A Hidden Gem In The Trees ...

Sometimes you just have to slam on the brakes and stop.  I've seen the sign on the road several times just south of Illwaco ... Lavender Farm, but the driveway foliage totally concealed everything.  I didn't want to barge into someone's private property without an invite.  So when I saw the OPEN sign, I hit the brakes.

You will not believe what I found!!  It was like going back to Camelot.  There were red tents, gold cords, white flimsy curtains and gorgeous flowers everywhere.  After looking at the few things they had for sale ... lavender oils, lavender cookies (?), sachets and a few not-so-old antiques under the easy-up, I was offered a tour of the property.  Of course I said YES!  Resident kitty was sleeping in the flower bed.

The cute boat named Tinker Bell was a good clue to the ambience of the property.  It's like a fairy garden here.  All the red velvet swags over the stage were for the upcoming belly dance competition, including instruction by world famous dancers.  Not being into that kind of exercise, the name didn't ring a bell or stick in my head.  Sorry, no pictures of the stage as Mom was still decorating.

Come to think of it, there were pillows all around the stage too.  I'll leave that to your imagination.  Anyway, this is the entry to their house ... a koi fish pond, statuary and water fall, surrounded by wrought iron tables and chairs.  She said her father built everything and her mother decorated it all, including several painted murals.    

There were huge clumps of lilies that smelled divine, along with little gates and walkways around every corner.  You can get some great ideas for your own garden here.

The entire place is actually built on the side of a mountain with recycled everything!  There were two little cottages like this one, complete with beds and antique accessories.  This would be the temporary home of the belly dance instructor.  Outside and to the right is an outdoor bathroom.  I'm not sure how THAT'S going to work out, but it has everything a normal bathroom would have, most of it made of rock.

Apparently lavender plants last for 10-15 years before they have to be removed to start again, thus the new plantings.  You can see how high up I am ... that's the roof of the house below.  As we walked around, we were followed by TWO kitties ... twins ... and four chickens.  

On the other side of the house is a treehouse with TWO levels for your reading or rope swinging pleasure.  I'm telling you, this place is definitely worth a visit.  Maybe leave your husband home, or bring a good book and buy a lavender cookie for him. 

This huge grape arbor came from one Sonoma Valley plant that appears to love this environment.

What a great place to live!!  By the way, if you come in August for the Belly Dance Festival ... everyone is invited ... I'm sure your husband would LOVE to stop in!!  

My next stop was at the farthest end of the peninsula.  This is the Oysterville Store, only open on Friday and Saturday.  It's full of kitschy things, most locally made, but totally worth the visit just to see the building.  That's the post office on the right hand side.  In this remote area, the post office has never had it's own building.  It was located either in someone's house, or in the back of a store.

Purchased just four years ago, the new owner is fixing up the store and the house next door, along with his bruiser of a shepherd.  At his feet is the remains of a tree he's been chewing on!

Here's one of the local crafts I picked up in the store.  There's an elderly couple here who work together.  He gathers and cleans the oyster shells, then drills the holes while she gathers the cranberry vines and makes the basket.  This is actually the bottom, but I love the oyster shell pattern.

There are lots of hidden gems in the trees around here ... you just have to take some time to look and explore ... but wait until you see the OPEN sign!!

Today I received 72 ... yup 72 spam emails from various people like John Smith and Mary Roberts.  I've no clue where they got my email address or what they wanted, because I summarily deleted them in one fell swoop.  It's funny to think that someone had to sit there and type in name after name as the sender.  I hope they at least got minimum wage for their trouble.