A Daffodilly of a Day

The Grand Mother and our long-time friend Margaret, were recently (Monday April 7th) "chauffeured" by Grumpy to the Daffodil/Tulip fields of the Skagit Flats. We had anticipated seeing tulips in radiant color as well as the golden and white dazzle of daffodil fields. It being a long drive up to the Skagit Flats, an early (0930) departure was planned.

Grumpy's usual skill in guiding the Red Rocket along Freeway and Byway, through rain and mist, we arrived in the area at about 10:30. As we were crossing over from I-5 to the Flats area, Grumpy spied a field a mile or so south of the road covered with something white. The consensus was that it might be Snow Geese, so we determined to divert in that direction and check it out on our return trip.

Having arrived this early, we had time to drive by a few of the more promising sites on our way to a planned early lunch at "The Farmhouse Inn". The "promising sites" were very un-promising! -- tulips are late blooming this Spring because of the late winter we have been "enjoying". The few daffodil fields were much more rewarding, however, so we accepted the blessings of them and vowed to make a return trip in a couple of weeks when the tulips should be more near their prime. [Grumpy also spotted this colorful ceramic tile showing the tulip fields in their usual glory. So the Grand Mother and Grumpy presented this to Margaret as a memento of our trip!]

Lunch at the Farmhouse was much more enjoyable, if for no other reason than the fact that Grumpy had the pleasure of squiring not one, but two lovely ladies! Even more special was our post-lunch visit to the "Berry Barn" just down the road about a half mile south of the Farmhouse. Son Harry had advised us of the "benefits" of the Berry Barn which he had experienced a few weeks before when he and a colleague from Andrews were out here for a technical conference at Whidbey NAS.

What the Son had not advised us of was the cool, clammy environment that we would encounter on this day. As the reader will note by careful examination, we are sitting around a heating stove eating berry pie with ice cream on top! (Mmm-mm good!!)

As surmised, the white area we had spotted on our way in to the Skagit Flats, were indeed Snow Geese. This shot, taken out the window of our car, shows the best of the best. Note that, had Grumpy gotten out of the car to take a picture, he would probably have been presented with a flock of white wings taking off in the opposite direction! Wild animals are like that: they don't mind a "harmless" object like an automobile when it comes near -- or even stops. But they have developed a certain distrust of two-legged humanoids who oft-times carry an iron stick that spits fire out of the end!

More later after we return from our next trip -- to the tulip fields.