As September approaches, the nights lengthen, and the berries burst, I want to have at least one mother-son overnight adventure. After a bit of internet searching we decide on a full moon overnight to Ptarmigan Ridge. We find way too many flowers, a dangerously gorgeous lake, and get stuck deciding which is more beautiful, Mount Baker or Shuksan.

I went to the mountains to take pictures of Comet NEOWISE. I discovered man-eating packrats instead. These are cute, furry tailed rodents who supposedly just want to fill their homes with warm and shiny things. I don’t know if they’re miniature mountain protectors are just alarm clocks who can’t tell time, but they kept me up all night and lead to one of the most beautiful nights of my life.

There’s something about the approach of winter sunsets that’s a little more unsettling than during the summer. Something about that ball of fire racing towards the frozen ice covered peaks surrounding you like enormous inverted icicles that makes all the worst case possibilities play out through your mind.