Christianson's Nursery & Greenhouse: A Must Stop in the Skagit Valley

It is always a good day when I can visit Christianson's Greenhouse and Nursery. It's a little wonderland of plants and possibilities in the Skagit Valley.

So on this particular day last year, my friend Amy and I had driven up to the area  with no set agenda. Our goal was to see tulips and have a chance to talk; the best kind of Spring afternoon. We drove to Christianson's to get in the mood for spring. Everything looked beautiful. And this is where Amy found some wonderful chocolate tile "paint" sets. I'll write about them soon.

At Christianson's, they have a lovely gift shop full of unique housewares, beautiful books and special antiques. Guess what I found? I actually made squeaking sounds when I noticed it on the shelf...

                                          
A covered casserole in my beloved formal china pattern Lavinia by Spode (covered with black raspberries)! Cab you believe it? I did not have this piece and I was over the moon. What a thrill. To my knowledge, my pattern was never sold in the United States, so we had to order pieces from Canada for our wedding registry. I've only seen the full collection on display in Bermuda; that's how rare these dishes have been for me, so finding this piece in my pattern was shocking and wonderful.

This casserole is oven-safe and I will bake my heart out with side dishes galore. 

My china pattern AND tulips, this was a delightful day.

#skagitvalley #gardencenter #lavinia #antiquefind

Tulip Time in the Pacific Northwest: Tulip Town

I was lucky and had 2 occasions to drive up to the Skagit Valley to appreciate the tulips last year at this exact time. It was so relaxing and so beautiful, I need to encourage you to jump in the car.

This post shows the photos when my friend Amy & I drove up to see Tulip Town. We looked around the grounds, and in the gift shop but the highlight was the hayride around the square field. 

I think I may need to print some photos of tulips and frame them for my kitchen; could there be a better way to add a touch of pink?

We had a great day to take photos and play hooky. I brought us cheese, apples & crackers to snack on in case we didn't find a place for lunch and that worked out perfectly. The traffic can be gridlocked during peak bloom and these are 2-lane country roads. It is best to have a snack along.

Isn't this wonderful? Has it been years since you drove up to see the tulips? If you time it right (maybe mid week?), I know you would love it.

When Gourds Are Art: Gordon Skagit Farms

Last year, when I saw the gorgeous photos about family-run Gordon Skagit Farms that were published in the September issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine, I wrote "Gordon Skagit Farm Oct 1-31" in the sidebar of my calendar for October 2022. 

Do you ever do that? Make yourself notes so you don't miss the good stuff? Then I color copied the article and mailed it to my GardenComm friend who writes for the Seattle Times with a Post It saying, "We're going!" I like to let people know when I'm making big plans.

We went on a weekday afternoon to be able to take photos without the crowds. The selection is staggering. It's a wonderful to buy every color of unique gourd, squash and pumpkin right from the farm that grew them. We were told that they are experimenting with breeding too, so you may see some exclusive varieties when you visit. 

All of the displays are photo ready and I loved it. Why wouldn't you display your medium to its advantage? Honor the product. 

The specimens were beautiful and there were plenty of open areas to let your mind wander. There's room to think about what you really want in different displays at your home or business. It's terrific. And there are different color stories everywhere so you can consider everything. Here is a master list of pumpkin varieties to help you identify some favorites.

And bird house gourds! My mom and Dan have successfully converted a bird house gourd into a birdhouse - you can see it here. I bought my mom 2 gourds on this trip because I just couldn't decide.

There were other displays that made me want to question everything. The paintings (I assume created by Eddie because he mentioned sketching the large owl on Instagram) are incredible. This vignette (above) is worth the drive north to the Skagit Valley. To see the colors of the squash echoed up onto the canvas and then the trees and changing leaves reflecting down, with a false perspective of the farm going far into the distance blew my mind. I stood there thinking about how the squash, which Eddie grew, were as important to this painting as the paint. I wondered about a lot of things and none of it had to do with a pumpkin farm, which was weird. I was blown away and I didn't tell Eddie either, which is wrong. 

But I was in a family business, and I respect that the season to sell is S-H-O-R-T. He was busy with the day to day, and I could see that the gourds, squash and pumpkins the family had grown were the focus. There will be time to talk about art later. But holy cow, the art on site that supports the farm is stunning.

This year the farm opened to the public September 27 and was open through Halloween. We had a glorious day to walk around and explore. You must get out a pen and write "Gordon Skagit Farm" in the margin of your October 2023 calendar, ok?

