A small bush alongside our apartment's porch door serves as a symbol of the seasons for me. We met when it was awash in color last fall, encountered each other occasionally once the winter's white snow arrived, and renewed acquaintances when it came out of its slumber with a green greeting this spring.
What does the summer hold in store? With each passing day, the bush fills in a little more, as if to tell us that we need to live life to the fullest.
For my wife and me, that means setting aside time each weekend (damn these things called jobs) to seek out something that makes the Inland Northwest unique and special. To natives, these may be experiences that are taken for granted. For us, they are sights (and sites) and sounds and aromas and flavors to be savored.
The moment we find ourselves on a road where forests of tall trees provide the backdrop, it's a good bet I will say, "Don't ever take this for granted." (I have even uttered those words when all alone.) Having lived in urban sprawl, a skyscraper city and an oppressively hot desert, I am more qualified than most to appreciate what the Inland Northwest has to offer.
So, this summer, we will visit wineries that craft varieties and blends not commonly found in the Napa Valley. We will visit every "historic downtown" district we happen upon. We will eat breakfast at ma-and-pa diners and always ask about the specialty of the house before ordering.
We will seek out local coffee houses, especially ones with patios. We will skip over the bakery section in the supermarket and try a different purveyor of sweet treats each week. Then we'll find a nearby trail to walk off some of the calories.
We will visit local and regional museums so we can better understand what makes this special place tick. We'll stop at historic markers along the sides of the roads (as long as we aren't being tailgated by someone from one of those "other" places).
We will visit farmers' markets, large and small, a different one each week — and we'll still have so many left over for next summer. At each one, we'll ask someone who looks as if they should know: "What's the best thing to eat?" If the answer is, "The mini donuts," who are we to argue?
We will seek out musical performances wherever we can since music is cheap therapy. We will get out of bed early enough to see the sun rise, and later watch it set with a glass of local wine and a feeling of gratitude.
And we will keep a close eye on that porch-side bush. We will watch as its leaves fill in and its color intensifies, keeping pace with our resolve to live life to the fullest. And we will watch it as the first hints of red and gold appear, signaling the beginning of a magnificent autumn and the end of a sensational summer. ♦
