From the land of the Blueberry

Before Google repossesses out Blog Site for inactivity it is up to me to prove someone still knows how to do this. We are sure we are not the only ones still connected to the Internet. Weinmeisters were born to travel even if it is just across town to the Home Improvement Store.

As we head out today for NM we thought we would post a few highlights since Anacortes and the San Juan Islands. The big plan for the Canadian Rockies, and then the modified version to just visit Glacier NP went by the wayside when spring never came and there were reports of snow still falling in June. I will also admit that $4.99/gal diesel, which we knew would be at least $7.00 once we hit Canada, made us give it a bit of extra thought.
June 1 we moved inland to Burlington, WA and a beautiful park with indoor Pool and 12 acres of fun for Hoover which included his own creek for a daily swim. Our objective was to explore the North Cascades National Park and sample all the micro brews and produce available. Even with a late spring the Farmers Markets were bountiful and the berries finally came in as sweet as promised. Mt. Baker trips provided some great scenery and opportunity for Hoover to play in the snow, which was still plentiful. Little towns along the scenic routes always provided a chance to take a growler home to sample.

July brought our return to the Portland area and more exploration of the Willamette Valley as well as the Columbia River Gorge, Portland, and the surrounding communities. It is wonderful to drive through the farmland and watch the rhythm or agriculture. It is also impossible not to enjoy the fruits of agriculture. We hit the area at the height of Strawberries and then moved on to Raspberries, Marion berries, Blackberries and now we are at the height of the Blueberry harvest. The fields have been full of seed grasses and flowers and now that the “brown” season (hot and dry) has arrived the grasses are being harvested and bailed. Soon the Hops will be in full flower and that harvest too will begin.

While on some of the excursions we couldn’t help but notice the quantity of available real estate and the diminished values. Well one thing leading to another and as of August 28th we will be owners of a “new” house in Silverton, OR. We won’t actually start moving in until December, nice long story about the current owners and our schedules knitting into the ideal scenario. So who is coming for Christmas?