I’m just back from taking a quick holiday in RW’s arms,
up in the Methow!
For those of you who are new, RW is not in prison, he does this for a living, three states away from here. Actually, the highlight of this trip was when I told a barista in Spokane that I had been visiting my husband, she gave me a terribly strange look and I told her this very thing:
He’s not a felon.
He’s a smokejumper.
I don’t think she believed me.
Anyway, we did all sorts of lovely things:
lake swimming
hiking
eating
driving
live music-ing at the brewery
cooking with the boys
smoochin’
gardening
cabin shopping
coffee sipping
climbing
sleeping in
parachute packing…
…or at least RW did a bit of rigging…
…I was a mustard-wearing distraction.
I do my best, ladies, I do my best.
We shine so bright.
I feel the beautifullest when I’m with him.
All in all it was a truly beautiful and fairly restful trip.
I rolled into The Gables last night at midnight after a full, 15 hour solo drive (well yes, I am a trucker). I meant to stay over in Missoula for the night but I arrived there at 6PM and the daylight was eternal and I didn’t feel like hanging out alone for hours until the sun set. I wanted to sleep in my own bed so I pushed on in my swift, silver chariot. Thanks to the besterellas who connected with me by telly and helped keep me awake in the final hours of that drive — I know I didn’t make a lot of sense but it made me happy that you were laughing so hard.
This morning, Plum woke me up at 6AM, and we just spent a full 8 hours gardening, pulling weeds, planting extra beet rows, cutting fresh flowers for the house, harvesting the chamomile blossoms, irrigating the yard with the spring creek and guess what?!!! I just heard from RW and he’s going to be here tonight! Apparently those smokejumpers get around and they’re running an errand down in New Mexico for the next few days. Life swirls in mysterious ways.
Scratch that. They’re headed direct to Provo via the Twin Falls cut-off.
Drat.
Sometimes it’s such a pain when the heart hopes…
Scratch that. They’re headed direct to Provo via the Twin Falls cut-off.
Drat.
Sometimes it’s such a pain when the heart hopes…
I hope you are all well.
I missed your souls.
xx
PS I have a confession to make: I really. REALLY. Really. Like the Methow Valley.
welcome home!!!
lots of love
xoxoxoxoxo
M
You said you would and you did! Thanks!
ok, I know this is irrational but I was starting to worry about you! You didn't mention that you were leaving and I kept wondering and wondering when you'd return and I then I was thinking that RW was away and is there anyone checking on you… oh geez. I'm worse than my mother. 🙁
glad you got to see yo' man. missed you. 🙂
"I feel my beautifullest when I'm with him."
I know just what you mean, sista.
Washington can be magical- those wildflowers, that firetower… Just lovely.
Have you ever visited the Needles of Ponderosa, California? It's a climbing area composed of granitic bullets that rise slickly from the piney woods, all golden with lichen. Perched atop the tallest needle is a fire lookout tower. A woman named Margee lives there in the summer, and she hands out beta on the climbing area, as the guide book is long out of print, advice, and cookies on Sundays. When I grow older, I want to be like Margee.
http://www.ponderosaca.com/needles-fire-lookout.html
Lovely photos, all around, as usual.
love from the bee
Welcome home, you were missed!
you're the loveliest Firefly i know…
So glad you're back, every day I check the blog hoping for a new entry – but I knew if you were gone this long it would only mean a GREAT entry when you got back. And I was right!!
(ps – I made THREE terrariums!!!)
Three words: Absolutely beautiful post!
methow valley is magical!! I <3 it!!
check out blue star roasters next time in twisp. super yummy coffee!!
So glad to be reading your posts again! I was on vacation and I got back last week to see you were MIA. Your photos are magical, really. That one of you and him, with the light, is awesome.
I'm so happy. That post makes me ache in the best ways…Be well, lady.
i gotta say. hanging out on a runway at sunset with one's sweetheart has it's own charm – Uranium City has a great runway for just that activity 😉
love you
xo
Welcome home J. I worried a bit about you but figured you had taken off to visit your gorgeous man. So happy you are back and refreshed. Hugs, Sal
Lovely pics ~ can I ask what a smokejumper is ~ is being from the UK enough to prove my innocence!! ;0)
Jo
Jill,
I like very much to read what you write … I like your way of life! Have a wonderful day!
