Our Weekend Getaway (Part 1)

We had such a nice weekend together, even if half of it was spent in the car. We set out on Friday morning in the fog and good chance of rain and headed over the "beautiful" North Cascades Highway. Now, I'm sure it is beautiful when the sunlight is gleaming down through the trees, but a better word for it during our trip would be...frustrating. I had to drive really slow through all the windy curves.

The sun did peek through and blue sky was spotted when we got to 8000 feet but it was enough for me. Autumn leaves would have been nice but honestly I was much more interested in the quality driving time with my handsome man:)

We stopped in Winthrop and walked around a little. If you've never been you should go and take your kids and head on into one of their saloons for a sarsaparillas. That's about it.

When we came down into the Metho Valley we did see beautiful leaves and orchards. The valleys in Eastern Washington are always so amazing to me, how things can grow abundantly right along the river, but almost immediately after...I guess where the irrigation system ends, everything is dry dessert land. The rock formations are amazing and made me wish I knew a little more about geology. I didn't get a good picture but so many of them look like God took his hand and smushed it down like dry bread dough.

The other towns we passed were not much to mention and actually a little depressing to drive through even. I mentioned that to my dad when we got back and he said many of those towns are filled with drugs and drug cooking labs/trailers and they have all the other stuff that goes along with that...sad.

Then we got to Colville and I honestly felt like I was home after a long time away. Compared to the other towns we'd gone through (Omak, Republic, Kettle Falls) Colville has much more of an influence from Spokane, which is directly two hours South.

The old Main street looked the same, with the old movie house and other family owned businesses.

We stopped to get a bite to eat at a family Mexican Restaurant and there we got a feel for local life. It reminded me a lot of Stanwood, but maybe a few years behind and an even slower pace.

After eating we drove out of town, further down Highway 20 to the Beaver Lodge Resort. It was dark and we just checked in and headed to our interestingly decorated cabin. I'll just say whoever decorated has a thing for floppy eared dressed up bunnies!

The next morning we headed a few miles down the road to Molanda. It took us awhile to find the place. Last time I was there I was 12 and Bill visited a few years ago with my brother. We finally found it and drove up the old driveway which was heavily overgrown. We found the back door opened and realized right away that our suspicions were too true and grossly understated. Pack rats have taken up residence and the inside was covered with insulation and rat poop. We looked around and took note of how much cleaning we would need to do, got back into the car and headed back to Colville for rat traps and orange vests (it was the height of deer season and I was afraid to get out of the car without one).

In town we drove around and Bill let me be sentimental for awhile. I found my old school "Aster Elementary" and our old house on Summit Ave. I drove by the dirt pit that me and my friends would sneak over to and slide down and reminisced about my childhood and where everyone was now. In our entire marriage I don't think I've ever really done this with my husband. He grew up around Stanwood so we're always driving past places where he learned to ride a bike, played with his childhood friends, etc.

After checking out the Walmart, which wasn't there before, we drove back up to Molanda and in our bright orange vests, explored the property more. I was most excited to see my "Field of Wildflowers" where I'd go as a child and play, pretend and talk to God. As you can see in the picture below there are no flowers there now, but I'm betting they grow there in the spring. We'll have to go back and see for sure.


I felt such peace being there again. The woods are overgrown but I still had that feeling that this was how it should be, that this was how woods should be and this was how I should feel. Completely content with life.

Later went back to where we were staying and discovered Lake Gillette right next to the resort. Beautiful pristine waters with a backdrop of firs and tamaracks (those are the yellow conifer trees).

Overall our trip was such a time of rest, fun being together and beautiful. And we didn't realize how much we needed that!