Town and Country Gardens Tour: rain garden

Saturday, 22 July 2022

Elma, Washington

WSU Master Gardeners of Grays Harbor and Pacific Counties present:

interlude

Between gardens one and two, we passed some interesting homes.

a small home with a beloved tiny garden

sidewalk unkempt and kempt

Garden two: A Rain Garden Reigns

One of the purposes of Master Gardener tours is to educate on ideas for your garden, in this case, a rain garden. This was a new garden which I would love to see again in a couple of years. We will stop by to at least look into the front garden if we are ever passing through Elma.

Through the gate into the side yard is the new rain garden. I would love to see a plant list of what gardener Valorie chose to plant here. My rollator and I would block the sidewalk if we stood there for very long, so we didn’t linger.

The purpose of the garden is to absorb water from the roof. It will be interesting to see in the winter when full of rain and will suggest on the Facebook post about the tour that photos of the garden could be shared there as it grows.

interlude

On the way to the next garden, we saw a spectacular old house.

Next: a beautiful and educational volunteer garden at the county fairgrounds.

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Town and Country Gardens tour: an old garden made new

Saturday, 22 July 2023

Elma, Washington

WSU Master Gardeners of Grays Harbor and Pacific Counties present:

garden one: Making an Old Garden New

The first garden was also the site of the Master Gardeners’ plant sale.

A good legal sign, which I keep meaning to copy for any day that I might open my garden to guests:

The street-facing garden beds were all shrubs that had proven to be deer resistant, we learned, with the exception of Euonymous alatus (burning bush), which the deer find delectable. The trees and shrubs were well spaced and pleasing to walk among on the paths by the house.

Down the side garden, to and from the plant sale…

…and around to the front of the garden.

The lawn in the front and side garden had some experiments in progress.

We entered the enclosed back garden of many seating areas. I heard several tour guests saying how much they liked it.

Garden owner and creator Ann’s chosen bark mulch was aged enough to not have that new bark smell that one often runs across on garden tours and was mostly a dark brown colour of which I heartily approve.

A stumpery corner would be good for critters.

This fenced garden, mostly off to one side of the house, offered privacy without being overlooked.

I regret that we somehow missed the outdoor room described in the progam as containing compost bins and greenhouse! A bad oversight for a compost lover like me.

I returned to peruse the rest of the front garden.

The katsura tree inspired many identification questions.

The other side of the garden was bordered by an alley rather than sidewalk and street.

How very much I love and miss alleys. I used to so enjoy taking alley exploration walks in Seattle, and had an alley at the back of my garden there.

I returned along the sidewalk. As you can see, the lot is wide, giving much room for a beautiful front garden.

And then we were off to the second of six gardens.

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13 Sept: unexpected road trip

Tuesday, 13 September 2022

Before our planned all day work session in Long Beach, I made what I thought would be a futile call to my ear doctor’s office in Longview to see if I could get an earlier appointment than October 4th. They had a cancellation at 2:45 today. I took it! We hurried to leave because I might have time to visit a an excellent nursery before the appointment; it’s only 4 minutes from the clinic.

We drove on the Oregon side of the Columbia, thinking it might be faster. Going over the Astoria Megler bridge, some construction stopped us for a few minutes, enabling a photo looking west and one looking east.

I like the Washington side better…It is quieter and more bucolic, although it does have some cliffs with “falling rocks” that make me nervous. I tried for a photo of the heavily industrial look of the lumberyards as we approached the bridge that takes us back to Washington State and Longview.

We did get there in time for 45 minutes at one of my favourite nurseries.

815 Westside Highway, Kelso, Washington

The aisles are narrow and packed with trees and shrubs, some unlabeled.

My mission was conifers to block our south view. I didn’t have time for deep browsing. I almost bought this…

..but then bought a two gallon size for just about $12 because I think it will root in better to hold up to wind. The price for the large tree was amazingly inexpensive at $75. I’ve seen trees this size for $200 and up.

