Festivals & Events

Washington State Park free days, 2022

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If you’re looking for a free day to explore Washington State Parks (no Discover Pass required). Where would you like to go?

Saturday, Jan. 1 – New Year’s Day
Monday, Jan. 17 – Martin Luther King Day
Wednesday, March 9 – Billy Frank Jr.’s birthday
Saturday, March 19 – Washington State Parks’ birthday
Friday, April 22 – Earth Day
Saturday, June 11 – National Get Outdoors Day
Sunday, June 12 – Free Fishing Weekend
Sunday, June 19 – Juneteenth
Saturday, Sept. 24 – National Public Lands Day
Monday, Oct. 10 – World Mental Health Day
Friday, Nov. 11 – Veterans Day
Friday, Nov. 25 – Native American Heritage Day

List provided by Deception Pass Park Foundation. https://deceptionpassfoundation.org/

Another free option is to check out your local library and borrow a Discover Pass. https://www.sno-isle.org/news/want-to-see-nature-borrow-a-discover-pass-from-us/

Or purchase a Discover Pass and help support the beauty that us Washingtonians are so fortunate to enjoy. https://store.discoverpass.wa.gov/

Record Heat Wave in the #pnw

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As June comes to a close, here in the Pacific Northwest, we’ve had record high temperatures. Higher than Miami, Dallas and other cities ever recorded. This is unprecedented as it is often hard to get tan lines before July. An example is:

Portland, OR – 116 degrees

Seattle, WA – 108 degrees

Pasco, WA – 118 degrees…since 1961

Many households do not have air conditioning here. I imagine that will slowly increase going forward. A common sense expense I think. And many will think ahead. Businesses closed, nature/plants and infrastructure took a beating. Can anyone say climate change?

What did you do to stay cool? The #pnw states are opening up! Options included being on the road, shopping in an air-conditioned store, movie theater, took a dip in the pool, bbq, a refreshing beverage, and more. I found a hand mister to be very handy, refreshing.

What will the rest of the summer bring? May our natural beauty be spared. And may the energy of #pnw thrive as we celebrate a bit of normal.

Nature’s wake up call

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As May is coming to a close, the thing I remember most is the early wake up call from the Junco’s in the area. The Junco is my favorite bird, makes me happy and we’ve seen more this Spring than any other I think. The American robin has been plentiful as well. Funny… even though I may not be ready to be awake at 4:15 am, they like to sing their song and let us know they exist.

May is a good month to experience a spring in your step, baseball, flowers, out with the old and in with the new, the festival season, self-care, catching up with friends, and planning for the Summer ahead. There is hope. Let’s do this!

Spring has Sprung

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It’s the first day of Spring. March 20, 2021.

It’s a welcomed day among.

In the Pacific Northwest, it’s in the air.

While on a walk or a #pnw drive.

Trees, leaves are a budding.

I see Crocus, Daffodils, Primrose, Pansies, and Hyacinthus.

The Juncos and a variety of birds, bees are making their way to feed.

Rain, Clouds, Sun. A welcomed site.

We hear frogs making their song… especially in the evening light.

The crescent moon and stars are shown.

Spring has sprung.

2021…some options for getting out and about from Western Washington

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  1. Take a Winter walk or hike
  2. Lake Crescent on the Olympic Peninsula
  3. Attend a social distance festival, concert or theater production
  4. Visit Canada (when the border opens)
  5. Mount Rainier – re-visit it and see the renovated Paradise Inn
  6. Stay in a Yurt
  7. Golf, Fish, Ski, Snowshoe…somewhere
  8. Takeout from Deru Market in Kirkland, WA
  9. Take the ferry from Seattle to Bainbridge Island for brunch outside
  10. Northwest Trek
  11. See Silver Falls in Oregon
  12. Spheres at the Amazon corporate office (when they re-open for tours)
  13. See the renovated Space Needle, glass floors
  14. Check out the updated Asian Art Museum
  15. See the movie Top Gun / Maverick (due out in July), especially if you loved the first one
  16. Take the portable fire pit out to the street and meet up with the neighbors for happy hour
  17. Travel outside of within 4 hours reach
  18. Go somewhere new; try something new
  19. Go somewhere that you haven’t been to in a number of years. Support the smaller businesses too.
  20. Go somewhere that you love, that makes you happy; one of your favorite places
  21. Do something notable EACH month of 2021 #mightnotsuck

