a sunset

We have spent the last few days backpacking on the Washington Coast....have you been to Washington? It's an incredible place. Are you from there? Lucky you!

Now I'm no world traveler, but I am most certain that the western half of United States is the absolute best place on Earth. We have it all--mountains, forests, deserts, plains, beaches.....I just love it out here and feel so lucky to call The West my home.

I have so many photos and stories to tell about this trip, and I first wanted to share this sunset and a few simple thoughts about the day we took it slow...

We'd hiked five miles this day. Down the beach, up cliffs into the rain forest and found the perfect campsite to call home for the night. We set up tents and spent a lazy afternoon on the beach, laying in the sand and dozing in and and out of conversation with friends. 

No phones, no gadgets, no service, no to-dos.

All clear.

We played ultimate frisbee on the beach, followed by a quick dip in the freezing cold ocean.

As the sun began to drop from the sky we headed out to the tide pools to explore the rocks and sea life.

Like kids we collected shells and stones to fill what little empty space we had in our packs. 

As the sun sank lower it bathed us in golds and oranges and pinks, and we stopped and watched it's final moments as it fell deeper, deeper, deeper, and was slowly swallowed up by the sea.

We made our way back to camp, the sky still pink and the sliver of a moon rising to replace the sun. 

Around the fire we ate and laughed until the moon chased the sun down into the ocean and thy sky was dark again.

A day with no schedule, no plans, nothing to do except just BE.

note: the real life sunset was exactly 1 million times prettier than these photos

I think this was the best sunset I have ever witnessed.....anytime, anywhere. 

It was in a beautiful place with best of friends and I was so happy I was able to stand there and be present in that moment, feet in the sand, eyes on the sinking sun.