by | January 28, 2012 · 8:20 pm

Snowy Owl Encounter

Posted by Sandi

I’ve read with excitement about the rare influx of  snowy owls to our region this year. The Journal reported that a pair were even spotted a few weeks ago on San Juan Island!

Snowy owl at Boundary Bay BC

At 24" tall, the snowies are our largest North American owl. Arctic summers have daylight almost 24-7 and the owls are equipped to hunt in the daytime.

Most of the time they live in the Arctic, but every four to six years the young ones fly south looking for food. This irruption cycle happens when their main food source (lemmings) surge in population and the owls have more babies than the environment will support.

Boundary Bay Regional Park signWhen I heard large numbers of these magnificent raptors were hanging out at Boundary Bay Regional Park  just 20ish miles north of Orcas (as the owl flies), I jumped at the first opportunity to hop across the border.

Boundary Bay is about a three hour drive from Anacortes. We went on a weekday and our border crossing wait time was only 10 minutes.

The bloggers were all saying the best place to see the owls is on the Dyke Trail 72nd Street access point, so that’s where we headed. Sure enough, just a few steps from the parking area there was a group of owls — called a ‘parliament’ – hanging out on driftwood about 30′ from the trail. Farther away we could see several other groups and solitary owls. 

We spent a few wonderful (and chilly) hours at the park while I got my owl fix. We also saw numerous eagles, hawks and herons. But oh those owls with their captivating yellow eyes. What a treat to see these creature. Here are a few shots by my photographer husband, Bob. Enjoy! [slideshow]

Looking to enjoy the simple life on beautiful Orcas Island?
Contact T Williams Realty  – we’ll help you find your way home.

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by | January 21, 2012 · 12:18 pm

Snow Days in the San Juans

Posted by Sandi

Well it doesn’t happen very often, but when it does, it’s wonderful.

The already relaxed winter pace stops abruptly in its snow-tracks, leaving us to cozy by our woodstoves, sip a steamy drink, read a coveted book, check on neighbors and marvel at the scene around us. The evergreen island you thought couldn’t possibly get more beautiful dons her white lace gown and simply takes your breath away. She doesn’t overstay her welcome – just long enough to shake up your routine in a good way, making time for introspection and new perspectives on the natural world. I love it.

I wanted to take photos around the island this week, but with the exception of a few shots on Sunday before “the storm,” it wasn’t meant to be. The steep road in our neighborhood was relegated to makeshift sleds, and my exploration limited to foot travel.  If you have some pics you’d like to share, please post them!

[slideshow]

Looking to enjoy the simple life on beautiful Orcas Island?
Contact T Williams Realty  – we’ll help you find your way home.

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by | January 9, 2012 · 3:57 pm

Yummy Winter Greens Salad

Posted by Teri

We’ve had such a mild start to our fall/winter season it has left many of us cleaning the garden in late November early December. I love the clean up and putting the beds to rest for the winter just as much as I enjoy the planting in the spring. The planning of the next season’s bounty is always in my head any time of the year.

Brussel sprouts from Teri Williams garden on Orcas IslandI love Brussels sprouts and had a large crop, almost by accident last year. This year I planted many starts, thinned and spread them throughout my raised beds and dreamed of roasted gems for Thanksgiving.  Well you can see here my harvest included a hand full of pea-size sprouts. Most plants had no signs of little cabbage heads popping out. What a disappointment, but I decided to cherish the one meal I would have. I sautéed these little guys in olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper and topped a bowl of quinoa with them-yum. I wish I had a bag full of thee sweet garden treats and I’ll be picking next year’s crop while they are still young. Always optimistic about the next years bounty!

Here is one of my favorite winter salads that includes Brussels sprouts. Enjoy 🙂

Winter Greens Salad with Sunflower Seed

 1/3 c. raw sunflower seeds

1 Tbsp whole grain mustard

Brussel sprout salad by Teri Williams on Orcas Island3Tbsp fresh lemon juice (1 large lemon)

¾ tsp salt

1 Tbsp pure maple syrup

2 tsp sunflower oil (can use a good olive oil)

½ pound Brussels sprouts (can be raw or sauté for a minute to soften crunch)

4-6 leaves of leafy greens such as Swiss chard, baby spinach, kale

(I’ve also added finely chopped broccoli and/or chopped apple)

  1. Preheat oven to 375. Toast sunflower seeds (careful, this is usually where I burn somethingJ). Set aside to cool. Meanwhile stir mustard, lemon juice, salt and maple syrup together in a small bowl; whisk in oil until emulsified.
  2. Thinly slice Brussels sprouts and leafy greens, toss together, add seeds and pour in dressing; toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Serves 4; total time 15 minutes.