I am pretty sure I found a Cryptomeria ‘Sekkan’, but neither I nor the nursery owner or manager could remember the name. I remembered it as soon as we left. If the new growth in spring is white, I’ll know my ID is correct.

I was deeply thrilled to find a mountain hemlock. All for incredible, wonderful prices. If only I’d had more time.

M&T Nursery makes me very happy.

My appointment at the clinic revealed that whatever is going in is an inner ear problem, not what the local clinic was able to diagnose. My right ear drum doesn’t move at all. I’ll take a short dose of steroids, give them time to work and go back in five weeks. Then, the kind Dr. Priyanka O’Brien will put a tube in my ear drum if all else has failed. This doesn’t not scare me because it means I can go to M&T Nursery again, my only fear being that in late October, it might be unexpectedly closed on a weekday. (Their phone just rang and rang when I called today to see if they were open.) I wish I’d gone back for an hour after the appointment. Could have should have.

Instead, we left Longview by an industrial road after just avoiding being shunted back over the bridge to Oregon. Groups of pickets lined the streets; Weyerhauser lumber workers had just gone on strike, and for good reason. Local supporters had set up a long table with a barbecue feast in one area.

“An IAM [International Association of Machinists] spokesman told the Longview Daily News Monday the latest contract was voted down because general wage increases were too low; some vacation time was cut; employees were asked to pay for healthcare premiums for the first time since at least around the 1990s; and retirement benefits weren’t improved.

Weyerhaeuser reported its “2021 financial performance was the strongest on record,” and a roughly 69% increase in net earnings from 2020 to 2021, according to a January press release.

We gave this group a thumbs up.

On the way back, we stopped at Cathlamet so Allan could look at a boat launch. What a darling town. I would like to live there. As soon as we were on the two lane quiet highway heading home, I wished we had stopped and taken more photos of the historic houses, large and small.

Cathlamet’s banners are so much friendlier and so much more specific to place than Ilwaco’s angry eagles and “support our troops” banners.

There also one that says “Small Town, Big Heart”.

My new trees now await our next days off, two days hence. I had been worried slightly all day about the effect of leaving the Long Beach watering for another day. Lesson learned, don’t postpone work, as we did Monday, because you are sure you can do it the next day.

Our route: There on 30, back on 4

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Castle Rock Bloomin’ Tour: The Gardens at Sandy Bend

Saturday, 7 September 2019

Castle Rock, Washington

 The Gardens at Sandy Bend 

The last private garden belonged to plantswoman Nancy, who is the Castle Rock Bloom Team Leader of the  downtown volunteer gardens program, Castle Rock Blooms.  You can find her on Facebook at The Plant Station.  We had already admired her opulent container plantings at the Partridge’s garden.  More big containers marked the parking area at her home.

I wish I could grow abutilons as huge as hers.

I think it takes more heat than we get at the beach—and I don’t like heat—but wow!

Abutilon ‘Red Tiger’ planted in the ground.

Her tomato display also credited the warmer inland weather.

Below the parking area, I was drawn to a magnificent shrub border (and later I heard her invoke the name Dan Hinkley about at least one of the specimens).

Allan said, “That car won’t hold many plants.” I thought it toned well with the big cotinus (smoke bush).

Nancy has Buddleja lindleyana and assured me that it is not on the invasive list, backing up my research with authority.  It does not set seed, she said, but does spread from runners (as I know, which is why I have three now).

Buddleja lindleyana

Looking back to the house…

entering the front garden

variegated climbing hydrangea

on the porch

For some reason, an attack of the shys I guess, I did not go onto the enticing porch.  Allan did:

Allan’s photo

I did look thoroughly at the intricate planting in the entry garden.

Abutilon ‘China Bells’

 I am pretty sure that the tree below is one that had us all circling and admiring and wanting to identify on a Hardy Plant Study weekend tour a few years ago.  Nancy’s labeling is superb so today all I had to do was read the tag.

