We have come over to Eastern Washington this weekend for our family tradition. It’s the annual “first weekend in May pilgrimage to Bloomsday” weekend. We’ve been staying at the increasingly winterized Point Petite cabin on Newman Lake for the past few years now when we come over. 

It’s early spring here. Very quiet. Just a few year-rounders out here at the lake shore. It’s predominantly a place of families’ summer cabins. I love this time of year here. The forest is just waking up with spring flowers. 

Hence, the Bloomsday festival. Spokane hosts the  12k Lilac Bloomsday Run every year for the past 40 years coinciding with the city’s many blossoming lilacs. We run or walk the 12 kilometers on Sunday to “earn our [finisher] shirts” and then drive back to Seattle. Along with a lot of other folks. Participation is generally 40,000 +. 

To maximize our weekend we drove over Thursday night in the storm. All the way we were following the lightening to the east. At long last we arrived down our long gravel driveway with forest branches ensconcing the way. We thankfully pulled up to the welcoming cabin. It was 3am. It was worth it to have the day here today. I got in a couple of walks and Lake got lots of time with Nana and Grandpa. 

Grandparents are fantastic. As the primary caregivers for Lake these days, Jo and I breathed in a bit of fresh air. And jumped for joy. We love Lake Bake and we love having a Lake Break too! 

I’m looking forward to a fun and relaxing family reunion this weekend at Newman Lake. Then on Sunday we have the Lilac Bloomsday Run and a post-race lunch with my brother’s family to cap things off! I like this Bloomsday tradition of ours… exceedingly.