Saltwater Sounds: Cozy Up to the First Day of Fall

Welcome to Saltwater Sounds, a collection of ideas, tips, and inspiration. Here, I share everything happening in the world of Shiplap and Shells, what’s to come, and the inspiration I’ve found from other bloggers around the web.

This and That

Fall is here, and a lot is happening! That’s mainly because when you’ve been on a boat for five weeks, there’s quite a bit to catch up on when you return home.

I started decorating our home for fall yesterday and can’t wait to share pictures with you next week.

Now that we’re home again, I’m happily nesting. I cut hydrangeas to take inside and dry, and today, I plan to create fresh-cut flower bouquets and harvest my pumpkins from the garden.

Are you happy that fall is here? Sweater weather, the pumpkins, fallen leaves, wreaths, and warm throws? I love summer so much, but I’m ready for fall and all the coziness it has to offer.

“Let’s pumpkin spice things up a bit.”- Unknown

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Of course, the garden looks completely different from when we left on our trip on August 10th. Most of the summer flowers are fading away, but some blooms are looking better than they did before we left.

The spider flowers are new to the garden, and I wasn’t sure if I would like them, but now that they are in full bloom, I really love them.

They are complemented beautifully by the cosmos, which didn’t take off until recently.

The Sedum Autumn Joy is dramatic with its dark rose color.

The euphoria and coneflower play off the sedum perfectly.

We still have tomatoes, but not as many as I had hoped. A few plants were diseased, and because I wasn’t there to check on them and catch the issues early, they didn’t really stand a chance.

The Persian carpet zinnias are beautiful this year.

I bought fall annuals last Friday and am hoping to plant them today. We’ll see how far I get.

I’ll plant ornamental cabbage, kale, grasses, pansies, and violas. The nursery had a great sale, so I bought more perennials for 50% off and evergreens for 20% off.

The plan is to slowly add more evergreen plants to the garden beds so I can work a little less in the garden in the future. We all need a little more low maintenance in our lives, right?

More Boat Trip Updates

We may be home, but I still have fun boat experiences to share with you.

Montague Harbour, Galiano Island, BC

Montague Harbour was a beautiful place to anchor.

We dinghied to the Montague Marina with our e-bikes in tow.

We’d never been to Galiano Island, so we were excited to spend the day riding around and exploring.

The Hummingbird Pub is a favorite and is usually very busy during summer.

We showed up when there were only three tables with customers.

It was the perfect day to sit on the patio, have a bite to eat, and enjoy a glass of wine.

The next stop was the Woodstone Manor Garden. This is not open to the public, but we again picked the perfect day. We had gone to the Woodstone Manor Boutique Hotel to see about having dinner there.

It was too early for dinner, but we were lucky enough to meet the owners’ niece. She offered to take us to the estate garden and show us around.

It was such an amazing experience! We got the guided tour and even sampled the veggies as we walked around.

Kale, lettuce, squash, tomatoes, and tomatillos were some of the vegetables growing in the garden.

There was also a variety of gorgeous flowers and plenty of herbs.

Look how stunning these colors are.

After the garden tour, we were still too early for dinner, but the owner was gracious enough to let us sit on the patio and take in the views.

There were horses in the field next door. We were told that the owner takes in retired horses who get to spend the rest of their lives relaxing and enjoying themselves.

Dinner was absolutely amazing! If you’re ever in the neighborhood, you MUST eat here.

Above are some pictures of the inside of the restaurant. The property has 9 acres of private forest land. Woodstone Manor is a boutique hotel with 12 unique rooms available.

Ganges, Salt Spring, BC

The next stop was the town of Ganges on Salt Spring Island. We love this place and have been here three times now.

This is the cutest town, and it has a lot of shopping.

Twang and Pearl is a cute little shop selling clothing and home goods.

I wish I could remember what this store was called. It also had charming home decor and outdoor garden decor.

After walking around the town on the first day, we rode our bikes the next day. The first stop was a farm stand that I completely fell in love with!

This space had everything! Fresh veggies and fruit and a variety of breads.

I would have bought so many of their plants but becuase we were in Canada, we wouldn’t have been able to take them back in to the U.S. So sadly I had to walk away empty handed.

The bouquets were stunning as well.

Next, we visited Salt Spring Island Cheese.

They have the most delicious cheeses. You can also have salad or pizza for lunch.

Thank goodness they had samples; otherwise, I would have never been able to choose which cheeses to take with us.

Visiting the goats was the most fun!

They were so fun to watch, and one little sweetie came over and wanted me to pet her. I fell in love at first sight.

I did not expect to see a roadside antique shop.

We went to the Gary Oaks winery for some wine tasting.

Day three did not disappoint with the Saturday Salt Spring Island Farmer’s Market. We’ve only been to one of them, but we got there late in the day, so it was so crowded we couldn’t see much.

This time, we got there as soon as they opened.

The fresh-cut flowers were beautiful. However, we were going into the U.S. the next day, so I didn’t get to buy any for the boat.

Saltspring Soapworks had some amazing scents!

There were plenty of choices for bread and baked goods. And I bought a “Salty” baseball hat.

There were a few booths with pottery.

There was jewelry, clothing, goat cheese, and even felt flowers.

We finished the day with a delicious dinner at Tree House Cafe. I love this place!

I have one more week to share from the boat trip. I’ll share Roche Harbor, a trip to Christiansen’s Nursery, and Bainbridge Island.

And, of course, I’ll be sharing a lot more of our fall cottage and garden.

It’s Candle Season AND They’re On Sale!

Antique Candle Co. has a big sale just in time for candle season!

BUY 2 AND GET 1 FREE! SHOP HERE

From the Blog

30 Easy Outdoor Fall Decorating Ideas to Try This Season

Are you looking for easy fall decorating ideas for your outdoor space that make a seasonal statement? Whether you have a cozy porch, a big backyard, or a charming balcony, adding a few simple autumn touches can transform your outdoor area into an inviting fall sanctuary… CONTINUE READING.

10 Tips for Planting Flower Bulbs in Fall for a Beautiful Spring Garden

Did you know those beautiful flowering bulbs you enjoy each spring are planted in the fall? I’ll share ten tips for planting flowering bulbs in the fall to set your spring garden up for success… CONTINUE READING.

My Favorite Inspiration Around the Web This Week

Get these potluck pointers!

The “Avondale” house from the Weeth Home portfolio.

You’re going to love this Country French fall porch tour.

Learn how to make herb butter to use now and later.

This pear tart looks amazing!

You’ll love this classically coastal “Gracie Oaks” home.

Transform your table with beautiful purple hues for autumn with these tips.

Try this iced apple cider caramel oatmeal cookie recipe for fall.

I’d love to hear from you! Please leave a comment and let me know what you’d like to see on the blog. Thank you for being here.

Until next time,

Wishing a wonderful week ahead,

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