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Sequim Webcams

2012-01-24T16:18:00.000-08:00

Dear Sequim lovers,
It's winter time in Sequim. And yes, we received our share of snow, 1ft. at times and were busy shoveling our garage drive ways free of the white till the warm Chinook winds took care of it and melted the snow away. For all these people who only visit Sequim in summer but still consider moving to Sequim for good sooner or later, it might be quite interesting to have a look NOW at Sequim and our webcams in Sequim. Sequim webcams show you what Sequim is like during the winter months.

Let's start with our annual Sequim Lavender Festival which is undoubtedly the biggest attraction for Sequim visitors in July. With a short 1 mile drive, Purple Haze Lavender Farm is just around the corner from downtown Sequim. Visit 10 acres of organic lavender fields! The Farm Store is now closed for the season, but the Sequim downtown Purple Haze Lavender Store is open.

In 2007 the Sequim Dungeness Lighthouse celebrated its 150th anniversary. It was a big Sequim town celebration with lots of food and entertainment and facts to hear about the history of the Dungeness Lighthouse. The Dungeness Lighthouse is at the end of the Dungeness Spit, the longest natural spit in the United States. When planning a beach walk (more a hike) to the lighthouse, be aware that it's 5.5 miles one way. So plan a day trip with food, water and lots of sunscreen & a hat.

More Webcams in Sequim and area around Sequim

Sequim Valley Airport Webcam

John Wayne Marina Sequim Web Cam

The Cutting Garden Sequim Web Cam

Do you know of any other Sequim web cams? Please, let us and our Sequim visitors know.

Hurricane Ridge visit October 2011

2011-10-28T15:53:00.000-07:00

Whenever we Sequim residents have visitors, we share with them the beauty of the Olympic Peninsula like Crescent Lake and Hurricane Ridge. Hurricane Ridge is attracting more visitors on their Sequim vacation after funds were raised last year to keep Hurricane Ridge open all year round 24/7. This is a big commitment for the Olympic National Park and the responsible authorities. Port Angeles and Sequim businesses expect more visitors this winter from skiers, snow-shoers and hikers to visit winter wonderland at the Ridge.

Plan your 2012 Sequim Vacation

2011-09-22T15:38:00.000-07:00

What about a 2012 Sequim Vacation?

If you are living in any of those hot summer states like Florida, Arizona, Texas or Pennsylvania and suffered through the 2011 double digit summer temperatures for months, why don't you plan your 2012 vacation in Sequim. Our Sequim vacation rental with a fully equipped kitchen, living room, bedroom and outdoor sitting area, where you can really sit during moderate Sequim summer temperatures.

You may enjoy our peaceful, upscale neighborhood next to Carrie Blake Park, Discovery Trail and a short drive to John Wayne Marina offers everything one needs for a monthly getaway in the refreshing and invigorating air from the mountains and the ocean in Sequim on the Olympic Peninsula. Sequim Vacation Rental amenities:

- high speed Wifi connection for your laptop

- FREE long distance phone within US and Canada

- 'Select Comfort Bed' for your best sleep at night

- comfortable lazy boy love seat in living room

- more TV and music channels than you have at home

and so many more top vacation rental amenities all for the same low monthly rate starting from $850/mo., a rate where you can stay at the Holiday Inn Express in Sequim for 4- 5 nights. OK our Sequim vacation rental doesn't have a swimming pool but SARC with pool, jacuzzi, steam + hot saunas + top scale exercise equipment is a short walk or drive away and available for affordable $49/mo. per person for your Sequim vacation.

Enjoy also all the Sequim wild life & magnificent nature during your monthly stay at 'Bell Hill View' Sequim Vacation Rental

Enjoy the views of Bald Eagles nesting on trees in and around Sequim

Gorgeous mountain views of Olympic Mountains when biking or walking Olympic Discovery Trail

Deer roaming the hills behind our house and nibbling on our raspberry bushes

Canadian geese raising their goslings in Carrie Blake Park

Hummingbirds love Sequim and our hummingbird feeder

Ducks entertaining themselves and park visitors

2011 Summer is over. Now it is the perfect time to plan your 2012 Sequim vacation. Our Sequim Vacation Rental is as good as it gets.

Sequim reunion of Hawaii expats

2011-08-12T09:25:00.000-07:00

Dear Sequim Town visitors, real ones or cyberspace ones,

When we moved to Sequim on the Olympic Peninsula from Hawaii in January 2006, we didn't know a soul here in Sequim but that should change soon. We found lots of kindred spirits at SARC (Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center) where Keoki started teaching his Easy Stretch class - still going strong now: Mondays + Wednesdays 10:45am at Sarc for those who live in Sequim and surrounding areas - and among the big group of Hawaiian expats, people like us who had moved to Sequim from Hawaii.

The Hawaiian expat group puts a reunion together twice a year, once in summer and another one in winter during the Christmas holidays. Last Saturday we all came together for our summer luau to celebrate our lives and blessings with a great Hawaiian style pot luck luau and lots of Hawaiian music by volunteers who love to play the ukulele and other instruments.

What would be a Hawaiian luau without the traditional Hawaii hula?! Hula teacher Mahina and her hula halau from the Sequim Senior Center danced to their own and to all the Hawaiian expats' entertainment. Just look at their smiling faces in the photos! They tell you how we all felt: loving our lives in Sequim yet enjoying great memories of our lives in Hawaii!

We would like to thank John and Margret Mitchel who opened their beautiful Sequim home and property for all of us and made this summer Hawaii luau party a full success with their TLC. Mahalo, Margret and John!

You want to move to Sequim, a Sequim vacation home is the first step to learn about life in Sequim.

Sequim Library hosts a 'Whodunit'

2011-07-31T10:14:00.000-07:00

Dear Sequim visitors,
First things first, we really love our Sequim library. One can find almost any book there and if they don't have the book you want at our Sequim location, it's easy to order it. The Sequim library also offers book sales at least once a month where you can buy paper backs as cheap as 25cents. Perfect for getting books for going on vacation. Those who come on vacation to Sequim will like the Sequim library a lot because it also offers free Internet service.

The Sequim Library 'Whodunit' seems to be a great fun addition to the library. This past Friday night a hoard of amateur CSI'ers descended on the Sequim library to solve the mystery of who killed the book author. The library hosted this event, inviting all, young and old, to come and solve the mystery. The Sequim library was packed and we were divided into groups of 4 to 6 persons, given a clue sheet and a crossword puzzle to complete in case of ties. There was a cast of 8 characters who read from scripts detailing the storyline and slipping in clues along the way. The story mixed in locales in and around Sequim, mostly in a funny way. We were given 3 breaks to discuss our clues and to roam the library to find more clues stuck here and there.

The Friends of Sequim Library provided a table of snacks to satisfy any hunger pangs brought on by all that thinking. The evening ended as we turned in our choices of who killed the author, the motive and the weapon used. The first place team received $25 gift certificates for a local restaurant, 2nd and 3rd place received a Lotto ticket each. All in all it was a great way to spend a couple of hours on a Friday evening. I for one am looking forward to the next mystery to solve at the Sequim Library.

Sequim July Summer Round-up

2011-07-19T15:06:00.000-07:00

Dear Sequim visitors,

Well, to tell you the truth, so far Sequim and the Olympic Peninsula did not really enjoy a summer, yet. The annual precipitation is already over 10" very close to our annual average of 12". Too many gray and rainy days and only sporadic days of sunshine but our Sequim vacation rental guests are so happy to escape the long lasting heat waves in AZ, TX, NM or PA. What can we say? We still feel blessed and comfortable to be able to enjoy the cooler weather in Sequim this summer when 22 states of the rest of the nation are exposed to sweltering temperatures. So what's happening this summer in Sequim?

Sequim Lavender Festival

Despite the rain during this year's Lavender Festival - long time Sequim residents told us that this is a first - I think it was a success. When I visited the new Lavender Festival in the Park on Saturday I missed a bit the vibe of the Street Fair in Fir (we had some drizzle rain then), which we enjoyed on Sunday noon. Great audience, beautiful arts and crafts. Everybody had a great time! I did not go to a farm with the tour bus but saw that the buses were crowded as usual. Yesterday I shopped at Jardin du Soleil and they told me that they had a great crowd enjoying the lavender fields and their lavender products!

You pick Berries in Sequim

The Camron Strawberry and Graysmarsh Berry Farm opened late this year in June for picking strawberries. However, since the rainy weather fruits were not really big and sweet, so u-pick strawberry season was not a big success this year. Yesterday I picked for the first time raspberries at Graysmarsh after I had picked the first sweet berries at my bushes. Raspberries obviously loved the rain. The fruits are big, juicy and sweet. Graysmarsh sells them for $2/lb I also checked their early blueberries which should be ripe for picking by the end of the week.

2011 Tribal Canoe Journey

When walking to SARC yesterday, where Keoki is teaching his Easy Stretch class, I noticed in Fir St next to the Sequim High School tennis courts tons of tents on the grassy area which had a sign for the'2011 Tribal Canoe Journey', which is organized by the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. Their colorful canoes are coming from the west while others are crossing from the Straits of Juan de Fuca. Today the canoes will paddle to Port Townsend and then head further to their gathering place at La Conner.

New Sequim Soccer Fields in Carrie Blake Park

Yes, that's what the current dirt piles on a huge 13 acre area will be in Carrie Blake Park. Before all that digging, there was 'just' grass and Canadian geese and ducks roaming around on it, bikers biking the Olympic Discovery Trail and the senior people of Sequim walking through the peaceful scenery with beautiful views of the Olympic Mountains. Looks like some people came up with the idea this area should be made into 5 large and 3 small new soccer fields. We heard of a petition so we could vote for or against this project, but we and most of our friends never saw it.

Now we are wondering whether this new Sequim project, which is actually paid for by donations to Sequim Family Advocates, will not only be in the best interest of the 'alleged 1000 children waiting to play there' but also of the senior community of a retirement town like Sequim! How that can be accomplished will still to be seen. Another interesting question will be who will be paying for the maintenance costs for 13 acres of playground since the city of Sequim is already under financial pressure as is.

Let's hope the new Sequim soccer fields in Carrie Blake Park will be an improvement for Sequim, for the children AND the seniors and last but not least fro the wild life in Carrie Blake Park!

Sequim Retirement Home celebrates

2011-06-25T16:36:00.000-07:00

To be specific, well-known Sequim retirement center 'The 5th Avenue' turned 25 on Thursday this week and celebrated its birthday with Sequim residents. The retirement center had invited visitors to 'high tea' and tours at the retirement home. We joined the afternoon celebration which included a few birthday speeches, horse-drawn carriage rides a taste of the delicious food the retirement serves its residents and tours through the building in a beautiful garden setting. See my photos.

On the tour we were able to view some of the apartments which include , 1-Bedroom and 2-Bedroom units which are available for rent on a month to month basis. Most of the apartments have large patios or balconies. Amenities and services like full meal service, house keeping, utilities, transportation and activities are part of the monthly rent. Sequim retirement home rentals start at $1950/mo. for a person. A 2-Bedroom condo rents for $3225/mo. for a couple meaning one definitely has to have some decent savings or have a good pension to be able to retire at '5th Avenue' Sequim retirement home.

With 87 being the average age of residents, Sequim residents obviously take their time to check themselves in. We all want to be and stay active, healthy and independent as long as possible. However, it's a good thing to know that Sequim town has a nice retirement home as '5th Avenue'. To check things out on your own, you can always come to Sequim. An affordable charming Sequim vacation apartment makes your visit easy.

Graysmarsh Berry Farm opened 2011 U-pick Berry Season

2011-06-19T12:45:00.000-07:00

Graysmarsh Berry Farm, the biggest u-pick berry farm in Sequim, opened its gates on Friday for the 2011 u-pick berry season in Sequim!

When you love to pick your own berries like we do, we will love to hear the Sequim news that Graysmarsh Berry Farm opened on Fiday for its 2011 u-pick berry season. Strwaberries are the first ones in line. However, with the sun not being out enough, there are not yet as many sweet strawberries available as usual at this time of the year, the owners of the berry farm inform their visitors on their website.

My suggestion is to still wait a few days for the sun sweetening the fruits. I will buy for now the strawberries from California, which has actually also been much colder this spring, but still produces more sweet strawberries than Sequim weather allowed this June. Offially summer starts on June 21. Show us the sun in Sequim! The few days, when I took the photos of Sequim Vacation Rental are not enough.

Affordable Sequim Vacation Rental

2011-06-15T10:30:00.000-07:00

Dear Sequim Visitors,
Maybe you visited Sequim for our annual Sequim Lavender Festival in July - 16th Sequim Lavender Festival 2012 is coming up July 20 - fell in love with the Olympic Peninsula and sunny Sequim in the rain shadows of the Olympic Mountains and even consider to retire in Sequim sooner or later. Yes, it's not just a legend about the Sequim weather with the blue hole. Each mile you go east or west from Sequim, you add 1 inch of rain to the annual rain fall. Enjoy small town Sequim with big town amenities surrounded by the most impressive mountain and ocean scenery at our Sequim vacation rental.

What better way is there to get to know Sequim and its people than with staying there for a month! Discover the Olympic Peninsula, Olympic National Park, Discovery Trail or 'just' Sequim's own fitness and aquatic center at SARC for relocation purposes. 'Bell Hill View' Vacation Rental is available for monthly rental. Sequim Vacation Rental features top amenities in peaceful Sequim setting and is perfect for your Sequim Real Estate search on the Olympic Peninsula. Bring your own laptop and stay in touch with your home business 24/7 or even your Sequim realtor via our high speed Internet access.

New 2012 Sequim vacation rental rates

1Bd/1Ba Sequim Vacation Rental Monthly Rate (all-inclusive, sleeps 2)

2012 Low Season Rate (May - June) $850/mo.

2012 High Season Rate (July - October) $950/mo.

Sales tax is included. Sorry, no pets allowed.

Sequim Vacation Rental

‘Bell Hill View’ is a charming, affordable Sequim vacation rental in a peaceful setting in an upscale neighborhood of sunny Sequim with lots of amenities, in walking distance to shopping, restaurants and Carrie Blake Park. Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center SARC with Olympic size lap pool, Jacuzzi, sauna, fitness center and more is a short 5-minute drive away. Experience Sequim on the North Olympic Peninsula at your own Sequim vacation home.

‘Bell Hill View’ in Sequim is the perfect vacation destination when hiking the Olympic National Park, sailing or boating at John Wayne Marina with Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, walking or biking the Olympic Discovery Trail, playing golf on Sequim golf courses, visiting the Dungeness Spit National Wildlife Refuge or spectacular hiking in Olympic National Park.

This Sequim Vacation Rental affords top privacy at your 1Bd/1Ba 525 sq ft vacation suite with beautiful views of Bell Hill and glimpses of the Olympic Mountains. For your utmost comfort, amenities include free wireless high speed Internet access for your laptop and free long distance Vonage phone, which is great for staying in touch with Sequim realtors or your home business.

Choose from 90 cable channels, when relaxing on your recliner love seat after a day of adventure on the Olympic Peninsula or Sequim Real Estate search. Select comfort beds with dual control provide you with a restful sleep.

No need to fear that your dream vacation will become a budget nightmare. For less than the cost of the hotels, you can steal away to your own fully equipped, comfortable, private Sequim vacation rental only minutes away to the beauty and adventure of the North Olympic Peninsula with the Pacific Ocean and Olympic Mountains. Get ready for your Sequim vacation on the Olympic Peninsula. Contact us today for your monthly stay with subject line ‘Sequim Vacation Home’. Looking forward to hearing from you. The Sequimmers

Sequim vacation rental features:

-Free high speed Internet for your laptop with wireless card
-Free local + long distance phone calls (US, Canada) with Vonage

-Cable TV w/90 channels

-Select comfort bed with dual control
-Recliner love seat, Wall to Wall carpet in living room and bedroom
-Fully equipped kitchen w/fridge + deep freeze, microwave, stove

-A portable cooler + re-freezable ice packs for day trips
-Convenient, comfortable zone heating for colder months

-Nice private outdoor garden sitting area for hot summer days
-Beautiful views of Bell Hill
-Downstairs apartment w/private entrance - no stairs to climb
-Off Street parking
- Washer/Dryer for your convenience on vacation
-Walking distance to Shopping + Carrie Blake Park
-Great central location, next to Carrie Blake Park, for exploring Sequim, John Wayne Marina, the Olympic Peninsula & Olympic National Park.

Note: This is a non-smoking apartment. No pets allowed.

***No extra cleaning fees charged!

Sequim Town Attractions

Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center SARC

Carrie Blake Park

John Wayne Marina

Sequim Area Attractions

Olympic Discovery Trail

Dungeness Spit with Sequim Lighthouse

Olympic National Park

Crescent Lake

Visit Sol Duc Hot Springs

Sequim Vacation Activities Things To Do

Hiking, Biking, Kayaking, Bird Watching, Swimming, Relaxing

Places to visit in the Sequim area and North Olympic Peninsula area:

Seattle, Port Angeles, Port Townsend, Gig Harbor, Ocean Shores, Whidbey Island, San Juan Islands, Columbia River Gorge, Hood Canal, Victoria BC, Vancouver Island

More Sequim Vacation Rental photos

Related Articles Sequim Vacation

Things to Do on Sequim Vacation
See Sequim Area photos

Sequim Vacation Rental photos

2011-06-11T10:15:00.000-07:00

Dear Sequim visitors,

It was fun to publish a few of our 'Bell Hill View' Sequim Vacation Rental guestbook comments in our last post. Here are a few of the latest glimpses of our Sequim house near Carrie Blake, Carrie Blake Park photos and Sequim town.

Actually, today we have another update for our Sequim vacation rental guests. The private outdoor sitting area next to the vacation apartment received a remodeling job by Keoki. He added a nice little concrete platform for underneath the outdoor furniture which he surrounded by little pebbles. Looks really very inviting for sitting outside on a warm summer day.

We didn't have too many warm summer days yet but when we took the photos, Sequim town was blessed with blue skies and warm sunny weather.

Enjoy Sequim in Spring with our latest Sequim photos

Our Irises along the side of the house are in full bloom.

Keoki enjoys a moment of relaxation from his yard work.

