This could be the warmest Mother’s Day in Grays Harbor History!
This is the year to have your Mother’s Day celebration outside so that you and Mom can soak up the warming rays and vitamin D that have so long eluded us.
By now you know what her favorite foods are, and it’s your turn to cook for her.
Get the cover off the BBQ, clean the picnic table, and prepare to stun Mom with your culinary brilliance! But first come over to the Hoquiam Farmers Market to shop for your supplies. We have exceptionally fine Asparagus in right now, and yes, it is even better when cooked on the grill. You could either make a Rhubarb Pie and impress the socks off Mom, or you could have a chat with Nancy. Nancy is the best pie baker around, and you will still get high credits from mom for knowing where to find the very best. Our tables are laden with Organic goodness from the basic potatoes & onions to carrots & broccoli. You can smile sweetly at Mom and tell her she has to finish eating her veggies before she can have dessert.
Remember, it isn’t the money spent on the gift, it is the fact that you are with her.
If she kept your clay Kindergarten handprint around for years , the pleasure of your company is all she really wants on her special day. While you’re at it, now is a very good time to make a promise to yourself to spend more time with your mom. This is a promise you will never, ever regret.
Deidra’s Deli will be open on Mother’s Day, and our back deck, though not yet beautified, is a spectacular spot to sit and enjoy the river view. Our plant selection is burgeoning daily, with bedding plants, veggie starts, herbs, hanging baskets, annuals, and perennials. Some of our hanging baskets are from the Aberdeen High School FFA greenhouse, grown by the students. I’ve noticed a lot of blue and gold combinations in their baskets, oddly enough.
I suppose the closest I’ll ever come to attending the Kentucky Derby is by watching it on tv. What I do have are precious memories of having attended Major Makarenko’s Riding Academy in Cosmopolis as a young girl. And those are enough to last me a lifetime. Major Makarenko was the absolute epitome of romance for every female that ever attended horse riding lessons. To be honest, I didn’t really like horses or riding all that much, but I wouldn’t have missed a riding lesson unless I had a broken leg. Which mercifully never happened.
First of all, he had been a Major in the Calvary for Czar Nicholas and had fled his native country after the Russian Revolution. Point number one for romance. Next, he always wore proper riding gear and carried a riding crop. Swoon! Being a military man, his posture was upright, and he could sit a horse like no other. I was quite young and very impressionable, and Major Makarenko was as unattainable as a Hollywood movie star. It wasn’t until I was much older that I understood why my father got such a chuckle out of the fact that Major Makarenko had two housekeepers but a very tiny house. He had great admiration for the Major. I needn’t explain any further.
The Major came from The Steppes of Russia. To this day I think of the geography of the Steppes region as being very flat, with long expanses of barren soil, then a step that took you up just a bit, before the next long expanse and step. I know, I still have a very literal mind. But back to the romance of the Makarenko Riding Academy. There was an enormous building called a Gymkhana where our lessons took place. It probably wasn’t as large as it seemed, but it was big enough that ten horses could easily canter around the ring and not be too close. We would line up our horses in single file facing the major, who would be seated on his majestic steed. Sigh.
Exercise time came first, and these must have been routines used to train riders in the Russian Calvary. Our saddles were small English saddles, so there wasn’t a lot to hold onto. The Major would bark orders and we would dutifully fling our legs across the horses back, turn around in the saddle, lean under the horse, and practice falling off. I seem to recall quite a bit of falling off, and it certainly wasn’t all on purpose. The horses had immense patience with us, and I am sure that they were every bit as infatuated with the Major as every one of us girls.
I never got to be a very good rider. It’s much better for my illusions to stay away from stables. I prefer to hold onto the glamorous part of horse riding, which is why the Kentucky Derby epitomizes the Equine world for me. Mint Julips, stunning dresses, big hats, elegant dining- and oh, yeah, the horses run really fast around the track at some point.
Major Makarenko left his entire property to the City of Cosmopolis. All 39 acres are beautifully cared for, with over 2 miles of pathways for walking, biking and jogging. I’m a much better bike rider than I ever was on a horse and am grateful that the trails are permissible for biking. Like most of our parks in Grays Harbor it is a glorious jewel, abundant in trees and lush plants, free from any sounds of traffic, a world apart. It is the perfect gift to all of us from a man who traveled halfway around the world to make his new home in our corner of Paradise. Pack a picnic lunch and spend a day in the park. If you close your eyes tight and let your imagination wander, you may see a trim and gallant figure gallop across the meadow. Give him a salute for me.