You can play with maple syrup, salt and lemon juice to find your taste. If you add apples, they will add sweetness. I’ve also added other favorite seeds.

 

Looking to enjoy the simple life on beautiful Orcas Island?
Contact T Williams Realty  – we’ll help you find your way home.

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by | January 3, 2012 · 6:31 pm

Homemade Gifts – Island Style

Posted by Teri

I was really looking forward to this year’s homemade gifts. Every year I try to create a gift that will be unique and meaningful to the receiver. Not always an easy task! The benefit for me, besides the joy of giving, is having my thoughts go to the person. I recall memories, shared times together, likes, dislikes and the energy that person gives from their heart.

This year I tried a few new gift ideas:

Hand-painted Mailbox by Teri Williams

Creating designs for communication boxes, formerly known as mail boxes. I believe these inexpensive Home Depot purchases can be used inside the home and can deliver all kinds of messages.

 

Cross-stitch Pillow

Cross-stitch a “teri” designed pillow. This is the reason I needed a new eyeglass prescription! I added second-hand store beads for a little more color and texture.

 

 

Moccasins made by Teri Williams

Martha Stewart design of moccasins. Martha’s design used felt. I wanted something a bit sturdier and found fur lined suede for my toe warming gift.

 

 

Canned goods by Teri Williams

And lastly, one of my favorites, home canned goods. I spent an evening with close friends in Bellingham. I brought them a box of canned goodies: tuna, salsa, apple pie filling, apple butter and pepper jelly. Well received!

 

Looking to enjoy the simple life on beautiful Orcas Island?
Contact T Williams Realty  – we’ll help you find your way home.

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by | December 21, 2011 · 5:42 pm

Gifts From The Heart

Posted by Sandi

‘Tis the season for gift-giving (and receiving:). An upside of our down economy is that many of us have scaled back our purchases re-learned the joy of handmade gifts. This is especially true in our small island community with so many creative, resourceful people choosing to live a simpler, less materialistic life.

A gift from the heart conveys so much more meaning than the gift itself because of the time, effort and forethought involved. Money is tight, but time is universally more precious! A truly personal, one-of-a-kind gift will be cherished forever.

I’m excited about a few gifts I’ve made for Christmas this year (will save for a future post so as not to spoil the surprise.) In the meantime, here are some images from the archives. If you’ve given or received a gift from the heart that had special meaning, we’d love to hear about it!

[slideshow]

Looking to enjoy the simple life on beautiful Orcas Island?
Contact T Williams Realty  – we’ll help you find your way home.

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by | December 12, 2011 · 3:22 pm

Festive Dining at the Luxurious Rosario Mansion

Posted by Sandi

This past Friday, after our holiday “Shop the Rock” excursion in Eastsound, Bob and I decided to have dinner at the Rosario’s Moran Mansion. We hadn’t done this in years, a consequence of lazily living on the opposite end of the island. Wow, am I glad we did!

Rosario Resort's Moran Mansion at Night

Arriving at the mansion you're greeted by the "Festival of Trees" decorated by local non-profits as a fundraising event.

Rosario was just kicking off its first-ever “Festival of Trees.” Each of seven trees were decorated by a local non-profit — Friends of Moran, The Funhouse, Kaleidoscope, OPAL Community Land Trust, Orcas Island Choral Society, Orcas Island Education Foundation, and Orcas Island Fire & Rescue. By purchasing raffle tickets for $1, you can give to your favorite non-profit by voting for their tree. 

Christmas Tree at Moran Mansion decorated by kids at the Funhouse on Orcas Island

It was hard not to give all our tickets to The Funhouse tree -- each colorful ornament was handmade by a child.

At the end of December, all voting tickets will be entered in a raffle to win round-trip tickets for two to Seattle on Kenmore Air with hotel, dinner for two in The Mansion Restaurant and a two-month spa pass!! Hmmm…. somehow I’m feeling extra “charitable” this evening.

On top of the cozy ambience of the festive historic mansion, our dinner was absolutely superb. I chose the Filet Mignon served with Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes and Carrot Puree. Even though I ordered it medium well (I know, I can hear the gasps), it still cut easily with a butter knife. I combined my plate with Bob’s melt-in-your-mouth Wild King Salmon and we both enjoyed a delightful surf and turf.

