in mid-October! The crowds were gone, the huckleberry bushes were red, the larches were golden, and the weather was amazing. What a freakin' awesome day hike! It ended with some serious mushroom scores once we were out of the park boundaries.

If we had had more time, we would have done an overnight backpacking trip here.... maybe next fall? This wouldn't be a bad view to sleep next to.

Pika!

The following weekend we headed south to the Olympic Peninsula to catch up with some old friends and meet up with some new friends while hunting for the elusive matsutake mushroom.

Ralph demonstrating the look of a mushroom hunter who has found his prey

Matsutake smell - dirty socks or red hots?

These mushrooms are not easy to find.

Olympic Mountains

Marinated and grilled tofu and matsutake with a soy lime sauce.