Festivals & Events

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!

Check Out Washington

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Check Out Washington has been expanded to include most WA libraries. Borrow a Library Discover Pass for one week to explore the beauty of Washington State…the birds, the trees, the landscape, the Pacific Northwest.

For more information, see https://www.discoverpass.wa.gov/ or https://parks.state.wa.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=689 or https://www.sos.wa.gov/library/libraries/projects/checkoutwa.aspx

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

Experiencing the holiday season 2018

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Wondering what to check out during the Thanksgiving holiday and last few weeks of November 2018 in the Puget Sound Area? Here are a few ideas for the holiday season:

You may find me at a number of these.

Happy Holidays!

National Park Service – Senior Pass $ increase

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Those of you age 62 and over, the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands lifetime senior pass will increase from $10 to $80 on August 27, 2017. Now is a great time to get your pass. Anytime and any amount is always beneficial to our beautiful parks and land.  For more information…

https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/senior-pass-changes.htm?utm_source=socialmedia&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=senior_pass

https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm#CP_JUMP_5088578

17 for 2017

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What to do in 2017?  Anything that will calm your heart and bring you peace, laughter, and joy.  In other words, Rock it!  Below are 17 options within four hours reach of the Seattle area.

  1. Hike the waterfall trails along the Historic Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway. It just celebrated its 100-year anniversary.
  2. Try one (1) new restaurant each month of the year
  3. Walk along the sandy, rocky beaches of Dungeness Spit, view lighthouse
  4. Visit and buy from a local farmers market
  5. Whidbey Island…stay at the Inn at Langley #pnw
  6. Attend four (4) fairs or festivals that you didn’t last year
  7. Lake Chelan ~ wine tasting #wawine
  8. Celebrate someone’s 50th – bingo karaoke? sky dive? trip to Paris?
  9. North Cascades Highway ~ the most beautiful place on earth
  10. Take the ‘Mount Rainier’ Gondola at Crystal Mountain ~ think ‘this year’s holiday card photo’
  11. Spa treatment at Whistler BC
  12. Port Ludlow and Fort Worden State Park.  Try the Ludlow Falls Interpretative Trail, Around-the-Bay Trail, Murhut Falls Trail
  13. Go Mariners, Rainiers, Aquasox and Bells!
  14. Visit Hibulb Cultural Center and Natural History Preserve
  15. Run or walk a 5K or 15K ~ support a cause important to you or your like-minded friends
  16. See La Traviata, Luzia, or other to bring a little culture #hallelujah
  17. Hike the Washington State coast ~ http://www.outdoorproject.com/blog-news/16-best-hikes-washington-coast  #outdoorproject