Sequim Vacation Rental downstairs

Our visit Alder Wood Restaurant for lunch

Keoki with our Sequim best friends Sue and Bob at Alder Wood Bistro

Photo of snow-covered Olympic Mountains taken on our walk through the park

Couple of Canadian geese with their new babies

Canadian geese dad watches very carefully for eagles or other predators

Sequim Vacation Rental guest comments

2011-05-26T09:59:00.000-07:00

Dear Sequim town visitors and want-to-be Sequim residents,
In the past three years our 'Bell Hill View' Sequim vacation rental enjoyed a number of visitors, sometimes just retired folks on a Sequim vacation or other times couples who are planning to move to Sequim for good. Many in search for a new home in lovely Sequim town. We are not only offering our Sequim guests a comfortable place to stay at a monthly Sequim vacation rental rate everybody can afford but also share our love for Sequim with our guests. Sequim vacation rental guest comments warm our hearts:

June 2011

Dear Heidi and Keoki,

Thank you, thank you!!! You really do have a slice of heaven right here in Sequim. It made our visit even more enjoyable to come back here each day and relax in such a comfortable, lovely apartment.

Thank you for your warm and gracious hospitality; you are both awesome!! We'll stay in touch about our moving plans. Thanks again for everything, Erin and Kevin, PA

August 2010

Dear Heidi and Keoki,

Thank you for providing the key component of my lovely vacation - a beautiful perfectly located apartment and invitations to go berry picking. I enjoyed my stay and appreciate your hospitality I certainly hope to see ya'll again, Barbara, Texas

June 2010

Dear Heidi and Keoki,

Thanks for your lovely vacation place. The wine and strawberry shortcake were wonderful treats. Now we will settle into our new home in Sunland. Wishing for blue skys and warm weather for all of us. Roger and Sharon, CA now Sunland Sequim

September 2008
Dear Heidi and Keoki (our newest friends),
Thank you so very, very much for such a delightful stay in your Sequim 'Bell Hill View' Vacation rental. We have enjoyed every minutes (even the rain). This home away from home is perfect. Everything is so perfect and complete in every way. Your wonderful hospitality was just icing on the cake. You two are wonderful hosts and just great people. We will be back! It has been a wonderful stay in lovely Sequim town. Thanks again and again, Ron an Mary Nell, TX

October 2008

Dear Heidi and Keoki Thank you fo much for a wonderful stay - the place is so lovely. We had a wonderful time and can't wait to come back! Hopefully we will see you again in the spring. All our best, Anna and Chris, San Antonio, TX

These and more of our Sequim vacation rental guest comments are very rewarding and bring happy smiles to our faces. It's the best advertising for our Sequim vacation rental we can get! Thank you all. Heidi and Keoki

The 116th Sequim Irrigation Festival 2011 has started

2011-05-07T10:21:00.000-07:00

Our Sequim Irrigation Festival celebrates the initiation, development and support of the irrigation ditches which brought water to the once dry areas of Sequim. After a somewhat tougher winter than usual for Sequim moderate weather standards, the Irrigation Festival will be a way of welcoming spring everywhere in Sequim. This year we will have more events than ever. We mostly hop on our bikes and can easily visit our favorite events like the Logging Show in Carrie Blake Park and the 'Grand Parade' in Sequim town at noon May 14th.

There will be so many more Sequim events at this Sequim Irrigation Festival 2011. Come and see for yourselves. The Peninsula Daily News gives you the entire calendar of events for family and kids.

Last but not least, this will be the fourth year for fireworks at the Logging Show events on Friday night May 13, 2011, 9:30pm making it a spectacular 116th Sequim Irrigation Festival!

Sequim Shopping

2011-03-28T16:23:00.000-07:00

IS SEQUIM BECOMING THE SILVERDALE OF THE OLYMPIC PENINSULA?

Not too many years ago, folks wanting to do some serious shopping had to drive across the Hood Canal Bridge and down the Hood Canal to the town of Silverdale, but that's all changing as our small town of Sequim continues to grow. Sequim on the Olympic Peninsula seemed so far away from the big city life of Seattle, with its fantastic views of the Olympic Mountains and Straits of Juan de Fuca and some of the friendliest people in the state of Washington.

So what is changing you ask. Surely we still have the views and Sequim residents haven't gotten all of a sudden grumpy. No, what's changing is the growth of Sequim BIG BOXES, in addition to the already established Retail Stores of Costco, Home Depot, JC Penney's and Walmart. On the west end of town, new BIG BOXES are sprouting like mushrooms in the Olympic National Park.

By this summer, two new BOXES, 'Grocery Outlet' and 'Ross Dress for Less' should welcome shoppers from around the Peninsula for serious Sequim shopping, to buy less expensive clothing and household goods and discounts on food. I have also heard that out current Sequim Walmart will change into a SUPERSTORE!

Where and when will it stop? I sure don't know, but somewhere up there in corporate offices plans are being hatched for the next big Sequim shopping attraction. Will it be Trader Joe's? We would not mind!

Sequim Tennis indoors?

2011-03-09T14:34:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it. Could it be true? Might it really happen? After 5 years of playing outdoor tennis in Sequim in wind, rain and a few times in almost freezing weather, Sequim might have a chance of having 'indoor' tennis courts. It seems the 'Bubble', which was donated to the Port Angeles YMCA, may be available for use in Sequim.

Now I can tell you there is nothing better than playing tennis under the 'Blue Hole' which Sequim is famous for. We play tennis at Sequim High School tennis courts and play can sometimes be interferred by a flock of geese flying overhead, a beautiful cloud formation and of course the ever present views of the Olympic Mountain range.

However, playing inside the 'Bubble' would eliminate the problems of changing weather patterns and allow for scheduled tennis tournaments to be played on time. Yes, I'd miss the great outdoors and the challenges it offers. Whatever happens in the Sequim tennis world, I will support it whole heartedly. Keoki, Sequim tennis player

Sequim Lavender Festival 'Lavender in the Park'

2011-02-18T09:19:00.000-08:00

Everybody who loves Sequim, loves the Lavender Festival. It's big fun for Sequim visitors and great business for Sequim town. And we, the regular Sequim residents not involved in selling lavender but just growing our own lavender bushes in our front and back yards, enjoy the biggest events 'Sequim Lavender Festival' each year as well.

In our recent Sequim town blog post, we mentioned that this 2011 Lavender Festival will be different. Well, the Peninsula Daily News had it all put together for us in their recent article about the the 'Lavender in the Park' group. That was definitely an interesting article!

Here is what will be different at this 2011 Sequim Lavender Festival:

The newly formed Sequim Lavender Farmers Association named its Lavender Festival 'Lavender in the Park', which already indicates that they will have their events at 'Carrie Blake Park', 'Guy Cole Community Center' and the stage of 'James Center for the Performing Arts'. They new 'Lavender in the Park' Lavender Farmers group will offer the tour buses to the 6 Sequim Lavender Farms, which formed the new group, among them such wellknown Lavender Farms as Purple Haze Lavender and Jardin du Soleil Lavender, just to name two.

The original lavender festival organization 'Sequim Lavender Growers Association' will continue its street fair on Fir Street near downtown as they did for the last 15 years, but won't have guided farm tours to the Lavender farms.

Read the full Peninsula Daily News article about the 2011 Sequim Lavender Festival.

Basically it looks like we will be having two Sequim Lavender Festivals this year. Seems like we all will benefit of the ongoing competition between the two groups because I just read on this announcement by the Sequim Lavender Growers Association that their farm tours will be FREE this year. Sequim Lavender Festival visitors for July 15 - 17 event will love it! I even heard that the buses to the 6 lavender farms will be FREE but that still needs to be confirmed.

Sequim Lavender Festival talk of Sequim town

2011-01-25T07:05:00.000-08:00

Can Sequim support two lavender festivals at the same time?

That’s a question that will be answered in July of this year. We have had an abundance of visitors to previous Sequim lavender festivals and it seemed to run pretty smoothly, all things considered.

Well, there are obviously philosophical differences among the many Sequim lavender growers and those whose differences were the same decided to take matters into their hands and break off and form a new group of lavender growers, according to the Peninsula Daily News of January 12, 2011.

This new group, not to be left out of the very popular,annual lavender festival has stated that they will participate in the festival, but to what extent is unknown at this printing. We will have to wait until this July to see how things turn out. 2011brings a new challenging situation to Sequim Lavender growers and Sequim visitors. Sequim Town blog will keep you posted.

No White Christmas in Sequim

2010-12-26T07:28:00.000-08:00

After Sequim got packed with snow before the Thanksgiving holidays, Sequim did not get the White Christmas, as some people expected. With pretty high winds during the recent days, most everybody who didn't need to go out, relaxed in their warm home enjoying nice company of family or friends and great food and Chrsitmas cookies.

Finally, I find a minute to include a photo of our house when driveway and house were covered in the first snow. The photos were taken right when the first snow had fallen over night. Enjoy this winter image of Sequim.

By the way, Christmas Day was blessed with some nice sunshine and calm weather, which allowed Sequim residents to venture out in Carrie Blake Park or along the Discovery Trail.

Thanksgiving in Sequim with Snow?

2010-11-23T09:53:00.000-08:00

Who knows? So far it looks like that Sequim will have 'white' Thanksgiving. On Saturday last week the first - unusual - snow flakes fell on Sequim , after Hurricane Ridge had already received a big load of the white stuff, meaning we will soon see whether the big winter project to keep Hurricane Ridge open 7 days a week and not just on the weekends, weather permitted, will work.

This is not the only challenge for this winter on the Olympic Peninsula. This early heavy snow fall - yesterday more than 8 inches in Sequim, Schools are closed today in Port Angeles and in Sequim! - is defintely a big challenge for Sequim town authorities to keep the streets open with snow ploughs thus prevent accidents and traffic jams. Anybody who needed to go through Sequim town yesterday knows what I am talking about. It was a challenge and those who made it back home safely and with no bumps to their cars, were very happy when they were back in their homes.

Our recommendation for this winter in Sequim. Make sure you have good tires. Best to put some winter tires on. Stock up with food and all the other household necessities. So you can sit back and relax by the fireplace when Sequim will be covered with more snow. Forecast for the Pacific Northwest speaks of a 'winter storm.' Remember it's a La Nina' yearand even moderate climate Sequim is supposed to see some tough winter. Be safe and Happy Thanksgiving in Sequim, WITH Snow.

Sequim Mushroom Show

2010-10-19T08:58:00.000-07:00

Hello everybody who loves Sequim and a Sequim vacation,

First of all, thanks to all of our Sequim Town blog followers for being so dedicated with reading about our life in Sequim as retired people and what's it like to come to Sequim on vacation.

I tell you what, life in Sequim is never boring. Even if you cannot do tough hikes in the Olympic Mountains anymore or bike the Olympic Discovery Trail, just hop in your car and drive to one of our many Sequim events. Just as Sequim events attract people from other parts of the Olympic Peninsula, we Sequim residents like to visit events in Port Angeles or Port Townsend. But this time we got lured to a Sequim event, not far from our own house.

Early Sunday afternoon, we did not hop in our car but we hopped on our bikes and rode to the Elk's Lodge in Sequim, where the Annual Wild Mushroom Show took place put together by the members of the Olympic Peninsula Mycological Society. We were extremely surprised about the huge number of people and the number of mushrooms! It must have taken the members a lot of time to pick the variety of wild mushrooms and to display them wonderfully on green moss on different tables, the edible ones separated from the poisonous or not recommend ones!

All the mushrooms had signs which stated their botanical names, whether it's edible and if so, what the taste is like! Three wild mushroom experts helped visitors who had brought mushroom samples or a whole basket with mushrooms to get their mushrooms identified.

Bottom line of the Wild Mushroom Show was sharing with the public that there are many wild mushrooms growing on the Olympic Peninsula - over 300 fungi, can you imagine?! - but a lot resemble each other and it's not always easy to identify the good from the bad. So if you are not certain about a mushroom in your basket, don't eat it.

If you love eating mushrooms, you might want to join the Olympic Peninsula Mycological Society in order to know better next time. As this fall season's weather has been wetter than usual, wild mushrooms are growing everywhere in Sequim and surroundings. Mushroom picking can be fun when spending a fall vacation in Sequim!

What's up with Sequim weather in September?

2010-09-20T17:38:00.000-07:00

Dear Sequim lovers,

Haven't we all been recently wondering what's up with our normally sunny Sequim weather in September? Well, when I opened the front page of Daily Peninsula News today, I and the rest of us curious Sequim residents found the answer, right on the front page. Those cooler, rainier days this September on the Olympic Peninsula are all due to strengthening the 'La Niña' climate phenomenon.

La Niña, which started to develop at the end of last month, brought an unusual cooling of the tropical Pacific Ocean and with it quite a number of rainy and cloudy days to the Pacific Northwest, the Peninsula and Sequim. Last year, we had an El Niño year, which is just the opposite of La Niña, which brought above average warmer weather to the area. I and the other gardeners and berry pickers of Sequim naturally loved it. I picked raspberries and blueberries all into the middle of October.

Yes, we still have berry season but the berries, like the blackberries, are getting moldy on the bushes. My raspberries at our house are still OK but at Graysmarsh, I noticed molding of their raspberries depleting them really fast. Because of all the rain, I did not go pick blueberries. Blueberries are different to raspberries + blackberries and don't soak up all that water but who knows how they survive the rain. Just checked with Graysmarsh website. The farm is only open for picking Saturday + Sundays.

Another negative effect of the missing sun in Sequim this fall is that my tomato plants are full of tomatoes but they are all green and don't seem to ripen at all. To tell you the truth I don't care much for green tomatoes. I still have not totally given up on the sun coming out and ripening my tomatoes and raspberries. Who knows with the special weather in Sequim. Hope Sequim with its special location in the rain shadows of Olympic Mountains, is more protected from storms and bad weathers than the rest of the Pacific Northwest and the Olympic Peninsula.

We got to face the truth though. The prognosis for this winter on the Peninsula and in Sequim is colder temperatures, more rain and snow - yes, snow on the Peninsula and of course, more snow for the happy skiers on Hurricane Ridge As we all know a lot of gray weather can make us feel down. Maybe you want to raise your daily dose of vitamin D to fight off the blues. And luckily we have SARC for meeting our friends on a daily basis, get some good exercise in, swim some laps and warm up our bodies in the jacuzzi and sauna. One reason to love Sequim as retirement town.

Bottom line of this post: Be prepared for a tougher Sequim winter season 2010/2011. La Niña is expected to last through early 2011. Hey and if climatologists are not right with their predictions, the better for us.
p.s.
Don't forget most of our Sequim Lavender Farms have online stores for their essential lavender oils. I noticed a great 25% off on lavender oils at 'Jardin du Soleil' when buying online. So I bought a nice 4oz bottle of organic Lavender oil. This Internet Special is valid till September 30th! By the way, this is no advertising but a great bargain for lavender lovers.

Hurricane Ridge Road open for winter season

2010-08-27T09:02:00.000-07:00

Keeping Hurricane Ridge Road open for winter is exciting news for snowbirds in the Sequim and Port Angeles area. When it was first mentioned that Clallam County authorities consider keeping Hurricane Ridge open each day during the winter season and not just open for the weekends, still always weather permitted - this is 'Hurricane Ridge' after all - I had my serious doubts that this project could be funded.

About two weeks ago the 'Peninsula Daily News' reported that the project was funded with monies coming from the county and both cities, Port Angeles and Sequim and by the National Park Service. Winter sport related businesses and of course, ski and snow lovers must have been thrilled when they heard the news. Remember you will still need snow chains when going up Hurricane Ridge Rd in winter. If you don't have any, buy them early. We bought ours used and saved a lot of money.

Since the money for the Hurricane Ridge project has been raised, detailed planning started by Olympic National Park staff. Now it needs to be determined how many more employees are needed and how many more fuel and sand the snow removal teams need. Anyways, the Olympic National Park will keep the road open daily this November through March, except for avalanche control and weather closures.

Even though we moved to Sequim because of mild winters and little snow, and many of our retired friends did so too, we still consider leaving Hurricane Ridge daily open during winter season a great opportunity of visiting the Ridge. Besides, we are certain that it will attract more visitors to the Olympic Peninsula and Sequim for a winter vacation.
p.s.
Before your Hurricane Ridge visit, call the Olympic National Park hotline for weather updates 360-565-3131.

Hurricane Ridge related articles

Best things to do in Sequim Hurricane Ridge

Another dog show in Sequim this summer

2010-08-17T15:08:00.000-07:00

We are not owning a pet, dog or cat, but we also mostly stop at our Sequim dog parks. Sequim dog owners really appreciate the park with two different areas, one for little dogs and one for big ones. As our walk passes the dog park for little dogs, we mostly stop and have a 'talk' to those cuties (there are some yapping ones too) and their proud owners.

Last weekend Sequim hosted another one of its famous dog shows when dog lovers from all over Washington make it to Sequim with trailers and motor homes and of course their beloved animals. My friend Sue, herself a passionate dog lover, and I were visit the show in the morning. It was so much fun to watch all those different dogs doing their exercises and competing. A tough work-out for the dog owners as well guiding their dogs around the course as fast as possible and with the least mistakes.

Well, if you are a dog owner and never visited Sequim for a dog show, just check with our Sequim Visitor's Center and they will probably tell you when the next dog show in Sequim will take place.

Sequim vacation July Round-up

2010-07-09T09:33:00.000-07:00

Dear Sequim visitors,

Summer finally arrived in Sequim 2 days ago. Spring seemed to drag on forever this year with 4- 8 degrees lower average temperatures. Looks like our Sequim temperatures jump from one extreme to the other. Last weekend, at my garage sale I bundled up with one of my winter coats and the most frequent conversation with buyers was about our recent nippy Sequim weather. However, 3 days later summer arrived in Sequim with temperatures between 75 - 82 F.

Guess what, now people complain about the 'heat' but to tell you the truth I won't because compared to all the heat waves in the Eastern states or Texas or even right here in the Eastern parts of WA state like the Tri-cities or Seattle which experienced a heat advisory with 88F yesterday, we are doing just fine in Sequim on the Olympic Peninsula. So we can't and I won't complain about the sunny warm weather!

We can need all the sun for our fruits to ripen and get sweet and tasty. Yesterday morning, I picked strawberries at Graysmarsh. They tasted much sweeter than the ones a week ago. I was a lonesome picker at 8am and had a nice chat with the 'berry lady'. Raspberries can be picked now as well. I have already arranged with my friend to pick tomorrow morning. I actually also checked the blueberry rows. The early kind rows of blueberries are already full of ripe fruits. I expect Graysmarsh to open those for picking soon, so we will be able to pick all the fruits at one time.

