PHOTO ESSAY BY DAVID WELTON
TEXT BY BARBARA MORAN Whidbey Life Magazine Contributors
October 28, 2015
The 10th Annual Mutt Strut on Saturday Oct. 24 featured over 50 costumed critters and a party atmosphere that even a spate of showers could not dampen.
Pups Pixie and Pasco, Julie Lundstad (left) and Salley Westcott showed off their bee-utiful costumes.
Dressed as bumble bees, little dogs Pixie and Pisco—along with their similarly bee-decked owners Julie Lundstad and Salley Westcott—”swarmed down from Oak Harbor,” as Lundstad put it, “to support local Whidbey Island activities for dogs.”
There was a four-legged Seahawks cheerleader and a scary (well, not really) spider dog, along with a pirate dog, a doggie hula dancer, dogs in hats and boots and capes and a number of dogs with wings. As many as 25 different breeds were represented, along with lovable mutts like Paige, an adoptable dog from WAIF.
Paige, a friendly, adoptable dog from WAIF, enjoyed her chance to socialize with other pups and people.Chloe, the Bernese Mountain dog, showed off her wagon-pulling skills with Linda Sue Schoenharl.
Two Bernese Mountain dogs (a mother and daughter) came with their owners Linda Sue and Ed Schoenharl as a band of gypsies. Mother dog Chloe pulled a pretty little gypsy wagon as her daughter Lisle followed. Linda Sue said it was a chance to demonstrate how the breed is used to pull wagons in Europe.
Parade leader and emcee Jim Freeman (in the orange and red headpiece) was outpaced by some parade participants, including Frida Kahlo (foreground) with her signature unibrow.
“This could be the biggest year we ever had!” noted animated event host Jim Freeman, who led the official Mutt Strut parade around the Bayview Garden Center, Farmers Market, and shops at Bayview Corner. During the parade, unofficial musical accompaniment was provided by fiddler Toni Talia Marcus, while her dog Tashi, a Chinese Crested/terrier mix walked by Ivan Neaigus, “sang” along.
It was easy to see why Spinnaker Gale won the “Best Trick” prize.
All participants then got to show off their costumes and various tricks to the appreciation of the crowd and their fellow canines. Prizes were awarded for Best Dog Costume, Best Celebrity Dog, Best Trick, and Best Dog/Owner Costume Combo.
Sasha Sheldon and her mother Natasha won “Best Dog and Dog Owner Costume.”
As if not exciting enough already, the Mutt Strut was part of the larger annual Apple Day activities, which included the chance to sample 50 varieties of apples and watch fresh cider being pressed. The annual fun-filled tradition is sponsored by Bayview Farm and Garden, Bayview Farmers Market and Goosefoot, and it’s always free.
See more photos below.
Barbara Moran (msbmoran.com) is a college writing instructor and veteran journalist focusing on animals and nature.
Annie Horton tasted one of 50 apple varieties provided at the Apple Day part of the event.Miriam Maier demonstrated how an apple cider press works.Ironman, Nolan (left) and his superhero friend kept the event safe from arch villains.Macie Vanderwerfhorst came with a handmade surfboard and her “killer shark” Cinnamon.Buddy, the pug, really “put on the dog” in his formalwear, along with his people Gail Liston and Brian Plebanek, and his golden retriever pal Koa—who was too big to pick up (also, image at top).Nancy Clark came accompanied by an incredibly rare “beardog.”Betsy Munson showed her dog Maynard on four legs and on her shirt.Both canine and human participants looked on in anticipation during the judging ceremony.
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BY BARBARA MORAN Whidbey Life Magazine Contributor
June 10, 2015
Among stunning attractions at this year’s Whidbey Island Garden Tour are unique yard art, water features, water views and places for peaceful reflection located within shade gardens, sun-loving gardens, a woodland garden and a romantic country garden. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the tour, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 20.
“There is enormous variety,” said Penny Harger, veteran WIGT event planner and board member. “Three of the five gardens offer big water views. The Westside garden features exotics and the Tale of Two Gardens was professionally designed.” What they all have in common is “passionate gardeners,” she added. The gardens are located from Coupeville to the island’s south end.
