Category: Celebrations

The Lavender Festival, 2

Yesterday’s weather wouldn’t have thrilled sun-worshipers, but the lavender at Jardin du Soleil was bright enough to make a lavender lover happy.

Purple Haze Lavender has beautiful fields in all directions, rain or shine.

And the fields at Olympic Lavender Farm were a vivid contrast to a grey day.

This display of plants for sale at Lost Mountain Lavender would have visitors believe that life is just a bed of lavender in Sequim.

I understand that the farmers who make up the Sequim Lavender Farmers Association are a cooperative group and supportive of one another. But at times while visiting the farms on the Lavender Farm Tour it seems like they’re all trying to be tops in having beautiful vistas across fields of fragrant lavender. It’s quite a treat.

The Lavender Festival, 1

After a day of off-and-on rain Friday, Saturday’s Lavender Farm Faire enjoyed a respite. We checked out Sunshine Herb & Lavender Farm. Above is a view of one of their garden areas. Sunshine is where we tasted our first lavender latte and remembered it as the best ever. After yesterday’s resampling it continues to hold the honors.

Like most of our lavender farms, Sunshine has its own line of lavender products including scented lotions and lavender-infused culinary products (yes, I came home with some!). The farm cultivates some 65 different types of lavender on 10 acres and sells plants. Its farm store is open year round.

Paddle journey

Native American and Canadian First Nations paddlers in traditional canoes will arrive in Jamestown today on their way to a weeklong potlatch at Squaxin Island near Shelton, WA. The Paddle to Squaxin 2012 is this year’s version of a now annual cultural revival. Tribe members from Western Washington and Canada paddle to the potlatch location, stopping for celebrations hosted by local tribes along the waterway routes. Tonight the Jamestown S’Klallam will welcome up to 25 canoes from 10 to 12 tribes on their way to Squaxin.

The potlatch at the final destination is hosted by a different tribe each year. I took these photos two years ago as paddlers journeyed to the Makah Reservation at Neah Bay. The canoes were gorgeous. Many were hand carved from cedar logs. They can carry eight or more paddlers, called “pullers.” There are formal landing and departure protocols at each landing site and tribes sing and dance during their visits.

My kind of grafitti, 2 of 2

Yarn bombing is a seemingly spontaneous art movement that’s popped up around the world. But to look at some of the work that’s now on display in Sequim, it seems like lots of people kept themselves busy all winter.

I can imagine conversations: “Now that looks interesting. What are you working on?” “Oh, just a little something for a chilly looking bike rack.”

The daffodil at top was in one of the “flower beds” on the plaza where this was taken.

I had a hard time deciding which photos to post. There were wrapped and garlanded trees, other decorated benches, and a snake draped over a street sign. It’s a unique and cheerful sight. Thank you, Fiber Arts Bombadiers!