It’s all happening at the zoo

Last weekend was the annual Arts in Action Festival which showcases sand sculptors in the Windermere Sand Sculpture Classic contest. “Do Not Feed the Bears,” above, by Damon Farmer was the contest winner. It’s amazing what warmth and detail he coaxes out of sand.

This year’s theme was “Going to the Zoo.” Friday evening, at the beginning of the festival, is interesting because the sculptors are often still at work on their creations. Check in tomorrow to see more “artist at work” shots.

Still wondering

Martha Lane Lavender is a certified organic lavender farm. They offer lavender ice cream, cookies, and lemonade for sale during the Lavender Festival. But, well, this bench caught my eye. And so did the still in the background. I’m sure it’s innocent, just for distilling lavender. But the people in this shot were engaged in such an animated conversation I couldn’t interrupt with questions. And it’s tacky to ask about free samples, isn’t it?

In pursuit of purple

Sequim, the “Lavender Capital of North America,” is celebrating our purpleness this weekend with the annual Lavender Faire and Festival. Our weather has been perfect and the timing is right: the fields are in peak form and they look great.

We had time yesterday to take in just a couple of the many farms that have opened their doors to visitors. My camera favored Oliver’s Lavender Farm, shown here.

Lavender grows well in many areas of Sequim. It likes loose, sandy soil and not too much moisture. Though soils vary throughout this region (my garden is favored with a choice blend of clay and concrete), many places have the “just right” conditions for lavender. Plant it there and watch it take off.

Most of our lavender growers enhance the view with garden features and plantings that would make a brown thumb ache with envy. But it’s also an inspiration to take ideas home.

There are lavender plants virtually everywhere, ready for the home gardener. Or baskets and clippers to pick some fresh to take along. Or bundles of dried lavender. Or any imaginable lavender-based lotion or potion.

Lady Washington came to town

The tall ship Lady Washington visited Sequim last week in her only Olympic Peninsula visit this summer. She berthed at the John Wayne Marina for several days and gave residents a treat with an evening sail one evening, shown above, and a mock sea battle with the Hawaiian Chieftain the next afternoon.

Lady Washington and the Chieftain are run as part of a maritime history program operated by Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority. You can see young crew members aloft, unfurling sails as the ship got underway. It was a very windy evening. We weren’t sure the sail would take place, but out they went.

The original Lady Washington was the first American-flagged ship to visit Japan in 1791.

The Hawaiian Chieftain stayed at some distance while we watched. You can catch a glimpse of her on the right side, above.

Next stop: Lavender

We’re heading into the Sequim lavender season. Early blooming lavender is showing its color and our commercial lavender operations are getting ready for company: the annual Lavender Faire and Festival begins July 19. Jardin du Soleil, above, is open for business.

Sequim and the Dungeness Valley is a premier lavender growing region and as our growers open their gates to visitors and harvest this year’s crop there are plenty of attractions for visitors and locals. It’s time for total lavender immersion.

Where’s the campfire?

It’s time to hay the fields in these parts. Sometimes it’s bundled in standard, familiar rectangles. Sometimes it’s rolled up in giant rounds with mesh on the outside. And sometimes it’s wrapped in white plastic like this. To my eye it looks like some huge aliens have come in the night and left a batch of giant marshmallows. You know, like they were interrupted before they could pull out graham crackers and Hershey bars to make ‘smores.