Today I rode the Lady of the Lake to Stehekin, a tiny town at the top of Lake Chelan, accessible only by boat or plane - or a very long hike. It takes about 2-1/2 hours by boat.
A hospital doctor and nurse were doing hearing and vision checks at the small school there, and I went along to take photos to include in our next newsletter. Spent the boat ride visiting and reading Sam's new book that came in the mail last week (he's already finished, so I have to catch up). Rain on the way up, clouds hanging close to the lake. Sunshine on the way down. Relaxing day.
Life moves at a slower pace in Stehekin. No cell phone coverage. No internet. No onslaught of information. A simpler life. Stepping from the little log schoolhouse this afternoon, it smelled like camping, smoke rising in a white puff from its chimney. Old-fashioned white dogwoods spilled their flowers over a shed piled with bikes the kids ride to school. A little like going back in time for a day.
When we drove from the Stehekin dock to the schoolhouse, our local driver told us about the mama bear and three cubs that crossed that road yesterday - and the robins that were eating baby pea plants in the neighborhood. She pointed out three big white swans near the shore. Sometimes more than 15 spend the winter there, she said, explaining that everyone takes time to count them each day. "They are the talk of the town," she said.
I like the idea of big white birds being the "talk of the town," of making time to notice the simple things that make life so sweet, of slowing down to count the swans.
Sounds lovely... did you visit the bakery?
ReplyDeleteThe bakery was closed, but I had a wonderful piece of blackberry pie at the restaurant at the landing.
ReplyDelete