Mukilteo Musings

Easter and Tulips

We did not go to the tulip fields this year but that's OK; it might have made me sad because this is the first Easter I haven't had my children home. Lucas was doing a little biking in Missoula and Kaley called me from Montreal where her school choir is on a trip.

This is why we did not make our annual visit: It was 75 degrees on Saturday and 80 on Easter Sunday. Combine that weather with a holiday weekend timed exactly with the full blooming tuilips and the result is major back up on I-5. The tulip fields are in the Skagit Valley between Mount Vernon and La Conner. The Skagit River flows into the Sound and along its banks there are dikes to keep flood waters out of the fields (a perfect place for bulb farmers to plant). The area is 45 or so minutes north of Seattle and it is beyond words beautiful. Our pure white volcano to the north, Mount Baker, looms up and forms a backdrop to the multi-colored tulips as far as you can see.

I can positively say without hesitation that every parent who has raised a child in the Puget Sound area has adorable photos of their children standing between rows of tuilps with Mount Baker in the background!!!!!

Nevertheless, we had a fabulous weekend because the gardening began. We stopped to buy flowers and found some King Crab Legs for our dinner. After fighting traffic on I-5 which was backed up to Everett, we sat on our deck, enjoyed wine and the blue waters of Puget Sound. The next morning, Easter, one of our gray whales who hangs around this time of year decided to pay Mukilteo a visit. I was drinking my coffee outside and I saw him spout and roll over; he was close enough that I did not even need my binoculars.

I love my kids but I had a nice Easter.