What else is new in Sequim apart from IHop and Goodwill having arrived in Sequim? Well, of course, everybody who loves Sequim, loves the Sequim Lavender Festival. The 2010 Sequim Lavender Festival is coming up on July 16 with all the exciting events like: Lavender Farm Tours, the Lavender Festival Street Fair in Fir St and Music in the Park. What amazes me most is the huge variety of lavenders: all beautiful and with the specific seducing smell of lavender. Just make your way to Sequim and see for yourselves what our Sequim Lavender is like.

Come visit Sequim this summer in July for the Lavender Festival. See you there.

Goodwill Grand Opening in Sequim July 15

2010-06-30T09:20:00.000-07:00

Goodwill selects July 15 opening date for new Store

Four-day grand opening sale will be community introduction

After we had shared with Sequim residents in April that Goodwill is coming to Sequim, Goodwill's PR manager asked SequimTownBlog again to publish the more information about this Sequim event. This is a press release and no advertising. As we expect this to be useful to Sequim residents and visitors, here is the entire info about the grand opening of Goodwill in Sequim.

"The new Goodwill store will open July 15 in Sequim, filling a former empty retail space with 32,000 square feet of great values and a convenient location for donations of gently used clothes and household items.

A store-opening ceremony will take place that Thursday at 8:45 a.m. at the store, 680 C W. Washington St. The event will include Sequim Mayor Ken Hays, Goodwill CEO Terry A. Hayes and others. After the short event, the store will open to the public at 9 a.m. with a grand opening sale through Sunday.

"We’ve always looked forward to opening a store in Sequim and we're very excited to see this take place," said Hayes, who as CEO of Tacoma Goodwill oversees a 15-county service area including Clallam County. "The store represents an opportunity for jobs in the community while donors and shoppers can support our job training and placement services for people with disabilities or disadvantages."

There are several events taking place during the opening weekend July 15-18, including:

- The opportunity for shoppers to win a DVD player, iPod and $50 gas cards during the event. Other, free giveaways will also be available at the store.

- Live radio broadcasts throughout the weekend, including: KMPS 94.1-FM featuring "Today’s Country: KONP, 1450 AM and 102.1 FM; and KSQM, 91.5-FM.

- Hot dogs and soda, for $2, will be available from Healthy Families of Clallam County. The organization combats child abuse and domestic violence.

"Goodwill is looking forward to a great relationship with the community over a long time," said Jane Taylor, Tacoma Goodwill Board of Directors president. "Besides jobs, it’s a convenient place to drop off gently used clothes and household items."

The store will be located in the former Rite Aid building, 680C W. Washington St., in the Safeway shopping center. Architects BCRA and Mountain Construction remodeled the store improvements, including expanded space for donations. Goodwill hired about 40 people, including donation attendants, cashiers and supervisors.

Tony Anderson will be the new store’s manager. Anderson has been with Goodwill since 2008, working in a variety of positions in Goodwill stores in Lacey and Olympia.

"I’ve always wanted to live up here on the Peninsula since I first visited," said Anderson. He said he hoped shoppers would feel welcome in the store, where families could find great values.

The store will be the second located in Clallam County and the 26th for the agency, headquartered in Tacoma. Other Goodwill stores in the region are located in Port Angeles, 603 S. Lincoln St., and Port Townsend, 602 Howard St. Store hours are Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

Goodwill has already been providing job training and placement services for Sequim-area residents through a program giving older workers experience to get back into the workforce. For a list of donation or store locations or to find out more about Goodwill programs and services, go online to www.tacomagoodwill.org"

Tags: Goodwill store opens in Sequim, Sequim shopping

Hummmingbirds are back in Sequim

2010-06-16T20:37:00.000-07:00

Coming to Sequim from Hawaii, we did not know hummingbirds but as soon as we had built our house and saw all the hummingbird feeders at our neighbors' houses we got interested. And ever since we have those little guys come visit us at the hummingbird feeder on our balcony, in easy view from our dining table, we became 'addicted'.

Some Sequim friends told us that they had a special hummingbird kind even through winter. That gets pretty involved because the water in the feeder freezes and needs to be taken in at nighttime. Anyways, they were very proud to get those little guys through our Sequim winter. We noticed even in spring when mornings are still cold the hummingbirds have a hard time to get warmed up. One would always fly to the top of our neighbor's tree and sit there in the full sun till he warmed up.

Now it's easy for them, and everybody spoils them. Amazingly, there are still enough hummingbirds for everybody in Sequim who hangs out a hummingbird feeder. Just make sure not to put too much sugar in it. It's not good for the humans or the hummingbirds. We have also learned not to fill up the feeder with too much sugar water. It goes bad over time. Rather take a bit and fill it up anew more often.

If you have not watched Keoki's hummingbird video last year, here it is again.

Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center goes high tech

2010-06-01T09:21:00.000-07:00

As regular Sequim Town blog visitors you know that one of the reasons we love Sequim so much is because it's a town which offers the ingredients to keep you young and in good shape and health. It's all up to you! We love biking the Olympic Discovery Trail, hiking in the Olympic Mountains or just walking Carrie Blake Park!

Of course, there are also those months when outdoor activities are limited because of the weather. Rain shadow and blue holes are good but Sequim is still in the PNW. When we investigated about Sequim as our retirement option, we read about SARC Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center. We say it again 'This is the biggest bonus the Sequim retirement community enjoys DAILY!. The Center offers any cardiovascular or muscle-building machine you can dream of - come and see for your selves - two pools, jacuzzi, steam sauna complement the workout with nice recreation and relaxation features.

SARC has changed and improved a lot ever since we joined 4 years ago when moving to Sequim. It seemed to me that SARC had achieved a high level in quality equipment and exercise classes, including Keoki's very own 'Easy Stretch class' on Monday and Wednesday mornings at 10:30am, but it still got better. When I walked into the aerobic workout room over a week ago, there were two new cross-trainers, my favorites ,and 5 new treadmills equipped with its own TV. I brought my airplane headphones and tried one of the cross-trainers. Really nice!

Reading when on the cross-trainer does not come easy and a 20-30min workout can stretch when not doing anything but pumping your arms and legs. With the new TVs, any workout becomes a piece of cake. Interestingly, the first week the machines stayed surprisingly empty but as it was and is with any technology, seniors need a little while to adjust to the challenges of new buttons. The figured out computers and cell phones. Sequim seniors will line up at the new machines pretty soon. Thanks SARC for going high tech!

Rocket Shuttle transportation from Sequim to Seatac Airport

2010-05-19T09:44:00.000-07:00

Dear Sequim lovers,

Don't know whether our last post about Goodwill coming to Sequim, got you off you seats but here is some really good news for Sequim residents and visitors.

We all love little Sequim town on the Olympic Peninsula with its beautiful scenery of mountains and ocean and peaceful, friendly suburban life style. Only drag may be at times when you want to go traveling and have to make it to SeaTac Airport. We just came back from our last vacation. For the first time, we had made a reservation with the Rocket transportation shuttle service to and from Seattle Airport instead of driving our own car.

It worked out great. We paid $170 RT for the two of us. When you take the extra parking fees in Seattle for parking our car into consideration, we got ourselves a good deal. Of course, the longer you stay on vacation, the better the deal with the 'Rocket' shuttle becomes.

Best part we thought when choosing the Rocket shuttle was they pick us up and drop us at our house. Both drivers were extremely friendly, courteous and di a great job with the driving, especially through the always heavily congested area in Tacoma. And they were not any slower than we are driving our own car to Seattle, which takes us mostly 2hrs. We also appreciated the help of their dispatcher Cathy who'd informed the driver that we were a bit late (our plane from Phoenix was delayed). With her help, things worked out well and we didn't have to wait an extra 3 hrs at the Airport for the next shuttle to leave. Air travel is stressful and exhausting enough these days.

The Rocket shuttle drivers also told us that they take people to other places in Seattle, like hospitals for doc's appointment etc. Anyways, we had a good, positive experience with the Rocket Shuttle service and will use it again. We hope many more Sequim residents will use this service, so it will stay in business for many years to come. You can book reservations for the Rocket Airport Shuttle Monday - Friday 8am - 5pm.

Goodwill coming to Sequim

2010-04-29T06:30:00.000-07:00

Sequim residents and visitors, especially those who are seriously interested in moving to Sequim, paid close attention to the introduction of builders impact fees for new homes in Sequim. The future will tell how this decision will affect the number of application for building permits. Our opinion: If somebody wants to move to Sequim, then he will do so, with or w/o impact fees.

A few days ago, Sequim Town Blog received the following interesting press release about a new store opening in Sequim soon. We decided to publish the complete press release, as it is of interest for our residents and Sequim visitors alike. Press release by Goodwill:

Goodwill coming to Sequim - New Store will provide jobs, donation site and great value!

SEQUIM – A new Goodwill store will open this July in Sequim, providing local jobs, a donation site for gently used clothes and household items, and great values for families to stretch their dollar in tough economic times.

The store will be located in the former Rite Aid building, 680C W. Washington St., at the corner of West Washington Street and North Fifth Avenue. Signs announcing the arrival of Goodwill at the site should up this week with Mountain Construction providing store improvements. To staff the 32,000-square-foot store, the agency is hiring about 30 people, including donation attendants, cashiers, supervisors and a store manager, with forms available at www.tacomagoodwill.org.

"Goodwill provides the community with a variety of services and our stores are long-term investments," said Jane Taylor, president of Goodwill’s Board of Directors and an agency volunteer. "In these tough economic times, Goodwill can help families and be a place for people to get that first job or second chance."

The store will be the second located in Clallam County and the 26th for the agency, headquartered in Tacoma. Other Goodwill stores are located in Port Angeles, 603 S. Lincoln St., and Port Townsend, 602 Howard St. Goodwill has already been providing job training and placement services for area residents through a program giving older workers experience to get back into the workforce.

Tags: New store in Sequim, Sequim shopping

Sequim Council approved impact fees for new home builders

2010-03-31T09:55:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to Sequim Town Vacation blog,

Decision is made by Sequim council: Building a new house in Sequim will soon cost Sequim home builders more money. We discussed the issue of impact fees as a means for Sequim town to make some extra money to maintain streets, parks etc. in our recent post 'What is new for Sequim home owners?'

On March 222 Sequim city council and its manager Steve Burkett voted to adopt new impact fees in order to keep Sequim's infrastructure up-to-date. Starting in July 2010 new home builders in Sequim will have to pay for each single-family home an extra $4,868 in impact fees. Those charges will be added on the current $15,800 cost of a building permit.

We are happy that we did not postpone the building of our new Sequim home after we had bought our new town lot with those wonderful views of the Olympic Mountains. Building in 2007 saved us in hindsight a lot of money. Well, we don't know how much money the City of Sequim can rake in with that new impact fee, if the applications for building permits stay the same low as in 2009.

We have been talking and are still talking to quite a number of people who found Sequim Town Vacation blog on the Internet and have serious plans to move to Sequim for good. Most of them, don't want to go through the hassle of building a new home - who does when being retired and looking for an easy relaxed life. The majority wants to buy a house in Sequim which fits best their budget and expectations.

Also read our post about 'Sunland Golf Course'.

Sequim Golf Course Sunland

2010-03-17T19:12:00.000-07:00

Dear Sequim lovers,

We noticed that the early spring on the Olympic Peninsula also attracted Sequim home buyers back to the area. Alas, the top bargain price of the 'Best Sequim Home for Sale' is still to high for potential home buyers. It was the same for us when we went house hunting on our Sequim vacation in October 2005. As retired people, we needed to stick with a Sequim home within our budget. Honestly, I loved the peace, the privacy and the beautiful green scenery at Sunland - though we are not golfers - but at that time, sellers still had the edge and prices were just not matching for us.

So, what's new at Sunland for current homeowners and what should future Sunland homeowners know? A couple months ago, the Sunland golf club membership had fallen below what would support keeping the course open. Sunland golfers have attemped to enlist new members even opening it to outside players, but it seems to have come down to having the homeowners vote on whether to increase the homeowners fees to support the golf course. There are 180 homeowners but not all are golfers. It would be interesting to know how many of the Sunland homeowners are active golfers. Bottom line, the non-playing golf homeowners don't seem to care to pay, so others can push the ball around the grass.

The big argument is that the value of Sunland homes benefits from keeping this private golf course well maintained. The entire Sunland Golf Course issue has become a big 'dispute' and 'The Peninsula Daily News' gets frequently letters concerning this topic. Even though, it's none of my concerns, I've found it quite interesting that members and investors of Sunland Golf & Country Club demand that all Sunland homeowners unilaterally be mandated to contribute $300 per year to support the golf course. And if homeowners wouldn't comply, a lien could be placed on their home. Can they do that?

Another letter to the editor claimed that the sole purpose of the $300/yr is to recover the money that a group of club members invested in a new 1-million dollar sprinkler system. They could do so with the assessed payment for 5 years. Nothing has been finalized yet, last I read in letters to the editor they are planning a vote but no date has been set. If they vote not to support the golf course, the home values could go down and of course the other way the Sunland homeowners' fees would go up. Something to think about when looking at homes for sale in Sunland.

Best Price Sequim Home for Sale

2010-03-13T10:36:00.000-08:00

Dear Sequim town visitors,

We are so happy to hear from people who found our SequimTown blog and appreciate all the information we post here for future retirees to read about our life in sunny Sequim.

We received a number of emails about our recent post 'What is new for Sequim homeowners?'. Believe me the discussion about the new impact fees to keep Sequim's infrastructure maintained is not letting up and is still going on. We will have to wait for final result till March 22 when the City Council will make its decision.

If you follow our Sequim blog regularly - easy to do just click the link on the side bar where it says 'Subscribe by email' - you know that Sequim Real Estate always attracts my attention, even though we are no realtors. But hey Sequim is a retirement town and people from all of the nation want to move here, just as we did from Hawaii.

We wrote in the past about houses for sale in Sequim and want to continue that tradition today. This Sequim Luxury Home of our friends is back on the market with the biggest price drop we've seen so far ever the housing bubble burst in Sequim! Our friends want to move on with their lives and move back to CA, where all their 3 children and families live.

Luxury Sequim Home for Sale with spectacular Water and Mountain Views

Best price Sequim Home for Sale New Asking Price $449,000

Architect designed modern Victorian home built in 1999 on two lovely quiet acres affords magnificent views from every room of the Olympic Mountains, San Juan Islands, Strait of Juan de Fuca, Mount Baker, Sequim Lighthouse and Victoria. This Sequim home is 3588 square feet with multiple levels filled with light and openness. There are three bedrooms, one office/den, three full bathrooms, one 3/4 bathroom, large family room, dining room with cathedral ceiling, balcony overlooking dining room, formal living room with octagon, large recreational room, utility room with handicap shower, wine cellar, indoor shop, 2+car garage and garden shed. Wrap around front porch and back patio built with Timbertec deck.

When we visited this home, we got a exciting tour of the Sequim house by the owners and couldn't believe what a special place they have created over many years. Please, also read more about and see more photos of this Luxury Sequim Home for Sale. I tell you what, no words can do justice to the the real house experience.

So please, if you are interested in buying this Sequim home, send us an email and we will connect you with the owners and Sequim realtor for setting up a viewing appointment. For those who don't qualify but still would love to see this magnificent house, there will be an 'Open House' soon. We will post the date and time here on our SequimTown blog. Remember it is a buyer's market in Sequim!

What's new for Sequim home owners?

2010-03-07T09:57:00.000-08:00

Well, the 'Economic Slowdown" did not go around the city of Sequim, as Sequim home owners might have hoped for. Sequim City struggles to make ends meet just like the rest of the nation. The big question is where to get the money from for improvements of streets, parks, public transportation, police etc.

Financial means for education seems to be taken care of after a recent vote for Sequim Schools where 61% of Sequim residents voted for a higher property tax for Sequim home owners to generate some extra money for Sequim education. The votes included Sequim residents who don't own a home and won't be affected by the higher taxes, at least not at first glance. Eventually, home owners who rent out a second home will try to get some money back from their tenants by raising their rent!

We were actually quite happy when we noticed that our high Sequim property tax had gone down for 2010 but that 'saving's evaporated with the recent vote approval for raising the taxes for schools which meant another $200 more property tax on a Sequim estimated home value of $250,000. Quite a steep raise, we think.

Still there remains the question where to get the money from for keeping Sequim's infrastructure updated and in good shape. Well, the solution seems to be very easy, at least according to a consultant the City of Sequim hired. The 'magic word' is introducing 'impact fees' to new home owners and builders. If the City of Sequim approves the new impact fees, then new Sequim home owners will have to pay an additional $9036, whether they build a new home for $1million or $200,000! The new impact fees would cover Sequim town's future expenses for improvements of infrustructure, parks, transportation, general government and police.

This will be a tough decision to be made by the City Council and Sequim City's new manager Steven Burkett. Naturally, the new impact fees find strong opponents among Sequim builders and realtors. Imagine in 2005 about 190 new building permits were issued for Sequim and area, whereas in 2009, it was only 11 building permits. Sequim builders and realtors believe that those steep impact fees in a slowed-down economy, will have further negative effects and might turn off potential home builders from building in Sequim. The Sequim consultant argues that better parks and infrastructure will attract new home builders to Sequim. What do you think?

Hurricane Ridge reopened for March 2010

2010-03-02T10:43:00.000-08:00

Hello Sequim visitors,

Yes, our Sequim weather is still amazing. Spring is two months early. All our cherry blossom trees are in full bloom as most of the daffodils are. No tulips opened yet but they are getting there. With all the reports from the East Coast with another blizzard and electricity blackouts, we Sequim residents really feel very blessed. I just hope that we won't get any late frost in April killing the real Cherry blossoms that would be a bummer.

Anyways, here is more good news for Sequim residents and visitors who love skiing, snowboarding or snowshoeing or just enjoy some wonderful time in the snow. Hurricane Ridge Rd and Hurricane Ridge facilities reopened last weekend. A group of about 50 visitors enjoyed their first time visit on Sunday up on Hurricane Ridge - Olympic Park entry fee was waived -, after the road had to be closed over a month ago due to a huge washout of the road. Construction was finished sooner than expected.

March is actually a wonderful month for a visit in the snow on the mountain. Remember Hurricane Ridge is open on the weekends depending on conditions. Make sure to call Olympic National Park for Hurricane Ridge weather update before you get on the road 360-565-3131. This is an automated service which gets updated frequently during the day. Have fun in the snow on Hurricane Ridge.

