Although it’s a warm winter here in the Methow Valley (thanks to El Nino), I’m loving skiing. There’s a wonderful network of groomed trails here for classic and skate skiing, and recently Darin and I explored the Rendezvous trails for the first time. The Rendezvous system includes a number of huts and we spent one night in the lovely Gardner hut with a group of friends. The hut was fantastic- a perfect mix of rustic and comfort with a wood stove and propane for cooking and lights. I woke up early in the morning and enjoyed making several watercolor sketches until my paints (and fingers) froze. Note the ice crystals in my cabin sketch sky…