One of the reasons I love the Pacific Northwest: summer, midweek, sunset, sitting on the shore of a Cascade Lake. Osprey cruising, chee-ewping, suddenly diving. The last diehard fishermen quietly dipping their oars, hoping for that last strike of the day but not really giving a damn if it doesn’t happen because it’s so darn beautiful just being here. Peace, serenity, lots of soft noises but at the same time a calming quietness. Billowing thunderhead clouds on the west horizon, wispy, golden clouds to the south. Water smoothing to a glassy mirror as the breeze dies, reflecting sky above and dense green forest of pines and firs all around. It doesn’t get much better than this.