Mild winter in Sequim January 2010

2010-02-03T16:11:00.000-08:00

Dear Sequim Town visitors,

When the rest of the nation was in the tight grip of ice and snow during this January, Sequim and the Olympic Peninsula experienced one of the mildest winters in a long time. January 2010 is our 5th winter in Sequim. The El Nino year, which starts taking effect at the beginning of January, made Sequim's January more look like a spring month, if you believe it or not.

Average daytime temperatures January 2010 in Sequim were between 46 - 52 F. To be honest, we don't and won't complain! Keoki has been playing tennis with his Sequim tennis buddies at the Sequim High School tennis courts all through this 'winter' so far. I myself love to jog or bike to SARC these days trying to catch some sun on my way.

As mentioned, in our latest post about 'Hurricane Ridge closure', the recent warm Sequim temperatures make our spring flowers believe 'Spring is here'! Tulips, daffodils and primrose survivors come up in my flower bed. We also noticed beautiful patches of snow bells and crocus around Oak Table restaurant.

Well, speaking of Sequim restaurants, Sequim 'Oak Table restaurant' is not just a nice place to admire early spring flowers in January, but definitely a great Sequim restaurant we can warmly recommend to Sequim visitors and residents. We had never eaten there before but our good neighbors Sue and Bob shared their 44th wedding anniversary for a delicious lunch at Oak Table. Each one of us 4 had a different meal and really liked it. The nice ambiance and a friendly, efficient waitress made this lunch at Oak Table restaurant a full success.

Not all Sequim restaurants made it through the Economic Slowdown. After the German restaurant 'Sauerkraut' at Rock Plaza had to close after only being in business for 6 mos., Sequim Town Blog received an email a few days ago that the 'Cedar Creek' restaurant in 5th Ave closed too. Cedar Creek must have been in business for about 2 yrs. and seemed to be doing just fine. It's sad to see another Sequim restaurant closing its doors.

But tell you what one Sequim restaurant closes and another one opens. Just the other day, we read on the Peninsula Daily News that a Chinese Restaurant offering 'All you can eat' buffet has moved into the 4000sft place of the Sauerkraut. This new restaurant at Rock Plaza is supposed to open in a month.

Last but not least, an update on the closure of Hurricane Ridge Rd due to a 'washout' from all the rain the Olympic Mountains had received at higher elevations in January. Well, upon closer inspection, the damage to the road proved more severe like a 'landslide', so there is no way to get the road fixed faster than the 6 weeks estimate after it happened. Good news is that reconstruction of the road to Hurricane Ridge is already in full process. Sequim residents and visitors who love skiing and snow-shoing on the weekends on Hurricane Ridge can still have hope to do that in March 2010.

Hurricane Ridge is cut off - January 2010

2010-01-21T12:06:00.000-08:00

Residents and visitors alike love to go snow shoeing and skiing the slopes of Hurricane Ridge during the winter months. Even though the Ridge is only open during the weekends, it attracts quite a number of people on a sunny winter season weekend.

As we reported in our December Sequim Round-up, Sequim and the Olympic Peninsula experienced unusual very mild winter weather in December and now continuing all the way into January. We had several days when the warm Chinook winds were blowing and bringing Sequim weather temperatures around 58 F in the shade. Currently, we have 54 F in the shade but with sun all over Sequim. I am ready for my walk through Carrie Blake Park!

Anyways, let's get back to Hurricane Ridge. Last Friday the Ridge experienced really hurricane winds with over 80miles/hr. When Sunday morning came and Sequim town was warm, sunny and had no winds whatsoever, I decided to call the Hurricane Ridge weather station for an update to check whether it's worthwhile a visit. Well, at 8am Sunday morning, the road to Hurricane Ridge was still closed and wind gusts up to 40miles/hr were reported. This was enough for us to hear. So we postponed our Hurricane Ridge visit in the snow to another Sunday.

This opportunity might not come too soon. Here is what had happened later on Sunday. Hurricane Ridge road had to be closed just north of Heart O' the Hills campground area about five miles south of Port Angeles because of a road slip-out. Repairs could take 1 month to 6 weeks. Part of the road had slipped down during heavy rains. Ski and Snowboard Classes are supposed to begin January 30/31. The manager of the hurricane Ridge ski area still hopes for a temporary solution to bypass the problem area. Let's hope so!

Hurricane Ridge related articles

Sequim Holiday Season Round-up 2009

2009-12-20T13:01:00.000-08:00

It's about time catching up with Sequim news we noticed when we received an email from a dedicated reader of our Sequim Town blog wondering where we were and whether we really stopped writing our Sequim blog.

No, we definitely did not. We only took a break from the cold, rainy November weather in Sequim heading south to Mexico enjoying sun, ocean and great food at an all-inclusive hotel, and the best month to do that is November.We repeatedly told our Sequim blog readers that we are not Sequim realtors trying to 'sell' you sunny Sequim. Our Sequim blog is a journal of our life in Sequim. Nothing more or less. Actually, we cannot believe that in January it will be already 4 years since our moving from Hawaii to Sequim in 2006.

We've learned many things during those four years in Sequim. Just read a few of our past Sequim blogs and you will see. Here is one thing we'd to share with all the newcomers to town: Plan your vacation for November! If you can afford it, choose between Hawaii or Mexico. Of course, Mexico is the much cheaper vacation, however Hawaii has the nicer beaches and clearer ocean waters. In any case, just try to head south during November. It's when the first winter storms and first snow hits the PNW. Sequim is no exception!

This year though, Sequim temperatures in November were somewhat unusual, way lower than average. It seemed like an arctic breeze embraced us when arriving in Seattle. Nice to see the sun out driving into Sequim. Well, the ponds at Carrie Blake Park were solidly frozen, so our favorite ducks were doing some slipping and sliding. Looked pretty funny!

Now, December temperatures are back to normal. Today we had day time temperatures around 44F. No more frozen ponds. The holidays season in a small town community like Sequim is always special. The main streets are decorated with Christmas wreaths and lots of lights. Naturally, Sequim home owners decorate their homes as well. So it's fun to walk the streets at night to admire all the wonderful Christmas decorations. Sequim offers lots of festive events, theater plays, music, Christmas carols and bazaars, organized by the city of Sequim and by the many churches in town and people. Sequim and area is a closely knit community where people love to socialize and volunteer to help others.

If you have any more questions about sunny Sequim and its friendly people, email us or post a comment on one of our Sequim town blog posts. Best thing to do before moving to Sequim permanently, visit Sequim for a vacation. Our fully equipped Sequim vacation rental allows you to explore life in Sequim for a longer time.

Happy Holidays. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our Sequim visitors and friends from Heidi & Keoki

Sequim Vacation November Round-up

2009-11-09T17:08:00.000-08:00

Dear Sequim vacation visitors,

November with cloudy rainy days has arrived in sunny Sequim. Mostly Sequim gets a good share of its annual average 12 inches rainfalls during the month of November. It's a good time to head south, if you have a chance to do so. Jennifer's Sequim summer vacation photos are just perfect to warm your body and soul.

After a beautiful Indian Summer September in Sequim, October surprised us with more rainy days than we normally get. It didn't stop the last berries from ripening and getting eaten. My last raspberries from my own bushes at the house were a little watery though.

What else is new in Sequim? The big town talk is that the German restaurant + Deli 'Sauerkraut' had to close its doors after trying to win the hearts + taste buds of Sequim residents and Sequim visitors for 6 months. As long as our Sequim visitors were here, it seemed to work but since the number of Sequim visitors already goes down in September, little Sequim town with about 6000 residents cannot compensate. We were sorry to hear that the Sauerkraut owners had to file for bankruptcy.

I have a feeling that new businesses starting in Sequim have sometimes too high expectations and don't calculate their numbers right. OK big businesses like Costco and HomeDepot still go big, despite economic slowdown but everybody else who depends on a good number of customers struggles, even Safeway had to adjust their prices to attract daily customers back, which works well for us, the Sequim customers.

Well, Sequim visitors might have left for the winter till spring next year, unless there are a few visitors still roaming the many homes for sale in Sequim and trying to catch a bargain, when real estate prices are still low before it all turns around for the better. Anyways, Sequim is not yet 'hibernating'. I was amazed to hear from a friend who volunteers at the Sequim Visitors Center that they stay open all year round. Great to see that Sequim and its community of retired people are hustling and bustling from event to event, especially at the Sequim Senior Center.

The Fall Arts and Crafts Show is already over. Wednesday 11/8, Elwha River Casino gets visited on the special Senior Day. In addition to the daily activities at the Senior Center, there are tours to museums, nurseries and more. In the center of attraction is the Traditional Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner on November 24 at the Senior Center with 2 seatings.

However, before we start decorating our Sequim homes and houses for the holiday season, let's enjoy a few more of Jennifer's Sequim summer vacation photos - reminiscences of a beautiful Sequim summer vacation 2009. Come visit Sequim in 2010!

Sequim Vacation Photos - Summer at Hurricane Ridge

2009-10-07T10:20:00.000-07:00

Dear Sequim vacation lovers,
As promised in our recent Sequim Vacation Photo post, we finally took the time to include more of our Hawaii photographer friend, Jennifer Crites, from her Summer vacation in Sequim. We mostly visit Hurricane Ridge in water because the white winter wonderland with the spectacular Olympic Mountains as backdrop is an experience we don't want to miss each winter.

Well, Jennifer's summer Hurricane Ridge photos will make you visit Hurricane Ridge right now. Our Indian Summer weather - today we have for the first time a cloud cover over Sequim, but blue holes are already showing - for the last week makes everybody aah and ooh. We had some great Sequim spring weather this year, no 'June gloom' whatsoever, followed by a hot summer, at least for Sequim temperature records, and looks like this will continue all the way into fall season 2009.

Maybe, the reason for this straight through sunny weather through all the Sequim seasons is El Nino or maybe it's the climate change. Who knows! We enjoy it!

Thanks for visiting our Sequim Town blog for your Sequim vacation plans. Enjoy the summer photos of Hurricane Ridge. It's not too late for a Sequim vacation.

Tags: sequim vacatation rental, sequim vacation, best monthly rate Sequim

Sequim Vacation in Photos Part 1

2009-09-13T19:05:00.000-07:00

Dear Sequim vacation lovers,

Today, we have a special post written by our friend Jennifer Crites, renowned travel writer and Hawaii photographer. Read more about Jennifer by visiting our Hawaii blog and her photography website. Jennifer and Jerry spent an extended Sequim summer vacation on the Olympic Peninsula.

Perfect timing for getting away from hot Hawaii and enjoying a cooler weather in Sequim between the Olympic Mountains and the Straits Juan De Fuca. As a professional photographer, Jennifer could not resist 'catching' the beautiful scenery around us on her Sequim vacation with her camera. Please, enjoy Jennifer's Sequim vacation in photos Part I.

When on her Sequim vacation, Jennifer visited Crescent Lake and took this fun summer photo of youngsters enjoying the cool lake water.

"We had an absolutely wonderful time on the Olympic Peninsula thanks to our hosts, Heidi and Keoki. Not only did they provide us with maps, brochures and newspapers covering sights and events in the area, they spent time giving us their personal recommendations as to what to see and do, including where to shop for groceries.

We were greeted so warmly the moment we arrived, and felt right at home immediately (what a treat to find bowls of fresh blueberries and raspberries waiting for us on the kitchen counter). Thank you Heidi and Keoki for providing us with a home away from home (we loved everything about the apartment, including the full kitchen and sleep-number bed), and for making our stay so memorable. We can’t wait to return. Following are a few of our visual memories from the scenic Olympic Peninsula."

Organic berries in Sequim

2009-08-28T13:04:00.000-07:00

Dear Sequim and berry lovers,

As I love any kind of berries and Sequim is berry country, this post has been on my to-do list for a long time. So, let's forget for a moment our recent 'Sequim Real Estate Update August 2009'.

In summer 2006, we experienced the abundance of berries in Sequim and surroundings the first time. I don't mean the berries in the stores but I refer to fresh berries on the bushes. We discovered strawberries + raspberries at U-Pick Graysmarsh Berry Farm in June + July and blueberries in August + September. I felt in Berry Paradise but then I remembered that I had read many times that strawberries and raspberries are more prone to picking up any bad stuff from pesticides or herbicides.

After we had sold our house in Sun Meadows with our own blueberry and raspberry bushes, I went to Henery's Nursery and picked up a number of raspberry bushes for putting in at our new house. We were surprised to see all kinds of different raspberries ripening on our bushes last year, even sweet yellow raspberries. However, we faced a problem with the deer. All our houses on Oak Hill are former deer country. The deer don't know that we live now here and still roam around at night - motion lights don't disturb them at all - and even at bright daylight.

Keoki built a fishing line protection around our raspberry bushes this year and the deer really stayed away from 'frequently 'pruning' our raspberries by munching on the fresh sprouts. The deer don't like to bump their noses into the fishing line. Our neighbor told us that trick, and it works! We have now a steady supply of fresh organic raspberries.

Coming back to our post title 'Organic berries in Sequim'. We were pleasantly surprised when Graysmarsh this spring announced that they grow now organic strawberries on separate fields. I paid a bit more more money and the plants and fruits were not as big as the non-organic, but the fruits were really tasty.

However, something interesting happened when the blueberries got ripe at Graysmarsh Farm. Newspaper ads said 'Organic Blueberries' for $2 U-Pick. As this was on the high end of U-Pick berries in Sequim, I decided to check it out and asked for the organic blueberry fields but there were none. It was the same old bushes where I had picked before. When asking about this at Graysmarsh, I was told that the raspberries + blueberries had ALWAYS been organic. They just had not said so, and they are not certified organic. The blueberries just got magically 'upgraded' to organic because people like to hear 'organic'. If only somebody could keep an eye on that name game with the word organic!

To cut a long story short. We pick our organic U-Pick blueberries for $1.50/pound at a small farm, which we know for certain that they does not use any chemical sprays or animal fertilizers. And best of all, everybody can pick organic blackberries in Sequim, just make sure not to pick along walkways where Sequim town might have sprayed to keep the weeds from growing. Sequim's blackberries are juice and sweet as ever!
p.s.
I almost forgot to update our Sequim vacation rental features. We have now for our guests a washer and dryer in the garage available. Cassie from CA will be the first one to try it out on her September stay. She is looking for a nice Sequim house to rent for herself for moving to Sequim for good. If you have a nice 2Bd/2Ba Sequim house for rent, please, email us.

Sequim Real Estate Update August 2009

2009-08-18T13:20:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to our Sequim Town blog visitors,

First things first. We had a great break from the reported heat wave with nice cool temperatures as we are used to. Today, temperatures are climbing more than usual though. It's now 1pm and thermometer in the back of our house shows 79F. I think I will delay my walk through the Carrie Blake Park to later this afternoon, when the sun is not so strong.

Somebody told us that our Sequim hummingbirds also migrate. As we had not seen any for over a week, we stopped hanging out the feeder. We definitely miss our little friends. We have been seeing the Canadian geese crisscrossing the skies frequently. They must be gathering and getting ready for their way south!

Well, the birds move south where it's warm and toasty but you might want to move north to the Olympic Peninsula. Most of our Sequim blog visitors are the ones who love Sequim, the Olympic Mountains and our plenty of water around it for a vacation. Another group of mostly retired people have heard about Sequim as a wonderful retirement town - small town living with big town amenities!

Today's Sequim vacation blog post is an update on the real estate market in Sequim and Clallam County, which is especially for those who want to move to Sequim sooner or later. A recent article in the Peninsula Daily News "2nd Quarter home sales rise in Clallam, Prices fall" states that sales of existing home sales grew slightly in Clallam County while prices for homes dropped compared to the 1st quarter. The price of a median home is currently $212,100, which is a drop of 15.2% and somewhat below state average. There are many more real estate stats listed in the article.

Bottom line: Sequim real estate is welcoming buyers. The buyer's market is strengthening. Visit Sequim and see for yourselves what houses are available and at what prices!

A good way to find out whether Sequim living is right for you, is staying in Sequim for a month, maybe even at different months of the year. We offer the best monthly rates for a fully equipped 1Bd/1Ba Sequim vacation rental with top amenities at premier, peaceful location, near Park + Shopping! We are happy to share our knowledge of life in Sequim and moving to Sequim with everybody who stays with us!

Heat Wave in Sequim

2009-07-30T11:36:00.000-07:00

Has Sequim ever seen such hot temperatures like the 92 F the other day? I seriously doubt it. That's definitely the highest summer temperatures we have experienced since we moved her in January 2006. It does not seem like this heat wave will stop today. Writing this post at 11am, actually temperatures are not too bad: 23C or 74F.

I also checked my Wunderground Sequim weather forecast logo on our Sequim Town Blog and found out that this is totally off, just as our Acuweather forecast in the Peninsula Daily News is. Best you give us a call as our friends did who just moved from Hawaii to Portland OR where they encountered 104 F yesterday.

Let's get things straight. This is the Pacific Northwest which probably never had a heat wave like that in the past. I was so surprised to hear on our Seattle Kiro News last night that most Seattle houses don't have AC. Well, why should they. They never needed it in the past. Temperatures in Seattle were soaring yesterday and are expected to reach 100F today. Movie theaters are having great business because they are air conditioned. Any place which has AC gets some extra business these hot summer days in the the Pacific Northwest.

When we designed our new house in Sequim, we were wondering whether to save the $8000 on a fancy heat pump for an area which is known for its mild winters and cool summers. OK for resale value we decided to get the heat pump, which can also function as AC unit for your entire house. Can you imagine how happy we are that we had done that.

People in Sequim and Seattle are trying to keep their houses cold with portable AC units. Naturally, these are sold out everywhere. Our friend's heat pump in Sun Meadows just failed the other day. Keoki tried to make it work again but no such luck. She had to call the heat pump company and is now lined up with 72 customers all waiting for repair of their heat pumps. There is a 2-day waiting time.

In any case, Sequim summer 2009 is definitely different, compared to its past history, with high temperatures beyond the 80F mark. Everybody is used to high temperatures in TX, AZ and HI but in Sequim?!

We expect Sequim temperatures to come down again to our regular summer temperatures between 70 - 80 F on this upcoming weekend. We will keep you updated on Sequim summer. Stay cool this summer wherever you live!
p.s.
Our next post will be about U-pick berries in Sequim. Are there any organically grown berries available? That will be the question.

Hummingbirds in Sequim

2009-07-20T08:46:00.000-07:00

Dear Sequim Town blog visitors,

Believe me this year's Lavender Festival in Sequim was a huge success. It was our third Sequim Lavender Festival ever since we moved here but this one went through the roof. One could hardly make his way through the street fair and the buses to the Sequim Lavender Farms had even people waiting in line for the next bus, at least when we went by the bus stop.