June Garden (photo by CJ Baker)June Garden (photo by CJ Baker)
One of this year’s five featured gardens is at the home of June and Richard Davis in Freeland. It reflects June’s passion for Japanese maples as well as her extensive knowledge of garden plants resulting from her education in horticulture and many years as sales manager for Skagit Gardens in Mt. Vernon.
In addition to 30 varieties of Japanese maples and dwarf conifers, the garden highlights unique shrubs, perennials and annuals artfully placed about for bursts of summer color. Visitors will also get to stroll paths with exquisite brick and rock work designed and, in many cases, built by Richard, as well as container plantings clearly designed with June’s expert eye.
The front entry of the Davis home (photo by CJ Baker)
Unique birdhouses (including one that looks like their dog), as well as feeders and water stations, confirm Richard’s passion as a “birder.” The avian accoutrements attract a colorful variety of birds, inviting the use of binoculars.
A greenhouse at the edge of the garden is a bright and cozy respite. “When I was working for Skagit Gardens I didn’t work in the greenhouses, but I did visit them daily and always loved the smell of the cedar benches and the sight of all the different plants growing there,” June recalled. “I use my greenhouse to overwinter my pet plants and to grow seedlings for transplant in the spring. Also, I love having my morning coffee there in the colder months when I can’t be outside. It’s a delightful place for both me and my plants.”
June Davis (photo by CJ Baker)
It is obvious that gardening is both creative and meditative for June, whose landscape is immaculate as well as charming. She even turns weeding into a transcendental activity by listening to audio books through headphones on occasion. “Weeding can be very therapeutic,” she observed.
June is happy to participate in the Tour, she said. “I give a lot of garden talks to help people with their gardens, but there’s nothing like visiting a garden to see how plants actually grow and work together. If people are interested in learning more about their own gardens then I highly recommend they visit as many gardens as possible to gain a deeper understanding of plants, garden rooms and the hardscapes that all work together to make a garden special. You really have to see it to understand it.”
Of particular note is a stately native madrone. June said when the couple built their home eight years ago, she was very protective of it and several other natives on the property.
In fact, she recalled telling their architect that, given a preference, “I would just have a garden.” As a result, she said, “I can walk out of any door and be in my garden.”
Clinton Community Center volunteer Bob Woods tends the center grounds, which benefited from WIGT proceeds. The green sign is posted at locations where WIGT proceeds have been provided. (photo by CJ Baker)
Describing hers as a “young garden,” she added, “We picked this lot because we wanted a larger garden but not more than an acre. We wanted to be close to town so we could run to the store quickly, yet we wanted to feel like we were in the country. Our lot is on a slope and we didn’t want to have a deck on stilts—we wanted to walk directly into the garden, so our architect, Todd Soli, designed the house with the garden in mind. We had to bring in a lot of fill to keep the patios on the ground level, and then rock walls were built for the rest of the back garden. This gives the gardens layers that make for interesting plantings.”
At the opposite end of the garden from the greenhouse is the family’s well-tended chicken coop, which guests can also visit.
The Greenbank Farms’ demonstration garden has also received WIGT proceeds. (photo by CJ Baker)
Westside Garden by Louise Abbott and Dave Earp with garden art, native orchids, a conifer section, water view and many bird species attracted by particular plantings
A Tale of Two Gardens by Liz Axford and Patrick Johnson, with landscape architect Ken Philp, featuring both a peaceful shade garden and a bright and colorful sunny garden as well as a Prairie Garden
A Re-imagined Garden by Re McClung offering a spacious woodland garden with visual surprises including birdhouses, sculptures, artwork and a bridge leading to an intimate memorial garden.
Twisted Willow by Fran and Jack Spicer—a true country garden overlooking Saratoga Passage with enchanted, artistic “garden rooms” enhanced with birdhouses, benches, wagon wheels, pottery, chimney flues, water features, sculpture and even headboards.