Barbara Bennett Parsons, manager of the Grays Harbor Farmers Market in Hoquiam, which sells Organic Carrots for your favorite horse. 538-9747
Deidra’s Deli is open 7 days a week! 538-5880
Barbara Bennett Parsons
(360) 532-3235 home
(360) 591-2664 cell
Happy May Day!!!!
My artichoke plants are in the ground soaking up the sun and rain. I’m so excited to have my favorite vegetable growing in the garden. So far, the slugs haven’t seemed to be artichoke eaters. Unfortunately, I have many other plants that they adore! The baby slugs are hatching all over right now, and they’re almost too tiny to see- but boy, do they have a voracious appetite. They devastated several new plants overnight, so I’m going to have to succumb and buy slug bait. Normally I just scoop them up into an old can and douse them with salt. These babies are impossible to see until they have gorged themselves on your new seedlings and had a growth spurt.
My rhubarb is ready for first harvest this week, and we have a great new supply from Frank’s fields in Elma. Rhubarb is a tart, old fashioned plant that cooks like a fruit, but is actually a vegetable. You can make a simple sauce and serve it as a side dish or a dessert. It’s fun to work with, and it blends exceptionally well with strawberries, raspberries, and peaches. In pies, I mean. It seems as though so many new varieties of fruits are being cultivated to have less and less flavor. Blandness is threatening to rule the food world- do not let this happen to your dinner table! Grab that rhubarb , chop it up(6 cups), toss in the pot with 2 tablespoons of water and 1 cup of sugar, put in a kettle and cook and stir over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve alongside a beef brisket or pork chops and bring lip smacking flavor back to the table.
I’ve been waiting for just the right time to use one of my favorite words; plethora. An abundance. Which is what next weekend brings to all of Grays Harbor, and you need to be making your plans right now. We’ll be bouncing from one end of the county to the other, trying to take in everything. Sometimes weekends can be downright exhausting!
The 17th annual Grays Harbor Shorebird festival begins on Friday, bringing huge flocks of visitors, or, as we affectionately refer to them, Birdheads. You might be surprised to learn how famous our coastline is with people who love birds. This is the time for the Spring Migration of shorebirds, and Bowerman Basin in Hoquiam is their top pick for a rest stop. We have everything that a weary bird needs. Whereas you may look at our mudflats and see only mud, a hungry shorebird is smacking his lips in anticipation of a gourmet banquet. There are so many guided and self guided tours available that I cannot begin to list them all. I suggest that you visit the website at www.shorebirdfestival.com . There are field trips from Tokeland up to Point Grenville, excursions to Lake Quinault, and more bird experts per square inch than you will ever encounter again.
The boardwalk at Bowerman Basin is my favorite place to visit on any given day of the year, and I’m constantly surprised that we’re often the only people there. It is a treasure-the only wooden boardwalk in the midst of a wildlife sanctuary for hundreds of miles. If you are very, very lucky a swarm of shorebirds may swoop down close enough that you feel the wind from their wings, enveloping you in their midst, and then evaporating into the sky. It is a spiritual experience, you feel the touch of something beyond this world, and the sensation of being lifted up with their flight leaves you wobbly. It’s as close as I will ever come to flying, and I hope that it happens again in my lifetime.
Heading east and crossing the border into Thurston County ( yes, a real adventure!) Make your way to the tiny hamlet of Matlock for the Old Timer's Historical Fair. From highway 12 take the exit for the Monte Brady road and drive north for 16 miles. The Mary M. Knight School is on the right, the event is free, and it is superb. It has a plethora (see?) of activities; music, food, cool old tractors and steam engines, fun rides for the kids, great exhibits, classic cars, and an authentic Civil War-era military camp. First stop should be to the gymnaseum for a piece of fresh baked pie. The folks in Matlock have perfected the fine art of pie baking, and I am someone who knows a good pie. After all, I am surrounded every day by Nancy Lachel’s fabulous pies, and take pride in being able to describe them from plenty of first hand experience. The music on-stage is always a delight and includes many bluegrass and country performances. The fair is a testimonial to a way of life that I admire , to people who lived close to the earth and scheduled their work according to the seasons. They didn’t need an Ipad to keep track of their appointments and schedules. Children could play together if their chores were completed, playdates didn’t need to be made for them. When I get too nostalgic I have to remind myself of the joys of indoor plumbing, hot tap water, and toilet paper. I guess modern life has its’ rewards.
