Day 15 Snohomish, Washington

Doug leaves this morning to help Caleb on a project while I stay to read, write, and enter into the silence of a cloudy, chilly day by the lake. In addition to making a place for themselves to live, Caleb and Janel are raising goats and rabbits and chickens. Their big dogs keep away predators…

Day 14 Snohomish, Washington

10am Sunday Mass is about 25 minutes away, at St. Michael Parish in Snohomish. There are lots of young families there and afterward, the priest calls the school age children to come forward for a “blessing of the backpacks”. The prayer includes blessings for parents, teachers, and families at the beginning of the school year….

Day 13 Spokane to Snohomish, Washington

One of the peaches my niece gave us is the perfect breakfast to compliment my happy mood this morning. We pray at Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral in Spokane before leaving town. Have I mentioned that Mass is my favorite way to begin the day? Having made the decision to eliminate our plans to go…

Day 12 Spokane & Chattaroy, Washington

Our lodging in Spokane is the basement of a small house. It’s a modest, but comfortable place to sleep, and we sleep well there. After a leisurely morning, we find a 9am Mass Mary Queen Parish and arrive without any rush. Only about 15 people gather for Mass and we are grateful to be among…

Day 11 Harpster to Spokane via Coeur d’Alene

Our day begins with 7:15am Mass at Ss Peter & Paul, a good beginning for our adventures. Taking John and Kim’s recommendation, we stop by Crema Café.There I savor a vanilla latte coffee with a buttery scone, while Doug opts for a Café Americano, a scone, and a breakfast burrito. I steal one bite of…

Day 10 Harpster and Grangeville, ID

Almost half an hour from where we’re staying is Ss Peter and Paul Catholic Parish. We show up at 8:30am and soon discover Mass time has been changed to 9am because it’s the first day of school and the students and teachers need half an hour to get organized and over to the church. Students…

Day 9 Harpster, Idaho

Today, Doug and I happily share quiet hours at John and Kim’s vacation rental which they’ve appropriately dubbed the “Owl’s Nest”. It’s a comfy, cozy place and we are grateful to be here. After morning prayer, Doug calls me into the bedroom to point out three white-tailed deer in the woods outside the window, but…

Day 8 West Yellowstone, Montana to Harpster, Idaho

But first, Day 7 continued. . . I promised more Yellowstone pictures on yesterday’s blog, so here they are. At Yellowstone National Park the surface of the earth bubbles and oozes. Every feature is named and studied. Unpredictable shifts occur with volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. One section of the park is closed altogether because of…

Day 7 Yellowstone National Park

When I was in third grader one of the girls in my class came to school with pictures of Old Faithful from her trip through Yellowstone National Park igniting in me a desire to see it for myself some day. That was more than 60 years ago. Today my childhood longing is realized. So, first…

Day 6 Golden, Colorado to Cody, Wyoming

After Office of Readings and Morning Prayers together, we leave the hermitage at 7am feeling rested and optimistic. Today we venture into new territory. Yay! Wyoming! It’s our first time visiting this state! The terrain is varied and beautiful. We get stuck behind two extra-wide-loads and three cars with flashing lights. Doug finally passes all…