A FAMILY VISIT

June 18, 2013

Today Steve and I took our car onto a ferry to cross the straight of Juan de Fuca (Puget Sound) to Whidbey Island. The ferry ride takes about 30 minutes.   It was a beautiful day, the water calm and the ferry so big, you could barely feel we were on the water.   These ferries are so large, they can transport up to 50 cars.  On our way back on the ferry, there were two semi trucks and 20 cars.  

When we got to Whidbey Island we landed at Coupeville and from there it was about a 15 mile drive to Oak Harbor where my aunt Marie and my cousin Penny live.    We visited for awhile at Marie's cute little cottage and then met Penny at a restaurant for lunch.  It was so much fun seeing them.  Marie is always a lot of fun to talk with.  She has such a spark for life.  

Steve and I with my aunt Marie 

I mentioned on my blog yesterday that we had visited a local lavender farm, but I didn't post a picture.  This is what one of the fields looks like.  They grow different varieties and they bloom a different times.  So there's always something to harvest.  They make lotion, sachets, creams, soap, oil and lots of other things from the lavender.

Lavender field

We could easily spend another week or two in this area.  There is so much more to see.  We didn't get a chance to go to the San Juan Islands, Victoria or Seattle.  We'll have to come back again next year and see all the things we missed this time.  Tomorrow we leave this area and will drive about 175 miles south to Mt. St. Helens.