Views of Sequim, the Olympic Peninsula. . .and beyond
Last weekend was our annual Lavender Festival. I ventured out to meet friends last Friday and nipped through downtown on errands. Traffic was heavy enough to keep me home the rest of the weekend. There’s still plenty of lavender left for anyone looking for a quieter scene.
We don’t have a lot of fences in our neighborhood. As a result, we often have deer in our yard and this time of year we seem to have lots of them. The young ones, especially, haven’t figured out what they’re not supposed to eat according to the “Sunset Garden Book.” This year one or more of them decided that nasturtiums qualified as a good meal and mowed through a good third of mine. That’s a first. I think I know which one it is. I shoo’d it away just as it was about to sample my iris, another plant that’s supposed to be deer resistant.
Yesterday I looked down and you saw footprints. Today I look up and you see a light post. It’s at the Seven Cedars casino.
The bluffs at Dungeness Recreation Area are partially composed of powdery, fine sands. On this particular day light, blown sand mapped out the day’s activities by walkers and bicyclists.
When I moved to Sequim I was newly retired. I hadn’t really done any kind of craft since childhood. The next spring a visit with my sister-in-law changed everything. I learned just enough to be dangerous and ventured into the craft supply store Doodlebugs for the first time. It felt like I’d walked into Nirvana. I was hooked and Doodlebugs had my drug.
Doodlebugs taught me all the basics. They had every tool I needed and demonstrated how to use them, one-on-one. They had “make and take” mini-classes that helped me start making handmade greeting cards. And they had top quality paper and supplies to keep me going. If they sold it it was good quality, it worked.
Cathy, shown here, her mom Mary, and their niece/granddaughter Kayla have provided the best customer service in a town filled with helpful people. They remember names, take time to talk, help solve problems. They are artists. And if they don’t have what you want they’ll order it for you.
They haven’t been able to compete with Internet competition and, now, the new Michael’s store. Since I learned they were closing I have spent hours wandering in the store. I’ve purchased more paper than I can conceivably use and then I purchased a couple of their paper rack fixtures. I stand around, talking, visiting with my friend Judy who keeps showing up, as I do, because neither of us wants to leave or let go. It’s a happy place, full of creative possibilities and good memories.
Doodlebugs will close on August 4th. They will strengthen their online presence so they won’t disappear entirely. If you’re local and they’ve helped you, brightened your day, or had what you needed, stop by and thank them. Stock up. And support them online if you can.
Am I sad? Yeah. That just begins to cover it.
Seen in a car window.
These plump little native berries ripen at the height of summer. They feed birds, wildlife, and passing walkers like us who look forward to them every year. Abundant rains this spring assured a good crop. They’re not the tastiest of mini fruits but a handful of them on our salad the other night was a nice addition. I’m told they’re high in antioxidants. They’re also called Saskatoons.