The best way to start a day! Last night the soaking pool was a buzzing and social, but this morning it is peaceful. I enjoy it both ways. I wanted to soak in the early morning but they don’t open the pool until 9am. I thought I’d be on the road by then, but the nice thing about traveling on your own time is you can make it up as you go along. Of course I stayed to soak one more time!

This barn! The mountains! The huge blue sky! When I’m in such beautiful places I feel like my heart expands so it hardly fits in my chest. I don’t think I’d want to be the custodian of a beautiful old barn like this because it must take so much work (and money), but I’m so glad there are people who value and preserve them.

What is more beautiful than a mountain lake? I’m pretty sure the answer is “nothing.” Wallowa Lake is a popular vacation spot, with cabins and campgrounds at the southern shore.

Hurricane Creek Campground in the Wallowa National Forest is a gem, and I have it all to myself. Which, to be honest, is a little creepy. The creek is named for the roaring sound it makes as it rushes over the rocks, and with high spring snow melt it is especially loud. I left my hearing aid charger at home (smacks head) so I’m trying to make them last for times I need to talk to (and hear) people. That means I can’t discriminate other sounds from the rushing water well at all. On the way in I saw signs saying “watch for bears” so my imagination is running wild picturing a bear sauntering up behind me to see what the human is doing in his woods. Creeeepy. But it’s beautiful and I have this great creek-front spot.

Hurricane Creek straining its banks.