In this stretch of the project of writing inspired by the classic Japanese poetry anthology, I start in memory and move to the time about a year ago when I was the guest of Gerry Cook and Hannah Sullivan. Gerry was a longtime ranger at North Cascades National Park and he and his wife have a cabin in Marblemount, the last town before the park entrance. They invited me to have a writing retreat and I accepted with huge gratitude.

Getting in, having a nice dinner and then being led on a walk to a Pressentin County Park across the street gave me a nice sense of the landscape, which would change dramatically before my visit was over, but that is covered in future poems. Thanks Gerry & Hannah.