Tickets are limited, so early purchase is recommended. Buy tickets online at http://wigt.org/buy-tickets.html or at one of several locations listed on the website. Adult tickets are $20 in advance or $25 on the day of the tour. Youth tickets (ages two to 12 years) are $10 in advance or $15 on the day of the tour. A map to all locations is provided with purchased tickets.
Gardeners interested in having their gardens considered for next year’s charitable event are encouraged to attend this year to see the variety and splendor afforded through the tour. The WIGT works to find different gardens every year and is in the process right now of locating gardens for next year’s tour.
Gardens are selected based on their unique character and charm, as well as the practical need for parking, since the event is well attended. Volunteer greeters, docents and parking attendants all help out at each garden, Harger said, and added, with a smile, “I could still use some more ‘parkers.’” Volunteers are all treated to a free tour before the event as well as a party afterward.
Planning the event takes “a lot of energy,” but Harger—a former board president and key event coordinator—devotes time, she said, because “it was [always] one of my husband’s and my favorite annual events on Whidbey, before I got involved…. It even influenced our decision to get motorcycles. We loved the opportunity it provides to explore Whidbey Island, as well as the fun and education of seeing the variety of gardens. I also love the idea of capitalizing on a truly hidden island asset to benefit the whole community. It’s a totally win/win tradition. Since getting involved, it’s the fun of working with all the people involved that has kept me engaged.”
While the event first blossomed to save Saratoga Woods 20 years ago, WIGT now benefits many island causes and non-profit organizations that support the improvement, restoration, and maintenance of our common habitat. Grant recipients have included the Whidbey Institute, South Whidbey Good Cheer, Whidbey Camano Land Trust, Whidbey Watershed Stewards and the South Whidbey School District Middle School Garden Project.
If enough money is raised, WIGT hopes to underwrite all the following this year:
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BY BARBARA MORAN Whidbey Life Magazine Contributor April 15, 2015
It’s the most prestigious home show on Whidbey Island—that is, if you’re a chicken.
The Sixth Annual Chicken Coop Tour, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 18, will feature high-end amenities like indoor drinking water systems, luxurious easy-to-clean nest boxes and, of course, swank touches like a chandelier.
The chickens at the Eckholm Farm in Ebey’s Landing make themselves at home. (photo by Marsha Morgan)
In addition to seeing decorated coops, disco balls, and twirling CDs (to deflect predators), visitors will also enjoy fine art featuring chickens and art glass that celebrates nature.
Whether visitors want to learn about keeping chickens or just enjoy a day amidst contented clucks of local egg producers, it’s a chance to experience Whidbey Island in a novel and charming way.
The idea for the annual self-guided tour was first hatched by the Rock’n Doodle 4-H Poultry Club, which uses proceeds to support 4-H programs, community education and barn improvements at the county fairgrounds. Tickets are $12 per car to admit all children and up to four adults; they’re available at Bayview Farm & Garden and Skagit Farmers Supply Country stores in Freeland and Oak Harbor.
The club is open to kids ages 5 to 18. The Cook brothers—Julian, 9, Adrian, 14, and Jameson, 17—are all members. Each won grand championships in Poultry Showmanship at the Island County Fair and they are experts on poultry nomenclature, diseases, breeds, science, maintenance, management and proper handling. “[Chickens] have lots of cool personalities,” explained Jameson, immediate past president. “Each is different, just like humans, and you can learn a lot” from their various characteristics.
The Cook brothers—Jameson, Adrian and Julian, left to right (photo by Marsha Morgan)
Current club president Adrian agreed that in addition to being fun to have around, they provide an ongoing educational opportunity, which began for the boys when youngest brother Julian got chickens for his fifth birthday. Their mom, Julia Cook, said club members help advocate for preservation and renewal of a rural lifestyle that is rapidly disappearing.
Host Diane Tompkinson will be showing her coop, her prints and her cards.
Host Diane Tompkinson, who will share her Coupeville coop and art studio, said, “I’m a chicken lunatic and I’m passionate about art.” For her, the combination is not far-fetched. Eggs, she said, “feed your body and art feeds your soul.”
