Day Trip to Whidbey Island

It was time to tend the garden again at the cabin on Whidbey Island.  We have been busy, and will be busy, so we decided to just make a day trip out of it.

We were up early since we both found ourselves wide awake at 6:00, even though we had gone to a soccer game the night before and were still tired.  Leaving by 7:30, we were in the rush hour traffic on the freeway through Seattle, of course.  But we made the 9:00 ferry at Mukilteo, where the fog was just beginning to clear.

It has been so very dry and the garden was looking sad.  We spent several hours clipping and weeding and eliminating.  Then we began setting sprinklers to bring some life back to the thirsty plants. 

It was about noon as we sat on the bench here in the front garden to rest and to talk about what changes we might make in the future to accommodate climate change, with dryer and warmer weather.  This garden doesn't get regular tending or watering, so we will need less needy plants.  Much of what we originally planted here were starts from our garden in town, which were free, of course.  Now, over these ten years, we see what does well in this sandy, often dry soil, and what doesn't. This fall we will have to start making some changes.  Things will be pretty burnt up by then.

That work done, we had the afternoon to relax and play resort.  The sun was shining and the temps were rising. I took a walk on the beach.

 An immature eagle was sitting on an old piling.

 It didn't appreciate my intrusion, so it took off.  I only had my iPhone 5 with me, so the pics aren't that great, but you get the idea. 

After lunch, we took a walk on Sunlight Beach Road. There's always something new to check out along the road in our beach neighborhood: new construction, a new remodeling job, new landscaping, something in bloom. 

This home recently added a very cute greenhouse in their front yard.

 The winter tawny color of the wetlands is now replaced with new green cattail growth. 

 We love the poppies on this above ground septic system. 

 The tide never got high enough to fill the lagoon today, so there was no sky mirror. 

I spent some time sitting on the deck in the sun reading and some time in the cabin with the breeze blowing through the open doors. It was a lazy afternoon. 

About 6:00 we rounded up our gear, stopped in Clinton for dinner, and then caught the ferry to return home.

The day felt like summer.  It was wonderful.