A dockside view of Eagle Lake.
Even when it rains five out of seven days, there’s no place I’d rather be than in our cozy log cabin, enjoying the warmth of a wood-stove fire and the tranquility of a remote location on Orcas Island.
Lori and I came home yesterday from a week on the island, where we enjoyed down time with our little dog, Charlotte. The premises were in good shape, so we spent more time relaxing and less time working than we would have otherwise.
We buried ourselves in books and magazines, played Scrabble and plowed through the six-part Netflix series “Wild Wild Country” on the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and his followers. Lori did some knitting and we walked the Lake Trail around Eagle Lake on the one-year anniversary of my father’s death.
We took Charlotte on short nature walks above our home, had a home-cooked meal with longtime friends Carl and Juliana, tried a new restaurant for lunch in Eastsound, and capped off the week with dinner at the nearby Doe Bay Cafe.
When Saturday morning arrived, the sun came out and we had a leisurely drive back to Portland. Heading into a new month and a new week, it’s safe to say we’re both feeling refreshed and eternally thankful to have this island getaway to relax and recharge.
As always, here are a few (OK, more than a few) images to seal this trip in memory:
Home: a welcome sight after a nature hike.
The driveway down to the main road.
Looking northward from the back of the cabin.
Sunrise on Orcas Island, with Mount Baker (middle right) in the distance.
The essence of serenity: Eagle Lake.
Who doesn’t enjoy being the only ones on the trail during a weekday morning?
Charlotte, our trusty guide, sizes up an obstacle.
Words don’t do justice.
A splash of color, thanks to skunk cabbage.
Treetops reflected on the glass-like surface of the water.
We had lunch at Wild Island Juice Bagels and Bowls, a new addition to the Eastsound restaurant scene.
How’s this for a restaurant facade?
Looking toward the village of Eastsound from our outdoor stools on the porch.
Tasty: The Wild Island Bowl (left) and chicken pho with veggies.
Peregrine Road, a favorite hiking destination, has a new sign.
Puddles on the path of our walk.
So long, Orcas Landing.
View from the interior of the MV Yakima heading back to Anacortes, Washington.
Circles and rectangles make for some cool photo aesthetics.
A passing ferry on the Salish Sea, headed for Orcas Island.
Aboard the MW Yakima, capable of holding 2,500 passengers and 160 vehicles.
Looking over the stern of the MV Yakima, a super-class ferry operated by the Washington State Ferries system.