I was also under impression that the number of business booths had increased whether it was lavender products - the seducing smell was everywhere - or hats, jewelery, signs, leather bags, t-shirts, you name it, you could find it at our street fair in Fir St.

Now, let's jump to our today's post topic. When we moved to Sequim from Hawaii in 2006, we knew all about Sequim weather, annual precipitation, number of people living here, house prices and such. However, we did not know that Sequim is an oasis of hummingbirds. Actually, we did not know much about humming birds because those fun little creatures are not around in Hawaii. Read what Wikipedia has to say about hummingbirds.

Finally, when spring 2009 came to Sequim, we decided to set up a hummingbird feeder on our kitchen balcony where our little dining table is located for taking our meals. After we had watched how all our friends and neighbors enjoyed many visits by their little hummingbird, we wanted to have our own hummingbirds too, and believe us so we do. The following hummingbird video will show.

After having set up the hummingbird feeder on the balcony and adding some sugar water 1/4 cup on 2 cups of water, we had to wait a few days till the birdies showed up. What still amazes me is that the hummingbirds would still try our feeder with all the other hummingbird feeders out there by our Sequim neighbors.

Now, we love our little hummingbird friends on their daily visits and miss them when they don't show up. Anyways, watch Keoki's hummingbird video. He took it with our new digital camera - amazing what those modern cameras can do theses days - and we uploaded it to youtube. Enjoy our Sequim hummingbird video!

Sequim 13th Lavender Festival biggest Sequim Event of the Year

2009-07-14T09:47:00.000-07:00

The 13th Annual Sequim Lavender Festival is looking round the corner. We already see more visitors in little Sequim town. The big lavender festival event days will be this weekend Friday 16 - Sunday 19 at 10am - 6pm. Last year the lavender was not yet in full bloom for the Festival after a colder and wetter spring season but believe us this year, all the Sequim lavender fields are blooming and sending out this intoxicating and seducing smell of lavender.

We have friends from Hawaii visiting and will be happy to share all the great things in Sequim to do during the Lavender Festival. Sequim visitors and residents alike can buy tickets for the farm tours at $15 a person, children under 12 are free. This lavender ticket allows you to tour all the 7 Sequim Lavender farms like famous Lost Mountain Lavender Farm, Purple Haze, Jardin du Soleil Lavender and more. You may watch and listen to growers share their techniques about growing, drying and using lavender. You can use the tour bus on all three days for free.

In addition to visiting the lavender farms and buying lots of freshly cut lavender and lavender products there, the lavender street fair will offer 150 crafts and lavender booths, food, music and shopping in downtown Sequim. We had such a great time last year and will definitely return.

I never added my photos from the last year's Lavender street fair. Here are Sequim photos to give you a taste of what you may expect at the Sequim street fair. Enjoy Sequim, the Lavender festival, the very friendly Sequim people and our Sequim street fair photos.

Here is some special information for dog owners:

Sequim's famous and unique 'dog sitting' program for the Sequim Lavender Festival operated by Gentle Paws, provides safe comfort for your dog while you enjoy the street fair and the lavender farms. Sorry dogs cannot be allowed on the farms. You will find the location downtown Sequim where the tour buses to the Lavender Farms take off.

Sequim Lavender Festival Related Articles

Sequim Lavender Festival Video
Visit Sequim Lavender Festival 2008
Sequim Lavender Festival

Sequim 1991 RV Motorhome Class C 19' For Sale

2009-07-06T08:32:00.000-07:00

1991 Coachman self contained RV Motorhome 19ft for Sale Motorhome Class C in excellent condition Asking price $8,900

SOLD within 4 Days!

We bought this nice looking motorhome van in 2006 from the original owner who always kept it in the garage. The motor home is in good, clean, attractive condition, inside and outside. When we built our house here in Sequim in 2007, we included a motorhome garage for best storage. However, with our house building + moving in project taking up most of our recent time, we hardly used the motorhome since we bought it in 2009.

Class C Motorhome features:

- 1 ton Chevrolet 5.7L - 350 CID
- 50,000 Original miles
- New computer, New Tires
- Automatic, cruise control, Interior Convenience Group
- NEW batteries: 1 automotive + 1 deep cell 12 Volt
- Dometic refrigerator with new cooling unit 2003
- Refrigerator runs on gas, electric or 12 Volt
- Atwood 6 Gal gas water heater, electric ignition, new 2003
- Wedgewood 2 burner propane stove
- Samsung Microwave
- JVC Cassette player w/rear speakers
- Coleman Rooftop air conditioner
- Suburban furnace
- 12 volt Vacuum
- Sofa bed w/memory foam + overhead bed
- rear toilet + shower/tub
- plenty of cabinet space
- 10' Awning
- 4 stabilizing jacks

This Class C Coachman Motorhome 1991 runs great. It can be easily driven. Motorhome gets 15mpg on Hwy. The motorhome van is great for short term vacation trips or guys driving to a job site away from home.

If you are interested in this Class C motorhome for sale at asking price of $8,900 and live in the Sequim, Olympic Peninsula or Seattle area, give us a call for a viewing appointment of our Coachman motorhome 360-504-1157.

Olympic Peninsula Biggest Open House Weekend

2009-06-26T18:17:00.001-07:00

Dealing with Sequim vacation and Moving to Sequim, we could not skip this information. Yesterday, we received a brochure in our mail 'The Biggest Open House Weekend on the Olympic Peninsula' this Saturday June 27 + Sunday 28. The brochure was published by the Peninsula Daily News. What it basically means, Sequim and Port Angeles realtors joined the biggest Washington state wide open house weekend announced for this weekend.

One of the headlines on the front cover of this Open House brochure reads 'Over 100 Open Houses this Saturday and Sunday'! I could not resist and counted all the houses for sale listed in Port Angeles and Sequim with open house dates, hours and realtors: 116 homes + lots all together, 43 of those listings were for Sequim.

This is a great effort by WA and Olympic Peninsula realtors to get the housing market moving again. As in the rest of the nation, not much moved or sold in the past 1 to 1 1/2 years. I myself as a lay person see one reason for the current stagnation in the Sequim real estate market that house prices came down somewhat from the inflated prices yet they are still high (too high), especially, when everybody struggles to make ends meet in these days of economic slowdown.

People who originally wanted to move to Sequim, put their project on hold and rather stay where they live right now. This way saving money on expensive moving costs or house closing costs. Quite a number are not able to sell their homes in CA, AZ or Hawaii because they don't want to take huge losses.

Perusing the 100 homes for sale listings, I noticed that there are not many homes under $200K available for purchase. If so, they are really very old, manufactured homes or really small. First time home buyers might get tempted when viewing those homes, especially with the $8,000 tax credit.

We will have to wait and see whether this biggest Open House Weekend on the Olympic Peninsula will be a stimulus for Sequim home buyers. I hope that Sequim realtors were smart enough to advertise it way ahead on Craigslist or ads in CA and AZ.

Biking the Olympic Discovery Trail from Sequim to Port Angeles

2009-06-15T17:16:00.000-07:00

Welcome back everybody to Sequim Vacation blog,

With our most recent post 'Sequim Summer Vacation at Best Monthly Rate', we invited everybody from the hot summer state to spend a cool summer vacation in Sequim at our vacation rental.

When you like the Great Outdoors and love being outside walking, hiking, biking like we do, you will love Sequim at first sight. This is not the X-Games. Sequim vacation is for everybody, young and old, the strong athlete or the weekend 'warrior'. Activity levels all depend on what you are up to. The moderate temperatures during summer definitely help to feel good with anything you do in Sequim and the Olympics. Here is our latest activity challenge.

Saturday morning, we decided it's about time to take up the challenge and ride our bikes from Sequim to Port Angeles on the Olympic Discovery Trail, which crosses close-by at Carry Blake Park. Here are a few facts for those who never heard about the Olympic Discovery Trail.

Some Trail Facts

The Olympic Discovery Trail has its history in the old railroads since much of the route is located on historic grades built in 1914 and 1915. Half of its 22-mile way from Sequim to P.A. runs along old railroads. Currently 34 miles are completed with more than 30 miles under construction. Just imagine, eventually, the Olympic Discovery Trail will run nearly 125 miles from Port Townsend on the Puget Sound to LaPush on the Pacific Ocean!

Our Olympic Discovery Trail Adventure in Photos

Saturday morning 10am start of our 22-mile bike ride to PortAngeles from Sequim.

1. Photo:

Eagle Habitat taken from trail entering Railroad Bridge Park. We met our friend Bob with his trike who tells us that he encountered some strong head winds going further down the trail past Railroad Bridge.

2. Photo

Wonderful ever-changing mountain views seen riding the trail westwards. Wind is blowing strong, against us!

3. Photo

Stop at Robin Hill Park for short break and warming up in the sun. We are both in shorts and feel the wind chill factor!

4. Photo

More beautiful scenery with wild flowers (see photo) and lots of bright yellow Scotch broom (looks nice but is invasive weed, my friend Sue told me) from trail leading now along Old Olympic Hwy.

5. No Photos

We did not take any photos of 2 - 3 gulches and steep inclines at other sides, where we had to push our bikes. At this point, we decided to keep going, even though a return half the way along, would have been much better - getting the wind from the back! Well, we followed our destination!

6. + 7. Photo

After 2 hrs biking, we are arriving at the open ocean or better: the Straits of Juan de Fuca. What a difference after riding through the woods for so long. Smelling the fresh ocean air. Enjoying the new scenery. Port Angeles is still 5 - 6 miles away. We take a break in the sun.

7. Photo

The last leg of the Olympic Discovery Trail runs all along the ocean into Port Angeles Harbor. It is a beautiful ride but be aware that the trail is mostly in the shade. With the strong winds facing us, we longed for some long pants on this part of the bike ride.

After about a 3-hr bike ride from Sequim to Port Angeles with several stops resting, drinking water and taking photos, we arrived at the new Gateway bus stop in PA, a few yards from where you enter the Harbor. We were extremely lucky that the Sequim bus was still there and even our bikes would fit on the front bike rack. All for $1.50 for the 15-mile ride from PA to Sequim. It was feeling sooooooo good to finally sit down, relax and be proud of our accomplishment of biking the Olympic Discovery Trail. When we can do, so can you! Give it a try on your next Sequim vacation.

Sequim Summer Vacation Best Sequim Monthly Rate

2009-06-12T11:06:00.000-07:00

Hooray Sequim and the Olympic Peninsula are connected with Seattle and everybody else again, as reported in our June 5th post 'Hood Canal Bridege opened early'.

Sequim Marathon last Sunday received a big boost from the early opening of the bridge. About 300 more runners signed up. Sequim weather cooperated with the marathon runners with some cooler temperatures instead of our recent hot Sequim summer weather. Effects of global warming? Who knows. Most Sequim residents don't mind, at least if temperatures don't go much beyond the 80 F.

With summer temperatures rising in states like AZ, HI, CA or TX to temperatures past the 90 F and Sequim's attraction to summer visitors rising as well, we decided to offer our visitors the LOWEST monthly rate for their Sequim vacation at $950/mo. Compare to regular monthly rates offered by other fully equipped Sequim vacation rentals at $1200/mo.

Our fully equipped private 'Bell Hill View' 1Bd/1Ba Sequim vacation rental apartment provides a great home-away-from-home to visitors to explore Sequim, the Olympic Mountains + the Olympic Discovery Trail. Not to forget there is no better time than NOW to look for and find a piece of land as investment, buy a manufactured home for summer stays or for rental income or buy a Sequim Home at the lowest price ever in recent years. Sequim realtors are awaiting your visit. Let's see what else is there to do in Sequim in June.

Sequim Events for June

Today, Friday June 12, starts the Annual Driftwood Show in Carrie Blake Park, which will last till Sunday. Great family fun and free!

The Olympic Explorer Volkssport Club will host a 10-kilometer or 6.2 mile walk along country roads and the Olympic Discovery Trail. You may meet with the group Saturday morning before 9am at QFC.

Sequim Open Aire Market is open for business Sat. June 13 from 9am - 3pm. Located in Cedar St, over 60 farmers and artists are selling their products. Live music is from 11am - 2pm, and there will be lots of food stands to enjoy some breakfast or lunch.

Summer family fun is coming our way with this new season 'Music & Movies in the Park' starting June 23 (more events 6/30, 7/28, 8/28). This is a free event to Sequim residents and visitors alike. Local sponsors make this possible. Thank you!

Last but not least, Sequim Berry season officially opened with Camron Strawberry Farm and Graysmarsh Farm announcing the U-Pick season for strawberries. I made it to Graysmarsh yesterday and picked the biggest and ripest strawberries - took me an hours to pick - which we served our friends with Vanilla ice-cream. No berries from the stores can compete with fresh berries from the field! Another reason for a Sequim vacation!

Hood Canal Bridge Opened Early

2009-06-05T09:40:00.000-07:00

Here is some good news for all our visitors to the olympic Peninsula - and not to gorget the ca. 16,000 daily commuters - the Hood Canal Bridge reopened way early before scheduled construction deadline on 6/15. The promised $75,000 to the contractor for each day earlier opening made a miracle happen. The Hood Canal Bridge opened Wednesday night June 2nd at 10:19pm.

Everybody is more than happy that the Hood Canal Bridge is open. Sequim and the Peninsula are connected with rest of the world again! Sequim summer vacation for visitors, hikers and campers to the Olympic National Park can begin! You bet that the Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort appreciates that they can resume business, especially from the Seattle area, as normal.

It might be a little too late for the North Olympic Discovery Marathon from Sequim to Port Angeles this Sunday. There over 13,000 runners/walkers signed up by Tuesday this week, which is considerably less than 2008. The lower numbers are contributed by the organizers to the economic slowdown + the closure of the Hodd Canal Bridge. The marathon organizers still expect some 200 late sign ups from the Poulsbo area due to the early opening of the bridge.

The 26.2 Marathon Walk, Marathon and Relay Teams all start at Sequim's Carrie Blake Park Sunday morning, just a 2-min. walk from our house. Walks start at 7am and Marathon at 9am. All events end at City Pier in PA. Let's hope that the weather will cooperate. Forecasts predict that our 3-week Sequim summer weather spell is supposed to come to an end tomorrow. I kind of got used to the Hawaiian weather in Sequim!
p.s.
For those who consider moving to Sequim, visit our post 'Sequim Homes for Rent' with information on Sequim house rentals and leases.

Sequim Houses for Rent

2009-06-02T19:46:00.000-07:00

Summer is here, not just the beautiful Sequim summer weather indicating it but more emails from potential future Sequim residents show that people think again about moving to Sequim. We received the following email today from San Jose, CA. We decided, in agreement with the email writer, to publish it on Sequim Town blog together with our personal response regards the request for help:

"Found your blog and enjoyed reading it.

My son lives in Auburn and has suggested I consider moving to Sequim. He is flying me up in a week or two for a visit and to explore the area. I've been online looking at rentals and have found some possibilities on the Peninsula but nothing in Sequim. I'm not looking for a vacation rental but for a place to live. Do you have any suggestions as to where I should look for listings?

It will take awhile to prepare for the move assuming I'm going to like the area as much as I think I'm going to but I need to have some idea of what's available and at what prices.

Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Cassandra Andre"

We are always happy to hear that people really appreciate the information on our Sequim Vacation blog. From the above email and our phone conversation, I have the feeling that Cassandra already did plenty of research about Sequim as her future place to live and is just narrowing down her options where to live in Sequim.

As she is not interested in buying a house in Sequim, she is asking for resources where to find adequate Sequim home rentals at affordable prices. Here are our recommendations for her and others who look for a house for rent in Sequim:

Sequim Homes for Rent Resources

It has never been easier and more affordable to find a house for rent in Sequim than NOW. Sequim Gazette is a good place to look. I was not surprised to see how much Sequim house rental rates had come down during the last months! Good for the renters, not good for the owners.

In finding more resources for Cassandra, I also came across this forum where people posted their experience with Sequim. It never hurts to read personal feedbacks about the town you consider to move to.

Here are the current Sequim rentals available for lease by Action Property Management But remember this is a limited resource as not everybody lists his house for rent with a rental management company.

The Classifieds in the Peninsula Daily News always list new places for rent. We recommend to check those on a weekly basis. I just checked the houses for rent in Sequim + Port Angeles area today.

Last but not least, we told Cassandra to come here for a short vacation. Use the above house rental resources and make a list of the ones you take into close consideration: square footage, rate per month, location with physical address. It's so much easier to make a decision when you have had a look at a house from the outside. Upon our arrival in Sequim, we worked through a list of about 12 Sequim houses for sale. In the end, there were only three left which we were interested to have a look at the inside.

It's a little bit different with renting or leasing a home in Sequim compared to buying a house, yet still you want to feel comfortable with the countryside, the neighborhood and whether you can imagine living there.

BTW Cassandra, who is an artist and a writer who works from home, asked me to include her email address with this blog post. Sequim houses for rent owners may write her an email with details and photos about their house for rent. Good luck, Cassandra, for finding a nice house to rent in Sequim!

Is Sequim Weather early Summer?

2009-05-31T17:14:00.000-07:00

Today, we received an email from our friends, Ron and Mary-Nell from Texas, who love Sequim and their annual Sequim Vacation. Here is a short glimpse of their email:

"We really enjoyed the photos on your May 26 post. We were amazed to see people fishing at the park in shorts. Has this been a typical May with everything being so green and flowers blooming? I thought it would be still on the cool side but as we've been following the weather daily from down here it appears to have been a lovely month overall."

Yes, you are right to envy us. Ever since the Memorial Day Weekend (actually even much earlier) Sequim residents and visitors get spoilt by the most pleasant May weather in years. It's like an early summer! And according to this Sequim weather link from Ron, who watches Sequim weather carefully in order to know what weather he can expect when he will finally move to Sequim with his family, this stretch of nice weather will continue next week!

It's amazing how nice sunny weather can make people happy and feel good! Friday, we decided spontaneously to visit our favorite place in the Olympic Mountains, the Sol Duc Hot Springs. Before we settled down at the resort, we went for a walk to the Sol Duc Falls. On can't really call it a hike with it's one way 0.8 miles mostly level walk. We love this walk through the woods, admiring wild flowers, listening to the birds and taking a short break at the powerful falls.

Arriving at the Sol Duc Springs Resort, we noticed immediately the effect of the closure of the Hood Canal Bridge. At 11am we were almost the only visitors there. Later the Sequim Senior Center bus made it there but hardly anybody from Seattle. Businesses on the Olympic Peninsula are desperately waiting for the reopening of the Hood Canal Bridge. Latest we read in the Peninsula Daily News was June 11! Sequim vacation businesses will appreciate it.

