High Tea in Victoria

March 23, 2026March 23, 2026 ShirleyjdietzLeave a comment

Today we are leaving Vancouver Island, again on the Clipper to Seattle. This afternoon we had high (very high) tea at the Empress Hotel. Those pics will be at the end of the post because we saw Butchart Gardens yesterday. That will come first. Both of these excursions are places that my deceased husband visited years ago. He said I had to see them. If he were here, I would be happy to tell him that I have checked those off the list. They are highlights for anyone visiting the island.

Our day started after a good night at the Oswego Hotel. It is one of many hotels that are within walking distance of the harbor. Our two bedroom suite on the corner of the ninth floor had views in two directions. Mountains with snow were visible out my bedroom window and the harbor out the sliding door in the living room. The Oswego is an excellent hotel and I highly recommend it.

Part of the fun of any new place for Esther and Ryan is to find an interesting coffee shop, with REAL coffee (Esther’s description). Our morning walk took us to Good Earth Coffee, a shop in the Parliamentary Plaza. The coffee shop has to have good pastry too, and this one did. We sat at a ledge table along the picture window and did some people watching. Esther is working on her visual journal every day and got Saturday’s pictures started.

Our plan was to ride the city bus to Butchart Gardens. The gardens are about 15 miles outside the city so transportation is necessary. The bus runs a regular schedule out there and cost $3 a ride or $6 for a day pass. They accept U.S. dollars so we had an easy time getting on a nearly empty bus. It didn’t stay empty for long. People were standing in the aisles by the time we got outside the city. Most of them got off at the gardens where the line ended.

The gardens were not disappointing. I might have thought “another garden – how exciting can it be?” But this one was unusual because it was formed in an abandoned quarry. The lady of the Butchart house decided she wanted some gardens. They hired people to design and create some awesome gardenscapes. I can only imagine the work that it was to make a quarry into a place where plants could grow. They started 100 years ago, according to the sign at the entrance. The gardens are now mature and constantly being replanted and updated. Parts of the Butchart house are open to tour and there are concessions and a very nice gift shop. We walked the gardens for over three hours, wishing we were home making gardens just like those!

They must provide employment for a whole army of gardeners. I took dozens of pictures and ran out of battery on my phone. These are only a few of the highlights.

We encountered some of the same people on the bus home that we had seen earlier in the day. There was a group of six young people sitting in the back of the bus with us who were speaking a foreign language. I was listening closely to their chatter to figure out if it was Spanish. It was Portuguese. One of the girls finally noticed and told the boy sitting next to me to start a conversation. They switched to English and we found out who they were. They were college students sponsored by their government in Brazil to come to Canada and learn English. Some of them had been there for a couple months already and spoke very well. What nice kids they were! That little bit of international connection made the bus ride special for me.

This morning we took our time at the hotel. It was partly because Esther had brought a jigsaw puzzle fup rom the lobby and we had started it in our room on the kitchen counter. We sorted the edge pieces, did the border and some of the easier sections of it before going to bed. The rest was looking like it would be very difficult. And it was. But there were three of us and it just wasn’t the right thing to leave it. We worked on it right up to check out time and got it done. Teamwork and anti-puzzle-abandonment syndrome in play.

We checked our bags at the hotel and walked around the city for a couple of hours. Our reservation for tea at the Empress Hotel was at 1 pm. We had time for hat shopping. I never wear hats at home but somehow, when I’m with Esther I end up doing uncommon things. I’m going to wear hats this year and remember that I bought them in Victoria.

Don’t we look so very French? Roberta’s Hats in Victoria

The Empress Hotel is old and grand. We were escorted to the perfect table for us, in a corner away from the buzz of the crowd. We each chose a tea and our waiter brought the pots, put them on the warmers and started the three minute timer. There was the expected amount of pomp and elegance. I felt special because when do I ever get cucumber sandwiches at home? The desserts were very elegant. It was high tea and not really a meal, but there was enough that I felt full. I’m not sure what everything was but I ate it all.

