Swan Lake

Photo courtesy of Kirsten Morse

The past two weeks I’ve made several different trips from La Conner to I-5 via Conway. And I have loved every single trip! Sure, it’s been windy and it’s been rainy and it’s been gray and overcast.

But OH MY GOSH … right now the fields are full of Snow Geese and Trumpeter Swans. And they are exquisite.

The other morning I came across the bridge a bit east of Rexville shortly after sunrise. The sky was hot pink and the mountains were a deep blueberry color. Just as I crested the bridge at mid-span, I looked out across the field in front of me. There must have been hundreds of Snow Geese (maybe even a thousand??)  hovering above the ground. It was like someone came by in a low-flying airplane and dumped out huge pieces of white confetti – and I arrived while all that confetti was still in the air. It was AMAZING. It literally took my breath away.

Photo courtesy of Kirsten Morse

Between the sky and the mountains and the birds … it was all I could do to not miss the curve and land in the ditch.

Here’s what I think:

The Skagit Valley is gorgeous in Spring. We all know that. How can it not be with huge fields of daffodils, then tulips, then iris.

The Skagit Valley (and La Conner in particular) is gorgeous in the Summer. We all know that, too. Between the water and the boats and Mount Baker as a backdrop, it’s hard to find any place any prettier.

The Skagit Valley is gorgeous in the Fall. The fields are full of crops, and the yellows and golds against red barns and blue mountains are photo-worthy.

But WINTER. Man, Winter is simply stunning. It’s beyond photo-worthy. It’s just indescribably magical.

I am so glad I live here, and that I get to experience all four seasons – Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. But right now I feel so lucky … no, actually I feel privileged … to share this amazing valley during wintertime with the Snow Geese and the Trumpeter Swans.

Here’s the thing.

It’s so easy to take for granted what we see every day. Whether you see Snow Geese and Trumpeter Swans out your window, or maybe a bare tree with a few red berries on it – don’t take what you see for granted. Take five seconds and marvel at how beautiful and colorful our world really is.

p.s. If you haven’t ever seen our winter bird population, I have it on good authority that they’ll be here from now (it’s January as I write this) until late winter. You really should come see the show.

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