‘Trost Dwarf’ birch

I was lured into an enticing winding woodland path, similar to the one at The Gardens at Stillmeadows.

The Secret Trail

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo, deer fence?

Allan was coming the opposite way.

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

wisteria climbing a ladder and tree

returning to civilization; note the giant greenhouse to the left

This must be where Allan entered the secret trail:

Allan’s photo

I meant to explore that path…

Next to the greenhouse, I was about to fall in love.

This kitten had come to visit from next door.

Its fur was even softer than my Smoky’s fur.

Nancy works with Proven Winners and the local high school students to test new PW plants and to propagate plants for the downtown gardens.

On the back porch is some more of her container magic.

I turned away from the back garden because of a couple of railing-less steps and because of a kitten distraction.  Usually, I would find my way around the other side of the house to avoid the steps.  Somehow I managed to miss the whole back area.

Allan took some photos but said he did not realize he was the only one photographing it.

I missed a pond with fish!

When Allan and I reunited…

…he did not know that I had not found the back yard garden.

We talked with Nancy about the downtown gardens and saw the fertilizer and pots that they use.

The hanging baskets have a water saving system that Nancy says actually cuts down on watering. It was a pleasure to talk with her about the Castle Rock gardens, mostly maintained by volunteers (although the city crew waters the baskets).

Proven Winners had provided stacks of free catalogs.

As you will see, the Proven Winners partnership with the volunteers is helping Castle Rock’s downtown gardens thrive, and the hanging baskets are amazing.

As we left, the kitten was being petted by a little girl. I saw this road with bamboo and banana trees…

…and I might have found a vegetable garden had I walked back there.  In fact, as I wrote this, Allan said “There was a second garden down there that may have been hers!”  No wonder it is called the Gardens (plural!) at Sandy Bend! Next year, when I hope it will be on the Bloomin’ Tour again, I am determined to miss nothing of this place.

By now, it was 3:40 PM.  Our plan to see all the nurseries and private gardens by 4 PM (tour end time) had worked perfectly.  I would even have had time to see that back garden!  Now we still had daylight to find four floriferous public gardens in Castle Rock.

 

 

 

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21 July: morning at Markham Farm

Sunday, 21 July 2019

Markham Farm

morning sun, tea and a pastry at the cottage

We were honored to be able to stay at the cottage, which is really not used as a guest cottage.  It is more of a library.  The real guest rooms are up some stairs in the old farmhouse, and Terri and Bill were so kind to offer us a one story dwelling out of sympathy for my physical problems.

We packed our belongings and drove down to the barn so that we’d be ready to go garden touring later.

by the driveway

Ilsa awaiting company

Teresa of The Planter Box had already arrived from an overnight at Ocean Shores, and Kilyn and Peter soon arrived from their campground at Ocean City.

Peter and Ilsa

We walked all around the garden.

The European bladdernut tree (Staphylea pinnata)

Ilsa, Kylin and me

Teucrium ‘Purple Tails’ and a rose

a bright little bird

Woody, the old blind horse, is over 30 years old.

one of many hydrangeas

garden art

Terri, Teresa, and Kilyn

more hydrangeas

smokin’ smoke bush

another idea I want to copy (if I can find a big enough pot)

We found a frog by Waldo Pond, named because one looks for frogs in the pond like “Where’s Waldo”, and of course, a pun on Walden Pond.  As usual, it took me a long time before the pun dawned on me.

Allan’s photo

More frogs were in the pond. (Allan’s photo)

The beautiful water globe was a Costco find.

Barry

the blueberry field (for the birds)

We went down the trail to the beach.

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo, Teresa and Ilsa

Back to the garden…

Gus

We went down the east slope to see the river of Geranium ‘Rozanne’.

at the bottom of the hill

a side path on the way up

looking down

After our Markham morning, we caravaned in three vehicles to visit Cindy’s garden, just a few minutes away.