We had time to walk back to the hotel and get our luggage, rest a bit and walk to the Clipper 5 for the ride back to Seattle. That’s where I am now, writing this summary of my trip to Victoria. One more day in Seattle before going back to Las Vegas to join Kevin again. I will miss my Washington kids. This two weeks has gone so fast!

From the back of the Seattle Clipper on the way home.

Off on My Own

March 17, 2026 ShirleyjdietzLeave a comment

My travelogue has taken a different direction as of last Tuesday. I have gone north and west by plane to Seattle for a two week visit to my daughter and her husband (Esther and Ryan). It’s been a while since I’ve been here so it is good to have this time. It’s also a little strange to have left the man I just agreed to marry. Backing up further, after 50 years in one marriage it’s pretty strange to be thinking about another marriage at all. With all these strange things in my life, I do appreciate some quiet time to think and write.

One of the “trains of thought” that keeps popping up is the effect of our announcement on our families. Some things are going to change for them too. They have been used to thinking of us as single people now for a couple of years. We’ve interacted with them in regular, predictable ways. As a couple, we are pretty much unknown to them. We love our kids and their families and want to be part of their lives. How do we best get used to the way things are going to be?

Kevin and I took several hikes before I left for Seattle. The first day after our exhausting Lone Palm escapade we didn’t do anything but rest and think about it. The next few days we did out and back sections of the River Mountains paved trail. Those were very safe trails but still had good views of Lake Mead and the desert. There were lots of bikers on those trails, one of which is a 40 mile loop. In the evenings we watched his grandson’s baseball practices. I like watching coaches teach little kids.

The backdrop is not fake. Real mountains.

Now, for a whole week I have been in Seattle, WA visiting my daughter Esther. The weather has been the limiting factor all week – rain, rain, clouds, cold and more rain. We had one less wet day at the Arboretum and saw some parts of it that I had not seen before. The Japanese Garden was special and a great place for photos.

Another discovery that is perfect for Seattle in any weather, was the sauna and swim afternoon at Alki Beach. It’s only a short walk from Esther’s house. Not everyone chooses to swim in Puget Sound after their 160 degree bask. I got halfway in before my legs were numb. I was surprised how many people were there. It was a congenial community.

Just walking through some Seattle neighborhoods can be entertaining, as we found out. A very kind lady came out and explained her yard to us. People leave random things for her because they like her creative displays.

Presently, I’m in a typical Seattle coffee shop (West Seattle Grounds) doing work with Esther across the table from me. We are avoiding the distractions of home. Getting things done…

A Boat Full of Water

April 6, 2024April 7, 2024 ShirleyjdietzLeave a comment

It was tricky getting good pictures of this outing since phones and water do not mix well. I think you’ll get the idea though. Fun was had.

Today was overcast and cool, with a possibility of rain. We decided against taking a hike because Esther had an alternate idea that would keep us warm and entertained, at least for a couple of hours. Hot tub boats. Yes, it’s a thing.

We drove to Lake Washington, which is right in the city of Seattle. The lake is surrounded by skyscrapers, bridges, and highways. Its harbor is quite busy with all sizes of boats, and seaplanes. There are many houseboats, and waterfront businesses. There is a lot to look at. Someone came up with the idea of looking at it all while sitting in a hot tub, on a cute electric boat, with snacks on board and music.

I had filled out my waiver online the night before and got checked in quickly, along with Esther, Ryan and Jon. It seemed a little contrary to nature at first, taking off our warm clothes to the bathing suit layer and getting wet, on a day like this. But the water inside the boat was 104 degrees and felt really good. We stowed our food and watched a quick video tutorial on rules and regulations, then we were off.

