Off the Beaten Track

On Sunday, since we decided to head straight for the US Canada border, we had time take a few side trips off the freeway to prowl around in a couple of places we would otherwise never get to. 

The first stop was Fairhaven, the historic district of Bellingham. Of course DJan was on my mind when we prowled around her favorite bookstore, Village Books, and the Village Green. 

Mr. Twain and I shared a book. That bubble coming out of my head says ,"The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read." -Mark Twain. 

Of course this plant and flower shop caught our eye. 

We browsed in this great glass gallery also. 

Then we stopped at the Starbucks just off the freeway for lunch. I was eating yogurt by now, trying to settle an overindulged digestive system. 

Since Chuckanut Drive is no longer a through highway. we drove south on I-5 to the Bow Hill Road exit, for a stop in a couple of tiny towns in farm country in the Samish Bay region, north of the Skagit Valley. 

I hadn't slept well Saturday night and I was wearing down, so I forgot to take any photos, just enjoying the here and now. These are "borrowed" photos from the Internet. 

It has been quite a few years since we happened upon the Samish Bay Cheese Company in Bow. I think this sign dates back to its origins. 

It used to be located in the old creamery shed of the old dairy barn, but it now has a great little store front with tables for enjoying the local product on site. 

 We sampled several cheeses, and made our selection.

Both are aged, expensive, and very good, and great with fruit, which is how we'll enjoy them. 

After leaving the creamery, we spent a while prowling around a "junk" shop in Bow, looking for treasures. We didn't find any, but looking is fun. 

Our next, and last stop, was in nearby Edison, where the bakery is the big attraction. Again, these are borrowed photos. 

 Tom bought one of those Kouign-Amann to eat at home later. He reports that it was very good. 

 I bought a pack of Hazelnut espresso shortbread cookies. 

 I've eaten one so far. They are very good too. 

We watched them making potato bread loaves when we were there, much like this photo. 

And by then we really wanted to go home. The traffic had other ideas though, and there was about an hour delay getting through what seemed like mostly open country between the Skagit Valley and Everett. 

But we made it home, got things unpacked, and then Tom took a two hour nap while I caught up on mail, email, putting stuff away, putting out the trash and recycle bins for Monday morning, eating a light supper, and the rest is a blur until I woke up Monday morning, not quite caught up on my sleep, but good enough. 

For a trip that we made up as we went along, it turned out pretty well. We were not disappointed.