When I was a little girl, May Day was a very special day. The week before was spent creating little baskets and baking tiny cookies. The day before we would take a big basket and go out to pick wildflowers. The English wood hyacinth
( bluebells), bleeding heart, ferns, daffodils, and flowering branches were lovingly arranged to go into the little May Day baskets. Early the next morning we scurried around to our neighbors houses and hung a basket on each door. Imagining the surprise of our friends was the best reward, and of course there were all those extra cookies too.
Wishing you a magical May Day, even if you have to pick your own wildflowers. You can always stop by the Hoquiam Farmers Market for the cookies.
Barbara Bennett Parsons, manager of the Grays Harbor Farmers Market at 1958 Riverside in Hoquiam. Ph. 538-9747
Deidra’s Deli is open 7 days a week! Call to have your order ready or delivered-
538-5880
Barbara Bennett Parsons
(360) 532-3235 home
(360) 591-2664 cell
I’ve had it with trying to grow plants that just plain do not like to grow in Grays Harbor!
This must be the beginnings of wisdom. I will plant only those botanical wonders which I know to thrive in my garden. It seems like a simple concept, but last year’s non-summer really drove the point home. On top of that, I’m tired of buying expensive plants that the deer figure is their picnic lunch. It is with great sadness that I walk away from my valiant efforts to grow roses. Deer food. I’ll visit the Polson Museum rose garden instead. They have a really good fence around theirs.
The past 3 weekends have given gardeners high hopes for a good season, and we’re ready at the Hoquiam farmers market to provide the plants that you need. We have plants for the soul and plants for the tummy- yours, not the deers. You may recall that I made a vow to uphold the Bennett family honor and grow Artichokes- my new plants arrive Friday morning, good size artichoke plants that are sure to provide me with good eating for many years to come. Deer hate artichoke plants! Deer also ignore Hosta, Foxgloves, Hellebores, and Lupine. Consequently, those are my favorite plants now. I also love the plants that thrive in our less than scorching temperatures; pansies, violas, fuschias, begonias, mosses, primroses, campanulas, columbine, forget-me-nots, astilbe, strawberries, and sedum. My first crop of lettuce is in the ground, seeds for my favorites flowers have been sowed, and I’m ready to fill in with our new shipment of starter plants and herbs.
Our seed rack is filled with tempting options, and Judy Hanson has her Tomato Plant order book ready. Judy is our resident Tomato specialist. She’s grown every variety possible and winnowed her favorites to ensure that you can savor the finest, plumpest, most flavorful tomatoes in Western Washington . She grows hers from special seeds, tends them with TLC, and finally entrusts them to you later in May. But you need to order them now, as her supply is limited.
The second annual Deanna April Johnson Blood Drive is taking place this Saturday at the market. Giving blood is so easy- you can sign up here;
http://www.psbc.org/programs/drives_schedule.asp
or you can be spontaneous and stop by on Saturday. Either way, it’s a lifegiving gift, and will be deeply appreciated. Almost everyone is in need of a blood transfusion at some point in their life. It’s good Karma to give now!
Spring Madness is soon due to reach epidemic proportions. It’s a clear case of cause and effect- too many days of wintery weather and 55 degrees feels toasty. People can be seen with gleaming white legs sporting shorts, even if it means wearing a down vest on top. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. People do and wear crazy things during April. An image from 2 years ago is seared into my memory- it was an early morning clam dig, and I was bundled in full gear to withstand the gale that was pushing the waves and us up the beach. But one brave soul disdained the weather and hopped out of his truck wearing a Utilikilt. In a fierce wind. It was information overload at that point, we scurried further up the beach, leaving only a little bit left to the imagination. After all, it was very cold out.
