In June 2017 Travel Tacoma took me to Northwest Trek Wildlife Park outside of Eatonville, Washington. Northwest Trek is a different kind of zoo than I normally see, one that focuses on the Pacific Northwest and one where the animals have a good amount of room to roam, particularly in the 400+ acres of open area on the north side of the park...

My friend, Rosemary Stafford, and I spent a seriously fun day at the Oregon State Fair in Salem, the capital city. There were many carnival rides, fried foods, happy fair-goers, musicians, artists, gorgeous show animals (like pigs, cows, rabbits, pheasants, horses), you name it. I wish it were going on every weekend! It brings up such happy nostalgia from my early boyhood on a Kansas farm.

I had the honor of touring again the wonderful Marquam Hill Ranch, home of many gorgeous (and let's face it, hilarious) alpacas. Is there a more fun way to spend an hour? I doubt it.