I'd like to bring a large group of friends here for an afternoon next Fall. Wouldn't that be neat? Shopping the local nurseries and gift shops, having coffee and pie and then stopping here for heirloom pumpkins?

It's easy to make it sound good.

They have a small farm stand that sells local produce and honey too. I loved it and I am so pleased to have visited. I will be back again and again. Happy Fall everyone. And be sure to tell others when you find a treasure.

Bald Eagles: Daytrip to Nooksack River

We had heard several first hand accounts of eagles feasting on fish in the Nooksack River and we finally had a beautiful day for a drive. Dan, my mom and I packed hats, gloves, cameras and snacks in the car and headed on a 2-hour drive north on New Years Day.

We stopped in Mt. Vernon and I was able to locate the farm-to-table restaurant that my friend, Amy and I ate at on our way to the Vintage Spring Market at the Skagit Valley Fairgrounds last year. The restaurant is called 3rd Street Cafe and it is run by the Skagit Valley Food Co-op. We had a delicious burgers (and one breakfast plate - oh the bacon!) and had a nice break from the car before we drove farther north.

For some reason the wind was bitter cold when we arrived around 3 in the afternoon. We learned that most of the eagles had passed through the area in mid-December (so inconvenient for me!) but we were able to see at least 20 eagles in different spots as we observed the area over the course of an hour.

This fellow seemed much closer in person and I think he enjoyed posing for us. There were at least 6 more eagles in the tree far above him. We were on the map at Nooksack River near Mosquito Lake Road (see link). We relied on that "Welcome Grocery Store" for snacks and other necessities. 

While we were out, we saw a boat marked Skagit River Tours in the water, so I'm including a link to their site: Skagit River Eagle Tours. Despite their name, they also take tours on the Nooksack River. I encourage you to watch the video on their site called "Virtual Eagle Tour." You can hear the birds and enjoy seeing the area exactly as I saw it. 
Magnificent Bald Eagles in their natural environment. It's fantastic! 

We left at 10:30 am and arrived back in town around 6 pm. It was a great day looking at the scenery, trying to name mountains and enjoying the s-u-n. If this is January in Washington (clear and 40 degrees), I'm in.

#baldeagles #daytrip #seattle #pacificnorthwest 

Blackberry Jam: Sky Harvest Blackberries Have to be Seen to be Believed

You had to see it to believe it - giant blackberries from Nate Youngquist of Sky Harvest Produce (Skagit Valley) purchased at the Ballard Farmer's Market. Stop a minute and look at how big this berry is in my hand! Exceptional. I bought 4 pints and turned them into a small batch of beautiful jam with the help of my FreshTech Automatic Home Canning System. 

I love this machine and regret that, due to moving and packing, I have only been able to use it twice (ever!) before this. That is a travesty. I made some funny declaration yesterday that I would use it weekly from now on and after this successful batch, I just might!

The recipe makes 6 half pint jars (only 5 fit in the canner at once, so the remainder is in the refrigerator being devoured fresh). I cut fabric circles to cover the jars and secured them with a simple rubber band. I chose unique fabrics to highlight the deep purple jam. Red & white check fabric felt too cutesy for this beautiful blend.

#jammaking #ballcanning #smallbatch #blackberryseason #finddelight

Spring Market at the Skagit Valley Fairgrounds

The Spring Market at the Skagit Valley Fairgrounds was exactly what I was hoping it would be: a kooky mix of vintage finds, garden art and upcycled items to buy and blend into your own décor. I had collected a handful of promotional fliers for upcoming antique shows at the Vintage Garden Market section within the Northwest Flower & Garden Show. Show exhibitors were promoting their upcoming events and I noticed that all of "the good ones" were going to be selling their wares at this Spring Market.

I invited a new friend of mine named Amy to come along on a day of gallivanting around the Skagit Valley. I told her that I'd pick her up at 10, we'd drive 1 1/2 hours up to the fairgrounds and spend as long as we wanted shopping the fair. It was a beautiful day and we had high hopes. This market was fun because almost every booth had flower arrangements for sale or moss covered baskets or little live plants in interesting pots. It made the rusty-dusty items seem bright and happy.

Our adventure paid off almost immediately! I collect Chelsea china and I am always on the hunt for dinner plates and unusual serving pieces - score! I bought these 3 open pedestal cups and one large dinner plate from the first booth I looked in! I tried to explain to Amy what a unique find this was and she was tickled that I found something right off the bat.