I don’t remember all we were told, but the basics were 1) don’t get off the boat. 2) don’t let anyone else in the boat. 3) don’t go under any bridges 4) try not to hit anything. There was nothing to this boat except a joy stick for steering. The electric motors were quiet and invisible. There was a little bit of wooden deck at the front of the boat, with a hatch door covering a storage area. The rest of the boat was a hot tub with benches down both sides and the back.

This is the life… Space Needle coming up

We were told not to worry about the planes taking off and landing all around us. The pilots would worry about us, hopefully.

In the two hours we were on the water, we circled that part of Lake Washington and took in the sights, including the Space Needle and all the hustle and bustle of the city. I had never been on a mobile hot tub before and found it an interesting combination of bathing and boating. Esther has also done this at night and said it was especially beautiful.

I would recommend this outing to anyone visiting the Seattle area. Yeah, it was fun, and different from the average boat ride, and perfect for birthday week.

Yachts from all over the world, fishing boats from Alaska

Birthday Week, Half Over

April 5, 2024April 5, 2024 Shirleyjdietz2 Comments

Writing it down because I want to remember, and because Mom wants to know what I’m up to.

Esther with birthday bouquet. Photo credit Ryan Bruels

It is so much fun to be having Birthday Week with Esther again. I can hardly believe it’s half over already. It’s been full of good conversation, good food experiences, and good outings to new-to-me places and a few familiar ones.

It has been cloudy, cool and wet, but isn’t that pretty much what we should expect in Seattle this time of year? I’m pretty sure the noise I hear in my bedroom, like dripping water, is dripping water. When it rains at night, something is happening in the nearby downspout, but I have already gotten used to it.

The flowering trees are blooming and gardens are showing off as we hike around West Seattle. This is such a visually beautiful area – Puget Sound, the Olympic Mountains, old forests, Alki Beach. There is an unforgettable view in every direction and I wish I could let you see what I see. But pictures will have to do. Esther and I walked over 4 miles on Wednesday, half along the West Seattle shore, half down the main business street.

Ornamental cherry trees out do themselves with blooms!

On Thursday we met some of Esther and Ryan’s friends, and my nephew Jon at a specialty ice cream shop. It was a birthday treat for Esther, and a treat for all of us too. Thank you, Jon. (He bought.)

Jon and his rather conservative Irish Cream coffee

Today, Friday, Esther and I joined with some others to do forest clean-up in a local park. It’s one of Esther’s favorite community service opportunities and a great way to meet people and be active. We pulled up a large area of English Ivy, which is an invasive plant here. The challenge was to not fall down the steep inclines when the vines gave way. This volunteer project was started during the Covid lockdowns and has resulted in many hours of work donated all over West Seattle. I’m a little sore now, but it was fun.

A very overgrown, underdeveloped side of West Seattle that really needed attention.

Esther and I, and Nina the greyhound, also took a walk in Schmitz Park, right behind Esther’s house. It’s been one of my favorite places since the first time I came here, and the only place I’ve ever seen Skunk Cabbage. Old growth redwoods, little creeks, all kinds of plants along these trails that lead up a deep ravine to the top of a bluff. Such an interesting place!

Unusually large leaves, bright yellow flowers, and I guess it sometimes smells bad. I didn’t smell anything.

These are some of the fun outings I’ve had so far. But there are four days left and we’ve got a really different, kind of crazy activity coming up tomorrow. Can’t wait.

Going West

April 3, 2024 ShirleyjdietzLeave a comment

Written because I want to remember it, and because Mom wants to know what I’m doing…

For the first time in many years, my daughter Esther and I are spending birthday week together. Yesterday was her birthday and my travel day. I boarded a plane and flew west to Seattle.

Trepidation. A nice, interesting word with a good compliment of letters in it. I like long words when I am still able to pronounce them easily. I had some trepidation preceding this journey. It’s been a while since I went anywhere by plane and I was expecting that changes might have taken place in the system. Airports are complicated places. And even before that, there was the job of getting to the airport and parking.

