STOATMOBILE WORLD TOUR! (all are welcome)

Ooh, those look yummy! Pass me some of those cookies, J! (That recipe doesn't look difficult at all. I might have to try it.)

And here, you need some lavender lemonade to go with the cookies.

This tour is great! I love lavender. I used to think it was really old-fashioned but now I like that hint of antiseptic-ness to the scent. I have had lavender tea and enjoyed it. Must try that lemonade. (Thanks Eva.)

Eva, I'm very happy to meet you and to see you here. And Roberta, it's a pleasure to see you again. One of the most lively memories I have of you goes back to a long discussion about how to speak in Yiddish-flavored English. That was informative and often amusing. But a New Yorker I'm not, so this waspish Californian should know how to talk Yiddish?

What a great looking group you all are. And what talent and resources! These magnificent photos, all the fascinating maps, and the generous descriptive text -- what wonders we're seeing! All this, with delicious food and lavender lore and frothy banter as a bonus, make this Stoatmobile trip amazing. Such a joy!

I'm enjoying the tour. My kinda travel. No planes. No packing. No actual schlepping.

Aa, the hebonics thread. A fond memory for me. Glad you enjoyed it.

I must apologize for my absence. This is the first week of classes. I am teaching both highschool AND (for the first time) middle school journalism this year, and I have been slightly overwhelmed this week.

Sorry to leave you all standing in the middle of a lavender field.



On with the tour! If you'll follow me...

And now, let's take a look around the Pelindaba Lavender Farm.

http://culinaryfool.spaces.live.com/Blog/cns!1pYNGy2haD1h_titL1O7uNXQ!1076.entry

For some reason, the whole link won't highlight. Copy & paste this entire link into your browser...lots of good photos!

In 1999, a retired doctor and his wife from South Africa bought 20 acres and started this form as a means of preserving a beautiful valley for the enjoyment of residents and visitors alike. Their original plan was simply to grow a bulk crop for off-island broker sales. However, it soon morphed into a vibrant, vertically-integrated agritourism venture which has become a major destination on the island.

This year, Pelindaba's 20 acres contain nearly 25,000 lavender plants which are grown for fresh and dried flowers, lavender bud production and lavender essential oil distillation.

You're in luck! They are harvesting now. A quarter of the harvest is bundled and hung in the Drying Barn. The remainder is reserved for distilling into essential oil, an ancient, steam-based process you may observe here at the farm.

Since we're here during the harvest months (July to early September), we can visit the Cutting Field and pick our own bundle of fresh lavender. For those of you who want to try growing lavender in your own garden, we can stop by the Nursery where they have a variety of lavender plants for sale.

The dried lavender flowers and buds and the oil are used in their own line of products we saw at their store earlier. They make all their products by hand right here at the farm.

As you pass the rows of lavender, you'll see small signs marking different varieties.

I hope you enjoyed our trip to the lavender farm and its store in Friday Harbor. And now, maybe Cap'n Stoat has some other marvelous things in store for us on San Juan Island...?

Thank you very much Eva for the lovely Lavender tour! The entire cabin now has that distinctive, pleasant scent which everyone will enjoy for the remainder of the trip.

Other attractions on San Juan Island include Lime Kiln Park which was mentioned earlier (anyone more familiar with it than myself is welcome to take us on a tour there if you like) and I believe it was Aa who mentioned the American and British camps and the associated Pig War

it's a nice park-like area to visit for education and picnicking, but since I'm merely a scruffy animal and not a National Park Service employee steeped in it's specific and precise lore, I should leave those interested in the history of that area to this web page or others :-)

I hope that everyone's had enough time to shop, eat, and cause general mayhem in Friday Harbor, and if you are thinking about visiting again you may wish to consider arriving just a few days earlier in the season than we did on this trip so that you can go to the San Juan County Fair. I find it to be a nice fair to go to because it's not HUGE like so many others....it retains that small-town feel and charm which I've found lacking in so many other similar events where one feels almost on the verge of being crushed by the crowds or lost in the throngs as one might be at Disneyland. If you are admiring a prizewinning cow, sheep or goat, you can speak to the actual owner and ask them questions, unlike the giant fairs where things can seem so very impersonal. Ferry traffic is at it's peak during this time, however, so parking your car at Anacortes and walking on to the ferry (or taking a seaplane or fast ferry from Seattle or nearby cities in Canada) is strongly recommended.

It seems that everyone is accounted for (we had to send an escort up to the Whale Museum to bring Montana back :-) ) and now the doors are sealed, the engines are humming and we slowly drive down the beach to the water's edge and enter the playful waves. The roadwheels retract and the propellors take over for the final leg of this part our trip.

NEXT: Orcas Island

Motoring gracefully out into San Juan Channel and heading East toward Upright Channel,



we quickly encounter another pod of Orcas















Soon they disappear into the horizon and we head northeast, then northwest as we follow the coastline of Shaw Island. This is the smallest of the San Juan Island group that is served by the Washington State ferries but has some interesting attractions nonetheless. Although there are no real tourist accommodations, Shaw Island is intriguing because it features a thriving monastery of Benedictine Nuns
who have had tremendous success in breeding rare prizewinning livestock, creating beautiful artistic works and maintaining a nearly self-sufficient lifestyle.



Heading Northwest, we approach the town of Rosario which has a lovely old resort and delightful restaurant which is famous not only for it's quality but for it's famous guests which include President Theodore Roosevelt, whose signature can still be seen in the old guestbook which is kept in a display case.

Extending the roadwheels and pulling up onto the beach, we head toward the Eastsound Airport where a special surprise awaits us.

NEXT: ???????

What? What? What?

(((( sneaky, furry wink ))))))))

<Hopping back and forth on doggie paws, clickclickclickclick>

"suspecting that littlek might be in need of a particularly nice piece of cheesecake"

Leisurely driving the backroads of Orcas Island, we see incredible scenic beauty







and animals including rabbits and deer, who have a tendency to wander out into the road, so we have to be very careful.

Eventually we arrive at Eastsound Airport, where our Surprise awaits. Although the stoatmobile is capable of intercontinental flight at breathtaking speeds, it is a vehicle designed with comfort under all conditions in mind, and sometimes the deluxe accommodations can prevent us from enjoying some activities as much as we could.....and this is why we're here to take tours over San Juan County in a gorgeous Biplane!














As many as two passengers can fly on each trip, and we'll stay here until everyone who wants to gets a chance to fly :-)

NEXT. Mount Constitution

Whoo hoo! Excellent. Where is my flight jacket...

in some stupid UHaul box...

I'm delighted that you like it, Ossobuco! :-)

Here's an extra flight jacket for you in case you have trouble finding your own :-)

Okay, that looks good. I'll wear a pair of vintage navy gabardine ladies' trousers with that, along with a cream satin shirt with special aeration at the underarm level, excellent ital leather boots that don't kill my feet, a schiaparelli scarf (http://www.schiaparelli.com), and just the right ring, and earrings.

Ossobuco, you look perfect!

Have a good time on your flight!

"waving furry paw from runway as Ossobuco takes off"

I heard that the USS Nimitz will be going by right about now....perhpas she will see it?

Ooooh aaaaaaaah!


I have been in an open cockpit Gypsy Moth, with a Snoopy helmet, but not with such scenery!!!!!

The Gypsy Moth looks very stylish!



Be sure to take your camera with you when you go up today!