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20 July: evening at Markham Farm

Saturday, 20 July 2019

Markham Farm

We arrived back at our guest cottage at 6:45 and had a look at the little garden there, where I saw tadpoles in the pond.

Allan’s photo

After a brief rest, I walked on down to the farm ahead of Allan.  The evening sun highlighted the garden bed that I saw the first time we visited here two years ago; I remembered that moment when I knew we had arrived at a wonderful place.

While I am not well traveled, I have toured dozens of Pacific Northwest gardens and this is my favourite of all.

One of the reasons I love this garden best: It has horses.

Gus

Woody (Allan’s photo)

Verbena bonariensis

left side of the driveway

the pollinator garden

an embrace

Barry

I kept wandering, with Barry and Gus the only residents I had seen so far.

The property includes many wooded acres and a beach.  The garden itself is three? or five? acres.

The giant white froth of persicaria above is well behaved and is not Japanese knotweed.

looking back along the driveway

I entered the shrubbery.

hypericum in foreground

Another reason I love this garden best: It is multi-layered and intricate with little or no space between plants, and yet the plants are also well defined.

Another reason I love this garden best: lots of hydrangeas.

an enviable Hydrangea aspera

dinosaur footprints, which I soon learned were a recent acquisition, destined for the grandchildren’s woodsy camp

Allan’s photo

repurposed satellite dish

Right about here, I heard rustling and met Terri and Ilsa wandering the paths from the other direction. We then wandered together, soon joined by Allan, and Terri showed us some favourite plants.  She said she had recently realized she “gardens in vignettes.”

(Terri, Ilsa, Bill, and Barry are four more reasons that this is my favourite garden.)

Ilsa

Waldo Pond has a little leak this year.

Stewartia

when Allan found us

the light at 7:50 PM

Ilsa leads the way.

daylily, maybe Ice Carnival

Allan’s photo

We walked to the other side of the driveway to admire some new daylilies.

looking toward the blueberry field/bird feasting area

Terri had limbed up the Fuchsia magellanica by the pavilion (an old remodeled garage, site of an old forge).

I remembered how I’d limbed up fuchsias in my old garden and now felt inspired to do so again when we returned home.  Another reason this garden is a favourite: it gives me ideas.

I doubt I have the story entirely right about the sculpture, below; something like…it used to be in Terri and Bill’s old Seattle neighbourhood, and then it was sitting out for free and they were able to snag it and bring it to Markham Farm.

Another reason this garden is my favourite: It abounds in garden art, much of which  is found, upcycled, or gifted, nothing ostentatious, nothing that tries to be more important than the garden.

After our garden walk, we entered the house…

..for some cheesecake garnished with three kinds of berries.  The dessert was deliciously photogenic but good conversation distracted me from saving its image for posterity.

kitchen window

We were able to return to the guest cottage without feeling the sadness of departure, because tomorrow we’d be in the Markham Farm again with friends.

 

 

 

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Gardens, Sea and Art Tour: Beauty and the Bay

Saturday, 20 July 2019

Gardens, Sea and Art tour

presented by the WSU Master Gardeners of Grays Harbor and Pacific Counties

Ocean Shores

Garden 7: Beauty and the Bay

I had reasons to look forward to this garden.  Diane is the aunt of Terri of Markham Farm, and Terri would be co-hosting.  I am not playing favourites when I say I liked this garden best.

photo by Evan Bean

along the street

along the street

Allan’s photo

the other side of the front driveway

Kilyn’s photo on instagram…followed by her caption

(Each garden had a sign reminding us of the plant sale at the community garden.)

Note those cool rocks with holes in them.  I found some like that in 1991 on Kalaloch Beach.

into the back garden

just inside the gate

Allan’s photo

To our left was the memory garden with mementos including the hard hat and boots worn by Uncle Neil when he helped build the road to Paradise on Mount Rainer.

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

On to the back garden.  I was already smitten.

To our right, a sunroom/greenhouse.

fire circle

sunroom

Allan’s photo

To our left, vegetables in barrels….

