Spring has arrived in all her crazy ever-changing moods, weather and blooms to brighten our souls.
Lots of amazing opportunities up ahead with a diverse group of classes – First one I want to really encourage you to come to is a FUNDRAISER for Burke Ornithology
Bird, Forests, Nest Checks & Netting
Dr Sievert Rohwer ( former professor & curator of birds at the Burke Museum ), along with Dr Alejando Rico-Guevera and Dr Scott Freeman will be showing us many wonders of the bird world and the native forests that support them on Whidbey Island.
An all day affair, located on Sieverts gorgeous property, includes bird mist netting ( used in research ) checking bird boxes, guided forest walks and power point presentations, by both ornithologists, on interesting research projects. Sievert will also bring some specimens from the Burke to show how the collection is used to help scientists in their research.
This class is done on a donation basis so let me know if your interested. The link provided is for the suggested donation of $300.00 but we sure want to fill it! Let me know what you can afford to donate for this worthy cause. A phone call or email to me can arrange that if your amount is less than $300.
Brita Fisher – Floral Designer
Matt Dillon – James Beard Chef
For Mothers Day, May 14th, we have a super special event to delight anyone who loves beauty and good food!
Mother’s Day Magic – Flowers & Food
The morning starts with a floral arranging class with Brita Fisher and a sumptuous selection of blooms to make a stunning arrangement.
After you finish creating you’ll be treated to lunch by a James Beard award winning chef ( Sitka & Spruce, Bar Ferdinand, The Corson Building, London Plane & Copal ), Matt Dillon.
Matt has closed most of his restaurants so this is a rare opportunity to get to eat his incredible food.
Delectable nibbles provided while you create, followed by an amazing vegetarian lunch, with many wild foods incorporated along with wine and Matt’s famous crusty wood oven bread.
There are still 2 spots left in this upcoming weekends Shibori Explored class with Elin Noble. You’ll learn the techniques to create so many incredible pattens – just a few featured above.
Saturday, May 13, Erin Vanhee will lead an informative and useful class – Feral Foods of Whidbey Island.
Learn to ID, collect and prepare a surprising selection of wild foods, both native and non-native. Erin is a wise herbalist and wonderful teacher.
Erin will also be teaching a class on June 17th leading you to discover the medicinal qualities of plants in the perennial garden. Secret Medicine Plants of the Perennial Garden.
June 10th has us learning how to embroider with a lovely technique called thread painting.
Thread Painting – Salish Stitches No experience necessary and only 1 spot left so sign up and if full I’ll start a wait list as Jamie Conners will be happy to teach more classes.
Limited to 6 students so all get plenty of support.
This little crabber is our new puppy Sitka, now 5 months old and excited about his first beach walk. He is also the one that went crazy barking when he discovered the predicament in the photo below.
We had been gone all day to LaConner for flowers and lunch and returned home to see this sad site – notified by Sitka going crazy barking. Fortunately we know the raptor expert and falconer, Steve Layman, so we called him right away to ask for help.
With Steves skill he was able to hold the legs in such a way as to avoid the talons ( beak really not an issue he said ) and we cut many parts of the fencing to release the healthy adult male bird.
Steve said he was in really good condition and expected him to fly off latter. He walked across the field and we left him to get his wits about him and fly away.Steve came back at night to check and found he had not flown away – Steve figured he was stiff from being in the net – we had no idea how long. I thawed out some wild game to feed him in the morning if he was still there.
Morning came and we found him on his back! We threw out some meat which he did eat. Steve arrived again with blue painters tape and a sheet. He was able to get his feet without getting nabbed and he taped the talons up for transport.
He also wrapped the entire bird in the sheet so it was contained and didn’t trash about.
The PAWS people were so impressed with the use of the painters tape – they’d never had a bird delivered that way and added it to their arsenal of tricks. The feathers don’t stick to the tape, so everyone is safer with that method.
We are still awaiting the outcome. PAWS said he was not only out of gas ( food wise ) but had strained wings and feet struggling with the netting. It’s too bad we were gone that day as an earlier rescue probably would have helped him out a lot.
We know the chickens got picked off by eagles last year but the fence arrangement this year made it hard to fly in and out.
I’ve been busy sewing in preparation for our Summer Arts and Crafts Market. This top has topo maps of Olympic National Park and Yellowstone National Park and can be worn either side forward.
I’ll also have a wide selection of lunch bags / art supplies / anything you want – fully lined and tasseled bags! Such fun ~ well made completely machine washable ~ makes a great gift.
From kid prints to sophisticated kimono fabrics – something for every taste.
Tammi Sloan of My Brown Wren will make her first appearance at the Summer Market this year. Her high quality jewelry work uses stone, silver and enamel to create many whimsical looks.
There will be the final selection of Sheila Carbons wonderful bird baths since she past last year. Gary wants to keep a few and is willing for me to sell the rest. Made with a variety of stones she cut and set into a hypetuf body – base and pedestal are separate for easy transport.
Lots going on – please contact me if you have questions about anything or know of someone who might do high quality work that would fit into our summer market.
Happy Spring Gardening and Learning!
Mary Fisher
www/cultusbaygaardens
7568 Cultus Bay Rd
Clinton WA
Whidbey Island