When people unfamiliar with the Pacific Northwest ask me where I’m from and I reply, “Washington — the state, not D.C.,” I can often predict their next comments. Usually they zero in on Seattle and from there to “lots of rain.” Most of us have Cliff Notes ideas of places we’ve heard of or seen in still or moving images but not experienced ourselves, our entire concept of a city or state or country generally based on the merest sliver of information which may or may not reflect accurately only a tiny portion of that place. So I am happy to provide a glimpse into the part of Washington where I live which likely isn’t what first comes to an outsider’s mind at the mention of this northwest corner of the U.S.

 I live in the greater Wenatchee area (”Apple Capital of the World“) of North Central Washington, where the Wenatchee River enters the mighty Columbia. Here on the east slope of the Cascade Mountains, our average rainfall of an arid eight inches is well behind Seattle’s 37. Immediately to the east are dry land wheat fields, basalt cliffs and sagebrush, while in the river valleys just to the west, north and south are irrigated vineyards and fruit tree orchards backed by dry foothills giving way to pine forests and the mountains beyond.

Within an hour’s drive (usually considerably less) we have access to just about any kind of outdoor recreation you could want — hiking, rock climbing, hunting, fishing, skiing (water- and downhill or cross country), whitewater rafting, golfing — and generally great weather (300 days of sunshine) in which to enjoy doing it. My husband and I enjoy great food and wine, and aside from the better-known wineries in other parts of the state (Walla Walla and the Yakima Valley, for instance), there are nearly 30 wineries again less than 60 minutes away, offering highly rated handcrafted wines. From June until November we can visit the farmers markets or any number of roadside fruit stands for a grand progression of locally grown produce, starting with cherries, proceeding to corn, apricots and peaches and ending with a mind-boggling variety of apples and pears.

In short, I live in what to me comes pretty close to paradise. Westsiders (from the “wet side”) have long come to this side of the mountains to recreate and escape the gray days, and the not-so-well-kept secret is getting out beyond the borders of the state as well. If you ever get out this way, I encourage you to come expand your idea of what Washington is all about.

 Patty Vanikiotis, proofreader