On a wet and windy Thursday we took the ferry from Anacortes to Friday Harbor. The weather forecasters were calling for a "storm of the century" that weekend and we weren't exactly sure what to expect. Several years ago I heard the expression "there is no such thing as bad weather, only improper clothing". As a born and breed Pacific Northwesterner I try to stick to that as my mantra and not let the weather interfere with my plans. If we made it a point to stay inside on inclement weather days not only would we be missing out on a whole slew of adventures, but we would be missing out on the quintessential moodiness which is so integral to the PNW.

After a beautiful and quiet morning ferry ride we checked in to Earthbox Inn and immediately headed out in search of food. The Earthbox Inn is conveniently located in the heart of Friday Harbor which means you are a five minute walk from delicious restaurants, eclectic shops, the waterfront and even a movie theater. For lunch we ended up at a place which is new to us, San Juan Island Chees. Not only did we have two very delicious and unique grilled cheese sandwiches, but the most AMAZING pumpkin cheesecake. After filling our bellies we headed straight for South Beach because there is nothing Jasper likes more than spending an afternoon throwing rocks into the water. And so the next four days continued with a pattern of good food, beach hopping, rock throwing, exploring around the island, more good food and early bed times.

My favorite part of traveling is the ability to temporarily remove yourself from your day to day life. To then be able to return home with a fresh perspective and new appreciation for your surroundings. Without knowing it, it is easy to loose your sense of wonder when your eyes see the same landscape each day, but even a few days away creates an excitement and newness when you return.

South Beach

Jasper learning the delicate art of log walking.

Jasper out on storm patrol!. Between the wind, intermittent rain and the waves I thought he might get tired of being at the beach, but after a couple hours we literally had to tear him away.

One of the biggest pros of an epic wind storm is all the leaf confetti on the ground. Finding leaves which matched my boots was also an exciting endeavor.

Since our last visit to San Juan Island in the Spring, a new spot opened up called Bait. The menu is simple, but they serve pretty delicious fish and chips.

Jasper's mid afternoon naps make for a built in break during our day. Convincing him to sleep rather play is always a tricky proposition.

Roadside pumpkins and honor boxes.

Leaf strewn roads and octopus mail boxes.

The biggest blessing of always traveling with my camera is how acutely aware I am of my environment. As I seek the shots I want to capture I am able to focus in on the details. The way the light hits a railing or the saturated colors on a rainy day. The beauty of life is really captured in the details.

I am a firm believer life is one big classroom. Here I did a little color study with rocks, but all Jasper seemed to see was a great big pile of objects for throwing.

Earthbox Inn was bursting with colorful planters. And between the dogwood tree and hydrangea in bloom I almost thought it was Spring instead of Fall. Even though the San Juan Islands are close to Seattle I always forget how being in the rain shadow effects the climate and allows for a longer growing season.

Slow mornings filled with pastries and plenty of quality time with Dad.

After a long day of exploring we looked forward to crawling into bed and falling asleep to the sound of rain.

One of the most thrilling moments of our trip was seeing this beautiful fox in the wild. After it unsuccessfully chased after a few rabbits it slowly stalked by our car providing the perfect photo op.

Traveling during the off season has so many pros, from lack of crowds, lower prices, easy to come by dinner reservations and the ability to feel like you have the place to yourself.

I am grateful for places like the San Juan Islands which are close to our home, but feel like a million miles away. I also appreciate places like Earthbox Inn who provide comfortable accommodations at a reasonable price when I want to get away to celebrate something or when I just need a change of scenery. And like all long weekends, before I know it I am back home and dreaming about our next adventure.

This post was sponsored by Earthbox Inn. All opinions stated here are my own and I was under no obligation to write anything other than my personal experience. I will never write about anything I did not enjoy or find to be a valuable experience.