Afternoon tea

There are a number of places to enjoy afternoon tea around Victoria B.C. but the Dining Room at Butchart Gardens is an ideal setting. It is in the former Butchart family residence.

On the way into the residence you pass the private garden of Mrs. Butchart. One of the two dining rooms looks onto this beautiful, tranquil spot.

Both dining rooms are lovely. This is the larger of the two.

Tea for two. Everything was very fresh and delicious. And who would guess that the cucumber sandwich would be DH’s favorite?

One less mystery

This old farmhouse has intrigued me as long as I’ve lived here. I wondered about its story until a friend recently forwarded to me a newsletter from Sequim Museum and Arts that contained a short article about it. The home was built in the early 20th century and was constructed from a Sears-Roebuck kit. Originally the Knutsen farm, the 66 acre property was purchased for $2 an acre. A child raised on the farm, Agnes Knutsen, was a teacher for nearly 50 years and began her career at Sequim Elementary School.

A new family home was built in 1942 just west of the original farmhouse. Its current owners plan to leave the original farmhouse standing as a tribute to Sequim’s historical farms.

Guess

I have photos of a bunch of houses in this post.

They all have something in common.

I don’t really expect you to know what that commonality is. But it’s fun to guess.

Admittedly, my photos don’t give you a lot of clues.

Play along and make a guess or two.

OK. This is what they have in common: First, all of these houses are within a mile of where I live. Second, every one of them — and a couple dozen more — have been built since I moved into my house in Sequim eight years ago. On the face of it, it’s not worth raising eyebrows over. But in a small community like ours that’s a population boom. I’m part of it. And it’s happening beyond that one mile radius, too. It’s a nice place to live.