Feeling like the Maiden of Deception Pass

The Maiden of Deception Pass, after her transformation.

There's a Salish legend about the Maiden of Deception Pass, who encounters a handsome (though "damp and chilly") young man who lives in the depths of the ocean. Every time she goes to the shore, he reaches out and holds her hand. Long story short: After many such encounters (and disapproval from her family, which later yields), she agrees to move in with him.

Every time we visit the Pacific Northwest, we feel likewise torn between our roots in the midwest and the many allures of this area. We are tugged by the beauty of the land, the profundity of the ocean, the phenomenal paddling opportunities, and our wonderful friends in the area.

Jeremy on a hike around Mountain Lake in Moran State Park on Orcas Island.

Lunch with Shawna and Leon during a day paddle through the Wasp Islands.

Trees, water, trails....sigh.

Sigh.

Toto, we aren't in Chicago anymore.