Living Room at Moran Mansion, Rosario Resort - Orcas Island

The Living Room is my favorite place in the Mansion. Next time I will ask to take our dessert by the fireplace, like this couple did.

For dessert we shared a chocolate souffl’ee with vanilla bean ice cream and salted caramel sauce. This alone would be worth driving an hour for. Pure ecstasy.

After dinner we leisurely toured the upstairs mansion on our own, marveling at the exquisite construction and trying to imagine what it would’ve been like to live here – a luxuriously large yet intimate space, warmed by mahogany throughout and a fireplace in every room, and a drop-dead gorgeous view down the sound. No wonder Robert Moran outlived his life expectancy by more than 30 years after moving here. I feel so thankful that this historic gem has been preserved and re-opened for us to enjoy. We will definitely be coming back!

 

Looking to enjoy the simple life on beautiful Orcas Island?
Contact T Williams Realty  – we’ll help you find your way home.

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by | November 27, 2011 · 5:21 pm

Waiting for the Anacortes Ferry? Get Out of the Car and Onto the Beach!

Posted by Sandi

Trail to beach at Anacortes Ferry Landing

Trail to beach at the Anacortes Ferry Landing

I don’t go to the mainland often, but when I do, I like to get in the Anacortes ferry line early to make sure I can get the 3:35 boat back to Orcas. Usually I spend the extra time sitting in the car — reading, napping, catching up on emails or phone calls. But recently I tried something that Teri recommended: a relaxing walk on the beach.

Beach and marsh at the Anacortes ferry landing

Yes, Virginia, the sun DOES shine in November -- sometimes 🙂

It was a brisk November afternoon with the sun shining. From the ferry line I carefully crossed over the “pet” area and picked one of the sandy trails toward the beach. The first one dead ended in the marsh so I backtracked until I found the right one.
 
Beach at Anacortes ferry landing, Washington

Why did I wait so long to enjoy this sweet sandy beach?

At the end of the trail I was rewarded: A beautiful long sandy beach that felt far removed from the ferry traffic. In fact thanks to the wide marsh and sand dunes, the cars weren’t even visible. In the summer the beach is probably quite busy, but today it was all mine. I would be here awhile, glad I wore a watch.

You can’t tell from the photos, but near the water there were also small rocks of various colors, patterns and textures. I wonder, where do all these rocks come from? Did they travel large distances or are there are many large “mother rocks” under water? Is there an endless supply?

New boardwalk at Anacortes ferry landing

New boardwalk through the marsh - an easy walking trail ideal for bird watching.

I meandered down the beach until I came to the entrance of the new boardwalk Teri had told me about. Apparently it was built to give the new subdivision up the hill access to the beach. I walked a short way and decided I better get back to the the car. Next time I will arrive even earlier so I can explore more of the beach and boardwalk  – maybe even bring a picnic lunch!

Looking to enjoy the simple life on beautiful Orcas Island?
Contact T Williams Realty  – we’ll help you find your way home.

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by | November 10, 2011 · 11:51 pm

Dining at Orcas Hotel – A Savory Step Back in Time

Posted by Sandi

Orcas Hotel - Orcas Island WA

Greeting you with all her glory

I chose to celebrate my birthday last week with a quiet dinner at the Orcas Hotel, the beautiful turn-of-the-century landmark you see when you arrive at the ferry landing. Although I frequent the Cafe for breakfast during ferry waits, I hadn’t been to the restaurant in several years.

Historic photo of Orcas Hotel, Orcas Island WA

Former owners of Orcas Hotel

I love her grand architecture, history, and tended grounds. Plus  Octavia’s Bistro / bar serves just the right blend of laid-back elegance. On Friday nights in the summer it’s hopping with live music and the menu turns casual. But on this off-season Wednesday night in November, the place is packed with locals just looking for a good meal. (Hint: Wednesday is Prime Rib night and reservations are recommended.)

Salmon dinner at Orcas Hotel, Orcas Island WA

Grilled salmon served with steamed rice, grilled asparagus and basil essence. Yum.

The Prime Rib Special includes Harris Ranch grass-fed all natural beef, tossed salad, baked potato, asparagus and yorkshire pudding. 12-oz cut for $28 or 8-oz for $22. Hmmm… A great deal but prime rib’s not my thing – I ordered the salmon and it was divine.

Dessert at the Orcas Hotel, Orcas Island WA

Who wants boring birthday cake when you can have a warm rasberry tart with vanilla ice cream?

