SEATTLE TO ANACORTES

We are currently at the Fidalgo Bay RV Resort in Anacortes, Washington and it seems as if the last couple of weeks have just flown by.  For all of you who know us, you will know that we have been just doing all of our usual excursions and I really have no excuse for not posting sooner, but I will try to recapture a few highlights of the last few weeks.
I did mention in the last post about visiting Kubota Gardens.  So the photo above is one of the many views of that garden and we were lucky that our friend Jann had a day to join us.  

While we were out hunting down used bookstores in the Fremont area of Seattle, we came across a bookstore that had a different take on the usual bookstore cat.  Ophelia's Books had a bookstore rabbit with a little swiss chalet rabbit hutch and a tiny fenced yard.  They also had a great selection of books.  While we were waiting for the store to open, we walked around the district, even having a late breakfast in a vegan, glutin free cafe.  

It was pretty good considering it didn't have any ingredients I was used to using when I cook.  On our walk we discovered a gigantic statue of Lenin.  Someone had painted his hands red with red paint and since our friends Jim and Nancy had just had their photo taken with President Carter, Allan decided he would have his photo taken with Lenin.  This 7 ton sculpture was toppled by the revolution in Slovakia in 1988 and has taken many side trips before arriving in Fremont where it stimulates local controversy.  Note that there is a for sale sign painted on the front of Lenin.  That is because it is privately owned and is for sale.  If you are interested, contact the City of Fremont.  

We also visited a used book store in Duvall, Washington.  This store is not on the internet and does not even have a phone.  We stumbled onto it by accident a few years ago and return when we are in the area.  This year while we were there, we walked to a restaurant nearby and noticed a group of people staring up into the sky.  

Sun Halo photo by Allan Frey

They were looking at a Sun Halo which is sometimes called a sundog.  It is formed by water vapor that freezes into ice crystals up in a layer of the atmosphere.  When the sun shines through the ice crystals, the light refracts and we see a halo that has the colors of the rainbow around the sun.  

Although we went to several farmers markets while in the Seattle area, one of the most interesting was the University Market in the University District of the city.  This market is ranked as one of the 10 best in the state and it was all food products or prepared foods, no arts or crafts.  However they did have one unique stall, which we have never seen in any other market (and we go to numerous markets on our travels).  A poetry booth where there were three young people prepared to write a poem on any topic for any price.  

Latin Music in the WA State Extension Discovery Garden

I think if there is one thing that I really miss while living in Arizona, it is the fresh fruits and vegetables that are available everywhere in the northwest.  We have been eating the ripest berries, peaches, and cherries, just picked and delicious.  We have had salads and grilled veggies at every meal.  Of course we offset all this goodness by eating all the fabulous scones, strudels, and breads that are also plentiful.

Boxwood Gardens

 The first excursion we had once we reached Anacortes was the annual Symphony Garden Tour.  Visiting gardens and listening to the symphony members play their instruments is always a pleasure and is well worth the donation ticket fee.  This year the gardens were not as spectacular, and the weather was drizzly and sprinkly all day, but it was still a

wonderful outing and we met many gardeners who were justifiably proud of their gardens.  One of the smaller gardens was owned by a potter and the garden was filled with art objects, not all of them hers.  Sculptures and paintings, birdhouse art, mosaics, and more.  It was a tiny space but filled with lovely art to catch your eye.   
Yesterday.... we went to Dakota Art and purchased many pastels.  I think the more pastels you have, the better you will be as an artist.  If that isn't a great rationale, I don't know what is.