En Garde!

When I got up this morning there was snow on the ground, and the white stuff was still falling. I was scheduled to take photos at an NSEA work party near Maple Falls, a hamlet 25 miles closer to the ski area at Mount Baker, and thought it would be advisable to check the road and weather conditions out there.

I called Maple Fuels, a combination gas station, deli and espresso, grocery, laundromat, hardware and sporting goods store. (Did you notice the pun?) The person I spoke to said it wasn't snowing, so I set off after a delicious breakfast prepared by lovely Cynthia.

When I arrived at the work party site, the weather had changed for the worse. For a few moments, I wondered if I had been transported to a Siberian gulag, but the workers were much too happy. They'd obviously taken to heart the exhortation on the welcome sign under the marquee -- Stay warm and have fun!