E D I T O R ’ S L E T T E R
Green Trees and Sunshine
IT ’ S THAT TIME IN THE Pacific Northwest when it feels safe ( nearly ) to put away your rain gear and slip on your sandals — especially if you find yourself in the Olympic Rain Shadow . A born and bred Seattleite , I didn ’ t travel outside the Emerald City much as a child . And when I did , it was beyond the PNW . California . Texas . Colorado .
Mikaela Judd , Editor
I didn ’ t really start experiencing all our region has to offer until I was in my late 20s — finally brave enough to slurp an oyster and scrappy enough to understand how lucky I was when I did . Back then I was writing for pennies a word and sometimes traveling with my car as a hotel just to see new sights .
I remember the magic of my first trip to the San Juans . Seattle was covered in a drizzly mist . I ’ m not opposed to the rain . It ’ s a sight and smell that evokes the comforting sense of home . Heck , it ’ s the reason we have such a lush landscape . But the young writer in me saw it as a heavy cloud looming over a delightful story . Oh , how the sunshine did turn . rick takagi photo
Riding in a de Havilland Beaver , the seaplane broke through the morning mist . Fluffy clouds hung in the sky . The water sparkled . The trees along the shorelines looked as though they ’ d been splashed with bright pops of saturation .
That was the first time I experienced the magic of the Olympic Rain Shadow . It was a shot of happiness .
It left little room to wonder what there is to love about this unique collection of islands found in the Salish Sea , where the farmland is fertile and Vitamin D abundant . I learned that to call the San Juans home , even if only for a day or a long weekend , is an honor . And it ’ s not just the sunshine . It ’ s the views . The hikes . The food . Oh the food . Get some great tips about what to do and where to eat on San Juan Island in Lisette Wolter-McKinley ’ s piece ( page 52 ).
Yet , the more I visit , the more I toy with the idea of making the San Juans home . Visiting for a day , a weekend — a week — is nice . But putting down roots in this quaint archipelago , now that would be heaven . Whether you ’ re like me daydreaming for the future or seriously considering a relocation , I hope you find some inspiration among some of the top luxury homes for sale ( page 44 ). These are some of the finest luxury homes you ’ ll find in the islands , and I encourage you to take a look .
And as you begin to savor the summer sun , in Seattle and beyond , don ’ t forget that the Olympic Rain Shadow goes beyond the San Juan Islands . It stretches to equally lovely destinations , like Victoria , BC — where Kenmore Air is once again offering regular service . The capital of British Columbia , Victoria is a slice of old world elegance where flower gardens abound and folks are kind as can be . After all , they do live in the Olympic Rain Shadow .
kenmoreair . com
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