It was good to start the trip with something familiar. I love my car and know how to use GPS to get places, so the only thing “trepidating” (trepidicious?) about the drive to Minneapolis was the freezing rain and snow that started in the first 20 miles and only got worse as I went south. I was very relieved to pull into the remote parking garage where my reservation barcode actually worked and opened the gate.

I found a space and was just making sure I was lined up right in it when I saw the shuttle already waiting behind me. The driver had followed me in. I quickly got out, pulled my suitcase and backpack out of the back seat and got in the shuttle. I didn’t remember locking the car, so was searching in my purse for my key while we wound our way out of the garage. That’s probably why I thought about looking for my phone.

My phone was back in the car, still connected to the console.

We were only just out on the street when I freaked out and started apologizing and telling the driver I would run back and get it. But he went around the block and returned, acting kind of like this sort of thing had happened before. The other passengers didn’t seem to mind and maybe even were amused. So started the trip.

MSP airport was as confusing as ever. I’ve flown out of it many times but it has gotten bigger and bigger, and I didn’t recognize most of it. The signage is less than helpful. Mostly, I just followed the biggest crowd I could find and hoped for the best.

Getting through security was not a lot different. All they asked for was my ID, and nothing in my baggage or on my person set off any alarms. That whole process only took about 20 minutes and I was soon sitting at my gate. I had two whole hours to watch the energetic, screeching children who had also arrived early, and their parents who thought they were funny, and the lady with the dog who was also dealing with some trepidation.

Not much to report about the flight itself, except that the entertainment system cut out half way through the movie I tried to watch. They had warned us this might happen. I also missed the garbage bag when the attendant came by to collect our drink cups. I had to scrape all the ice I dropped out of the way and under my chair where it could safely melt. I was beginning to feel like an old lady, forgetful, slightly incompetent. No one seemed to mind.

Three hours later I was racking up steps in the Seattle airport, and texting my people to come pick me up. They were waiting in the cell phone lot so it didn’t take long, and we were on our way to Esther’s birthday dinner at Cedarbrook Lodge.

Esther’s longtime friend, Duncan, was running the bar there and gave us special attention, the whole time we were there. I learned that NA (nonalcoholic) beverages are the latest trend there and enable cocktails with no alcohol to now be as expensive as those with alcohol. I also learned that Sablefish is another word for cod, but it definitely needed a new word since it was being served in an upscale restaurant. As promised, dinner was a quintessential Northwest experience in dining. I especially like my spatzle, foraged mushrooms, butter roasted onions, preserved lemon and evergreen oil side dish. It was good to talk with my kids and relax over an interesting meal. I only spilled one glass of water and it was just what we needed to liven things up a bit.

Back at Esther’s house we finished off the day with a good walk along the beach. Ryan had Nina on leash so it was a walk/drag for him and he turned back early. Conversation in the living room, and then the evening ended around 12 for me, still on central time. I settled into my charming bedroom for sleep, and only awakened a couple of times, hearing that faint noise like a ticking clock or drops of water falling on metal.

I wonder what that was?

At Cedarbrook Lodge. My people, still happy.

Me-Kwa-Mooks Park: West Seattle

July 11, 2020July 11, 2020 Shirleyjdietz8 Comments

It was the last day of my visit to Seattle. Younger daughter and I were walking down Beach Drive SW, on our daily exercise walk, looking for something interesting to see or do. She mentioned a park that we would soon be walking past that had some very nice features, and more of an old growth, untouched atmosphere. We decided to venture into Me-Kwa-Mooks Park.

This saying is credited to Chief Sealth, sometimes called Chief Seattle, for whom the city of Seattle is named. The Duwamish people were the original inhabitants of the park.

