The state is divided into eastern and western Washington by the Cascade Mountain Range. The eastern side is hot in the summer and cold in the winter with several inches of snow in the winter. Rainfall is less than on the western side. It is a major agricultural and growing area. Washington leads the country in the production of apples, sweet cherries, and pears and is a major wheat producer, chiefly in the hilly southeastern Palouse area east of the Cascade Range. Washington is also a major producer of corn, onions, potatoes, apricots, grapes (including those made into wine), and other fruits, nuts, and vegetables. The west side is very pleasant in the summer with an average temperature of 75 degrees. The winter temperature averages 40-45 degrees with almost no snow except for an occassional 1-3 inches which dissipates in a day or two. There is also a major winter ski and recreation area located at Snoqualmie Pass, elevation 3022 feet above sea level which is only an hour from Seattle on Interstate 90!

Seattle is located on Puget Sound, a major waterway that connects to the Pacific Ocean and is responsible for all of Seattle's considerable seaport commerce. Looking west from Seattle you will see the Olympic Mountains on the Olympic Peninsula. The reason Seattle gets so much moisture is that weather fronts get trapped between the Cascade and Olympic Mountain Ranges. By the way, Seattle has the largest ferry system in the country in order to shuttle people from the mainland to the San Juan Islands, a group of over 200 islands located in Puget Sound. Canada is only 135 miles to the north.

Visitors are attracted to Mount Rainier National Park, Olympic National Park, North Cascades National Park, Fort Vancouver and a host of other lakes, parks and forests. Mt. Saint Helens, which erupted in 1980, is now a national monument.

Since 1990 the area has seen growth largely due to Boeing, Microsoft and associated computer industry companies. This growth has directly contributed to brisk home appreciation. Seattle offers a bright future for those who have decided to call it home - why don't you?