Roses and driftwood…

photo by Evan Bean

roses and agapanthus…

In the corner, a garden boat.

Then a mossy burbling rock…

.

..and a driftwood gate.

 

photo by Evan Bean

Outside the gate, a view of North Bay:

Looking back at the house:

fire circle

Allan’s photo

On the deck:

Allan’s photo

Leaving the deck…

…we explored the rest of the bayside garden, a separate-feeling area to the right of the driftwood gate.

path to a gate

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

the bay side of the house

Twin frogs instead of lions flank the doorway.

another burbling rock

Allan’s photo

wheelbarrows and probably pots of spring bulbs beside the house

We still had not seen it all; we next found the enclosed garden at the front of the house.

a little pond

You might recognize this from the garden tour poster.

photo by Evan Bean

a beautiful front porch

a woman after my own heart in many ways

We had found Terri in the front garden courtyard and had a good chat.  Because her aunt was out touring other gardens, we did not get to meet her, but I know Terri will tell her how much we loved her garden.

Kilyn and Peter had arranged a tailgate teatime for four with homemade scones (Peter’s) and cookies and small sandwiches.  What a delight. We were joined by Evan and Ann.

Allan’s photo

We loaded up plants that Ann had brought for me to purchase from two nurseries she works for (propagating plants): Secret Garden Growers and Cistus Nursery.

While Kilyn and Peter went on ahead to the next (and last) garden, I just had to have one more walk through the Lemke garden because I loved it so much.  When we finally were about to tear ourselves away, Teresa from the Planter Box arrived, much to our surprise and pleasure.

She had manage to wrangle two days off from her garden center, so of course we all extended an invitation to her to come tour Markham Farm garden with us on Sunday.  We left her chatting with Terri and departed for the final tour garden.

 

 

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Gardens, Sea and Art Tour: At the Fore Front

Saturday, 20 July 2019

Gardens, Sea and Art tour

presented by the WSU Master Gardeners of Grays Harbor and Pacific Counties

Ocean Shores

garden three: At the Fore Front

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Every garden has this notice.

tight, well laid cobblestone style paving (Allan’s photo)

This garden was the first of three on the Ocean Shores canals.

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

a clear deck railing for unimpeded views

the view across the neighboring yard

The dog sculpture by the canal moved in the breeze; we all thought it might be an effective raccoon deterrent. (Allan heard it is a geese deterrent.)

Allan’s photo

Looking back from the waterside:

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

manicured to the water’s edge (Allan’s photo)

Allan’s photo

The waterfall cascaded into the canal.

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

This was the first of three gardens on the Ocean Shores canals.  I think it would be grand to live on one of them, 23 miles of interconnected waterways that were dug out over half a decade in the 1960s. Read more here and here. The second article has a map with the charming names of the inland passages.  You can read about Allan’s 2018 canal adventure here.

I was so enticed by the idea of living on one of the canals that I looked up real estate prices and found them to be surprisingly affordable.  This lot is pretty amazing, and only lacks one thing—a house.  And this is my little dream house.

I was enamored with the house right next door to the tour garden.

next door, but not for sale

Next: gardening neighbours on the canal

 

 

 

 

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3 October: work and a visit

Wednesday, 3 October 2018

One of my Eryngium giganteum (Miss Willmott’s Ghost) is going to bloom.  I wish it would have waited till next year.

Miss Willmott jumping the gun

The very big spider had a meal.

I had organized the day around being home to meet some out of town blog readers who were passing through in the afternoon.

Long Beach

We worked some more on straggly Geranium ‘Rozanne’ and other tired plants in the planters.

police station planter

Police Station last week

today

I hope I will be able to get my mitts on the six planters that remain hanging about town, two of them here on the police station, for my compost.

cosmos by the stoplight

santolina ready to be clipped…not today

The planter with wire vine (below) needs to be completely dug out.  I might not have enough mulch left in my Soil Energy pile to fill it back up again.  This time, ALL the soil must go.  Two years ago, we thought we could sift the roots out.  Nope.

