Spokane, April 2011

Gregg took Friday off so that we could drive to Spokane and visit David and our cousin Kim & his wife, Mary. We took the 8:45 a.m. ferry and headed east on I-90.

There is a lot to see between here and Spokane…and in some places, not so much. I don’t think I’d like to settle down in this place:

A great portion of Washington State is agricultural land, so at different times of the year, crops are visible in various stages of growth. We saw potato fields, Timothy hay, alfalfa, peas and more. We saw high desert, mountains, rivers, lakes and saltwater (my favorite).

Kim & Mary graciously offered to host us in their home on the South Hill, so we had the fun of sitting up late into the night, talking, and having coffee together in the morning. Kim & Gregg have been very close all of their lives; they were born just a few weeks apart, to sisters who were best friends.

We met David on the G.U. campus on Friday afternoon, and took a walk with him. Then we ate dinner with Kim and Mary at the golf club where their wedding reception took place.

Gregg, David, Kim, Mary & me

Kim is about 6'5" tall (or thereabouts)!

Gregg, David and Kim played 18 holes on Saturday, while Mary and I took a long walk through the riverfront area of town. The river was very high due to snowmelt, and its power is awesome. I could have spent a lot of time staring at it, and feeling the vibrations from the water as it cascaded over Spokane's falls and sprayed white foam into the air. There are many bridges which criss-cross the river, offering varied viewpoints.

After our walk, we stopped at a great pub for an appetizer and beverage. That evening, Kim barbecued steaks for dinner.

Yesterday was the famous Bloomsday run in Spokane, so we avoided downtown and took a walk on the South Hill, enjoying the fabulous cottage architecture of the houses around Manito Park. There are also beautiful mansions on the other side of the hill, with mature gardens and deciduous trees all around. Our walk took us to a bluff overlooking a valley.

We took David and Kim out to brunch (Mary couldn’t join us, as she was participating in the Bloomsday run). After brunch, it was time to head home. We loaded our car with some of David’s gear, in order to make his move home easier (he has final exams this week, and will be coming home afterward).

Gregg and I stopped to take photos of the Columbia River Gorge (near the Gorge Amphitheatre, where we have attended many concerts over the years). It’s a breathtaking natural work of art.

During those concerts, the sun goes down behind the hills, and paints them - and the river - in pastel hues, before the sky darkens and the stars come out. It’s indescribably beautiful. Kim and Mary went to the Gorge with us on their first date. We heard James Taylor sing, and that was the beginning of their romance. Isn’t that a great story?

Windmills provide power around the farming/ranching city of Ellensburg, silhouetted against the Cascade Mountains.

Blue sky over Snoqualmie Pass and snow on the foothills.

It was a great weekend get-away. Now, it’s time to get back to work - Happy May to you!

Thank you, Kim & Mary!