In the News
Anacortes Quilt Show
Dozens of beautiful quilts drew impressive crowds Friday and Saturday at the annual Anacortes Quilt Show, a Skagit Valley Tulip Festival event. Among those I recognized were harpist Bronn Journey (see www.bronnjourney.com) Fidalgo Island Quilters member Ginger Houston and basketweaver Jane Hyde. The quilters’ group, with more than 200 members, uses funds from the annual […]
Rhododendron splendor
I returned from a couple of days of camping to discover several of our rhododendrons had exploded into color. My garden boss wisely elected to place rhodies of different colors and blooming times at various places in the yard, a ploy that seems to extend the blossom season.
Morning stroll
We spent our first weekend camping, and while my son caught up on his beauty sleep, I grabbed my camera and went for a stroll. Photo opportunities abound at Washington Park. I found small, shiny leaves pushing up from the moist earth not too far from the trail to the restroom. There were seagull buddies […]
Experience Music Project
Any modern music fan’s gotta love the Experience Music Project (EMP) in downtown Seattle. But as you can see from these photographs of the amazing sculpture/edifice, you don’t even have to get inside to have a memorable experience. The first three photos I took are shots of the “skin” of the building, the fourth is […]
Off-island adventures
Fantastic as it is, I do leave Fidalgo Island from time to time on little adventures. Two years ago this week I took a drive to LaConner and Best Road, where I encountered beautiful snow geese. LaConner is also home to the Skagit County Museum, where a vintage windmill stands adjacent to the parking lot. […]
Splashes of color
When I was a young pup I was privileged to be introduced to Dorothy Neil, a Mount Vernon native who married and raised her family in Oak Harbor. Dorothy wrote a newspaper column and referred often to her “garden friend,” who was actually her husband. Mel didn’t relish the thought of seeing his name in […]
Waterfront Festival kickoff
It was a full house Thursday night for the official unveiling of the 2004 Anacortes Waterfront Festival poster. In addition to introduction of poster artist Jennifer Bowman (pictured to the right of poster), Chamber of Commerce Event Coordinator Beth Prins displayed a T-shirt design featuring elements of the Bowman watercolor. Dignitaries included Mayor Dean Maxwell, […]
Vikings visit Bowman Bay
History shows the Vikings made it to the East Coast of North America a few hundred years ago. It took them until Sunday, March 21 to hit the beach at Bowman Bay in Deception Pass State Park. A couple of dozen Whatcom County residents in period costume descended on the park over the weekend in […]
Viking boat
Bowman Bay “went Hollywood” Sunday as a film crew from the Discovery Channel gathered with area “stars” to film part of a documentary on Viking boats. Local blacksmith and artist Paul Thorne was on hand, as was boat builder Jay Smith. Smith built a 21-foot Faering boat … an 850 A.D. era vessel that would […]
Garden delights
Our gardens are hardly in full bloom yet, but this is an exciting time of the year, when splashes of color begin to draw the eye. Cherry blossoms and tulips are bursting forth in neighbor Yoshi’s yard, conveniently on the perimeter so I’m not guilty of any major space violations. The other two flowers are […]
Floating Boat Show
Some come with serious intentions, others simply to “window shop.” Regardless, the annual Floating Boat Show at Cap Sante Marina in Anacortes is an event in keeping with the Pacific Northwest tradition. For many who live in this corner of the world, it’s all about water. Options in this community are unlimited. You can purchase […]
Annual Soroptimist honors
It was an afternoon of recognition Tuesday, March 9 when the 80-member Soroptimist International of Anacortes presented “Making a Difference for Women” awards to several individuals and organizations. The club’s Women of Distinction award went to Martha Clure, Jean Fantini and Sally Miller. Their Women Helping Women award went to Diana Berge and the Northwest […]