Woke up to a beautiful neutral day instead of the expected thunder showers. Drove to the Port of Seattle and walked through the famous Pike Place Market. Much busier today than our last time through several years ago. The huge buckets of vibrant flowers were still plentiful although many were walking around tightly clutched by the mass of mothers. Walked over to the park that overlooks the Port so KatieBug could walk the fish water off her paws. Mountains in the distance were covered with snow which we will certainly encounter in the next 10 days.
Happy Mother’s Day! Dinner at the Herbfarm for the father of the mother on Mother’s Day. John was so excited about eating here that I got swept up in his excitement and agreed to the nine course exclusive dinner that is spread out over four and one half commentated hours. The usual wait for reservations is six month but someone cancelled a minute before John called and we took the spot. A set menu served with five or six matched wines, the meal drawing inspiration from each season. Unusual produce grown in The Herbfarm kitchen gardens and farm, and from small local growers, make up the ever-changing harvest that is served, never the same twice. The herbs are fresh picked the day before. The menu consists of wild, foraged, native, and historic foods of the Pacific Northwest. On the menu…wild mushrooms, exotic herbs and plants, heritage fruits, handmade cheeses, refreshing whole herb teas and rarities such as water grown wasabi root and artisanal caviars. We will be eating with five others at a large table so it should be an interesting gastronomical and social evening.
Our tour of the Herbfarm started at 4:00pm munching our way through tiny bits of a variety of herbs as we walked through the herb garden sipping herbal teas. We visited with the two family pigs, brothers Basil and Borage, which you can feed in-between courses.
Introductions and welcomes started at 4:30. Not white wine drinkers, we were glad to see wines other than white. Our table of seven became the chattiest among the room. Our server was attentive, amusing, very knowledgeable and served in five star restaurants most of his life. If I were to rate The Herbfarm, having eaten at many five star restaurants, high seven seems right. Portions, although small, were an amazing morsel of exploding flavor, lingering and satisfying completely. The owners busied around the room helping serve and keeping the conversation flowing, not that it was needed at our table. The time passed surprisingly fast with discussions over each offering circling around the table.
Hugs and farewells, while being served our choice of as many French press fresh herbal teas or beverages as we cared to select alongside freshly made candy and cookies, ended at 9:30. On our way out, we were all given boxes of recently dried sumac and sage organic beef jerky. The once in a lifetime experience of total perfection in dining ended but will never be forgotten. Thank you, Oh Wonderful Husband of Mine!
Woke up to an overcast mild day, perfect for exploring Seattle. Little sprinkles were not a bother so we donned our rain coats, put KatieBug in the car and drove down to the Port of Seattle area. First walking along the water and window shopping, into the famous Ye Olde Curiosity Shop then a small bite of sour dough bread before walking down the waterway to the Olympic Sculpture Park and the breathtaking view of the city, port and ocean.
A little practice of close ups with my cell phone to capture the beautiful flowers that were scattered throughout the Park before returning to the car and heading back to our RV Park.
One quick stop at Jimi Hendricks Memorial, where his parents are buried, then back to pack and ready for the next days travel through Canada.
Road Trip! Restful nights sleep in Bellingham, a tiny town in Washington just outside of Canada. Quick breakfast the next morning and the wheels on the bus go round and round. On the border we passed “go” but did not collect $200.00. We were subjected to a minor search of the RV while we waited outside, border guards decked out in surgeons gloves, questioned and then allowed into the country.
The road wound through scenery of treed forest with gushing melted snow waters cascading down into the speeding river, mountainous desert with scrub brush and scattered burnt trees with the rushing river alongside to a valley of green grazing grasses ready for the herds as we passed through one after another tunnels carved into the side of the mountains. Spotted the smoke from two wild fires on the opposite side of the river, one several acres and growing, one just starting. Overnight in an RV Park I renamed Dirt Walls RV in the tiny town of Cache Creek. Unimpressive views of dirt walls on three sides. Silver lining…very quiet.