Happenings 2019

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What were some of my favorite things in 2019?  Did you travel within four hours reach of the Seattle area?  Check out the 19 highlights…

  1. California dreamin (by airplane) – Sonoma, Napa, St Helena, Sacramento, San Francisco, …and Russian River Brewery
  2. Snowmageddon in February in the Puget Sound area
  3. The Konmari Method – Does your ‘stuff’ spark joy?
  4. Poverty Bay Wine Festival in Des Moines, WA – an annual anniversary
  5. Seeing the snow geese in the La Conner, Conway, Mount Vernon area in early-mid March
  6. Eats –  a few new eats in 2019 consisted of the Five Star Cellars wine dinner at the Magestic Hotel in Anacortes, Black Raven Brewery in Redmond, and Resonate Brewery in Bellevue. The Mongolia Wagyu Beef at Baron’s in Bellevue was tasty as well.
  7. Port Townsend – windy Spring day to tour the town, Saturday market, Point Hudson
  8. Seattle Pride Parade fun
  9. Deception Pass and Hellams Vineyard wine/dinner boat cruise via San Juan Cruises
  10. Walk the Cedar River Trail
  11. Pike Place Market – Mee Sum Pastry’s Pork Hom Bow; Sunset Supper in August
  12. Gary Clark Jr at Chateau St Michelle’s Summer Concert Series and Evil Dead the Musical
  13. Popeye’s Chicken Sandwich – so tasty!
  14. Cheering on the Seattle Seahawks, playing fantasy football (4th place in both leagues) and pickem – Go Hawks!
  15. Metallica S&M2 (the performance after the fact) – so fabulous!
  16. Salish Lodge and Snoqualmie Falls –  breakfast, pics of the falls, shopping….one of my favorite places. Includes shopping in the smaller boutiques in Snoqualmie and North Bend
  17. Seattle Sounders win the MLS Cup vs Toronto – Way to Go!
  18. Leavenworth town and tree lighting
  19. Strangelove at Showbox at the Market – love, love, love!

What are you looking forward to in 2020?  I am looking forward to the movie Top Gun/Maverick – oh yeah!

What were your 18 faves for 2018?

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So, this list was skipped at the beginning of the year but now that we’re towards the end of it, what did you do in 2018 that you can recommend?  what did you love? what do you want to do again ‘within 4 hours reach’ of the Puget Sound area?  As I’m a list maker and a scheduler, I can contribute with a list of my own…

  1. Visit The Bay area via airplane, so it counts for this particular list
  2. Check out 21 Acres in Woodinville, your sustainable living heart will love it.  http://21acres.org/
  3. Northwest Flower and Garden Show
  4. Jazz Brunch at Sorrento Hotel in Seattle
  5. Wine Tasting. Poverty Bay Wine Festival.
  6. See ‘Hamilton’ at Paramount Theatre
  7. Did you see your Market Charm or order one?  visit Pike Place Market
  8. Check out live Sumo with Sumo + Sushi
  9. Youth. Equity. Access. to the Arts – Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, Seattle Symphony, Ciara and Russell Wilson.  And see Candlebox rock their 25th Anniversary tour – oh yeah!
  10. Snoqualmie Falls and Salish Lodge – hike it, pic it, eat it, shop it, massage it, love it
  11. Gig Harbor – visit downtown and walk Sehmel Homestead Park
  12. Walk 18 miles with EverWalk
  13. Seahawks Training Camp. Tailgate.
  14. Notable Restaurant? Meal? Movie? Theater? Concert?  Sporting Event?  Yes, please.  Way to Go Seattle Storm!
  15. Play Croquet in the summer heat
  16. Camano Island waterfront
  17. Autumn Leaf Festival in Leavenworth
  18. Anacortes Bier on the Pier
  19. Extra: the holiday season…put out your outdoor Christmas lights early