Ronald Boehm:  

rth, WA. Leavenworth is a small mountain community on a major cross state highway. In the 1970s the major industry was logging and sawmilling. A major source of logs back then was the Snoqulmie and Mt. Baker national forests. The US Congress created the North Cascades National Park from parts of both of them. National Forests sell timber (trees to be cut into logs) National Parks do not. So the town reinvented itself into a Bavarian alpine tourist destination. Christmas and tree decoration are big annual events. The weekend we were there they estimated 50, 000 people were also there. See the picture. We retired in September of 2010 and are still living a dream. Spent time in Hawaii with friends and visited family in Florida. We were able to attend my great niece's wedding all last year. And I'm looking forward to a great 2018! As sailors say, here is wishing you a fair wind and a following sea ... Update: Just got home from Hawaii March 6. We spent a week each on the Big Island and Maui. Some wind and a little rain there while here in Oregon they had snow and cold weather. We lucked out, as the president would say " bigley." I'll just say we lucked out. July update: I spent a couple of days fishing in Sitka, Alaska in June caught halibut, salmon, yellow eye, ling cod and rockfish. Here at home we are having summer weather 100 degrees yesterday its predicted to cool off today to the mid 90s. So long again...