I noticed that many booths had botanical prints and some of the drawings had been glittered. They weren't necessarily old, but they were beautiful and interesting. I haven't glittered anything in a while and it made me want to get back into it.

Amy and I were both drawn to a booth full of vintage watch parts called Steam Punk Junq. I knew immediately that I'd like to buy a few sets of watch faces and make a necklace by combining them with vintage buttons. You can see how my first necklace (above) is taking shape.

We went to this show on April 1st and Easter was right around the corner. Many of the booths had vintage Easter cards and decorations. Amy found a set of Easter cookie cutters in their original box in this booth. So sweet!

We had a wonderful time and even managed to drive around and see the fields of yellow daffodils in bloom. It was a great day. Meet you there next year?

*NOTE: 2018 This event name and date seems to have changed. I'll confirm and post new info here.

#springmarket #girlfriend #shoppingday #skagitvalley

Skagit Valley Daffoldils: April 1

"This is Anne Reeves, reporting from the Skagit Valley..."

It's gorgeous in the valley, but the tulips are not ready! Spring has been late this year. Don't worry, just give it a little time. If you are in the area and need a lift after a long winter, there are fields of yellow daffoldils in bloom. 

What I love about this modern age is that you can "like" a Facebook Page for an event (Skagit Valley Tulip Festival) and get real time photos. When the flowers make the festival, we all need current information to show up at the right time.

I was in the Mt. Vernon area for the April 1st Vintage Spring Market at the Skagit Valley Fairgrounds and my friend and I drove the tulip route in case we could see some signs of spring. These daffodils were just what we needed!

Tulips in the Valley: A Day Trip for Everyone

I want you to think of a day trip to see the tulips in the Skagit Valley as a perk. If you are within driving distance, you should see it.

It is a wonder of the world - one that happens once a year and gets everyone talking. How could you be within driving distance and not go? It's worth it for the Christmas card photo opportunities alone! In a nutshell, the day consists of driving on paved roads admiring the fields (see the yellow and red rows above) and stopping to take photographs - selfie sticks encouraged.

When you are ready to see the tulips up close and in arranged gardens, head to RoozenGaarde or Tulip Town. Before you leave home, be sure to visit the Skagit Tulip Festival website and print the bloom map so that you know which turns to take through the farmland.

After driving around the area, we parked at RoozenGaarde and had a picnic in our car before heading into the formal gardens. The area does have a snack bar, visitor tent with picnic tables (for shade, cover or warmth, depending on the weather) and porta-pottys. Their gift shop is wonderful and I know that you'll want a memento. Of course, they also have a tulip tent where the bulbs you have admired are available for order.

Could we have had a prettier day? Dan had a vacation day on Good Friday and there was sun in the forecast. Everybody get in the car! My mom has spent the winter out in Washington and she has been talking about seeing the tulip fields in bloom for months. I was so very happy that we had a beautiful day to show off our new part of the country. See my post featuring the daffodils here.

RooseGaarde has formal areas planted around their property (most labelled with the variety) and you can bring camping chairs or a picnic blanket to sit on the open lawn and just soak up the beauty of Spring.

There are beautiful plantings everywhere you look and as you can see, the bulbs are in full swing right now. This is a parrot tulip (below). I love the curled edges and touches of green on the apricot petals.

Grab some friends and insist on a road trip to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival in Washington. It will give you the Visual Vitamins TM that you need after a long rainy Winter. 

Field of Yellow Daffodils: A Day Trip to Skagit Valley

How did we luck out? Not only did the rain hold off, but the sun came out and the daffodils were in FULL bloom on Good Friday! Dan had the day off and we brought my mom along with us on a day trip to the Skagit Valley.

The last time we drove to the tulip festival, the tulips were in full swing, but most of the daffodils had faded. This time the field behind RoozenGaarde was vibrant yellow. 

We left Issaquah around 10:15 in the morning and arrived at RoosenGaarde by noon. Before heading over to the visitor area, we had a picnic lunch in the car (Turkey & Swiss sandwiches, pickles, lemonade, coffee and oatmeal raisin cookies). By then the sun was out, and we bought our $5 tickets to get into the visitor area to admire the extensive tulip plantings. The 2016 fields should be blooming until the 3rd week of April - go see it for yourself!

Note: We always bring a picnic on a road trip; it has saved us many times when restaurants were too few and far between. Also bring 2 cameras, a trash bag, antibacterial wet wipes, extra water bottles, a blanket and collapsible camping chairs.

I will be writing more about details of our visit in a few days. You have most of April to visit the tulips in the Skagit Valley - start planning!