Muehlenbeckia axillaris up in everthing

When I planted it, I thought it was a cute little house plant that would last one summer.

This is what it wants to do:

before, three years ago: a great splodge of Muehlenbeckia axillaris (wire vine)

Cosmos ‘Cupcake’ in Lewis and Clark Square

Pacific Tree Frog in Lewis and Clark Square planter

Some planters in sheltered spots still have excellent looking Geranium ‘Rozanne’

my favourite planter by Dennis Company

windier planter by Dennis Co parking lot, before

On the way through town to our next job, The Red Barn, we saw one of the Red Barn horses and rider and good dog heading for the beach.

Allan’s photo

Soon Amy and a friend from The Red Barn rode by.

Allan’s photo

We pretty much skipped the Red Barn garden today; rain had taken care of everything.

At the Red Barn

Still no Cosmo the barn cat to be seen on our short garden check up….

Diane’s garden

In Diane’s garden, we managed to get the deadheading done in 45 minutes.

roadside garden, a nerve-wracking deadheading job

a peaceful moment

Allan deadheaded the raised box garden.

The nasturtium is pale yellow ‘Moonlight’, because Diane likes soft colours.

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

at home

We got home in time to offload the compost debris and then to spend some time with Debbie and Alan, who stopped by on their way to Cannon Beach.  Debbie and her sister Dawn read this blog daily, and are good commenters, which all bloggers much appreciate.

me and Debbie and a bouquet for their room in Cannon Beach

garden touring

We learned that before his career as a scientist, Alan had been a guitarist in a series of Northwest rock bands.

I found online an old photo of a band that predated one called Shiloh.

Debbie and Alan brought us a little birdbath for which Debbie had sought a good home.

(right) at home for now in the cat garden, destined for the fire circle area

Allan’s photo

Dawn sent this beautiful plate, based on the book The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady, a book that I have and love.

The stanza around the edge is part of a long poem by Jean Ingelow.

An empty sky, a world of heather,
Purple of foxglove, yellow of broom;
We two among them wading together,
Shaking out honey, treading perfume.

Crowds of bees are giddy with clover,
Crowds of grasshoppers skip at our feet,
Crowds of larks at their matins hang over,
Thanking the Lord for a life so sweet.

Thank you!

I learned that Dawn was probably the mystery woman who had met our friend, gardener Prissy at The Waves in Cannon Beach after reading about her on this blog!

Alan and Debbie went on their way to a three day vacation.  Allan and I got back to work.

We had considered returning to the boatyard.  A chilly little wind had suddenly come up, and the shelter of the Shelburne Hotel seemed much more appealing.

The Depot Restaurant

I remembered that we needed to deadhead at the Depot (and water the window boxes).

north side of the dining deck

Coreopsis ‘Flower Tower’

in one of the window boxes

The Shelburne Hotel

Allan checked the pots on the second story decks.

the middle deck

We continued with some fall clean up cutting back and cosmos removal.  I made the big decision to remove all but one of the sweet pea tangles.

sweet pea on its way out

Three clumps of peonies in the garden had been planted too deeply sometime in the past.  Allan lifted them all and grouped them together.

Allan’s photo

just one left now

looking north

Have I ever mentioned that the front garden is on the east side? So it does not get all day sunshine.

looking south

I dote on this garden.

one more sweet pea clump that can stay for now (lower right)

A huge job awaits Allan this winter: pruning the wisteria.  It is so overgrown you could hardly see the flowers.  He will have to do the pruning because I get dizzy looking up; I will do the hauling to the trailer.  Probably this will happen at the very beginning of next February, except for some clipping back this fall before we go on staycation.

The pub called to us, and so we had an early (for us) dinner at 7:15.

fish and chips

the view from our table

How about that, we had another very good day.

