Lake Curlew-Washington

I took a short road trip to north central Washington to open the family cabin for the summer a couple of weeks ago. I invited two friends to join me for the six hour one way drive from Seattle to Lake Curlew. My father and step mother purchased the land and built a small two bedroom house in the late 1990’s and I have spent many enjoyable days either sitting on the dock and swimming during the summer or snowshoeing and cross country skiing in winter. It has always been a wonderful hideaway that with enough days in a row make up for the long drive. My step mom loved the place and I always reread her written entries in the cabins guest log, and always her last one. She died of cancer in 2011 and the small house on Lake Curlew was her favorite place in the world. She had so wanted to make another visit that spring but her time ran out. I have gathered my own memories during the years; Beck and I skiing on the frozen lake in the middle of winter, the full moon reflecting off the lakes waters as we sat in the dark on the deck holding hands, Ospreys pulling their wings in and falling in tight circles until they hit the water and lift back into the air with small fish in their talons, the bobcat that walked across the snowy deck just on the other side of the sliding glass door and Beck saying “wow that was a big housecat”, hiking with dear friends to the rounded summits of nearly all the peaks along the Kettle Crest range and enjoying the night star filled sky and always being amazed with each visit at how vast, numbered and bright they are as I look up, especially living in a city where I see just a few each night due to the street and building lights. I always think to myself what a wonderful place. I just wish it was just a couple of hours closer.