If you really want to treat yourself, reserve one of the 12 boutique rooms to retreat to after dinner. They’re furnished with handmade quilts, antiques, books and island art, and two of the suites have balconies and Jacuzzi tubs for two. Rates range from $89 to $218 depending on time of year and room selected. In the morning meander down to the cafe for your complimentary breakfast in the cafe bakery, or enjoy a full breakfast in Octavia’s. Check for specials; this month they’re offering dinner for two when you stay in one of the jacuzzi suites.

It’s hard to believe this storybook hotel was once condemned and slated to be destroyed to make way for ferry parking. A group of islanders got together to purchase it, and eventually it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and fully renovated. Like many island stories, this one has a happy ending — just the kind I like! 🙂

Looking to enjoy the simple life on beautiful Orcas Island?
Contact T Williams Realty  – we’ll help you find your way home.

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by | October 29, 2011 · 7:54 pm

I Love Halloween!

Halloween on Orcas Island

The only day fashion matters on Orcas Island

Posted by Teri

I love Halloween on Orcas. After all the activity that takes place during the summer, Halloween reminds us we don’t have to wait for the holidays to celebrate and get dressed up!!

Halloween hayride in Eastsound, sponsored by Orcas Island Chamber of Commerce

Halloween hayride in Eastsound, sponsored by the Chamber

In true Orcas style, the community pulls together a successful event in Eastsound each year. Starting mid-afternoon, village businesses pass out treats to costumed kids of all sizes and styles.It might seem early in the day for goblins and ghouls, but it gives us empty-nesters a chance to gaze out the office window and remember when we too paraded down the sidewalks with tiny tots in tow.

Caramel apples for Orcas Historical Museum

Caramel apple treats for Orcas Hysterical Museum

This year the Orcas Historical Museum is doing something different: a re-enactment of the story of the Olga Bear, circa 1910. Orcas Center is lending costumes and community members will learn a few lines and become characters for one afternoon. Some of us are already characters!

Jay and I volunteered to make caramel apples for the museum event. I haven’t done this since my kids were young. I love caramel apples. We’ll see how many make it to the museum. ;0

Happy Halloween everyone!

Looking to enjoy the simple life on beautiful Orcas Island?
Contact T Williams Realty  – we’ll help you find your way home.

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by | October 21, 2011 · 8:02 pm

Spice It Up with Homemade Red Pepper Jelly

Posted by Teri

Red peppersOne of the simple pleasures of fall is canning the summer’s bounty — especially when you invite a girlfriend over to can along with you. Last week a friend and I had fun making Red Pepper Jelly — a recipe idea from Pacific Northwest: The Beautiful Cookbook by Kathy Casey. 

This versatile pepper jelly is a “must have” for your pantry. It’ll spice up an impromptu “happy hour”, add pizzazz to your Sunday Brunch or put a new twist on the same old entree (see chicken idea below.)

Canning on Orcas Island

Christina Bollinger, import from Lopez, family friend, blogger and connoisseur of fine food helped me can jelly.

Red Pepper Jelly

3 large red peppers, cored and seeded.

3 fresh Serrano (small hot red) chili peppers. Cored and seeded.

¾ cup white vinegar.

3 oz. (1 box powder) of liquid pectin.

3 ½ cup white sugar.

Cut the peppers and chilies into rough cut chunks and puree’ in a blender (approx 2 cups). Add vinegar, sugar and pectin and bring to a hard boil. Boil 20 minutes stirring constantly. Pour into 4 oz jam jars. Process 10 minutes in a water bath (cover jars with water 2” above jars and bring to boil before you start the clock.)

Serve with cheese and crackers. red pepper jelly

OR

Serve with sour cream as a side to scrambled eggs.

OR

Baked Chicken with Red Pepper Jelly
I got this idea from watching an Emeril Lagasse cooking show. Didn’t write recipe down, but remembered the gist of the dish.

Place chicken thighs and legs on a baking pan. Cut apple into 4 pieces (with skin), cut large chunks of yellow onion, and add both to baking pan. Dump jar of red pepper jelly on top of all ingredients and stir to coat all. May take 2 jars depending on size of your pan and amount of ingredients. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes, or until chicken is done and apples and onions are to desired doneness. Serve with a green salad and rice. 

 

Looking to enjoy the simple life on beautiful Orcas Island?
Contact T Williams Realty  – we’ll help you find your way home.

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