What a Difference a Little Sunshine Can Make

Hike: Taylor Mountain (WA)
By Arlene

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It’s time to get out the hiking bikinis. We did a hike last weekend where we wore sunglasses and no raincoats, gaiters, or gloves! We chose a hike close to Seattle so we could have much of the day left for gardening and met our criteria of 1) something new and 2) not too crowded. Taylor Mountain was just right. We did not follow the trail along the creek as recommended in our guide book but went up to get a bit of elevation (and stretch our calf muscles a bit).

We were rewarded with an unexpected view of Mt Rainier (surprising what you can see when the clouds go away).

Mt Rainier from Taylor Mountain

The trail was in great shape, and we shared it with all sorts of creatures who were getting some exercise, views, and sun-delivered Vitamin D. There were horses, riders, dogs, mountain bikers, joggers, and fellow hikers. Everyone (except the dogs and horses) had pleasant greetings for us. It’s amazing what a sunny warm day can do for the collective mood.

The other views were fields of flowers. The bleeding hearts were in full glory.

The Real Bleeding Hearts

We also spotted one of my favorite woodland shrubs, the Red Flowering Currant. The neon pink of the blooms is shocking and signals the start of the Great Color Show of the Pacific Northwest back country. Over the next few months, we will be getting bright orange lilies, yellow violets, purple fireweed, and magenta paintbrush along with those fantasy hiking bikinis.

Red Flowering Currant

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