State Parks – Westward We Wander

Towering old growth redwoods and fern groves at Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park

August 12, 2019August 12, 2019Marsi

Wandering the Pristine Ancient Forest at Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park

After having wandered more than half a dozen Redwoods parks, I can declare that this first one we visited is my favorite redwoods park overall. Why, you ask? Read on to find out.

July 11, 2019July 11, 2019Marsi

35mm Film Photography – One Hit Wonders: Canyonlands National Park

Rain over Canyonlands
Utah
July 2016

Overlooking the Crooked River in Smith Rock State Park, Oregon

May 24, 2019July 22, 2019Marsi

Smith Rock State Park: Oregon’s Rock climbing Mecca & Dreamy Day hike destination

A legendary rock climbing destination, Smith Rock State Park is a paradise for hikers as well. We made a (not-long-enough) stop here for a few hours on our way south to Bend. What our 4-mile-hiked lacked in length, it made up for with a challenging workout and spectacular scenery.

Looking East to Miller Bay from Deception Pass Bridge Washington

March 20, 2019March 29, 2019Marsi

Getting Lost and Finding Peace in Deception Pass State Park, Washington

Arguably the prettiest coastal state park in the country, Deception Pass earned a non-negotiable spot in our itinerary, but for a purely emotional reason: This was one of my late father’s favorite places.

February 26, 2019March 29, 2019Marsi

Larrabee State Park in Bellingham, WA

The scenic route north on Chuckanut Drive winds through farmland and up the side of Chuckanut Mountain, providing teaser views of the Salish Sea and San Juan Islands. Upon discovery of the sweet campground and shoreline at Larrabee State Park, we decide to stay here for four nights and explore the area. By the end of our time in Bellingham, I will find myself dreaming about a life here.

Orange Grove and Palm Trees at Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings homestead, Cross Creek Florida

February 4, 2019March 20, 2019Marsi

Southward We Wander: Tiny North Florida Towns (Part 2)

“It is necessary to leave the impersonal highway, to step inside the rusty gate and close it behind. One is now inside the orange grove, out of one world and mysteriously in the heart of another. And after long years of spiritual homelessness, of nostalgia, here is that mystic loveliness of childhood again.” — Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings (Cross Creek, 1942)