Another crazy April outfit dates back to the 1970's and the Lake Quinault Lodge. Picture entering the lobby and encountering one of the owners of the lodge dressed in full scuba gear including goggles, carrying a fishing net and big sack. Now, some less curious person may have turned and exited the building at that point, but not I. Sensing a very good story, I followed cautiously as he made his flippered way up the stairs. It turned out that the attic had become a haven for bats over the winter and the warm spring weather was making them frisky. He didn’t mind capturing one or two bats in standard clothing, but a rambunctious attic of them brought on a full blown case of the Willies, hence the protective scuba outfit. If only I’d had a camera with me!
But to see some of the most creative crazy Spring outfits, head for Olympia next Saturday. Make no mistake, there are some eye-popping outfits roaming the streets in Olympia on almost any day, but at 4:30 next Saturday be prepared for The Procession of the Species. Unbelievable. People spend all year creating outfits of both real and imaginary creatures, then parading through the streets in them. It’s the Pacific Northwest version of Mardi Gras, and it began as a way of celebrating Earth Day and supporting the Endangered Species Act.
There are only 3 rules;
No written words
No live pets
No motorized vehicles
This is our State Capitol at it’s wildest- arrive early with a chair, unless you’re really tall. Spring Madness just doesn’t get any more elaborate and exuberant than this.
Yet another startling Spring outfit story comes from memories of Alma Thomas. Alma passed away recently, but I think of her often and smile. Many ladies of Alma’s generation had their hair ‘done’ once a week. The Beauty Parlor visit was usually timed according to a bridge club meeting or a night out on the town. But Alma and her husband Bear were also skilled clam diggers. It’s not easy keeping a hairdo looking pretty while clam digging, even harder is protecting the ‘do’ when cooking clams. Alma devised a way to keep her look intact and safe while frying up clams- she took a large grocery store sack, cut in small eye hole slits, slid it over her head and started cooking. Her family grew accustomed to this ritual, but visitors were known to beat a hasty retreat upon encountering Alma in a brown paper bag.
Now, I wore some outrageous clothing back in High School. It was the perfect rebellious outlet for a quiet person, but I know for sure that if I’d had an older brother, I would have dressed differently. I still have a few of those skirts packed away in my grandmother’s hope chest, and they were short, really, really short. Maybe I should will them to the Polson Museum for part of a time-line of clothing exhibit? They’ll need to have some of the recent boys shorts also. How can they be shorts when they stop just above the ankle? Maybe it’s because the waist drops down so far, that’s where the ‘shorts’ part of the name applies. My short skirts versus their board shorts- mine would win the prize for least fabric used. I’d like to see a Utilikilt in the exhibit too!
Barbara Bennett Parsons, manager of the Grays Harbor Farmers Market in Hoquiam. Conservative dresser now. Most of the time. Ph. 538-9747
Open Tuesday thru Sunday
Deidra’s Deli is open 7 days a week!
Barbara Bennett Parsons
(360) 532-3235 home
(360) 591-2664 cell
The past 3 weekends have given gardeners high hopes for a good season, and we’re ready at the Hoquiam farmers market to provide the plants that you need. We have plants for the soul and plants for the tummy- yours, not the deers. You may recall that I made a vow to uphold the Bennett family honor and grow Artichokes- my new plants arrive Friday morning, good size artichoke plants that are sure to provide me with good eating for many years to come. Deer hate artichoke plants! Deer also ignore Hosta, Foxgloves, Hellebores, and Lupine. Consequently, those are my favorite plants now. I also love the plants that thrive in our less than scorching temperatures; pansies, violas, fuschias, begonias, mosses, primroses, campanulas, columbine, forget-me-nots, astilbe, strawberries, and sedum. My first crop of lettuce is in the ground, seeds for my favorites flowers have been sowed, and I’m ready to fill in with our new shipment of starter plants and herbs.
Our seed rack is filled with tempting options, and Judy Hanson has her Tomato Plant order book ready. Judy is our resident Tomato specialist. She’s grown every variety possible and winnowed her favorites to ensure that you can savor the finest, plumpest, most flavorful tomatoes in Western Washington . She grows hers from special seeds, tends them with TLC, and finally entrusts them to you later in May. But you need to order them now, as her supply is limited.