Hugs
ALL these photos make my heart leap and careen.
Those landscapes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Parachutes are jellyfish. (I know I'm far from the first to see that, but it's still striking.)
Impressive scratches on RW's helmet!
Loved the shot of him holding his chute.
Glad you're home safe; sorry RW didn't get routed through the Gables.
xxxxx
Missoula! It's where I am now! I love it up here. It sounds like an amazing trip. 🙂
Oooh beautiful. I was just thinking yesterday, "gee I miss my Plumey!" and now you're back!
When I hadn't read you for a bit I figured you were visiting the Mr. so obviously I got excited about the photos to come 🙂 You don't disappoint, and neither those his hair or the giggle I got when I read his last name…. knowing the meaning and seeing it on such a menacing helmet is too great!
* We shine so bright…*
Oh man. I melted.
Deer: unusual markings around head!
All photos are beautiful.
Glad you had fun with your smokejumper-
Such interesting pics of his gear.
Smoochies! I miss you…
Welcome back, you were missed.
I'm glad you got to see your hubby.
Beautiful pictures
and a beautiful love!
Thank you!
xxx
Kathrin
you are the beautifullest – and the happiest with a guy that makes you feel like that Miss J.
Girl stop distracting him when he is packing his parachute.
Sounds like RW is headed my way – to Los Alamos?? Pretty scary situation if you ask me. I already packed my family up and headed north for a few days to escape the potentially radioactive smoke. Came back last night and thinking about heading out again. I'll keep RW in my prayers along with all the other fire fighters. You too of course – since I bet you worry sick over him when he's gone.
Beautiful photos of your trip!
Dang! Thanks for the warm welcome home everyone!!!
Gemhaven: A smokejumper is a firefighter who parachutes into wildland forest fires and then puts them out (sometimes). Thanks for asking!
Gardanne: GUFFAW!!! No worries. He's getting signed off on his rigging and this parachute will be dismantled and the packing job scrutinized — it won't be jumped:) I wouldn't dare distract him otherwise!!!
Angela: He is. But I don't think he's staying down there to work. He and a few other jumpers are actually delivering two fire buggies to the Methow hand crew that traveled down on detail to the Los Alamos fire. Once the buggies are delivered, they should all be flying back up North.
You stay safe down there! And thanks for all the prayers — I do worry for him sometimes. x
I loved this report! Thanks!
My ex-husband was a Washington boy. I've been to Lake Chelan with him so pretty close to Methow.
Aargh! Can't believe you were HERE and I missed you! Did you email? In the middle of changing email accounts and I think a weeks worth of emails disappeared into the ether–oops!–and now the darn thing is giving me error messages!#@$!
Glad you had a lovely time with RW. Methow looks glorious. Am adding it to my list.
xxx
such a wonderful post, beautiful beautiful pictures
these photos are just stunning! they remind me of the part of montana i love best.
Merja: It's pretty pretty country!!!
Ash: You aren't the only friend I neglected when I passed through Spokane. I had to get to the Methow fast and then get home fast so I just flew through at warm speed on the way there and back!!! NEXT TIME!!!
Lyns & JKM: THANKS girls. xx
NO worries!!! Glad I hadn't missed an email after all.
Email is still kerfunked so am currently training carrier pigeons and learning how to abbreviate smoke signals!
~ keep an eye out!
xx
behind the scenes of a smokejumper! eek… so brave, so awesome!
what a stunning adventure, jillian.
Hey there, just wanted to say how much I love your photos here …
awesome images, glad you shared.
Your life is so exciting and you sure are able to get across a bit of the beauty… which I'm sure is only a sliver, a fraction of what you've experienced.
Also, RW's shaggy mop reminds me in a fantastic way of my dear crush at work, Cory. He never knew I fancied him but I hope he has just as happy an ending as that gorgeous "mustard distraction" RW had 🙂 Just lovely!