Wanderlust

Since early September, I’ve had the good fortune to visit seven different states. I have enjoyed meeting and talking with dozens of amazing people. I’ve observed and learned from many more!

The photos that follow are only a sample of the beauty I’ve witnessed ❤️

My friend, Nick, and I at “the gum wall” in Seattle
The sun descending behind the Cascade mountains just before I boarded a quick flight to visit an old friend in southern Oregon.
Cheating physics, I was able to enjoy an encore performance from my elevated vantage point😜
Mt. McLoughlin. . . it’s a volcano 🌋
Kingston in the foreground. Foothills of Olympic National Park in the background.
Edmonds/Kingston Ferry all a glow. When you are ON the ferry, those lights are harsh and awful. From afar, with the reflection of the sound, they look positively magical ❤️
Me, minus Leo
“Life is Absurd” Nick’s comment as we closed the gate and stepped from this yard onto the street.
How did I end up hugging this gorgeous Sequoia in my new friend, JR’s, backyard, you ask?!?
I was there to get a neck tattoo 😜

As my friend, Melissa Joy and I were enjoying a lovely meal, I asked our server, Jane, if she’d be willing to recommend her tattoo artist.

I had an idea for a tattoo and wanted to get it before I returned to Michigan. I’d been calling around for days, trying to book an appointment. No dice😬

Jane’s response: “yeah, I can give you her cell! You aren’t crazy are you?!?” Melissa and I looked at each other and BURST out laughing.

Long story short: within 24 hrs, I’d roused Nick from a mid-afternoon nap to accompany me on an adventure that included Russian nesting dolls dressed as the members of the band KISS, a floor mat in the shape of a squashed tiger cub, other incredibly weird paraphernalia, THIS beautiful person and THAT gorgeous Sequoia tree♥️

JR is a bad ass bitch and I mean that in the MOST complementary way!!
Soooo many GORGEOUS 🌸’s
About to board the ferry to Orcas Island. There was a HUGE group of middle schoolers, over a hundred, they were ADORABLE❤️
Buddies
Whale watching 🐋
Trey of Vore Photography (https://m.facebook.com/VorePhotography/) was a super host, is an amazing photographer and INCREDIBLY knowledgeable about all things wild ❤️
Nate, the ship’s captain, took us all the way out to Victoria, Canada to “meet” a pod of four, beautiful Orcas. The fin, ALONE, on the largest pod member stood 6 feet high😳
Playing for the ferry traffic ❤️
These beautiful people are awesome ❤️. Thank you, Gabby, Nathan (@nathanmarion @onceinabluetree) and Beasley (Beasleydotcom.com). ‘Twas a truly memorable ferry ride🥰
Shout out to my fellow Ten Things fan, Christina (sp?) and her friend, Kenny, for taking this photo.
Please watch the movie, it’s really good

Check out this video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/uE7qjQlfoRs

About to set rail 😜 Seattle, King Station

Below is the deck where I began to compose the post entitled “Could You Hold This for Me” (https://iamenvd.org/2022/09/18/hey-can-you-hold-this-for-me-ill-be-back-in-a-decade-give-or-take/) from my seat on the Empire Builder Amtrak line

The very first stop on my cross-country journey was Edmonds, WA, the town I’d spent 4 weeks in.
It was surreal to see the town I’d come to know from the vantage point of the railroad tracks that I crossed over everyday on my way to and from swimming in the sound.
Travel porn😜
Holy clouds, St Cloud😄
I overheard a conversation about farming and land use between three, seemingly, VERY different men who’d, presumably just met one another. I love trains♥️
My buddy, Jake 😁
I missed you, Chicago!!
As I admired the river, several Kayakers paddled by. I am not sure whether I’d enjoy a kayak in such an urban area but I’m intrigued enough to try it!