The second annual Deanna April Johnson Blood Drive is taking place this Saturday at the market. Giving blood is so easy- you can sign up here;
http://www.psbc.org/programs/drives_schedule.asp
or you can be spontaneous and stop by on Saturday. Either way, it’s a lifegiving gift, and will be deeply appreciated. Almost everyone is in need of a blood transfusion at some point in their life. It’s good Karma to give now!
Spring Madness is soon due to reach epidemic proportions. It’s a clear case of cause and effect- too many days of wintery weather and 55 degrees feels toasty. People can be seen with gleaming white legs sporting shorts, even if it means wearing a down vest on top. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. People do and wear crazy things during April. An image from 2 years ago is seared into my memory- it was an early morning clam dig, and I was bundled in full gear to withstand the gale that was pushing the waves and us up the beach. But one brave soul disdained the weather and hopped out of his truck wearing a Utilikilt. In a fierce wind. It was information overload at that point, we scurried further up the beach, leaving only a little bit left to the imagination. After all, it was very cold out.
Another crazy April outfit dates back to the 1970's and the Lake Quinault Lodge. Picture entering the lobby and encountering one of the owners of the lodge dressed in full scuba gear including goggles, carrying a fishing net and big sack. Now, some less curious person may have turned and exited the building at that point, but not I. Sensing a very good story, I followed cautiously as he made his flippered way up the stairs. It turned out that the attic had become a haven for bats over the winter and the warm spring weather was making them frisky. He didn’t mind capturing one or two bats in standard clothing, but a rambunctious attic of them brought on a full blown case of the Willies, hence the protective scuba outfit. If only I’d had a camera with me!
But to see some of the most creative crazy Spring outfits, head for Olympia next Saturday. Make no mistake, there are some eye-popping outfits roaming the streets in Olympia on almost any day, but at 4:30 next Saturday be prepared for The Procession of the Species. Unbelievable. People spend all year creating outfits of both real and imaginary creatures, then parading through the streets in them. It’s the Pacific Northwest version of Mardi Gras, and it began as a way of celebrating Earth Day and supporting the Endangered Species Act.
There are only 3 rules;
No written words
No live pets
No motorized vehicles
This is our State Capitol at it’s wildest- arrive early with a chair, unless you’re really tall. Spring Madness just doesn’t get any more elaborate and exuberant than this.
Yet another startling Spring outfit story comes from memories of Alma Thomas. Alma passed away recently, but I think of her often and smile. Many ladies of Alma’s generation had their hair ‘done’ once a week. The Beauty Parlor visit was usually timed according to a bridge club meeting or a night out on the town. But Alma and her husband Bear were also skilled clam diggers. It’s not easy keeping a hairdo looking pretty while clam digging, even harder is protecting the ‘do’ when cooking clams. Alma devised a way to keep her look intact and safe while frying up clams- she took a large grocery store sack, cut in small eye hole slits, slid it over her head and started cooking. Her family grew accustomed to this ritual, but visitors were known to beat a hasty retreat upon encountering Alma in a brown paper bag.
Now, I wore some outrageous clothing back in High School. It was the perfect rebellious outlet for a quiet person, but I know for sure that if I’d had an older brother, I would have dressed differently. I still have a few of those skirts packed away in my grandmother’s hope chest, and they were short, really, really short. Maybe I should will them to the Polson Museum for part of a time-line of clothing exhibit? They’ll need to have some of the recent boys shorts also. How can they be shorts when they stop just above the ankle? Maybe it’s because the waist drops down so far, that’s where the ‘shorts’ part of the name applies. My short skirts versus their board shorts- mine would win the prize for least fabric used. I’d like to see a Utilikilt in the exhibit too!
Barbara Bennett Parsons, manager of the Grays Harbor Farmers Market in Hoquiam. Conservative dresser now. Most of the time. Ph. 538-9747
Open Tuesday thru Sunday
Deidra’s Deli is open 7 days a week!
Barbara Bennett Parsons
(360) 532-3235 home
(360) 591-2664 cell
More new Organic good-for-you foods have arrived at the Hoquiam Farmers Market!
