Just like that another year comes to an end.  It seems like it was mere months ago we were ringing in 2016 , but now it seems everyone is collectively happy to see it go.

It was quite the year, full of ups and downs, beginnings and ends.  I made a lot of goals at the beginning of the year, and unfortunately most of them went unaccomplished.  Many never even started.

Still, I managed to get outdoors as much as possible and had a good year, full of firsts.

I was the first woman in my group to shoot a clay pigeon during a women’s only Duck Hunting 101 workshop.  I learned more about duck hunting and had a great time bonding with other women!

I traveled to Texas for the first time and fell in love with the culture and food.  I can’t wait to get back next year and explore the state more!

I cooked several venison recipes for the first time.  From delicious chili, to mouth watering venison bacon burgers, hearty venison stew, to amazing venison Wellington, I feel like I’ve conquered how to cook this wild game meat that just over a year ago I’d never used before.

I saw my first orca and humpback whale in the wild.  It was an incredible experience that I’ll never forget.

I fly fished on a river for the first time, in the pouring rain, and absolutely loved it!  I haven’t had time to write that post yet, but it’s coming soon.  I’m already planning on when I can get out on the water to try fly fishing on my own.

I bass fished along the Snake River and caught my first bass in one of the most breathtaking backdrops.

I became a volunteer with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation for the first of hopefully many years.  Another post that hasn’t yet been written because this happened recently.  I’ve had an itch to get involved with an organization I believe in and RMEF is the one that kept coming to mind.  Their support of the Washington Outdoor Women retreats really impressed me.  As well as their conservation efforts.  I’m looking forward to being more involved with them as a volunteer.

So overall, it was still a pretty great year with what I was able to make happen.  It might’ve taken little to no sleep to do most of those things, but they were worth it!

The best news of 2016 by far is getting a new job and returning to a normal schedule.  It’s what allowed me to be able to volunteer with RMEF.  After almost a year and a half of a night schedule, my body was starting to revolt against the few hours of sleep turnaround to then go spend the day being active.  So this new job really came at the right time.  It’s why this blog kind of fell by the wayside.  I knew with how busy I was a few things weren’t going to be able to happen.

I’m still getting used to going back to a normal schedule, but my plan for the New Year is to be back to my weekly posts.  A lot happened this past year that’s still waiting to be written.  Thank you to all the readers who have stuck around, it does mean a lot!

So instead of writing out a list of goals for 2017, my one goal is simple.

Get outside doing what I love as much as possible.

That’s it.

Every morning as I drive to work, I cross the Ship Canal Bridge.  The lights of downtown Seattle and the Space Needle shimmer behind Lake Union to my right, and I always find myself looking to the left, to see the mountains in the distance with the first rays of sunlight peaking out from behind them.  The quote, “The mountains are calling and I must go,” is true.  And in 2017, I will go.  As much as I can.