Yesterday, the warm weather attracted lots of visitors to Carrie Blake Park for their popular annual dog show, the playgrounds, the ponds or just for a walk or a bike ride. Everybody having a good time!

Today, we headed with the bikes for the first time weat again on the Olympic Discovery Trail, past the Railroad Bridge - Dungeness River had lots of melting water from the mountains - and past Carlsborg till Kitchen Dick where we turned around after a 40-min. bike ride. Best part when going west on the Olympic Discovery Trail are the amazing mountain views of the Olympics. You may see mountains which one cannot see from Sequim, and all still covered in snow sparkling white against the blue skies! Lots of bikers enjoyed the trail like us.

The most impressive picture caught our eye when entering the Discovery Trail passage to the Railroad Bridge through an Eagle Habitat. There they were: two bald eagles perching on the highest branches of the tree with no leaves around looking out for their prey. Those are the moments when you say "Why didn't I bring my camera?!" Next time we will. Hope the eagles will be there then.

Sequim Vacation Roundup May with Photos

2009-05-26T11:06:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to our Sequim Vacation blog. After our short update on the Sequim Irrigation Festival in May, let's talk vacation and the favorite topic weather. Sequim weather has been quite pleasant in May and attracted lots of visitors to the Olympic Peninsula for a short vacation on the extended Memorial Day weekend.

I was suprised though to read in the Peninsula Daily News that a number of visitors got stuck at the Hood Canal Bridge and were not to happy to find the bridge closed. I can imagine that they did not know before departure but how they could have missed all the signs along the road, is still a mystery to me.

When we drove back from Seatac Airport to Sequim a week ago, we noticed lots of signs 'Hood Canal Bridge is closed' along the Hwy. BTW, it took us about 3hrs to drive to Sequim on Hwy 101 from Olympia. It's a very scenic drive but long. I expect visitors to the Peninsula still waiting till the bridge is open again on 6/15/09.

Not only Sequim visitors enjoyed the beautiful weather on Memorial Day Weekend. Sequim residents were out and about, in Carrie Blake Park, biking and walking the Olympic Discovery Trail or visiting the Juan de Fuca festival in Port Angeles. To watch the wild life in Carrie Blake Park, which is a short 3 min. walk from our house, was especially fun this time. Three Canadian geese families took their new fuzzy babies for a first swim on the pond, where the model boaters had a boat race. Well, no collision occurred!

Kids were having fun at the pond too. I watched how two boys caught each a decent size fish. The park allows kids in company of their parents to try their luck fishing in the pond. Here is a photo of one of these lucky boys.

Well, let's not forget that it was Memorial Day Weekend. Sequim Sunrise Rotary had been busy preparing this holiday to remember soldiers who died in the service for their country. Rotary volunteers had displayed American flags all along E.Spruce St.and E.Fir St. Here is a photo of their work.

Last but not least, The German Restaurant 'Sauerkraut', which opened about 1 mo. ago, enjoys many satisfied visitors like our friends Gail and Tyke from Sun Meadows eating Bratwurst with Sauerkraut and Sauerbraten and a delicious cinnamon bun for dessert.

Anything you want to share about Sequim or Sequim vacation, please, leave a comment. Your questions are most welcome too.

Parades,parades and a Yellow rubber duck race

2009-05-15T15:22:00.000-07:00

Wow..wasn't that a great Irrigation parade we had in Sequim this past weekend. I tell you, for a small town, Sequim knows how to party. The turnout was outstanding despite the Hood canal bridge being out.

Well if you missed that parade or you just like parades go on down the road to the seaside town of Port Townsend and catch their Rhododendron Festival Grand parade this Saturday, the 16th, starting at 1pm.

If you are not into another parade try the Rubber Duck Race in Port Angeles on Sunday. You still have time to make your purchase of a rubber duck and the chance to win the grand prize of a new Toyoda Tundra truck. The proceeds go to the Olympic Medical Center Foundation. The event starts at 11:30 at 1902 Marine Drive. Food and entertainment will be provided.

And last but not least, if you are in Sequim on Saturday our weekly Sequim Open Aire Market is now open, on Cedar St just off Sequim Ave, from 9am to 3pm. Lee Tyler Post will perform with a selection of blues and rock from 11am til 2pm. Come out and buy local.

Our next big event is the Lavendar Festival check here for last years post.

Sequim Advertising

2009-04-25T20:48:00.000-07:00

Welcome Sequim Business owners to our Sequim Town Blog

Our Sequim Town blog visitors would like to hear about your Sequim business. Why not introduce yourself and your Sequim business? A lot of our Sequim blog visitors are interested in Sequim vacation, Sequim Real Estate, Sequim Lavender and just anything which is referring to daily life in Sequim and moving to Sequim. Sequim weather is another big issue of interest and of course our famous blue hole, which unfortunately there are no Sequim businesses related to it. Sequim Town blog offers NOW very affordable online advertising for your Sequim business:

Blog Ad Option 1 - Paid Sequim Town Post at One time $20

Write an article about your Sequim business and what you think why it is important to Sequim residents and visitors on Sequim vacation. Elaborate a bit about Sequim and your business, so Google will have an easy way to pick it up in their Sequim town search results. You may link to your City of Sequim business URL anywhere in your article. We will tell our Sequim blog visitors that the article is a paid advertising

Blog Ad Option 2 - Logo Ad on Sidebar from $12/mo.

Our Sequim blog visitors are mainly consisting of people who are planning a visit to Sequim, moving to Sequim or buy Sequim real estate and are researching Sequim accommodations, homes for sale, hotels, activities, events, restaurants, best shopping and places to see in Sequim and on the Olympic Peninsula. This is a great opportunity to promote your Sequim business. Your logo ad will be displayed in the top of the right sidebar. May may choose your Sequim business photo logo. It's a 3-mo. min. for your logo link at $45. Save $60 when signing up for 1 year at $120/yr.

125 x 125 static ad logo
Displayed on index page and every archive and blog post page
Your link URL with logo - 'Nofollow' tag applies

Our Sequim Town blog ranks #1 in Google for 'Sequim Town' search in addition to other top rankings such as: 'Moving to Sequim', 'Visit Sequim', 'Sequim Vacation' and many more. We have written over 100 Sequim town blog posts. So each time blog visitors find our blog in a search result, they will see your logo ad. Your article may also have the chance for inclusion on our page 'Popular Articles'. Submit your request by email with subject 'Sequim business advertising'.

We are happy to work with Sequim business owners. Thank you for your interest in advertising with Sequim Town Blog.

Sequim Vacation Roundup April with Photos

2009-04-24T14:02:00.000-07:00

Our recent Sequim town blog post Sequim WA or Santa Rosa CA got quite some attention. Wasn't that an interesting post for all those guys who consider moving to Sequim ? Hope you also had a peek at Keoki's Easy Stretch DVD. Come attend his stretch class at SARC or buy the DVD for home use or as a wonderful health present for family and friends, instead of cookies or chocolate. They will love you for it!

So, what's new in little Sequim town when you come here for your spring vacation?

114th Irrigation Festival

Sequim is getting ready for its first big festival in May. Sequim town will celebrate 114th Irrigation Festival from May 2 - 10th. As the Hood Canal Bridge will be closed at that time, we will have to see how many of the Seattle folks will find their way to Sequim with the detour through Olympia.

Sequim Library

The newly renovated Sequim Library in Sequim Ave will have a gala community celebration Sat April 25 1pm - 4pm. New paint, carpeting, furniture or equipment with cozy chairs for reading + comfortable study chairs. We can't wait to be back at our old 'new' Sequim library, third best hangout for senior citizens in Sequim after SARC and the Senior Center.

Sequim Gardens

Sequim Prarie Garden Club will hold its annual Spring Plant Sale at Pionier Park Clubhouse from 9am - noon on April 25. Plants for sale will include: annuals, perennials, herbs and veggie starters.

Sequim Fitness

Anytime Fitness has recently opened at our new Sequim market place 'Rock Plaza', located across from the entrance to Henery's Nursery. New members can visit at staffed hours Mo - Fr 9am - 6pm Sat 10am - 1pm or just use their membership card for anytime fitness 24hrs with video security around the clock. I didn't think that Sequim needed another fitness in addition to Sequim Gym in Washington St and SARC in 5th Ave with everything a Sequim senior citizen can wish for. But it might give the working people a chance to do their workout at any time they are off work!

More shops in Sequim

We've got two new bakeries, one in W.Bell St and one in S.5th Ave, which we still need to check out for ourselves and our Sequim vacation blog visitors. Everybody has been waiting for the opening of the new German Deli 'Sauerkraut'. When I biked by last Sunday, the owner was still busy working. Looks like the grand opening will happen next week.

That's it for our Sequim Vacation Roundup April. Well, last but not least, an update on Sequim weather. April has delivered a wonderful sunny weather with tons of spring flowers and blossoms everywhere. And the weekly Sequim weather forecast shows sun each day!
p.s.
Here is a short Sequim Real Estate April update for our Sequim Real Estate hunters: sellers are getting more motivated. Even though when the price seems still too high to you, why not make an offer for what your are willing to pay. We have seen buyers being lucky. BTW, Wllow Creek lots are back down to a bargain deal of $59K!

Best Sequim Secret

2009-04-13T17:52:00.000-07:00

Dear Sequim Town blog visitors,

In our recent post 'Sequim WA or Santa Rosa CA?' we mentioned SARC as a big incentive or secret to move to Sequim. SARC or the Sequim Aquatic Recreational Center is one of the main reasons we actually moved from Hawaii to Sequim. On our Sequim Vacation in fall of 2005, we heard to many good things about this Sequim fitness center with swimming pool, that we had to check it out then and there. The facility and the affordable annual membership fees made huge impression on us!

We were regular tennis players, bikers, walkers and swimmers and of course, stretchers in Hawaii. When moving to Sequim, we experienced seasons again and the need to have an indoor facility for exercise and swimming for rainy days. Having taught stretching in Hawaii for over 15 years, I naturally applied at SARC as a stretch class instructor and began teaching a class in July 2006.

My Easy Stretch program has been well received with many students buying my Easy Stretch video, so they can do the stretching and guided relaxation also at home. If you want to become a happy Easy Stretcher and live in the Sequim town area, I invite you to join our Easy Stretch class at SARC in Sequim.

However, if you are too far away to attend the class, my NEW Easy Stretch DVD is now available at the affordable Economic Slowdown price of $18.50 + Free Shipping. You can buy through PayPal secure server.

p.s.

If you prefer the old-fashioned way, we accept your personal check as well. 'Easy Stretch Body Mind Relaxation' Videos for VCR use are still available at lowest price ever: $12.50 + Free Shipping. As long as supply lasts.

Stretch with Keoki for optimal health and well-being! See a short part of the Easy Stretch DVD on youtube.

Sequim WA or Santa Rosa CA?

2009-04-10T18:25:00.000-07:00

Dear Sequimtown blog visitors,

Most of our regular blog readers are following our Sequim articles because when contemplating moving to Sequim for good, one wants to know as many details about the town and area where you intend to live before making a serious commitment like buying a new home in Sequim. Believe us we know better than anybody else because we moved from Hawaii to Sequim!

This week, we received another one of those emails from somebody who had heard about Sequim and is now wondering about all kinds of things: why we chose Sequim and not Bellingham or PortTownsend, what we like in Sequim, what we don't like and much more. We published Jack's email with his permission as a comment on our recent post 'Get Ready for your Sequim Vacation'. Before continuing reading this article, you might want to visit that post and read Jack's entire comment.

We decided to answer a number of Jack's questions in this post, which we called ' Sequim WA or Santa Rosa CA?'

Why Sequim and not Port Townsend or Bellingham?

Jack believe us we studied many WA weather charts, average temperature and rain fall by month and year of all the places in WA we had considered and Sequim with its location in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains came up with the least rain and the most moderate climate.

Are we missing cultural events of big town living?

Well, we have lived in Hawaii for many years in a peaceful, rural countryside, in a small town community (actually very similar to Sequim) in the most wonderful setting surrounded by rolling hills, snow covered volcanoes and white sand beaches a short 10-minute drive away. When in Honolulu, we longed to be back home! Now you can imagine how small Sequim town perfectly matched our expectations with its wonderful location and scenery between mountains and ocean. There are lots of cultural events happening on the Peninsula, just on a smaller scale. The big city, Seattle, is a short 2 hr drive away for those who want to be there occasionally.

Is Santa Rosa a better place to live than Sequim?

It all depends what you are looking for. I did not know many facts about Santa Rosa, so I checked Google and found a lot of answers about Santa Rosa like the number of residents in 2007 was 157,985 compared to 5000 in Sequim, and the annual rainfall is 30 inches compared to 12 inches in Sequim. CA homes were on the high end when we looked at homes in CA and even now that prices came down, they are still too inflated (just like Hawaii home prices) to attract retired people on a fixed income. Well, if home prices are not an issue and you don't mind higher temperatures above 90 F or big town living, Santa Rosa might be the way to go for you.

Bottom line: Nobody and no place is perfect! There is no perfect weather, not even in Hawaii, which got too hot for us when getting older. And global warming will probably change a lot of weather patterns around the world. So make sure that you live in a likable community with friendly people, amenities and activities you like!

What we like in Sequim

We like the unique location between mountains and ocean.

We like small town living with big town amenities (from Costco to WalMart etc.)

We like the moderate weather. Milder winters and not so hot summers.

We like the outdoor activities such as walking, hiking, biking and more.

We like Sequim's friendly people.

We love SARC Sequim Aquatic Recreational Center. Best reason to move here!

What we don't like

When not used to seasons, the winter months, moderate or not, can stretch a bit. Hawaii, Palm Springs and Phoenix AZ are great options for getting away for a month or two to break the winter spell.

Moving to another place and whether Sequim is right for you, is all about finding out about your own priorities and expectations and then find the best possible match for you! Best way to find out whether Sequim is a match, come visit Sequim for a vacation!

Get Ready for your Sequim Vacation

2009-04-07T14:21:00.000-07:00

Hello again to all our Sequim Town blog visitors,
We just made it back from our vacation in Hawaii to celebrate Keoki's 70th birthday with family and friends there. In addition to the birthday, our vacation in Hawaii was wonderful. It was an interesting feeling though to be a visitor in Hawaii watching life go by much slower and pay close attention to the weather, not any different to visitors who come to Sequim on vacation.

Coming back home to WA, Seattle had a big surprise for us. We thought it was an April Fool's Day joke. It was snowing big time! Driving out of Seattle with heavy traffic was challenging and took all our attention. After Leaving Tacoma behind, snow turned into rain and rain eased into a drizzle. Time to relax again. The rest of our way to Sequim was fine. Sequim welcomed us with a gray, overcast sky, but no rain. Next day though, Sequim showed itself from its best side with the sun breaking through the clouds occasionally - our beloved blue hole! So, we told everybody that we brought the sun from Hawaii to Sequim.

Ever since our return to little Sequim town last week, we have enjoyed wonderful Sequim Spring weather this April. Daffodils and primroses are blooming, birds are singing everywhere, trees and bushes have lots of buds ready for Sequim spring. Most impressive are the cherry blossom trees everywhere. Sequim is not only the capital of lavender but of Cherry Blossom trees. We should really have a Cherry Blossom Festival in addition to the Irrigation Festival in May and the Lavender Festival in July! I am still going on a photo hunt for Cherry Blossom trees in Sequim.

To all our Sequim blog readers, who are looking to buy property in Sequim, come vsit Sequim, the Olympic Peninsula and the Olympic Mountains just as we did in Fall 2005. There are great Sequim real estate bargains to have, homes and lots! So watch the Sequim Real Estate carefully and stretch out your feelers, you might just find the special place matching your budget and expectations to live in Sequim.

For all the retired people, who can go on a monthly vacation to Sequim, we offer a great monthly stay at our private, peaceful 1Bd/1Ba Sequim Vacation Rental apartment at SPECIAL rate of $950/mo. for April, May and June for top amenities (such as free WiFi and free long distance calls) and premier location. Regular monthly rates for fully furnished places in Sequim are starting at $1200/mo. You will fall in love with Sequim just as we did. Happy Easter to all our Sequim Town Blog visitors!

IMPORTANT REMINDER:

When you plan your Sequim vacation for May and June, please, read our post on the Closing of the Hood Canal Bridge during this period.

Spring or Winter in Sequim - Which one is it?

2009-02-26T16:56:00.000-08:00

Waking up this morning, Sequim residents really had something to talk about. After temperatures dropped yesterday afternoon quite a bit and even some snow flakes came down, it still did not look like we'd go back to winter. Well, we were totally wrong.

What a surprise! This morning we found our backyard, flower bed, driveway and our balconies covered in a think layer of snow. Keoki's guess was 7 inches (!) of white stuff. I felt really sorry for my tulips and daffodils - luckily I had not planted the newly bought primroses. Well, I took a whole bunch of photos and will share a few with our Sequim town blog visitors. When the sun came out, we decided there is no need to work hard to get rid of all that snow in the driveway. The sun will take care of it.

We cleaned the balconies, left the driveway to the sun and went for a walk through Carrie Blake Park in winter boots and enjoyed, hopefully, the last winter day in Sequim. It was spectacular.
For the records, the sun took care of the snow on my flower bed and on our drive way!

What Sequim residents talk about

2009-02-21T16:21:00.000-08:00

Sequim is not any different from the rest of the states. Sequim residents don't only talk about upcoming spring 2009 - daffodils and tulips are growing fast enjoying the current Sequim sunshine - after a colder winter than average. They naturally talk about rising prices for groceries and reduced product offers.

We heard that a number of employees at our Sequim markets got laid off or have to work reduced hours. This can have tough consequences for those families when a mortgage or car loan needs to be paid. We noticed that the tightened job market situation has a positive side effect for customers: we receive the best customer service when shopping in Sequim.

Sequim real estate market has been and still is a hot topic among Sequim residents and of course, for those who want to become residents and eventually move to Sequim. Residents who want to or need to sell their home are not in the best position these days as seller of real estate or land in Sequim. Potential buyers seem to wait for getting even a better price when waiting a bit longer. Offers like 'Buy one lot, get one free' at the manufactured Homes subdivision off Hendrickson, left of road when going west, or lowering the lot prices in new subdivision 'Willow Creek' by almost 50%.