Each week I add more fine products to our shelves, so that soon we can become your main grocery shopping source. Well, at least right up there on the list! I’ve always been a bit of a dreamer.
Bob’s Red Mill Quinoa, Spelt Flour, Tapioca, Flaxseed Meal, Split Peas, Steelcut Oats, Eden Organic Sauerkraut, Greek Gods Yogurt and Cascade Natural Yogurt! Yummy Sahalee nut snack mixes, tasty crackers, and fine cheeses. Our Lattin’s Apple Cider is the best you’ll ever taste until you buy an apple press of your own. Add a loaf of Nancy’s wheat bread, and you’ve got the ingredients for a picnic. Looks like the weather gods are smiling on us once more for a dry weekend I am due for a trip to Scotland. Something in my genetic heritage calls out every so often for a trip back to the old homeland. Since I can’t respond to the plaintive primal call, I go instead on a day trip to Tokeland. I beeline for the Tokeland Hotel, stride through the front door, take a deep breath and feel the healing peace of Scotland flowing into my soul. I’m sure that it is all in my head, but somehow this old place fills that void every time. There is nothing at all fancy about it, and the past 127 years of use have worn some of the floorboards down so much that there is a bit of a shipboard lilt as you walk into the dining room. Almost everything is in original condition- the wavy glass in the windows gives a fairytale unreality to the view of the garden. Like most Scottish gardens, this one bears the brunt of harsh winds from the ocean. The trees are twisted and bent, the Spring flowers must huddle close to the building in order to survive. There are days when the rain is hitting the glass so hard that I can’t see the garden at all, and one day snowflakes were drifting from the sky. Next Saturday, come rain, shine, or even snow, we’ll be in Tokeland again. From 10am until 5pm the lobby and library will be filled with fine artists and craftspeople and the old boathouse doors will open to display Jeffro Uitto and Earl Davis’ amazing woodwork. You do not want to miss this event! Area artists, Judith Altruda and Marcy Merrill, along with others, will open their studios for your pleasure- a rare treat indeed. Plan on spending the day, make time to visit Nelson Seafoods. It, too, is reminiscent of Scotland- unpretentious, solid, reliable, and utterly wonderful. We always bring our bicycles along and ride the width and breadth of the Tokeland Peninsula, a pretty short ride. Once upon a time Scotland was covered with trees. Over the eons all the trees were cut down and Scotland became a barren land, hardly fit for the grazing of sheep. Only in the past 60 years have the Scots begun to plant trees and manage forest lands, but it will never again reclaim the natural cycle of mingled ages and types of trees, never again be home to the animals that once inhabited the ancient woodlands. We are so very fortunate to have vast areas of ancient forests preserved. Arbor Day is the time when we can recognize the vital importance of maintaining our trees and forests and plant scads of new trees so that we never end up looking like a treeless wasteland. I don’t want to become a sheep farmer! Hoquiam is celebrating Arbor Day on April 20th this year ( official national date is April 27th) and you’re all invited to the festivities. It is no small matter of pride to me that this years’ ceremony will be held in Elton Bennett Park. This is not your standard city park, this is a forest park- there is no ball field, instead there are meandering trails, the sheltering canopy of giant old trees, the musical croaking of frogs, Quinault Daffodils aplenty in the stream, and most of all- there is peace here. This is a park that our own citizens have created. First the Olympians Hiking Club created the trail system, then 79 volunteers from the all over Grays Harbor converged in 2009 to repair the catastrophic damage done by the 2007 storm. A young group of Americorps workers volunteered their free time in 2010 to finish the project, working long days to create a civilized wilderness in the center of town. Please come by on Friday, April 20th at 3:30 for a stroll through the park. Forester Kurt can answer tree questions, you are invited to help us plant seedlings to restore the canopy cover, and I can show you my favorite secret childhood hideaways. Barbara Bennett Parsons, manager of the Grays Harbor Farmers market in Hoquiam- home of the best Scottish Shortbread on this continent! 1958 Riverside, Deidra’s Deli, Nancy’s Bakery, Organic Produce, Fine Art, Jewelry, and Crafts- oh, and lots of flowers and plants too! Barbara Bennett Parsons (360) 532-3235 home (360) 591-2664 cell |
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