Her family has a long history of combining art with food production. In fact, her grandmother’s last name was Eihusen, which—Tompkinson noted—is German for “egg house.” Her whole family was creative and artistic, including her mom, a master carver. They produced their own food and art. “All of us learned how to gather, garden, cook and create,” she said, recalling how she would roam the family property and draw as a child.
Tompkinson’s Crow Valley Arts studio will feature her chicken prints and cards; her art is also on view at the Whidbey Art Gallery in Langley. She specializes in complex monotypes, collagraphs, and other types of prints using specialized hand-torn and hand-painted papers like salago (from a bush in the Phillipines) and embellishments like metallic paint spatters.
As she walked toward her studio, her chickens scurried to greet her from the nearby coop and garden. The scene, which included her dogs, Missy Blue and Charley, became a bucolic parade. A second year host, Tompkinson said she enjoys participating and likes helping the 4-H kids.
Sherren Anderson hugs one of her favorites outside her glass studio. (photo by CJ Baker)
That sentiment was reflected by first-time host, Sherren Anderson of Clinton who specializes in fused glass art for the garden and home, as well as shimmering fused dichroic jewelry, wind chimes, and much more. A tour of her Glassworks & Gallery was accompanied by the peeping of chicks being kept warm in the adjoining room.
Along with her “greeter” border collie Molly, Anderson provided a look at her art and her three coops—one for current laying hens, one for “special needs” chickens (like one with a splayed leg), and the sunflower painted senior-citizen coop for her chickens that are beyond active egg laying but still beloved.
Looking at her busy flock pecking about the grounds, she smiled and said, “They provide me with eggs and entertainment. I call them pets with benefits.”
The coop at the home of Tamara and Kim Guthrie in Freeland is a whimsical work of art itself. Inspired by the Dr. Seuss book “Horton Hatches The Egg,” it features delightful colors, funky architecture, a disco ball and chandelier. Boy George, a proud example of rooster regality, rules this enchanting roost.
“In 2008 our daughter with her two children wanted to raise chickens for their eggs,” Tamara explained. “She had become quite the cook and saw the advantage of having eggs right out her back door.”
Daughter Sarah asked her dad Kim to build her a chicken coop with Dr. Seuss in mind, since the family was reading his books. Both daughter and dad drew up plans and when they got together, amazingly, the drawings were nearly identical except for modest differences in the chimney design (yes, it has a chimney).
Kim built it in his garage and reassembled it in his grandkids’ yard. It was base-coated white. Then last year, Sarah, her hubby and kids moved to Atlanta, so Kim put the coop on a trailer and brought it back. “I got to pick the colors that I felt were what our daughter had in mind,” Tamara said. “She came at Christmas and cried when she saw it.” It was the perfect completion of a loving family project.
The “Dr. Seuss” coop built by Kim Guthrie in Freeland. (photo by Marsha Morgan)
The Eckholm Farm in Ebey’s Landing has a long rich history from the 1850s when it was part of the original Donation Land Claim of Isaac B. Power. Linda and Bruce Eckholm purchased it in 2013 and are working to restore features such as the original homesteader cabin and barn built by Dan Earlywine after he purchased the land in 1917.
Bruce, who describes himself as a “Wisconsin farm kid,” also has a doctorate in entomology and will happily share a wealth of information with visitors about bees, bee keeping and the vital role bees play in the environment.
The lovely, expansive farm features 75 apple trees, 20 rows of various berries, and of course, a well-appointed chicken coop and large net covered chicken yard. It’s a chance to visit a working farm located in one of the island’s most significant areas.
To learn even more about these and other coop tour hosts, check out the “Rock’n Doodle 4H Poultry Club” on Facebook.
Image at top and below (larger): The “Dr. Seuss” coop built by Kim Guthrie in Freeland. (photo by Marsha Morgan)
Barbara Moran is a college writing instructor and veteran journalist focusing on animals and nature. She can be contacted through her website at msbmoran.com.
WLM stories and blogs are copyrighted and all rights are reserved. Linking is permitted. To request permission to use or reprint content from this site, email info@whidbeylifemagazine.org.
