Snow.

 Beautiful, cold, crisp, and clear. I haven't seen snow in awhile. Granted, there have been little bouts of it during my time in Bodie, but not the real, sticky, snowman-worthy, slushy-drive snow that I would see back in Michigan and occasionally in Chicago. But that has changed. Our trip ended in snow. We stayed at Jack's friend Andy's house and enjoyed a good 4-5 inches of ever-accumulating snow. Perfect to pack, perfect for snowmen, dangerous for snowballs. The drive out of the Trinity Mountains was slow-going, but full of wonder - a true "winter wonderland" - as we coasted along the curves of an icy black river and snow-draped mountain canyons.

 Our epic road trip up to the norther portions of California is at a close. Now it's decompress, unpack, and pack for my trip to Michigan (where I will hopefully get plenty more snow!) and finish up Christmas presents for the holidays.

 The ocean in the north is beautiful and violent, but it gives good things. I want to see it more, and I think I will get the chance - a job at Humboldt Redwoods State Park seems imminent for the spring. Jack will hopefully be staying up in Eureka, and many more adventures will ensue once we both get settled again. For now, it's enough to say that we had a good trip, we're both tired, and we now have to buckle down for holiday travel. But in all the running around, there were still those still small moments of peace and beauty and enjoyment of God's beautiful creation, and those are the ones I'll be holding onto amidst the chaos and busyness of the next few weeks.

 

Until next time!