Next stop...Canada!

After leaving Cathlamet we drove to Port Townsend where the trailer would be parked in Sue’s driveway while we went to Canada for a week. From there we went to Port Angeles. I grew up in this town and an old family friend, Kathryn, was kind enough to put Chris & I up for a night, allow us to store the truck in her garage while we were gone and drive us to/from the ferry.

Tuesday morning we were excited to get on the ferry but my hopes for beautiful views of the Olympic mountains and Canada during the crossing were dashed. It was raining. Nuts! The heavy fog hung just a few feet above it so all we were able to see was gray fog and gray water but at least the water was calm so the ride was pleasant.

As we disembarked, Angus & Rolande were there to pick us up and the next week was a whirlwind of activity as they attempted to show us as much as possible of their part of the world. Chris has already detailed many of the places and activities we enjoyed so I won’t duplicate that but I must spend a little time on Butchart Gardens.

In my “other” life, I had a friend who taught me a little about gardening and, as I came to realize how cathartic and rewarding it can be to get dirt under your fingernails, enjoy home grown vegetables for dinner and have fresh, beautiful cut flowers in the house all summer, I moved from trying to keep the yard presentable to actually enjoying doing the work.

Since I moved onto the boat I can honestly say that I have not missed mowing grass or weeding or spreading barkdust hither and yon but I do, truly, miss my flowers…especially the roses.

Butchart Gardens was a place I had always wanted to see and it was every bit as gorgeous as I had envisioned. It was originally a lime quarry owned by Mr. Butchart whose main business was making cement from the limestone. When the quarry was exhausted, Mrs. Butchart devised a plan to make something beautiful from an ugly pit and she succeeded famously. This is still a family endeavor and they are constantly adding new objects d’art making the gardens even more beautiful.

Everywhere we turned there were different displays and types of gardens. The Japanese Garden with its Bonsai trees, moss covered stonework and lily-covered ponds was quiet and soothingly meditative. Strolling through the Italian Garden with its statuary and ponds almost makes you believe you are in the heart of Rome. The Rose Garden (one of my favorites) was in full bloom and I was thrilled to be able to remember the names of quite a few varieties. When I was gardening I had quite a few rose bushes and was always surprised when friends complained that they were hard to grow. They are actually among the easiest plants I’ve had and if you keep cutting the blooms they reward you with an entire summer of beauty. The “Sunken Garden” is the real piece de resistance and it is stunning.

I was surprised how many flower names I remembered…and what simple ones I had forgotten. Since Chris is from Arizona there were many he was seeing for the first time and it was kind of fun to be able to rattle off the names and characteristics of quite a few. One of his favorites was the Dahlia with all their different varieties and vibrant colors. I never had enough yard space to grow Dahlias but have always loved them from afar. Over the years I have seen a lot of different varieties but even some of these were new to me.

By the end of the day I was just itching to spend money at a nursery and work in a garden, but, alas…the trailer doesn’t have a yard.

Cathlamet

I realize I am way behind on blog entries but, quite honestly, I have been so busy since we left Vancouver, I just haven’t had time to write anything beyond email. Now that Chris has written several blog entries I guess I’d better get busy. So…here’s number one:

Our stop in Cathlamet for the “Sea of Cortez Cruisers Rendezvous” was a welcome respite after 6 weeks of an asphalt pad in an RV park where no one wanted to get acquainted. I have been very surprised at the difference between those who “cruise” on land and those who cruise on water. As I have mentioned in previous posts, “boat cruisers” form very strong, intimate connections almost immediately when they meet. When they see each other again it is like “old home week” as if you had been separated for years. On the other hand, RVer’s tend to pretty much keep to themselves. After 6 weeks of living in an RV park…in the long term area…we had met only 2 people and that was just because I walked over to the clubhouse one morning and barged into their conversation. Still, after that, there was no further interaction with these folks. I like to think I am a fairly fun person but this foray into the RV world has left me wondering if, perhaps, I am just pushy.

We had a great time catching up with several friends we have cruised with in Mexico and meeting others who are on their way. Everyone was suffering a little from the chill as it is clear that fall is in the air and, those of us who spend winters south of the border seem to have thinner blood. At any rate, all were getting excited about the warm days coming up in Mexico before long.

Our friends, Mike & Pat, from Vancouver, sailed in on their boat, “Somehow”, while we were in Cathlamet and we were able to share a couple meals and play a game of Mexican Train with them.

If you haven’t been to Cathlamet, WA, it should go on your bucket list. It was an easy walk to town which is quaint and a little funky. The residents are friendly, helpful and sometimes a little quirky as is typical of most small towns. I would guess that this is one of those places where the residents still leave their doors unlocked.

The views from the trailer were stunning and wildlife abounds. For us, it was especially interesting to see the entrance channel (at low, low tide) from the land side after we had negotiated it by boat 2 years ago. Quite a few of the cruisers went out kayaking one beautiful morning on glass smooth water. If only I had my new kayak I could have joined them. Sigh… Well, maybe next year.