Perspectives

Last week we had the chance to drive across the mountains from Eastern Washington to what we all like to call "the wet side" in western Washington. The difference between the two areas is striking.


Where we live in the Tri-Cities is one step above a desert. It is dry and hot. The indigenous plants are sagebrush and rabbitbrush.

As we drove up and over the mountains to reach our destination in Bremerton, Washington the landscape seemed to change in the blink of an eye. It became lush and green with waterfalls cascading down the side of the mountain as if we were driving through a movie set.

The kids noticed the difference at once and began to lament our dry existence on the far side of the mountain range. It's hard not to disagree with their perception. It gets over 100 degrees in the summer and the lack of trees allows the winds to blow 50 miles an hour pretty regularly. The cool green calm was a welcome change.

As we began visiting with friends and spending some time outside, the kids began to notice another west side trend. It was cold, cloudy and wet. Although they enjoyed gathering seashells at the side of the bay, we couldn't stay long. We tried to visit with friends at a park, but the rain and cold drove us back to the hotel. It wasn't long before the comments changed. Lamenting the lack of sunshine, which we enjoy in droves back home, became a regular occurrence.

We enjoyed our vacation and then headed back over the mountains towards the east. Once again the change was immediate as we dipped down into the valley. This time the kids began to comment on the sunshine and the vast tracks of land laid out before us like a patchwork quilt covering a lumpy bed.

We were home.