Night
Crawlers
From Eatonville
Northwest
Recipe:
1
Cup of long Northwest Night Crawlers
1/2 Cup young oysters
3 Sprigs of rain forest
A Pinch of long sandy beaches
1 Splash of spectacular seascapes
3 Giant bubbles of foam
1 Tbsp. of drifting fog
2
Cups of huckleberries and ferns
1
Giant sun bleached driftwood
A
Mix of magnolia blossoms, tulips, daffodils
2
Quarts of relaxing atmosphere
1
Sprig of moss draped trees
3
Cups clams and salmon
A
Mix of sunsets and moonlit nights
Throw
in numerous pleasure crafts and ferries
Gather together with local Northwest hikers, picnickers, campers, and
photographers over a warm summer beach bonfire.
In a large pot, mix up all the ingredients above.
Sit back and gaze up at the soft filters of light through the forest of
trees behind you. Look out over the
wave swept beaches and the surging of the sea.
Hear the fierce pounding of the surf and the crackling sounds of the
bonfire as it keeps you feeling warm and cozy.
Here in this picturesque haven you can gather your thoughts and enjoy
some of the most beautiful scenery the Pacific Northwest has to offer.
We can take our shoes off and walk along the beach in search of
tide-pools, all rich with marine life. We
can also view the off shore islands as well as driftwood tossed and stacked by
the pounding surf. Nearby ferries,
freighters, tug boats, fishing vessels and numerous pleasure crafts float
gracefully with the ocean waves. Countless
bays, inlets, islands, beaches and deserted shores are ready and waiting to be
explored. With drifting fog, jagged
rocks, rocky coves, and even colorful wildflower meadows it's easy to understand
why we chose to make the Pacific Northwest our home.
In fact, if you were to hike towards the mountain areas you may find some
interesting characters lurking where the huckleberries and ferns grow along the
shady forest floor. Under the cold
wet leaves and amongst the wild ferns, you will find long animals with soft
bodies, no legs and no backbone creeping and crawling somewhat unnoticed along
the forest floor. They are known as
the new Northwest "Night Crawlers!"
Fairly large worms from the town of "Eatonville," (nestled up
against majestic Mt. Rainier!) Eatonville
is a small town in the Cascade foothills rich in mills and logging.
They were long colorful worms, wore Northwest hiking boots and carried a
large umbrella. These worms had huge appetites and ate their way through the
forest munching on huckleberries, as they made their way back to Eatonville.
They were not your ordinary fishing Night Crawlers that's for sure!
They would hike for miles up snow capped mountains and icy glaciers.
They passed by slow moving "Seattle Slugs" as they held their
umbrellas up high to keep them dry in the misty Washington rain.
The Seattle Slugs were also heading towards Eatonville but it would be
days before they reached the town. Commercial
fishermen scoured the forest with their shovels looking for the Night Crawlers
so they had to scurry along to make it to town ahead of them.
Patches of snow covered the bottom of the Night Crawlers hiking boots,
but their tiny feet remained dry despite the cold and wet temperatures.
When they finally arrived in town, they quickly ordered a cup of hot
cocoa and talked to all the locals about their adventures.
They were so happy to be home and away from the fishermen.
If you are ever visiting Washington State, be sure to keep an eye out for
the colorful "Night Crawlers From Eatonville."
If there are huckleberry bushes nearby you are sure to see them napping
under the wet leaves. They are
sometimes shy and may be watching you as you hike along the wooded trails.
Try mixing up some of the ingredients above around a summer beach bonfire
and enjoy the relaxing atmosphere that the great Pacific Northwest has to offer!
Copyright
1997 by Author Patti Tricoli
