Hanging out with the old people
There are many of you out there who would argue that I am an old person since my 60th birthday is fast approaching. However, the people in our group on Friday made me look young. The average age was in the low 80’s. Some looked and acted it, but others gave me hope for the future.
It turned out to be a wonderful day. When my co-workers picked me up it was raining so hard we could barely see the road. But this is Western Washington and, as we say, if you don’t like the weather either wait 5 minutes or go 5 miles. By the time we were about 20 miles north of my house, there was no more rain and the roads were dry. It was chilly – in the 40’s – and windy, but we had cloudy blue skies and sunbreaks for the rest of the day. By the afternoon it was almost pleasant outside.
This was the 25th year for the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. We concentrated on the 2 largest tulip companies – Roozengarde and Tulip Town. Their fields and gardens are spectacular when the flowers are blooming and they were out in force on Friday. For those who aren’t traveling with 100 seniors, there’s also a wonderful street fair through the center of Mt. Vernon, WA and lots of wonderful places to eat. It runs from April 1st through April 30th each year and is absolutely worth a visit is you’re in the area then.
Everyone had a good time with a few exceptions and those people would probably hate DisneyWorld. Total blasphemy! The tulip fields were beautiful and the salmon barbeque lunch was delicious. The cakes were a big hit, but next time I’m only taking one flavor. No more choices!
We left absolutely exhausted. You try corralling 100 senior citizens – many with walkers and canes – through 2 tulip fields and a lunch. Those little doggies have minds of their own!
About 20 miles north of my house, it started raining. Five miles further south it turned to snow. SNOW IN APRIL in Western Washington. That’s like a sacrilege. It snowed all night and this is what it looked like out my downstairs front window on Saturday morning.
Fortunately, this is Western Washington. This is that same view Sunday morning.
Anyway, if you tuned in just to see what life was like in college in the 60’s you’ll have to come back another time. I promise to post about that – when I’m in the mood. I'm old you know!
19 comments:
One of these days i should take my wife to see this. She loves tulips above all other flowers.
Did not know there was a town called Mt. Vernon west of the Mississippi. Beautiful flowers - if I did not know better I'd say that was the Netherlands.
I'm jealous of all these flower/nature parks featured on My Town posts - here in Florida - a place named for flowers, I'm afraid all that remains of nature are palm, pine and oak trees. There are no fields, only condos.
Gorgeous flowers.
And it's funny, it seems that everywhere has an expression similar to yours about "if you don't like the weather, wait five minutes or go five miles."
absolutely stunning photos !! We have had some very odd weather this year and we actually had snow in April as well, I mean we are lucky to see any snow at anytime of the year!!
Those tulip fields remind me of Amsterdam. Gorgeous pics, thanks.
gorgeous photos!! apparently it's pretty all year round!
what a beautiful place!we also talk about waiting 5 minutes if you don't like the weather
Beautiful photos - I can smell the flowers from here!
Those photos are beautiful. I love the last two!!
But WOW! The colors are so vivid. I can almost smell the flowers.
Hahahaha! Unruly seniors.
:-)
What gorgeous pics. I love tulips. Very funny comments about your fellow travelers. :)
Great flowers!
As for the people who were not pleased, I have a theory. Most of us want to have a good time. Some people, however, want to have a BAD time. When you find people like that, they will feel angry and cheated if you try to show them a good time. So you must help them to have a bad time -- seriously! They'll be happy you did, and you won't waste your efforts in vain.
Boy, was I confused for a bit. When I see Mount Vernon, I tend to think of George Washington etc etc etc. Comes from being from the other Washington
Beautiful Tulips (they are my favorite flower), Anti-wife, and the weather, jeesh, I thought Chicago was bad with the weird weather changes... then again, our snow almost never melts overnight to spring.
Washington looks beautiful - someday I've got to make it out there for a visit.
Beautiful flowers! Nice trip! Funny story. What more can you ask for a Monday?
Gorgeous pictures! I can't imagine what whole fields of this felt like.
"Everyone had a good time with a few exceptions and those people would probably hate DisneyWorld." -- too funny, and true. There are always a few in every crowd.
Wow!!! What a beautiful trip. I have family who are from and live in WA and OR and without a doubt, those two states take their flowers more seriously than any other collection of people in the world. I know because I know everything...hahahaha
I love tulips and I'm completely jealous!
Gorgeous pix, and I love the contrasting views! What a difference!
*grin* My mother is 62 and just graduated from nursing school with her LPN. And if that's not enough? My brother used to work at a nursing home where a 100 year old woman volunteered because she felt so bad for those "old" people. :) I don't know if life's what you make it, but hope? Yeah, that's always around.
Wow. Gorgeous flowers. And what on earth is that awesome pink tree?
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