Me-Kwa-Mooks is an Indian name meaning “shaped like a bear’s head”. If you use your imagination, you might say that about the West Seattle peninsula, especially if you had a map or a good aerial view. The entrance to the park is on the east side of Beach Drive in a small clearing with several picnic tables. The trailhead is identified by a sign and several plaques that are covered with brush and barely legible. Like most other parts of West Seattle coastline, this park is located on uphill slopes that end with a rather steep climb up a bluff. It’s about 20 acres of heavily wooded, undeveloped land.

The trail is narrow and you have to hunt for it.

Undeveloped, perhaps, but there are trails and some evidence of work having been done on them. Someone had been pulling out piles of English ivy, an invasive plant, and there was an irrigation line visible along the path in places. But there was no signage, and some of the trails ended abruptly. Having been there before, younger daughter knew one trail led to another entrance farther down on Beach Drive. She also knew that there was a trail that led to the top of the bluff. That was the one we wanted.

This was a path that suddenly didn’t go anywhere.

The trail to the top, naturally, was the trail that kept going up in switchbacks, becoming steeper and less easily navigated. It eventually went straight up, a dirt path with no natural hand holds or places for feet to rest. But, lo, there was a hose – the flat, cloth covered kind – and it came from somewhere up above and held our weight, so we grabbed it and climbed. And just when the hose no longer followed the path, we saw a rope that finally helped us to the top.

Don’t know why this hose was there but it came in handy…

This was our exit point. Wouldn’t your inner child just love to have a creepy hole like this to dive into?

The Wikipedia article about the park states that in 1994 a bunch of 4th and 5th graders from a local school helped make the park. That’s exactly the feel I got from our experience. It was a mythical, magical forest, perfect place for tree forts, treacherous paths, and dangling ropes leading to “who knows where”, a kid’s dream playground.

We made it to the top, mostly because there was no way we were going back down some of the places we had been. It was clearly not everyone’s “walk in the park” and I was a little surprised that it was accessible in this day of lawsuits and litigation. Risk was involved. We had fun, but I’m thinking most people take the other path. Just sayin’…

A Pretty, Long Walk – West Seattle

July 7, 2020July 7, 2020 ShirleyjdietzLeave a comment

We didn’t walk very far on Sunday, but we made up for it today. We took Charlie with us. He is a curly haired Wheaton terrier who generally likes to go out for exercise.

Meet Charlie. Also notice the beautiful flowers.

The first hour was a city walk, past houses that face out to Puget Sound. As you might expect, they were on the expensive and extravagant side, but so interesting to look at. Built on the bluff with creative driveways and staircases, and landscaping that had me taking pictures every few minutes. We walked south from Alki and ended up at Lincoln Park. For us it was around 10,000 steps, for Charlie it was considerably more and he was thirsty. We were looking for a water bowl, which can commonly be found around fountains, since so many people are walking their dogs. Charlie found one.

Gardens that probably have professional caretakers

Sidewalk gardens, purple lavender abounds…

Lincoln Park waterfront and forest (more driftwood…).

Next we headed east through the park in the direction of California Avenue. It is the main business street that runs down the middle of the West Seattle peninsula. Our only stop was to buy water at a gas station, again sharing with Charlie who was beginning to act a bit tired. Our walk north toward home ended up going through Schmitz Park. It was like entering a different world.

I’ve written something about Schmitz Park every time I’ve visited Esther in Seattle because it has an access right behind her house. I ALWAYS visit this park. I’ve not been anyplace like it and consider it a magical, singular experience. It’s an old growth forest with trails following a large ravine from the top of the bluff, down to lower elevations near Alki and the beach. The trails are not fancy, not paved. There are no signs directing where to go. No railings on the steep portions. Click this link for more visuals of Schmitz Park.

The Hidden Forest

The forest and the ravine insulated us from the noise and heat from the city street. It was shady and dark, with the sounds of water flowing into the central stream. Many parts of the path were wet with cool mud and took some navigating. It must have felt good on Charlie’s paws. And 20 minutes later we were home, having done nearly 20,000 steps total. A good walk, I’d say.

