"I doubt whether the world holds for anyone a more soul-stirring surprise than
the first adventure with ice cream." -Heywood Broun
"...or with the beach." -me
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On September 12, 2017, just two months after she came into our lives, Gracie made her first trip to Kalaloch. Based on what I know about her previous lives, I daresay this was also her first trip to a proper Pacific Northwest beach
Little did she know what was about to unfold.
^ Wait. You want me to lie on this rug in the middle of a weird little gravel patch in the middle of the woods, and watch while you scatter unfamiliar contraptions with names like "tent" and "cookstove" all around me? And you tell me that this is called "going to Kalaloch?"
Alright. I have no idea what that means. But I'll play along.
^ Ohhhhh! What's this?! Sand and water and endless sky. Let's go!!
^ Hey, this is a great place to run and run and run!
^ And splash through the water, and then run and run some more!
^ Hang on, I see something else that's interesting. Follow me.
^ Birds! So many birds to scent and stalk and scare off my beach. I have the power to make them fly.
^ I also have a powerful thirst. The water in the waves doesn't taste quite right but this little stream is delicious. Give me a minute; this is going to take a while.
^ People! Dogs! Birds! And endless space to run. Is this heaven?
^ My people have an interesting ability to walk on top of these big silver logs. After a few wild leaps and crazy falls, I am getting the hang of it too.
^ Now we go back up under the canopy of trees, and as my people rattle around in the back of the car and carry strange items here and there, I think I will close my eyes for just a minute.
^ And when I awake, this is happening. Hmm. What is this strange beast?
^Whatever that flickering yellow creature might be, it seems to create food. My people ate this and shared none of it with me.
^ Now we get to go back down to the big open place and it's more beautiful than ever.
^ The wind has kicked up and my fur is blowing every which way. My ears are about to fly off.
^ And then the sun sets. And even I am ready to stop running and watch the sky turn to gold.
^ Next morning, and the next, and the next, we are at it again. Walking,
^ and eating
^ and playing in the waves.
I'm still not exactly certain what a Kalaloch is but now I know for sure that I love it.
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My family and I go to Kalaloch a lot. Here are stories from our trips over the years:
2019
2018
2017
2015
2014
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