I remember when Willow Creek subdivision - really nicely landscaped - got on the market and lots got offered for sale at $100,000 over a year ago. Later, prices were lowered to $79,000 a lot. Now the asking price is $59,000 and yet, the selling is not happening despite of an excellent location: next to Carrie Blake Park bordering Sequim Wildlife Refuge and offering great mountain views from the lots. This is what Sequim residents talk about and more...

There have always been demands for bigger Sequim lots outside the Sequim city limits, meaning lot owners need to have their own well dug, which can become a luxury expense considering the new restrictions to well permits and well water use a day which the state Department of Ecology suggests called the in-stream flow rule.

This proposal is intended to keep enough water in the Dungeness River for fish, other wildlife and recreation. For a public meeting held at John Wayne Marina about 150 (!) Sequim residents showed up. The discussion proved that this new rule is not 'approved' yet. BTW, current well owners are nor affected. Read details and charges on the Ecology website.

With all that 'hoopla' about the new instream flow rule in Sequim area, I nearly forgot to mention the new Sequim projects between 2009 - 2014: tennis courts at Carrie Blake Park, soccer and softball fields, next phase of the Olympic Discovery Trail and a 45-acre Wildlife Refuge along Hwy 101. All this is on the parks and trails wish list. Sounds really good, doesn't it but who will or should pay for it?

Sequim City Council intends to impose a park impact fee on builders of houses, condominiums and apartments. Recent public hearings already showed what developers and builders think of these park impact fees. You probably guess right. You can read more on Sequim City Website.
p.s.
This is for our Sequim blog visitors who are looking for a lot to buy in Sequim and might want to check out the lots for sale at Willow Creek subdivision. I noticed on one of my recent walks there, that new signs had shown up indicating that Welcome Home has merged with JACE The Real Estate Company which obviously have now these lots under contract.

Best Shopping in Sequim

2009-02-15T15:50:00.000-08:00

This post is long overdue. It's about best shopping in Sequim when on vacation. However, before we get into shopping details, let's make sure that all of our Sequim town blog visitors read about the Hood Canal Bridge being closed entire May and half of June 2009, a time when we normally welcome visitors back to the Olympic Peninsula. Read our Driving to Sequim post before thinking about shopping in Sequim.

When visitors come to Sequim and stay at a fully equipped vacation rental with kitchen they want to know where is the best shopping, for bargains and for quality food. Let's first list what food places are available for shopping in Sequim:

Safeway Store - We love their Meat loaf Fridays $5

QFC Quality Food Center - Fresh Alaskan Sockeye Salmon is our favorite.

Costco Sequim - Best price for buying bananas in Sequim.

WalMart - has a food section but not the complete produce list

All these Sequim markets and stores are in town along Washington St., just a short drive from our house. Not like in Hawaii where we had to drive an hour to Costco for our favorite things to buy. We love all the shops being so close and easy to reach. With QFC in walking distance, we even combine a walk through Carrie Blake Park with shopping at QFC.

Here is what we do. At least, once a week we get our shopping done at Costco like organic flax seed bread, fish, meat, beer and whatever else we were running out and usually buy at great discount prices at Sequim Costco. No question, top quality food can be purchased at Safeway or QFC but you also pay accordingly for top quality. So, we mostly check the specials and coupons of the week at those places - and share those with our monthly vacation rental guests as well - for special buys. WalMart we only buy a few produce but we like their garden section for all our gardening needs.

We feel the best shopping in Sequim for fruits and veggies is available at 'Sunny Farms'. You will have to drive about 2 miles out of town on Hwy 101 in the direction of Port Angeles. But let me tell you great prices and wide selection for fruits and veggies make that drive all worthwhile. I read in the newspaper that Sunny Farms started as a simple roadside stand in 1970.

The business has grown to include a farm store and a supplements store. The owners definitely listen to their Sequim community customers' needs and wants and try to find a way to get it at affordable prices. Sequim residents and tourists love shopping at Sunny Farms.

Driving to Sequim

2009-01-24T09:54:00.000-08:00

Dear Sequim Vacation visitors,

We hope all our blog visitors enjoyed the Sequim photos we posted last time to share highlights of our Sequim life during our 3 years of living here.

Will you believe it, despite a colder Sequim winter than ever - that's at least what long time residents tell us and compared to our previous two winters we believe them - our tulips and daffodils are poking their heads out of the ground. Well, Sequim winter does not seem to be over yet, but everybody who loves the Olympic Peninsula is looking forward to spending a nice vacation in the great outdoors like hiking the Olympic National Park, visiting Crescent Lake and Marymere Waterfalls or Hurricane Ridge.

Planning your Sequim summer vacation should not be hard to do. Just remember that Sequim vacation rentals or hotels book fast during the week of the Lavender Festival 7/13 - 7/19/09. Otherwise, planning your Sequim vacation a few weeks ahead should be working out just fine. However, there is a problem which those will be facing, who would like to travel to the Olympic Peninsula during May and till middle of June. You might have heard that our biggest and most frequented connection between the Peninsula and the 'Mainland', the Hood Canal Bridge, will be closed for repair entire May 2009 till middle of June.

When you are planning your Sequim vacation during the months of May and June 2009, be aware that the Hood Canal Bridge will be closed and you need to do a little detour from Seattle Airport to Sequim. As I will be traveling too during that time, we checked the map and decided to do the route from Sea-Tac Airport going south through Olympia - instead of our regular driving route through Tacoma going north from the Airport - and then continue on Hwy 101 all the way to Sequim.

We have done that on our first vacation in Sequim in fall of 2005. We wanted to get to know the area of the Pacific Northwest. And, we loved it. However, you will have to add about an hour to your normal 2-hr driving time to Sequim through Tacoma. So count on a 3-hr trip from Seattle Airport to Sequim during the closure of Hood Canal Bridge.

Traveling to the Olympic Peninsula

The five alternative driving routes to the Olympic Peninsula during the six-week closure are listed below. WSDOT will be making temporary highway improvements during the closure in anticipation of increased traffic throughout Kitsap, Mason and Jefferson counties.

From Olympia: Take US 101 northbound along the western shore of Hood Canal.

From Tacoma and Bremerton: Take SR 16 from Tacoma, across the Narrows Bridge to its intersection with southbound SR 3 just south of Bremerton. Follow SR 3 to where is intersects with US 101 and follow US 101 northbound.

From Seattle: Take the Washington State ferry from Seattle to Bremerton, then follow the signs for SR 304 West until the turn off to southbound SR 3 just south of Bremerton. Take SR 3 to where it intersects with US 101, and follow US 101 northbound.

From North Puget Sound Area: Take the Washington State ferry from Keystone (on Whidbey Island north of Seattle) to Port Townsend.

From Olympia via Aberdeen/Hoquiam: Take US 101 northbound. This is a longer scenic route that includes the Pacific coastline and parts of Olympic National Park.

Read more about the Hood Canal 2009 closure. Drive safely to Sequim.

Sequim Photos

2009-01-12T16:56:00.000-08:00

Hello again to our Sequim Vacation blog visitors,

Guess what. Today is our 3rd anniversary of moving to Sequim. I just noticed that we wrote a post on our 2nd anniversayry of moving to little Sequim town on the Olympic Peninsula in the Pacific Northwest.

When following our Sequim blog posts and photos, you know it's still happily ever after. What better proof can be there than a few photos of our Sequim life during those three exciting years! Remember this is just a short selection 'Memories of Sequim'. If you want to know more, see more Sequim photos and read more details about our Sequim life and what a Sequim vacation is like, cruise our Sequim Vacation Categories on the bottom of the sidebar.

We see you in Sequim or on our next Sequim vacation post. Greetings from the Sequimmers, Heidi & Keoki

p.s.

Sorry, guys, Keoki is not in any of the photos 'Tennis anyone', as he took them.

Sequim photos

Photo of our first House in Sequim Sun Meadows. We moved in January 12, 2006.

Photo of Keoki sunbathing on patio of Sun Meadows House in February 2006

Spring photo in Sequim - Cherry blossom trees everywhere

Our favorite Sun Meadows photo from Bell Hill with snow-covered Mt. Baker

Photo of our new Sequim house construction - start in November 2007

Photo of new Sequim House - we are moving in June 2007!

Photo of first landscaping at new Sequim house - Fall 2007

Photo with our friends Trixie and Klaus at Marymere Waterfall October 2008

Sequim Photos to be continued ...

Tennis Anyone?

2009-01-11T10:02:00.000-08:00

Tennis anyone!!!Burrrrrrrr

Having come from Hawaii I must say that tennis in Sequim can be a challenge.

You might say what’s the big deal, tennis is tennis, a court, a net, a ball and 2 to 4 players. Ah, but in Sequim the other element is the weather, especially in the winter. Ever played tennis with a wet ball, I have and it does not play the same as a dry one. It seems to stick to your racquet and when it does come off it never goes as far as you want and of course it won’t bounce as high.

Now that is dealing with a wet ball so that assumes the weather is above freezing. If its below freezing and the courts are wet then its not tennis anymore its ice skating. Cause below freezing we don’t play when the courts are wet. But when they are dry, bring on the cold. You just need to dress warm and keep moving and have a handkerchief handy to wipe your runny eyes and nose. But back to the ball, I don’t think tennis balls were made to play with in freezing weather. I guess that’s why most pro matches are played in warm climates.

All I can say is if you are a die hard tennis player and I am, a little freezing weather will just be invigorating. See you on the courts (Sequim High School tennis courts that is)…Keoki Happy New Year to Sequim's tennis players
p.s.
I took these photos on Friday last week where we had a group of Sequim tennis players playing doubles on two courts of Sequim High School.

Happy New Year Sequim!

2009-01-08T17:06:00.000-08:00

Dear Sequim vacation blog visitors,
The holidays are over and a short Sequim round-up what happened since our last blog 'Sequim Winter' might be a nice time to catch up with happenings in sunny little Sequim town.

First things first, the winter is not over. Since our moving here in January 2006, we experienced our coldest winter in Sequim. That's at least what long time Sequim residents confirm us. Yet, we thank ourselves for our thorough research we had done before we moved to Sequim. Yes, at several times during the holiday season we got some snow and it was still lying on the ground Carrie Blake Park, so I guess we could call it a white Christmas in Sequim. However, we really got protected by the Olympic Mountains from piles of snow which came down on Port Townsend, Port Angeles and of course, Seattle.

Our gym friends Edie and Brian, who live off Old Olympic Highway, 'donated' those lovely Christmas snowman photos! Their daughters visited from Seattle for Christmas in Sequim. Thanks guys!

Well, finally we are in possession of the snow chains which one needs in 2009 for entering the Olympic National Park for a visit to Hurricane Ridge. Even though we have the snow chains, we are not in the mood and pushing our luck going up in the mountains when conditions are too challenging. It's quite interesting what was happening during the holidays.

We watched the Sequim weather and when Sequim was nice and sunny and winds were calm on a weekend, we'd call the hot line for Hurricane Ridge 360-565-3131 weather forecast. Alas, it never sounded, we were ready for the mountain road adventure hitting snow and frost on the roads. So, we are still waiting for the perfect day for our winter wonderland visit to Hurricane Ridge. Good thing is that the snow there will last for a long time all the way into spring.

As our kids are all spread around the world, with no easy 'hop' to Sequim, we celebrated Christmas and New Year's with neighborhood and SARC friends. We had a wonderful, peaceful time each holiday. Midnight at New Year's we were all by ourselves standing on our balcony bundled up in warm clothes and waiting for fireworks in Sequim but nothing much happened. We retreated to the cozy warmth of the house and watched the firework spectacle at the Space Needle in Seattle. What a show!

Watch 2008/2009 Fireworks at Seattle's Space Needle - Happy New Year!

Well, it's not too late to wish all our friends in Sequim, Hawaii and around the world 'A Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year'. As we told everybody in our year-end greetings we have not once regretted our moving to Sequim. On the 12th of January, it will be our 3rd anniversary of moving to the Olympic Peninsula in the Pacific Northwest. If you have any questions about little Sequim town, life or a monthly vacation in Sequim, we'd happily answer those. Stay connected with Sequim through our Sequim Town blog!
p.s.
We received some more photos from our Hawaii expats Christmas party and thought we place a few here to show everybody that even Hawaii guys can be happy in Sequim.

Sequim Winter

2008-12-15T17:01:00.000-08:00

Yes, Sequim winter is here! Like the rest of the state of Washington, Sequim got its first snow of this 2008/2009 winter season. However, as we tell our blog visitors again and again, Sequim weather is special. From all the big announced winter storm with the coldest temperatures in 20 years and many inches of snow, we received maybe one inch of snow (our long driveway was 'licked' blank again by the sun within hours, the southern exposure helps, of course) and the coldest we had here at our house at night time was 26 F, whereas Bellingham got hit by a low of 5F. Brrrrr!

Remember the Carrie Blake Park photo from our last blog post about visiting Sequim for the holidays? Everything still looking green and in fall colors. Let's give you this Sequim photo update from yesterday, Sunday 12/14/2008. How is that for a Sequim winter photo? Actually, in 2006 during our first winter in Sequim, we experienced the first snow in November. See our photos in Sequim Winter Wonderland when we still lived in Sun Meadows.

What's new for this 2008 Christmas season in Sequim? Most houses are nicely decorated without going to the extreme. So, it's really fun to walk the neighborhood in the late afternoon when the Christmas lights inside and outside are already switched on. In addition, we exchange holiday visits with friends and neighbors while we listen to some traditional Christmas music and indulge in some special Christmas treats.

We had joined a very special Christmas party of our Hawaii expats in Port Angeles. Hawaiian pot luck, ukulele music and hula dances with teacher Mahina as the leader of the hula ladies from the Sequim Senior Center made this a great fun gathering and got us all in the spirit of the holidays.

Visit Sequim for the holiday season

2008-11-13T15:02:00.000-08:00

Here is still some additional information on Hurricane Ridge Winter Season, which our Sequim visitors should know about. For the holidays, Hurricane Ridge will be open daily December 19 through January 4. Hurricane Ridge will also be open on January 19 for Martin Luther King Day and February 16 for Presidents Day. So plan your stay in Sequim for the holiday season ahead. There are plenty of things to do during the festive season. Get away from the big city and relax in Sequim town.

Here are Sequim Christmas traditions with holiday bazaars which we tried to arrange according to the dates they will happen:

Enjoy the 10th Annual Yoletide Bazaar Nov. 15th, 9a.m. - 3p.m. at Dungeness Valley Lutheran Church. Unique handmade gifts for the Season, Heavenly baked goods for the palate.

Annual Holiday Bazaar & Bake Sale Nov. 15th 9a.m. - 3p.m. at Sequim Elks Lodge

Raffle, Crafts, Bake Sale, Lunch

2nd Annual Holiday Nature Mart, Nov. 22, 10a.m. - 4p.m. at Dungeness River Audubon Center

Crafts for kids & adults, door prizes, bird carvings, music, refreshments and more.

Sequim Open Aire Market, Indoor Home Holiday, Nov. 29, 9a.m. -4 p.m. Boys and Girls Club

Great local vendors, Live music, good food, fresh produce.

Down Home Holiday Bazaar by Sequim High School, Nov. 29, 9a.m. - 3p.m. Sequim High School

Featuring handmade gifts and crafts.

Christmas Arts & Crafts Show, Dec. 6 & 7, 9a.m. - 5p.m., Vern Burton Community Center, P.A.

Over 50 Northwest artists and craft people offering: baskets, bath & body products, candles, Christmas, decorations, Jewelry, Pottery, Stained glass, table lines and more. Bake Sale!

30th Annual Handmade Christmas Fair, Dec. 6th, 9a.m. - 3p.m., Sequim Prairie Grange

How better can you enjoy the holiday season? Enjoy the great outdoors of Sequim wonderful surroundings, get a taste of Christmas and relax at SARC swimming pool, fitness, saunas and jacuzzi.

Here is just a short update on Sequim weather. The recent storm passed Sequim without getting hit by high winds. We had some rain but nothing compared to West Washington areas which were experiencing lots of flooding. Here are the uptodate numbers of Sequim precipitation of 2008.

Sequim residents and all those who consider moving here will love those rain numbers:
Port Angeles 16.81 inches YTD

Forks 76.98 inches

Seattle 25.11 inches

Port Townsend 11.40 inches

Sequim 8.32 inches!!!

Today Sequim enjoys blue skies and sunshine all over. Keoki is palying tennis on the courts at Sequim high school and I am off for a walk through wonderful Carrie Blake Park. Greetings from sunny Sequim.

Hurricane Ridge Road Reopened

2008-11-10T09:23:00.000-08:00

This is great news for all our Sequim visitors who love outings to Hurricane Ridge at the Olympic National Park. Friday last week the completion of Hurricane Ridge - a $12 million road reconstruction project - was celebrated. To encourage visitors to visit Hurricane Ridge, no park entrance fee was charged. We never expected the project to be done so fast. Hurricane Road reconstruction was completed a year ahead of schedule. That's such good news for residents and visitors alike.

So let those visitors from Seattle and surrounding areas come for an extended weekend Sequim vacation. Trails and hikes at Hurricane Ridge offer magnificent views of the surrounding mountains and the open meadows of the ridge, before the winter snows cover it all. Hurricane Ridge is worthwhile a visit at all times of the year. Just get dressed warmly - even when Port Angeles and Sequim are bathed in sunshine - and bring a thermos with warm tea and some sandwiches. The snack bar will be also open for your convenience, if you are not into bringing your own snack.

Here is what you should know for visiting Hurricane Ridge during winter season. Winter season for the Ridge starts November 21. With exception of bad weather road closures, Hurricane Ridge Road will be open Fridays through Sundays from 9 a.am. to dusk through March 29.

Beginning December 13, the downhill ski tows will operate from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The ski and snowshoe rentals will be open as well. Tubing and sliding will be permitted at the Sunrise Family Snowplay area. There will be snowshoe walks offered at 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The walks are 90 minutes round trip and cover a bit more than a mile.

This is very important to know: Winter season drivers to Hurricane Ridge are required to carry chains in their cars. For more information on Hurricane Ridge, visit their website
or phone the Park's hotline 360-565-3131. Sequim is worthwhile a visit during holiday season. We will tell you all about Christmas traditions and Sequim Holiday Bazaars in our next Sequim Vacation blog post.
p.s.
Don't miss our Lake Crescent photos taken by our guests from Texas during their 2008 fall vacation in Sequim.

