Olympia’s Harbor Days is held Labor Day Weekend (Friday evening through Sunday) and is always fun. My favorite part is seeing all the vintage tugboats, several of which were available for tour. My least favorite part was when the largest tug sounded its horn right next to me and almost gave me a heart attack! But is was funny later 🙂 There was some great entertainment including music and a juggler. More information can be found here.
Powellwoods Gardens is a wonderful garden that you have to know about to find. The three acre park is located at 430 South Dash Point Road, Federal Way, WA. My first reaction was that the air felt oxygen rich and it was so green, gardens surrounded by tall pines. There are seven separate gardens and a lovely little pond. There is a private house and an open to the public garden room with chairs to rest, a bathroom and a table with a honor pay box ($5 per those over 12).
The variety of flowers so late in the season was a nice surprise and the little rabbit made me smile. Monte Powell purchase the site which is 40 acres altogether in 1993 and after much work the gardens were first opened to the public in 1999. I plan to go visit again at other times of the year to see what additional treasure I can find. More information can be found here.
I remember shopping at this large department store and I think I remember having a meal in the cafe. But be darned if I can remember what it was called! It was one of the anchors of the Lakewood Mall when there was a Lakewood Mall. The retail space has been vacant for years.
For a year we planned to visit Historic Fort Steilacoom at 9601 Steilacoom Blvd, Lakewood, but they have limited hours (Sundays 1-4 during the summer and the first Sunday of the month from 1-4 from Labor Day to Memorial Day), and we have three different schedules, so it just took that long.
We thought it would be a small museum and perhaps it might be about Western State Hospital, but we were wrong on both accounts. The museum included several buildings and a two hour tour and was completely about the historic fort which had operated on the grounds. The tour guide was so incredibly knowledgeable and explained the fort’s history using the detailed model and in the other buildings to illustrate to us how the soldiers lived. I found it particularly interesting that the army would send representatives back east to meet new immigrants at the docks. The men would be offered transportation to the west coast and a job with room and board. Some eventually received free land. Such an opportunity. The fort’s history can be found on their website, but it is worthwhile to visit in person and go inside the actual buildings and talk to the terrific volunteers.
Talking about the volunteers, the green tint on the two gentleman is completely the fault of the lens! I was told that the lack of smiles is because people didn’t smile for photos in those days. They thought it made them look imbecilic.
Squeezing in a little last bite of summer, a bunch of us went to to the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium to visit the jellies and the big cats. It was such a treat because one of the group of our happy group actually volunteers at the zoo and was able to tell us about the animals. I was so busy chatting with my friends, that I forgot to take many photos! Perhaps the dearest of the exhibits was the cloud leopards cubs even though they just slept there in a big pile of darlingness.
When I think of large displays of dahlias I usually think of the Connell’s Dahlia or perhaps the Washington State Fair. But Point Defiance Park also has a large display, the Dahlia Trial Gardens, which is right next door to the Rose Gardens and everything seemed to be in bloom! I had gone to join my good friends at a picnic and really enjoyed my time with them. Afterwards I wandered all the gardens, enjoying the sunshine and snapping away. This Dahlia Trial Garden is one of eight in the entire United States that is sanctioned by the American Dahlia Society. It is managed by the Washington State Dahlia Society. Post Defiance has an excellent article on the gardens.
Dear husband and I celebrated our wedding anniversary at Salty’s at Redondo Beach at 28201 Redondo Beach Drive South, Des Moines. There are three Salty’s locations (here, Aliki Point and near Portland on the Columbia River) and this was our first time at any of them. It was altogether a lovely lunch. The restaurant extends over the water and has a comfortable, but sophisticated feel to it. Dear husband had the Dungenous Crab Melt and I had the Cod Fish & Chips. Both were excellent. My only sadness is that I had no room for dessert since I was excited to see that they served Winegars Ice Cream. Their website has full menus and their Facebook Page has a chance to win gift certicates. They even have an instagram feed.
The drive home from Ellensburg last weekend was smoky from the Washington forest fires, but I decided to stop at the Asahel Curtis Picnic area anyway. It was a perfectly nice picnic area with the Snoqualmie River running next to it. It was really a fast stop for me and I was quickly on my way home.
I-90
Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Asahel Curtis
I shot over to Ellensburg for a quick conference and snapped this shot as I left my hotel in the morning. It is lovely light though what looks like fog or mist is instead smoke from Washington wildfires.
The LOTT WET Science Center at 500 Adams Street NE, Olympia was a pleasant find. LOTT’s WET (Water Education and Technology) looked pretty inviting with its outdoor water features, so I went in, asking if it was strictly for kids. The lady behind the counter assured me that I was welcome and I explored the space with great interest. The center is open 10-4 and is free. They even have things to give away like a shower timer and a small bag carrier (poo bags) that can be clipped to a dog’s leash. There is a variety of educational interactive exhibits and they even have a box turtle. There are often special events especially on Saturdays and school groups come by during the school year. They have a website and a Facebook page. They also have a Twitter Feed and a YouTube Channel!