Welcome to my blog!

Thanks so much for stopping by! I believe that everyone can have a beautiful home without spending a fortune! One of my favorite things to do is find creative ways to re-purpose things I already have on hand, or have picked up at yard sales and thrift stores. Join me as I share with you some of my favorite ideas for crafting and decorating, as well as travel adventures, and fun things that I pick up on my treasure hunts! Much of my work is influenced by my love all things French, nature, and of course shabby chic! I have gotten so many creative ideas from you very talented bloggers out there, and I hope that I can be an inspiration to you as well!

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Lavender Festival and Rain Forest Trip

Over the weekend, we took a trip to the town of Sequim (pronounced "Skwim")  on the Olympic Peninsula to attend their lavender festival.  I never would have thought that rainy, cool Washington would be anywhere near an ideal climate for growing lavender!  But, there are many micro climates in our state, and Sequim is in what is called "the banana belt", meaning that it is much drier and sunnier than most of the state!
 There are over a dozen lavender farms in town.  We visited two of them, and I got to pick my own fresh lavender bouquet!  The scent and sight was amazing!  Row after row of gorgeous, fragrant lavender, of more varieties than I ever knew existed!
I was picking my bouquet alongside hundreds of honeybees!  They didn't even mind that I was there!
 One of the farms had some really neat displays.  Love this "planted" chair!
 And I thought this bicycle was just too cute!

 If you look closely, you will see a bumble bee enjoying this gorgeous poppy!

 And how cute is this vintage baby buggy heaped full of lavender bundles?
 Can't you just smell the lavender?!
 The next day, we went to the Hoh Rain Forest, in The Olympic National Park.  The photos below just don't do it justice!  Of course, it was raining when we visited!  They get an average of 240" of rain a year.  Can you believe it?!
 There was moss dripping everywhere, making the tree branches appear like some strange mythical creatures!

 We were thrilled to see these elk, which were right next to the hiking trail!  They barely looked up at us as we quietly walked by!
 Doesn't this moss covered tree look like some crazy giant insect out of a science fiction movie?
 Roosevelt elk up close and personal!
 And you never know just who you will want to call when you visit the rain forest! (actually, the phone was long gone, I just thought this moss was so funny!).
Hope you are having a great week.  If it is hot where you live (back home in Michigan, they are having a major heat wave!), hope that you are keeping cool!  It is cold and damp here today, I don't think it made it to 60 degrees, and I even turned the furnace on!  Now I'm off to visit all of your inspiring blogs:)

16 comments:

Victoria said...

Oh goodness, how gorgeous and yes I can smell it from here! My husband was raised in WA and used to play baseball in that town:)

Leo said...

Wow - beautiful photos. I bet the fragrance was awesome. So glad that you are enjoying the best that Seattle has to offer!!

Cindy Adkins said...

Oh my gosh--a rain forest AND lavender fields in one day? It is amazing!!! It looks like France in the fields and I think I should have gone with you and brought the baby buggy!! lol

XO
Cindy

Miranda @ Pressing On said...

Gosh, you make me miss Washington! Love the pics and seeing your adventures.

Tete said...

What a fun day! Looks wonderful and so much cooler than here! Beware of elks- they have bad attitudes!
Love your new header! So sweet...and dreamy. Makes me want to face the heat and go out and do something with mine- almost.
It is so nasty here! Relief coming after the weekend...I am so bored in here!
Fall is showing signs already- and come by and see me- more french images are waiting for you!

Hugs- Tete

Karen said...

Yes, I can smell all that lavender! Love it. Great pictures of the elk too. That must have been such a peaceful place to visit.

Karen

Musings from Kim K. said...

Gorgeous pictures. Everything looks so lush. Those elk are pretty darn amazing too. It's beastly hot in West MI. Today's weather prediction says that the heat index will reach 110 degrees by 3:30pm.

ArtfullyJune said...

Looks and sounds like you've had some fun days.

I love the look of lavender.

The moss on the phone box is just too funny - I think I would have noticed that too.

The Vintage Farmhouse said...

♥ Lavender! Looks like fun!

Something Nice and Pretty said...

I can't believe all that lavender, how wonderful would that be! Thanks for sharing about the rain forest too! Love the telephone hickey!

Sherry@Back2Vintage said...

I would have loved to pick some lavender with you! The phone booth is THE BEST! I would have to have that pic framed!!!

Susan EvelynAndRose said...

Oh that lavender is gorgeous! Lucky you to see heaps & heaps of it, and even get to pick your own! The rain forest is so intriguing. Glad to see you're enjoying touring your new area.
Wish I could send some of our heat your way. :)
- Susan

Ido said...

What a lovely place! I love lavender so much, I wish I could visit a farm. I can't wait to go to Washington this fall. And that enchanted forest is gorgeous. I would love to be in the 60's right now and not the 90's lucky you!
Have a great day!
XXX Ido

Unknown said...

My goodness, what gorgeous photos!!!! Your lavendar will look stunning in your cute as pie galvanized buckets!!
60 degrees?? Crazy.
xo
lynn

Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces said...

It is so pretty there...I wish I COULD smell your post!

Honey at 2805 said...

You can almost smell the lavender! Really, really love that chair display!