Views of Sequim, the Olympic Peninsula. . .and beyond
The Blue Mountain Transfer Station is open again for regular operations, collecting trash as well as the usual recycling operations. Hours are Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The building you see here replaces one that burned down last November, closing the facility for several months, then reducing collection to recycling only until recently.
The Swan Hotel in Port Townsend has several tiny cottages that fill the fantasy of a leisurely summer day, watching the world go by.
In May, 1792 English Captain George Vancouver led an expedition with the yawl Discovery and cutter Chatham through the region now known as Puget Sound. He and his men were the first Europeans to explore the area and in the course of charting the waters names of his crew were affixed to local landmarks.
Vancouver’s crew used longboats for many of their voyages and two replicas are currently used by the Northwest Maritime Center in youth leadership and maritime training programs. Shown under sail, these boats also have eight rowing stations.
On Monday of this week divers retrieved off the coast of Whitbey Island an anchor they contend was one lost by the Chatham during the 1792 expedition. In several weeks it will be sent to Texas A&M University for verification of its age. Until then it will be on display at the Maritime Center. I hope to take a look at it before it goes. Stay tuned!
Grasses are tall and the weather’s been right for haying. Farmers have been working dawn to dusk to, well, make hay while the sun shines. This time of year you can see all manner of equipment in fields as the hay is cut, furrowed into rows, baled, and then hauled away. The unit above is one of those you can see this time of year at work and driving on the road. It doesn’t look like more familiar farm equipment. And I couldn’t quite figure it out by just looking at it so I stopped the other day to see how it’s put to work.
This unit comes onto the field after the hay’s been baled. The triangular unit at the front right scoops up each bale and feeds it behind the cab. I think there might be a short conveyor. One by one the bales land on the large platform behind the cab.
Once the platform is full the whole unit is raised until it’s vertical.
The bales are then pressed into a stack and pushed back to join a growing cargo of hay bales. Pretty cool, no? The whole operation is interesting to watch and now, of course, I’m curious to see how a load is removed at the other end. Perhaps another day.
The eagerly-awaited signs are up on the road announcing that strawberries are ready to pick and the true believers were at work yesterday at Cameron’s. This group picked the goods for the Strawberry Jam Queen — hidden behind the man in shorts — 36 pounds of big, plump berries, destined for “outrageously delicious” homemade jam.
It’s a wonderful pastime for pickers of all ages and the rewards are heavenly. At $1.75 a pound it’s a good deal on delicious fruit and a great way for kids to learn where food comes from.
Though the field is sheltered by trees, there’s still a nice view of the Olympic Mountains in the background.
I rarely fail to see and admire a small herd of Shire draft horses that live and work at a farm on Kitchen-Dick Road. It was a car-stopping event on Saturday when we saw two of them harnessed and working.
John previously lived and farmed in Eastern Washington. He’s been in Sequim for 10 years. He teaches horse handling and has the skills of a traditional farmer: welder, blacksmith, and the woodworking skills to make wheels. And he’s a great conversationalist.
The sweet and beautiful horses patiently waited for us as we talked. “They’re happy as long as they’re not working,” said John.
And then it was time to get back to work. John is going to plant potatoes and 19 kinds of garlic are growing to the left. If you want to see more of his horses and operation, Google “High Bridge Shires Blog.” (Sorry. I can’t get the link to work.)
The fire this past Monday at Baja Cantina and Sequim Consignment Co. raged for about four hours. The cause has yet to be determined and announced. One thing is certain: it was devastating.
Enroute to a call, two passing EMTs saw smoke pouring from under the eaves. One stayed here and evacuated people from the buildings while the other responded to the call.
I worked for a nonprofit years ago that experienced a total loss fire like this at its operational headquarters. “Heartbreaking” barely begins to describe it.