A Ride in a Truck – Seattle

July 6, 2020 Shirleyjdietz1 Comment

My people in Seattle have an affinity for vintage things – clothing, furniture, Airstreams, and a truck. Yesterday we took a ride in the vintage truck.

Bench seats are kind of a thing of the past, although I’m not sure why. The fun of searching for seat belts, finding the right spot for sitting in the middle (straddling that big lump on the floor), and the comfy lean off the edge of the passenger seat – I kind of miss all that, and it was fun to be reminded. Come to think of it, any vehicle where I can look to the side and see two people in front with me, instead of just one, is kind of special, don’t you think?

Our outing was to an island, which is also kind of exciting. Southward from West Seattle, right below Lincoln Park, is the Vashon Ferry landing where two large ferries go to and fro on a constant schedule. The distance is short and takes only about half an hour, including the loading and offloading of cars, trucks and buses. It was not a particularly busy day so we did not have to wait in line (that happens, and did happen on the way home).

The truck was the chosen vehicle for this trip because there was a task. Our first stop was to re-position the vintage Airstream that Esther and Ryan have on their property. It didn’t take long and I don’t have pictures of this complex, logistical feat of trucking. Suffice it to say that I heard Ryan lovingly commending his truck for doing a good job.

Next, for the daily walk, we drove down Vashon Island to a connecting island park – Maury Island and Maury Beach. It was a lovely place to get close to the water and I totally satisfied my obsession with rocks and driftwood while there. The walking part was not as horizontal as we would have liked so we didn’t get in lots of steps. The beach was entirely smoothed stones with no sharp edges. It might seem that would make comfortable walking, but no. The stones roll out from under your feet with every step. They are fascinating to look at though, and I kept finding favorites.

I love grey tones, love rocks, love driftwood and there was sosooooo much of all that!

The water was beautiful and clear. A few people were boating, tubing, swimming, sailing, and thoroughly enjoying the day.

However I was concerned that this one guy kept stalking this woman…

Before heading back to the mainland we had dinner at Casa Bonita Mexican restaurant. So good! I’m even getting hungry now thinking about my leftover fish taco waiting in the fridg.

It was another fine day in Seattle, spent making memories with people I love. I may even have spoke lovingly to the truck myself, for the nice ride, just sayin’…

Times and Travels: Orca Watching

September 3, 2017September 3, 2017 Shirleyjdietz3 Comments

The waters of the Pacific Northwest (PNW) are home to many kinds of sea mammals. Some of the most exciting ones to encounter are the pods of whales that roam around the islands of Puget Sound and the Canadian boundary waters. On our recent trip to San Juan Island we were hosted on a small excursion boat with a crew of one, Captain Jim. Many thanks to Ryan’s parents for setting up this unusual outing, and for ordering perfect weather for carrying it out.

Our boat departed from Snug Harbor Resort – a place I would definitely go back to for a longer stay.

Our excursion started the west side of San Juan Island, the small harbor of Mitchell Bay. The whale watching boats are independently owned and operated by men who know the islands and surrounding waters well. We were six in number and a pretty good fit for the captain’s boat. We set out from the harbor with no idea of where to look for whales – a problem which was solved by communicating with numerous other boats on the water. The closest pod of orcas that had been spotted was about an hour north, close to the Canadian border so off we went.

I loved the tiny cabins at this resort. Have to go back and stay longer!

Captain Jim’s boat is equipped with GPS, depth finders, binoculars, and a bathroom!

The sun was out, the temperature was moderate, the water was relatively quiet. All this was not the usual. We went north and west to the Strait of Georgia. You really need to look on the map sometime in order to know how crazy the international boundary is in that part of North America. It zigs and zags through the islands and is connected to some little known history of the Pig War. I had never heard of this war but most of the islanders can tell the story and it is rather colorful. By the time we located the orcas we were in the Strait of Georgia within sight of Vancouver, in Canadian waters.