 

 

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27 Sept: doggy kitty day

Thursday, 27 September 2018

We admired a sunflower cottage in Seaview on our way to work.  This is a garden I toured a couple of years ago, but I cannot for the life of me dredge up that old post.

The Depot Restaurant

With no watering necessary thanks to rain, we just weeded and deadheaded.  Chef Michael expressed his satisfaction with our rhododendron pruning job from last week.

Sanguisorba ‘Dali Marble’

I found a rock.

from Nevada!

A mole had made three hills back by the rhododendron.  I snagged the nice sifted soil to even out a patch of lawn at home by the bogsy woods.

On our way to our next task, we had confirmation that the weather was much too hot.

Long Beach

We checked the welcome sign, deadheading the four agyranthemum, and I wondered why I continue to live in hope that these cosmos will flower this year.  It is time for them to go, but not on such a miserably hot day.

We tidied the corner garden at Veterans Field.  I want to make it shrubbier.  More shrubby, less fussy.  Cistus, maybe.

Diane’s garden

I got to pet my very good old friend Misty.

a patch of shade

Allan’s photo

Deadheading took an hour!

raised box garden

Allan’s photo

a mole in the raised bed?? (Allan’s photo)

Allan’s photo of a reseeded pansy in the gravel

roadside garden

We deadheaded the barrels next door at The Red Barn and once again did not see that darling orange barn cat, Cosmo.  I think it has been three weeks now.

driving north

The Basket Case Greenhouse

We stopped in at The Basket Case for a browse and to say hello.  The family cat had a litter of kittens 12 weeks ago.  (Like me with a cat long ago, the humans had not known how early one must get a cat spayed.)  The homes for these little darlings had fallen through.  By the time you read this, they will be up for adoption at the South Pacific County Humane Society.

I was sorely tempted and probably was only saved by having had another vet bill for Skooter yesterday.

tiny mama kitty

kittens

Allan’s photo

I resisted.  If I had been on staycation, I probably would have taken two.

Back in the greenhouses, I petted both Penny and Buddy.

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

My buddy, Buddy

Darrell (Allan’s photo)

Darrell and Roxanne (and some Geranium ‘Rozanne’ for the LB planter we re-did last week)  (Allan’s photo)

tin goats

Ocean Park interlude

We had a gardening themed t shirt to drop off at our friend Terran’s house.  She has just started her own gardening business, BeeKissed Gardening, and we recommend her highly.

Terran’s front door window (Allan’s photo)

Terran’s work trailer, on the same base as our trailer.

Because of the Timberland Library meeting last night, we wanted to take a look at the Meeting Tree by the Ocean Park branch.

Ocean Park Library

inside

The Meeting Tree goes back to when Ocean Park first came into being as a church camp.

a community meeting spot since 1883

Allan’s photo

This property south of the library is for sale.  Last night at the meeting a woman said it used to belong to her family and she intends to buy it back, build her house at the other end and preserve this historic tree.

There I met a friendly dog named Daisy Duke.

bumper sticker on Daisy’s vehicle

I like the spiky summer blooming heather in the library garden much better than the plain white flat winter blooming heather at the Ilwaco branch.

compost bin behind the library!

Klipsan Beach Cottages

We spent an hour and a half tidying the garden and doing another stage of fall clean up.

Timmie

the pond island

the pond island

Allan’s photo

fall colour on hamamelis

south gate to the fenced garden

the birdbath view

driveway garden with Tiger Eye sumac

a visit with Donna and doggies

On the way home, we visited our friend Donna and met her new puppy.

a beachy, cottage-y townhouse

Donna’s older dog, Blue, took a shine to Allan.

And to me.

new puppy Savannah

puppy bliss

Blue (Allan’s photo)

Blue and Savannah (Allan’s photos)

sleepy after play

Ilwaco Halloween….And so it begins…

When we got home at dusk, we found Jody across the street had won the imaginary prize for being the first to start on Halloween.

We had better start thinking about putting our Halloween lights out.

 

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