One of the things I most love about the country is silence. There are few things better, in my opinion, than standing in the middle of a forest and hearing… nothing. It is even more profound in the winter. The birds are gone. In their place, the harrowing call of a lone wild animal. Which one, I don’t know because it happens at night when it’s blindingly dark and unbearably cold, and I don’t want…
I am the founder and editor of Methow Valley Examiner, an online publication for locals, by locals. More by Julia Babkina




