New Home!

Starting today my blog has a new home! Be patient with me over the next few weeks as I continue to work hard to improve it.

Check me out here: http://lisettewoltermckinley.com

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Cheering yourself up

Do you have ever have one of those weeks when you wake up day after day feeling just blah? In your opinion your hair looks lame, your clothes look dumpy and you are ready to sell all your belongings and start anew? Well, last week was one of those weeks for me. Instead of spending too much time posting all my belongings up on Craiglist or wallowing in self pity, Cameron ensured our evenings were spent going on long walks, eating multiple cones of ice cream and soaking up every ounce of sunshine humanly possible.

Here are some lessons I have (re)learned from the week:

Modern day adventurers

When you spend as much time hiking as we do, it gives you a lot of time to think. Oftentimes, I think about how pristine these places are we visit and how rugged and utterly breathtaking they must have been back when Lewis and Clark first laid eyes on them. From May 1804 to September 1806 they were the first American expedition to cross the western region of the United States. Their primary objective was to explore and map the recently acquired territory while documenting the plants, animals and geography.

Over this past year when my heart has felt heavy missing our son, I have focused on improving my childlike wonder and amazement in all of God's creations- from the tiniest rock to the daintiest flower. I like to think Cameron and I would have been fantastic explorers. We have just the right combination of curiosity, guts and drifter in us. I would have been in charge of cataloging and naming all the flora and fauna, while Cameron would have been in charge of setting our course and hacking our way through the forest.

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins

I went on a blueberry picking kick this Summer and as a result I ended up with a large quantity of fresh berries. One day I decided to do something with them other than eat them straight out of the bowl. I found this recipe online and quickly got to work. I loved the addition of applesauce and I added a little demerara sugar on top for a little crunch.

Waterton Lakes National Park

Cameron and I ventured for the first time into the Canadian side of Glacier, Waterton Lakes National Park. Since we were camping on the eastern side of Glacier, Canada was a mere hour from our campsite. Once we entered Alberta, we were smitten with the little bit we saw and have big plans for future trips to this region. Upon entering Waterton we witnessed what I would call reflection perfection! After a quick visit to Prince of Wales hotel, we boarded a boat and started on our hike up to Crypt Lake.

Dating my husband

Cameron and I made an appearance in the latest issue of Seattle Met Magazine. The photo was taken at a Seattle Symphony's Cirque du Symphony and is a great memento of how much we love to get dressed up, spend an evening out and most importantly just be together. We enjoy attending all types of performances and like to make it extra special by dressing up and having a nice dinner beforehand. Consistently making my spouse a priority in my life has proven to be my biggest blessing in life. 

What does your typical date night look like? 

Logan's Pass and Hidden Lake

The highest point on the Going to the Sun Road in Glacier National Park is Logan's Pass, it is also located on the Continental Divide. We like to stop here to go on the short, beautiful hike to Hidden Lake. This year, a storm was in the process of passing through while we made our way up the trail. The wind howled at such crazy speeds I witnessed a few children having a hard time standing up straight.

Visiting Glacier

Fisherman at Crypt Lake, Alberta

As I have gotten older I crave beautiful vistas, wide open space, plenty of fresh air and starry filled skies.  Next week I will be posting about our recent trip to Glacier National Park and Waterton Lakes National Park (the Canadian side of Glacier). Those few days we spent there our legs functioned on overdrive from hiking eight to ten miles per day and our brains were spinning from all the gorgeous scenery we witnessed.

If you cannot wait until next week, here are some photos from our last trip to Glacier.

Summer walks

Summer walks are pretty spectacular around here. We have this lovely park called Lincoln Park, just minutes away from our home. We spend countless hours going on walks, sitting on park benches while watching the ferries come and go and watching the sunset.

End of Summer baking

Summer has a tendency to pull me outdoors and make me crave simply prepared food. I shy away from baking in the warmer Summer months, so late Summer is the perfect time to make use of all this wonderful abundance of locally grown food. A couple weeks ago my friend brought over some rhubarb. I have never baked with rhubarb before and I was excited to give it a try. I came across this recipe for rhubarb crumb bars and they seemed simple enough to make.

Overnight backpacking trip: Snow Lake and Gem Lake (Part Two)

As we approached Gem Lake the clouds started to roll in, within minutes the lake was completely fogged in. I am never as acutely aware of nature as when I am hiking. The dew on the plants leaves, the clouds passing by, the new growth on the trees these are the things which consume my thoughts.

Overnight backpacking trip: Snow Lake to Gem Lake (Part One)

On the weekends we like to get out of town, it needn't be far, just a forty minute drive right up into the mountains. Sometimes, especially in the Summer we turn our hiking trips into overnighter adventures. Backcountry camping means early mornings on the trail, spectacular star filled nighttime skies and a great reminder that we can survive and be completely content on far less. The weekend was perfection, well, until I was bit on my eyelid and the whole right side of my face started to swell and my eye was stuck shut....but that my friends is another story.

Transitioning to Fall

Summer is such a wonderful time of year in the Pacific Northwest, but Fall always finds a way to steal my heart. Even though we officially have a few more weeks of Summer, it is starting to feel more like Fall as children head back to school and temperatures start to cool. As you set out to make your Autumn plans might I suggest an apple picking trip, a glorious hike or a drive to do some leaf peeping.

Going away party basket

My good friend moved away from Seattle this Summer, so I found it to be a great excuse to throw her a going away luncheon. I created these little baskets for each guest with some of my favorite edible treats that are made in Seattle.

Check out what I put inside:

A weekend on Orcas Island

We planned a kayaking trip with friends to Orcas Island several months ago and just recently returned from our much anticipated trip. I walked away from the weekend with a newfound love for Orcas Island.