A few weeks ago I traveled home to the Seattle area for a weekend to visit family and attend two graduations. It was a fun, relaxing weekend, made even more wonderful by the jaw-dropping scenery. Living in New York City, I tend not to actively think about the landscape around me. In the winter, everything is brown and dead, and then in spring, when green reappears, it thrills me every time. I’m pretty sure this is because I grew up in a place that was always green, everywhere. The other thing about the Northwest is that there are mountains everywhere you look. This is just one view of Mt Rainier that you can see from my dad’s house. I had to force myself not to photograph this mountain every time I so much as glimpsed it, because it stuns me every time. I can’t believe I’ve lived without the mountains for six years!

One morning, I was up super early (the time zone difference worked in my favor; I am not usually a morning person) and saw the morning light filtering through a local forest. I could not resist (and I bet you couldn’t either!). So I went for a short walk in the woods, breathing in the fresh pine smell, listening to the rustle of branches in the wind, and drinking in the green. Words cannot express how much I love the northwest forest. Maybe these pictures can help.

I know everyone likes their homeplaces, and I’m sure I’m biased, but I just can’t help thinking that I’m from the most beautiful place ever. 🙂