Stimpson Nature Reserve

Today was the Senior Trailblazers' annual Christmas party and short morning hike. We usually do something to allow us to end around lunchtime, in order to get over to Amy's house and share a Christmas potluck. This year, we went to the Stimpson Family Nature Reserve, which was a first for me, and made a quick five-plus miles so we could end around noon or so and get to Amy's before 1:00 pm.

Click to enlarge and see the map of the area

The area is a wetlands near Lake Whatcom in Bellingham. As you can see from the sign here, it is a very special place with about a quarter-mile of wheelchair-accessible trail before branching off on two separate loop trails. We did the short loop twice and the larger loop once before calling it a day. We were also very lucky with the weather, with nary a raindrop except for the heavy moisture dripping from the trees overhead. The trail is mostly wooded, with some up-and-down for variety within the 350-acre reserve.

A beaver pond was visible through the trees and, although the day was overcast, the mossy and very damp trail was nevertheless well kept and hardly even muddy after all the rain we have had lately. Feeling quite well satisfied with our morning outing, we headed over to Amy's, where several dozen Trailblazers and their spouses showed up to share a feast.

As you can plainly see from the spread, we had more food than people, and everyone managed to eat more than we needed. We felt a little bit righteous because of all our exertions over the past year, but frankly it was just fun to be with my friends and family. Amy could not resist the temptation to honor those of us who had a birthday in December, so she placed a candle in the middle of those cupcakes and made each of us blow it out while everyone sang happy birthday to us.

That is our famous and much appreciated Social Secretary, Amy, in the pink shirt, making sure we all knew without a doubt whose birthdays were being celebrated. She also has new beautiful hardwood floors that were installed this year, so you might notice that we are all in stocking feet (which is Amy's custom anyway). It was a lovely and festive way to celebrate the season. I leave you with a picture I like very much, of Karen, who is well over seventy but still looking like the picture of beauty, health and happiness.

There are more pictures on my Flickr site (over there on the sidebar of my blog) if you are wondering if I took any pictures of YOU at the party. There were so many I couldn't put them all on here. What a great day and such wonderful people I share my life with!
:-)