Summer Summary

Last month alone, we went hiking, biking, camping, fishing, barbecuing, swimming, and picnicking. Pretty much all the quintessential summer activities. Oh, and squeeze in trips to the west-coast family cabin, a drive-in movie, berry picking, yard work, soccer playing, and archery (for the first time in a few years!). 

It's been a full summer!

For all of that, I'm not quite ready for it to be over. Thank goodness we still have about a month and a half of good weather left! Our upcoming adventures include (but are not limited to) backpacking in the Olympics again and a camping/rafting weekend. To top it all off, my parents and two family friends are coming to visit at the end of September! Glad to have that visit to look forward to, and maybe the transition to "rainy season" won't be that bad after all!

In my last post I alluded to our bike rides. This is a "new" activity to me, since I haven't had a bike of my own since moving here. Super Husband found me an awesome pre-owned "hybrid" bike (flat handlebars of a mountain bike with thin tires of a road bike), so I could have an easier time keeping up with his uber-fast road bike. There are lots of beautiful trails around this area. My favorite so far has been the Burke-Gilman trail around Lake Washington. Super Husband is a great encourager, and I find the words of affirmation just as sweet as the treats we give ourselves after a long ride--mainly ice cream and chocolate, but any sugary item will do. I'm looking forward to riding more and dread the rainy weather when we can't count on good biking conditions.

The second renewed activity is, of course, archery! My poor re-curve bow and mismatched quiver-full of arrows has sat neglected in my closet for about 3 or 4 years. When we were searching for a house, I thought for sure we'd have a lawn where I could practice. It took only a few home viewings to realize I will find no such yard in this neck of the woods--it certainly doesn't merit the term "woods" at all! I resigned myself to this fact and instead drooled over "Hunger Games," Disney's "Brave," "Robin Hood," and of course "The Lord of the Rings trilogy" for my archery fix.

A month or so ago, a friend asked to borrow some arrows for a photo shoot at work (at right). As I pulled out my gear, I realized this was something I had to pursue again, somehow. I started dreaming up ways I could shoot safely in our little yard, in a manner that wouldn't alarm the neighbors or passers-by. When no good ideas were forthcoming, I turned to that marvelous resource--parents! My in-laws reminded me that there's plenty of room to shoot at the family cabin down in Shelton. So this past trip, I bought a target to keep there. Ironically, it was the same exact target I bought in New Hampshire about 6+ years ago! (Confession: It was from Wal-Mart, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised.) It made the cabin feel even more like home!

No pictures to prove it, but I think some of my form is still there! Super Husband and BIL (brother-in-law) shot too and did really well. It felt so good to hold the bow again, no matter how shaky my arms were. (Super Husband calls my "guns" "potato canons" for a reason. Good thing archery is only 20% arm and 80% back muscles.) I can't wait to get back to the cabin to shoot more! And it's only whetted my appetite to find a range closer to home.

For a truly new activity, Super Husband and I have been learning how to fly fish! We got these incredible rods from the aforementioned "visitors coming at the end of September" (thanks, guys!) last Christmas and couldn't wait to try them. Our first tries were in the front lawn of my childhood home, under the tutelage of my uncle, who's a pro! Dad (my original fishing buddy) took us to a few dams and ponds to practice. I quickly fell in love with this unique form of fishing. It's a lot more technical than I'm used to, but I'm up for the challenge!

Super Husband and I went to my favorite river in all of New England to try our luck. He managed to catch one trout on his fly rod, but it was too tiny to keep. Quick shout-out to Super Husband: He stuck with it and kept trying the difficult fly-fishing cast from the brush-lined riverbanks, while his wimpy wife traded in her fly rod for a normal pole and worm. Keep that in mind--he ain't no quitter! That said, I caught perhaps the biggest trout of my life that day...but with my old pole and a juicy worm I'd dug up from our "worm farm" back at the Camp. So I don't think it's quite the victory I was looking for. But I still had a blast! Super Husband has gone fishing with a coworker since returning to WA, and I'm hopeful I'll get the hang of it enough to start reeling in some big 'uns on my fly rod.

That's our summer in a nutshell. I love, love, LOVE summer in Washington! It's what makes the other nine months of the year bearable. What's your favorite summer activity? What new things have you tried?