Pacific Northwest Travels in Winter

You guessed it. This is not the Columbia River or the San Juan Islands book image, but it is from Death Valley CA in a remote museum within this vast park. Deer are everywhere in the Pacific Northwest, so in its way, it is an image for all. In our high mountains of the North Cascades bears are common, too, but not during winter's hibernation time.

In my magazine writing career I have showcased the world, but in my 17 published books, I deal more with the Pacific Northwest and my home state of Washington and considered one of the most scenic regions of the world.  The purple heather is blooming already, for the PNW is not a cold place; winter temps are usually around 50 degrees days, 35-40 nights. This is the rainy season near, but the coasts, but the high mountains are enjoying heavy snow packs.  Skiers and snowboarders are delighted.

I signed many gift books purchased by fans for holiday gifts, especially the San Juan Islands; Into the 21st Century and Columbia River plus the kids books about Marco the Manx. Sorry I have been so lazy and slow about writing for you.

The oceans are often wild at this season. Big winter storms come out of the Southwest with one recent weekend showing winds of 60 mph. While I was at my cabin in December, one windstorm created waves between my San Juan Island and the next island that looked as if the ocean between had gone through a blender resulting in solid white foam, fun to watch from the safety of shore. Today the TV featured Oregon coast's big surf and sneaker waves that send beach walkers running for higher ground on shore. Such storms result in great beach combing, with items all the way from Japan sometimes. In earlier days pretty glass balls often wound up on our SJI shores that had been  used by Japanese fishermen o spread and float their nets.

Now is the season when the snow geese fly into the Northwest farm areas near the Canadian border and Skagit River from far north, even Alaska. They are similar to storks, large white birds that travel in flocks and are very  often seen between Bellingham and Everett WA harvesting leftovers in farmer's fields from fall 2015. Eagles, too, are in the trees and river shores of our area, enjoying some shelter from the worst of winter winds or rains and harvesting the remains of the spawning salmon that have laid their eggs upriver and then died. This is the natural cycle of life in our Northwest.

The little town of Concrete on the Skagit River attracts hosts of eagles, so many that the area has eagle festivals attracting tourists.