Another whale watching boat and the ferry on the nearly glassy smooth Strait of Georgia

The Strait is a very large area and often has ocean size swells, but as I said, it was almost glassy still. We had Dramamine with us but didn’t need it at all. There were three or four other boats watching the pods with us as we followed them along. The orcas are not whales but are the largest mammals in the dolphin family. They travel in social groups, as large as 40 members, that get numbered and are recognizable by individual dorsal fin characteristics. They are often called killer whales because they are skilled hunters and feed on other marine mammals. They cooperate in the hunt, acting a bit like a pack of wolves.

If I remember right, we were watching pod 34 and possibly pod 37, which were both resident pods. They stay close year round, whereas other pods travel through as transients. A number of dorsal fins would appear as the orcas came up to breathe, and we would hear the rush of air as they exhaled. They would dive again and reappear farther ahead. We kept hoping they would find something to feed on and actually breach completely out of the water, but that didn’t happen. Boats are restricted from getting closer than 200 yards from orcas and are not to block their path or be closer than 400 yards ahead of them but we still got good views. Captain Jim had binoculars for everyone which helped.

After an hour or so of watching, we headed back through the islands, often slowing to photograph the awesome views. Mt. Baker is the volcano visible in many of the photos. What a perfect day it was to be out on the water in the PNW!

Esther and Ryan enjoying the sun and the water

Gorgeous scenery like this the whole time.

Times and Travels: San Juan Farmer’s Market

September 2, 2017September 2, 2017 Shirleyjdietz5 Comments

I love seeing evidence of people being productive in basic ways, and nothing is more basic than providing food. That is why I enjoy farmers, coming to market to sell to the end user.

20170827_135036 — Coming off the ferry at Friday Harbor

San Juan Island is one of many islands in the Puget Sound area of Washington. Ferries are as common as buses around Puget Sound. We took the ferry from Anna Cortes to the small port of Friday Harbor – it happened to be on a Friday too, but that had nothing to do with the name. We arrived late in the day so it wasn’t until Saturday morning that we returned to Friday Harbor for the San Juan Farmer’s Market.

20170826_105248

Living on an island prompts many people to value independence. They like to produce their needs locally so they don’t have the extra cost of importing from the mainland. The many small farms on the island grow crops, raise animals and bring products to the market in hopes of selling them. I think they enjoy the sense of community as much as anything else. The vendors get to talk with their customers, face to face, explain their wares and answer questions. Shoppers get to see and learn about many interesting products and processes. We were looking for breakfast.

In and around the community center building is where the market is held. It didn’t take us long to find the inside table of baked goods, manned by a couple of local ladies. They were selling all kinds of pastries, quiches, brownies… it all looked like breakfast to us. I bought a pastry and a generous slice of something made with egg, cheese, potato, veggies and pasta. I’m glad we got there when we did because their table was sold out by the time I came back hoping for a brownie. Oh well.

20170826_111101 — Island produce – good stuff.

20170826_111024 — Fresh seafood, cooked on the spot – a popular place.

There were vendors selling crafts as well as food. A potter, some water color artists, some jewelry makers, all gave us shoppers something to look at and consider. There was a trio of musicians providing festive tunes – way better than “elevator music”. Around the perimeter were tables and chairs for eating and visiting. The sun was shining, children were playing, laughter and conversation abounded. Makes you want to go there, doesn’t it? Maybe you should find a farmer’s market near you and check it out this week!

20170826_112708 — Yes, they got the last brownie (but they shared).

I Just Have to Say…

and I'm sayin' it here.

Category: Seattle

High Tea in Victoria

Off on My Own

A Boat Full of Water

Birthday Week, Half Over

Going West

Me-Kwa-Mooks Park: West Seattle

A Pretty, Long Walk – West Seattle

A Ride in a Truck – Seattle

Times and Travels: Orca Watching

Times and Travels: San Juan Farmer’s Market

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: