Saltwater Sounds: Margaritas, Paella, and Farmers Market Finds

Welcome To This Week’s Saltwater Sounds…

A collection of ideas, tips, and inspiration. Here, I share everything happening in the world of Shiplap and Shells, what to look forward to on the blog, and the inspiration I’ve found throughout the week.

We spent most of the week aboard Wildflower, our Kadey Krogen Whaleback, headed north to the annual Krogen Rendezvous.

Our Kadey Krogen Whaleback trawler Wildflower tied up at the La Conner town dock at sunset

We stopped in La Conner for the night and landed a great spot on the town dock, with a front-row view of the Rainbow Bridge at sunset.

Wildflower on the La Conner dock at sunset with the Rainbow Bridge in the background

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Red waterfront building in La Conner, Washington, seen from the town dock

Here’s the view of the town from our boat.

La Conner waterfront shops seen from the deck of our boat Wildflower
Outside COA Mexican Eatery in La Conner, Washington

There wasn’t much time to play, but we made time for dinner at COA Mexican Eatery, our favorite restaurant in town.

Margarita at COA Mexican Eatery in La Conner

They also make my favorite margarita.

The Pie Dive Bar on the La Conner waterfront seen from the dock

Dessert was a short walk up from the dock at the Pie Dive Bar. They make a mean banana cream pie!

Ollie, our cream-colored dog, relaxing on blue and white striped bedding aboard Wildflower

Ollie had his own plans for the evening.

Boaters gathered for a potluck on the marina dock at the Kadey Krogen Rendezvous

Then it was on to four days at the Kadey Krogen Rendezvous.

There were potlucks on the dock.

Paella cooking in a large pan on the dock at the Kadey Krogen Rendezvous

A paella dinner.

Kadey Krogen owners listening to a presentation at the Rendezvous

And a lot of boat talk.

Some of the best time was spent learning from other owners, swapping ideas, and sitting in on presentations, especially the ones led by the Coast Guard

Galley of Wildflower, our Kadey Krogen Whaleback trawler

Here’s a peek inside Wildflower.

Salon of Wildflower, our Kadey Krogen Whaleback trawler

You know me. If there’s a spot for flowers, I’ll find it.

Cockpit of our Kadey Krogen Whaleback with a table, chairs, and a potted fall mum

I started the week with dried hydrangeas from home, then swapped in fall mums for the galley and cockpit.

Jax and Ollie, our black and cream dogs, resting in the stateroom of our Kadey Krogen Whaleback

Jax and Ollie settled right in. This boat is as much their second home as ours.

Artisan bread booth at the Anacortes Farmers Market

A few of us snuck off to the Anacortes Farmers Market, one of the best markets I’ve ever been to. I bought bread. Of course I bought bread.

I also found two watercolor prints, one of whales and one of Mount Rainier, to hang on the boat.

Fresh fruit and vegetables piled high at a booth at the Anacortes Farmers Market

We stocked up on fruit and vegetables, and the produce booths never ran out.

Dried flower bundles and wreaths at a booth at the Anacortes Farmers Market

The dried flower booth was my favorite.

Fresh flower bouquets for sale at the Anacortes Farmers Market

Every one of us walked back to the docks with a bouquet for our boat.

Buckets of cut flower bouquets at a flower farm booth at the Anacortes Farmers Market
Handmade dog treats at a pet bakery booth at the Anacortes Farmers Market

Jax and Ollie got peanut butter treats, so they came out ahead on this trip too.

Handmade soaps and soap dishes at a booth at the Anacortes Farmers Market

And I picked up handmade soaps and dishes as Christmas gifts for friends. Yes, I’m Christmas shopping in September.

We planned to stop at Christianson’s Nursery on the way home. Instead, I caught some sort of bug, so we headed home early. Christianson’s will have to wait until next year.

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In the Garden

Orange and red zinnias blooming in front of our 1920 beach cottage

The garden is winding down. There are fewer blooms each week, but the zinnias and dahlias haven’t gotten the memo.

Bright zinnias in the cut flower garden with the greenhouse behind them

Here are several garden views for you to enjoy.

Greenhouse surrounded by colorful zinnias in the cut flower garden
Colorful zinnias in the cut flower garden with the cottage in the background
Rose and green zinnias blooming in the cut flower garden
Fuchsia dahlias and purple asters along the garden fence in front of our gray cottage
Fuchsia dahlias and purple asters along the garden fence with the bay beyond
Jax, our black dog, watching from behind dahlias and purple asters along the fence
Burgundy dahlias and purple asters blooming along the garden fence
Yellow dahlias and purple asters blooming along the garden fence
Orange dahlias blooming along the garden fence in early fall
Orange and burgundy dahlias growing side by side along the garden fence
Purple-pink dahlia blooming along the garden fence
Yarrow blooming with dahlias and zinnias in the cut flower garden

The yarrow is still going in the cut flower garden, a soft bit of color I appreciate this time of year.

Small white pumpkins climbing the garden arbor alongside the flowers

The best surprise has been the white pumpkins climbing the trellis right alongside the flowers.

Close-up of a white pumpkin hanging from the garden arbor
Red Cherry French marigolds and Cappuccino rudbeckia blooming in the cottage garden
Red Cherry French Marigolds and Cappuccino Butterfly Rudbeckia

Red-cherry marigolds, cappuccino rudbeckia, sunflowers, sedum ‘Autumn Joy’, asters, and black-eyed Susans are all still blooming.

Practical Notes: My Fall Garden To-Do List

There’s plenty to do in the garden this month. Here’s what’s still on my list:

A few overgrown beds need to be dug out and started over. That’s a job for the cooler weeks ahead. After this walk around the garden, I’m leaning toward more cut-and-come-again flowers next year, like zinnias and strawflowers, plus more vegetables.

LET’S GO SHOPPING FOR

Garden Supplies and Tools

Check out my favorite garden supplies and tools for the growing season. Whether you’re looking for potting soil or deer repellent, you’ll find what I use in my own garden.

fallen leaves being mowed

Benefits of Leaf Litter Mulch in the Garden and How to Make It

Learn about a free, no-fuss mulch that feeds the soil, protects the plants, and gives pollinators somewhere to shelter over winter. The garden thanks me for it all year.
Cream and green pumpkins with orange mums as a fall table centerpiece

How to Warm up Your Fall Table With Pumpkins and Mums

Heirloom pumpkins, warm mums, moss, and a lot of candlelight. It’s cozy, a little abundant, and most of it came from the garden and the farm stand down the road.
Rose-colored hydrangeas at the end of a garden path lined with pumpkins

October Gardening Tips for the Pacific Northwest

Summer’s over, but the garden isn’t done with us yet. Cleanup, bulbs, and the projects that set you up for a better garden next year.
greenhouse with black bats, a skeleton with a witch hat, and cobwebs in the garden

Spooky Halloween Garden Ideas for a Frightfully Fun Outdoor Display

Here’s how I turned the greenhouse and cottage garden into a spooky little scene, along with the outdoor Halloween decoration ideas that did the most work for the least money.

My Favorite Inspiration Around the Web This Week

How cute is this wood fence board Jack-O-Lantern DIY?

Don’t these baked Cinnamon Crunch Apple Cider Doughnuts look delicious?

This “Dutch Fields” project from W Design Collective is inspiring.

Look how easy it is to transform plain candles with napkins.

These apple cider cheesecake tartlets look delicious.

What do you think about this industrial and colorful warehouse conversion in London?

Check out how to make a DIY witch broom.

Create fall floral arrangements with foraged treasures.

This autumn apple and pecan salad is the perfect fall salad.  

See You Next Week

Wishing you crisp mornings, a good bouquet or two from the garden, and a little time to appreciate the last few days of September.

Until next time,

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