Lake Crescent Photos

2008-10-30T16:37:00.000-07:00

Dear Sequim Vacation blog visitors,

After we made all these promises about starting a Sequim photo series , we must admit that we are running behind schedule. Well, economic situation has become top talking topic in Sequim as everywhere else. In addition, October has blessed all of the residents on the Olympic Peninsula with an amazing Indian summer. Who wants to sit at the computer and download Sequim vacation photos when the sun over the Olympic Mountains is sparkling and invites to hiking and biking the great outdoors?

Today, the skies were gray for the first time in 1 1/2 weeks and we even had some sprinkles. I went picking some more raspberries. Yes, believe it or not. It's a late kind. I even pick my raspberry bushes at the house when I walk to the mail box. The deer don't seem to eat the fruits on their nightly walks in the area but they like any new green sprouts coming up somewhere, including raspberry sprouts. Keoki's invention of 'hiding' the bushes behind a number of fishing lines don't seem to scare the deer too much.

Speaking of Indian summer. Sunday was a great time to enjoy the Olympic National Park and sharing the beauty of the Park with our good friends from Germany. One of our favorite spots, as said in the past, is an outing to magnificent Crescent Lake. How surprised were we that the Crescent Lake Lodge was already locked up for winter season and the parking area was totally empty. Well, we still parked there by the Lodge. I guess official parking is somewhere else, as we met quite a number of hikers on our walk to Marymere Waterfalls. First time that we had not taken a lunch picnic and had counted on having a delicious lunch at the Lake Crescent Lodge.

After we included a few of Ron's photos on the Sequim Dungeness post, we finally pick up our joint photo project with our guests Ron and Mary Nell.

Here is the Part 1 of our Sequim Vacation photos - Lake Crescent photos. Enjoy the views of this beautiful lake a short drive from Port Angeles.
p.s.
Photos of hike to Marymere Waterfall coming soon.

Sequim Restaurant

2008-10-07T09:55:00.000-07:00

The Dungeness River Festival was a great success for Sequim. Residents and Sequim visitors had a good time. What else is new in Sequim? Sequim Town blog just received this email from a favorite Sequim restaurant of ours, Cedar Creek located in 5th Avenue across from SARC.

Congratulations Cedar Creek to your 2nd anniversary. You made this restaurant a success with your commitment to Sequim town and the residents of Sequim! We decided to publish your entire email with the exciting news for us, people who live in Sequim, and the visitors who come with retirement thoughts in mind for a Sequim vacation.

"Hello all; well it is official, fall is here.
Beginning this week, Cedar Creek will now be offering 3 new price conscious promotions.

Monday is Locals Night: We will be offering a selection of premium Wines and Delicious Appetizers for half price 5-8 pm.

All You Can Eat Pizza and Pasta Wednesdays: Our chefs have put together a special menu featuring: Hand Cut Fresh Fettuccini with a choice of homemade meatballs & marinara, roast chicken Alfredo, or grilled vegetables with smoked tomato sauce plus a selection of white pie, Margharita, and pepperoni with roast garlic. Both the pasta and the pizzas by the slice are ALL YOU CAN EAT for $18.50. Additionally we will be offering a nice Italian red and white wine for $5.00 glass or $19.00 bottle. Bring a group or the whole family for this midweek feast. Served from 5-8 pm.

Old Fashioned Friday Night Fish Fry: If you have every ventured into a restaurant in the Midwest on a Friday, especially Northern Illinois where Chef Doug is from, you will find fish fry as that night’s special. We will be serving Wild Alaskan True Cod (simply broiled with lemon or lightly fried in our own freshly milled cornmeal batter) accompanied by potato pancakes, fresh sweet corn and a basket of Bell Street Bakery Bread. Includes a choice of mixed green salad or clam chowder for $18.50. Served from 5-9 pm. We hope to have a shipment of everyone’s favorite. Fresh! Never Frozen! Alaskan King Crab Legs very soon as well.

Saturday and Sunday Brunch: We are continuing our weekend brunch, featuring Traditional Eggs Benedict, Smoked Salmon Benedict, Autumn Vegetable Frittata, "Italian Toast," Fresh Scones, Mimosas and More. Served ala’ carte from 10-3 pm

End of The Open Aire Market: October 18 marks the last market for this year. A special thanks to everyone who came out to support us in this endeavor. As you all know we chose the market to showcase our upcoming Bell Street Bakery’s products and the response has been overwhelming. We have subsequently decided to make bread and pastries available Saturdays at Cedar Creek from 10-3 pm. We will not be at the October 11 market, and as a reminder our breads remain available at Sunny Farms every day except Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Bakery Update: Our deck oven is scheduled to arrive this Wednesday October 8^th; this means we are getting close! If you have driven by lately you have surely seen the progress. We are hoping to begin wholesale production by mid-November. The groundbreaking for the second retail building should be very soon. We anticipate its opening sometime in late winter/early spring.

Olympic Medical Center Gala: The restaurant will be closed Saturday October 11 as we cater for the 3 consecutive year the annual winemaker’s dinner at Sunland. All the proceeds go to support the Thomas Family Cancer Center here in Sequim.

Boy’s and Girl’s Club Auction: November 15th. This Year Cedar Creek will cater the annual auction at The Boy’s and Girl’s Club (menu attached). We look forward to making this the best year yet. The club plays a vital role in our community and we are honored to be involved. For tickets and or information please contact Stacy at 683-8095. The restaurant will be closed that day to prepare for the event. We will also be closed the following week from November 16 – 21 for kitchen maintenance. We will reopen Saturday the 22 at 5pm for dinner.

Happy Anniversary! Cedar Creek turns two Friday October 17 a special thanks to our local guests who have supported us and made this possible. We will be making a few seasonal changes to our menu next week including Wild Boar Osso Bucco, Game Bird Trilogy (Grilled Quail, Crispy Duck & Pheasant Sausage), and Butternut Squash Risotto.

Thanks again, we hope to see you soon. The Gang of Cedar Creek."

Next post, we will start our Sequim Photo project. Ron and Mary Nell from Texas are sharing lots of Sequim vacation photos with our Sequim Town blog visitors.

Tags: Sequim, travel, vacation, best restaurant

Dungeness River Festival

2008-09-26T15:49:00.000-07:00

After our good news for potential Sequim residents that Sequim got listed as one of the Best Retirement Towns by the Water, let's see what is happening this weekend in Sequim. Everybody who visits Sequim or lives in Sequim as attracted by the Dungeness River. If you are around this September weekend 9/26 + 9/27/08, come and visit the Dungeness River Festival.

What is it what attracts us most to Dungeness River? The people of Clallam County community of Sequim, Carlsborg and Dungeness love the river, the wildlife and beautiful scenery around it. We love to walk along the Dungeness or just stop on the Railroad Bridge at Audubon Center to take in the beautiful scenery watching the running river and listening to nature before we continue on our walk or bike ride along the Olympic Discovery Trail.

The River Center, River Center Foundation Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe and Olympic Peninsula Audubon Society are hosting the event from 10am to 4pm Friday and Saturday at Railroad Bridge Park, Hendrickson Rd. Admission is free. The 2-day festival is not only celebrating nature and the great outdoors but educates and entertains visitors and residents of all ages. Come and join us at the Dungeness River. You might be lucky and spot some salmons in the river. See you at the River tomorrow. We will be there with our bikes!
p.s.
This Sequim blog post includes the first photos taken by our new friends, Ron and Mary Nell from Texas, on their recent Sequim Vacation. They fell in love at first sight with Sequim and its beautiful scenery of the Olympic Mountains and the Straits of Juan de Fuca. Our blog visitors will get a chance to read and see what Ron and Mary Nell did on their Sequim vacation. Thanks guys for allowing us to use your photos!

If you plan a Sequim Vacation or buying real estate in the Sequim area because you want to move to Sequim, come back for more beautiful Sequim photos from Ron!

Best Retirement Towns by the Water

2008-09-22T11:01:00.000-07:00

Just a short notice today that Sequim advances on list of best retirement towns! Our friends from Hawaii who follow our new life in Sequim on our Sequim Vacation blog, recently told us that Sequim is listed on Wallet Pop on their 'Road Map to Retirement 2008' as Number 3 of '6 Top Towns on the Water':

"Many baby boomers dream of retiring somewhere by the water. These half-dozen places are on a lake, a river or an ocean -- yet they won't sink your retirement budget." This is what their site is stating about our favorite retirement town Sequim:

Pros: Water, mountains, culture and a small town all at once.
Cons: The Pacific is a tad nippy for a swim.
Located two hours north of Seattle, Sequim (pronounced skwim) offers a lower cost of living and an easier pace than its burgeoning neighbor to the south. For about $300,000, you can get a three-bedroom house there. Read more about Sequim as a retirement option on their site.

Happy to share this information with everybody who put Sequim on their list of best retirement towns. Come and see for yourself. Enjoy a Sequim Vacation combined with house hunting and stay with us at our Sequim Vacation Rental.

p.s.

Speaking of house hunting. Remember our post about the Sequim house for sale auction in Sun Meadows. The winning bidder got the house for $205,000. Congratulations! That was one happy bidder!

Sequim Home for Sale Auction

2008-09-18T16:37:00.000-07:00

We just made it back from a short vacation to the LA area to visit family, Keoki's sister and my niece and families. We had a great time but are happy to be back home again and picking up on our exercise and swimming routine after SARC was closed for maintenance for 2 weeks. It's time to follow-up on our Sequim Vacation blog.

Sequim visitors can get a little lost with our shopping options in Sequim, so my original plan was to write a few shopping tips for Sequim visitors on vacation. Well, that was my intention till I found this morning this advertising on craigslist Olympic Peninsula Homes for Sale '$100,000 Sun Meadows Real Estate Auction (Sequim)'

I actually did not believe my eyes when the Sun Meadows house which our friends had tried to sell for Sale by Owner at $279,000 for over a year - they got two offers for $250,000, which they did not accept - is now up for auction at $100,000. I know the home owners had to move on into an assisted living home and just let go of the house.

I could not resist and called the phone number with the craigslist Sequim Home auction ad. I reached Carl Reed at Connect Realty who gave us auction info by email. The address of the property is America Blvd. in Sun Meadows of Sequim. Interested buyers can inspect the home from 10:00am to 5:00pm both this Saturday and Sunday. The auction will be will be a 'round-robin auction' by phone.

To be honest we both never heard of such an auction. Anyways, everyone interested in the auction will need to leave an initial bid at the home, or by phone for those out of state, during the inspection period. The real estate company will be calling everyone who left an initial bid at 8:00pm on Sunday and giving them an opportunity to advance the high bid. This process will continue in round-robin fashion until only one bidder is left. That bidder will be given the opportunity to purchase the home at the high bid price.

I don't know whether this will turn out as the super deal for a cheap house in Sequim but we are very curious what the final price for this Sequim home will be. If you want to see the house online and lots of photos, we still have it on our website (second listing) Sequim Home for Sale by Owner, Sun Meadows, Near John Wayne Marina. Good luck, if you are entering this Sequim home for sale auction.

Last but not least, if you are looking for a unique upscale luxury Sequim house, don't miss our post Sequim Home. Again, we are not realtors but just regular people who love Sequim and like to help friends who are selling their Sequim home. For all those who look for real estate in Sequim, it's a buyer's market!

Sequim Home

2008-09-07T18:55:00.000-07:00

Ever since we have moved to Sequim, exploring this town and its splendid surroundings plus meeting new friends has been a top priority in our daily Sequim life. As we told our Sequim blog visitors, the easiest way to make new friends is at SARC Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center. First it's just saying hello and then it's more talk and finally, and after that, it's having the new friends over for dinner and playing some cards.

This is how we met Beate and Jesse several months ago, who had originally moved from California to Sequim. Recently, they told us that they miss their children and grandchildren, which are all still living in the CA area. Going back and forth does not seem to be an option for them anymore.

Now, their biggest project is letting go of and selling their beautiful Sequim house. As we did in the past with other Sequim Homes for Sale by Owner, we told them we are happy to help and share the house information with our Sequim town blog visitors. Most of Sequim visitors are looking for Sequim real estate as an investment for later or buying a house to retire in Sequim. So, Beate and Jesse invited us to a house tour...

Driving on a private country lane lead us into the large turnaround. The home welcomed us before we even entered it. Warm, old-fashioned with many flower baskets, yet modern, it made us admire the work of the Seattle architect who had designed it. We really wanted to settle into the hammock on the sunny porch and look at the mountains but our friends saw us, so we got ready for the house tour. We went inside and were surprised to find a formal entry hall as warm as any room. Light from everywhere. As ex-Hawaiians, we loved that! A fireplace can be lit right in the entry during the winter season.

From the house it's an easy walk to the Dungeness Spit, where committed hikers can approach the 5-mile hike to the Dungeness Lighthouse or paddle along the coast in a kayak. Jesse is a passionate fisherman and goes out with his 20ft boat to catch some big fish, as you can easily see from out photo. We were lucky as we got invited to a fresh catch dinner of King Salmon. What a treat! Jesse showed us his special place outside the house - pretty mosaic fish/vegetable cleaning trough - where he can prepare the fresh fish. Before having dinner, I went with Beate to pick some fresh berries from her organic garden for dinner dessert. So delicious! Keoki and Jesse played some pool downstairs in the guest quarters in the meantime.

My favorite place is the kitchen. Who minds having to cook while watching all that is going on outside through 3 large windows! Mt. Baker is an ever impressing sight with its snow-covered summit.

One sees the Dungeness lighthouse being dwarfed by humongous container vessels, and the cruise ships heading to Alaska which look like ghost ships all lit up when it gets dark. I liked the upstairs a lot also, but best of all coming down the elegant staircase made me feel like a queen. Yes, weird, but true.

And why would B & J want to move away from this? I guess dreams change, especially with the arrival of 3 grandkids too far away ...

Well, if you want to see more house photos, description in detail and all the inside and outside features of this Luxury Sequim Home go to Sequim Homes for Sale. For a house viewing appointment with Jesse and Beate, send us an email at Sequim Town blog and we happily connect you with them.

Related Sequim Real Estate Articles

Sequim Home for Sale in Sun Meadows

Sequim Home with a View

Sequim Home for Sale

Sequim Aquatic Center SARC is closed

2008-08-31T19:56:00.000-07:00

For all those Sequim visitors who are still on extended weekend Labor Day vacation or plan a Sequim vacation for the next two weeks, here is the not so good news: our most popular meeting place for exercise, swimming and socializing SARC (Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center) is taking time off for annual maintenance and repair jobs from September 1 (tomorrow) - September 14.

We told our Sequim Vacation blog visitors in the past repeatedly that the great outdoors with hiking and biking, the small town living with big town amenities and the amazing scenery all around Sequim is what has attracted us and so many other retirees to this town on the Olympic Peninsula. One of the biggest attractions of all the above is SARC.

Keoki's Stretch class at SARC has really taken off and had become an integrated part in the fitness classes at SARC. Of course, anybody who is interested in Keoki's Easy Stretch video or DVD for home use or giving as a present to a friend or family member, just email us, and we let you know how you can obtain it.

OK I am not an instructor at SARC but I am a very committed member using crosstrainer and bike, stretch facility and my favorite part is the lappool for swimming between 12noon and 1pm. The best part comes afterwards with jacuzzi and sauna and chatting with friends. It's amazingly easy to make new friends at SARC. Just ask 'How long have you been living in Sequim?' and/or 'Where have you moved from?' and you will get a very lively conversation going and have a new friend for your next visit at SARC.

Now, you can imagine how tough it is for us addicted exerciser when SARC is not open. Here is what we recommend: go on vacation, enjoy the last days of summer for bike rides and hikes and pick blueberries till they come out of your ears. Actually, I have started this year to freeze my extras. The recommendation (by a SARC member!) to spread them on a tray, freeze for 24 hrs and then fill them in freezer bags worked well.

Last but not least, blackberry season has started. I picked the first ripe berries at sunny spots in the park. Enjoy blackberry season in Sequim. Naturally, visitors who stay with us for a month at our monthly Sequim Vacation rental will get a bucket for picking berries.

Plan ahead if taking Ferry on Labor Day weekend

2008-08-24T11:46:00.000-07:00

Sequim enjoyed some nice summer weather during the months of July and August - actually on a few days it was warmer on the Olympic Peninsula than normally. Still we could count the days we had to switch the air on to feel comfortable in the house. When we looked at the weather map of the entire United States we noticed that not many states were that lucky and got struck be permanent heat waves.

Recently, we were asked at Sequim Vacation Blog what the weather will be like in September in Sequim. Well, it's now our third September here. The past two were very nice, so my assumption is that September in Sequim can be still counted as summer weather. The Olympic Peninsula, especially Sequim town and area, can expect quite a number of visitors for the extended Labor Day, ready to hike the Olympic Mountains, bike the Olympic Discovery Trail, Watch the Birds and pick berries.

Graysmarsh Berry Farm manager told us the other day this coming week might be the last week for the raspberries but guys, if you love blueberries there are still tons - bigger and better each day of sunshine - and the blackberries have just started.

Anyhow, when you plan your Sequim vacation for the Labor Day weekend, consider that our WA state ferry service is somewhat 'compromised' at the moment because a few of the older big car ferries were replaced by smaller ferries.We talked about the Port Townsend - Whidbey Ferry in May 2008. Plan ahead if you are taking the ferry on Labor Day or Labor Day weekend.

The state's ferry division expects the longest backups at ferry terminals the Friday before the holiday August 29 between 3 and 7pm. Other backups you might want to avoid are Sunday 8/31 in the afternoon and evening and the morning of Labor Day Sept 1st. Strongest returning traffic is predicted for 8/31 afternoon and evening and the morning of Labor Day.

As ferry officials expect many sailings to sell out, it's strongly recommended to make a ferry reservation ahead of the time. Only vehicle reservations are available. For Reservations call 888-808-7977or go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries The same heavy ferry traffic is expected for Port Townsend ferry for the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival September 5 - 7.

There is always the option the avoid the WA ferry dilemma all together and drive around through Tacoma. No waiting in line and easy driving for most of the part from Seattle to Sequim. Have a great Sequim vacation with no delays at the ferry terminals.

Bird Watching in Sequim

2008-08-19T20:01:00.000-07:00

If you are not into heavy hiking the Olympic Mountain trails or biking the Olympic Discovery Trail and yet like being out in nature with a leisurely walk in the forest, then the Bird Walk at Railroad Bridge Park might be just for you, when on your Sequim vacation.

The walking tour begins at the Dungeness Audubon River Center at Railroad Bridge Park at about 8:30am on Wednesday mornings and takes about 2hrs. to complete. It's a leisurely walk. The peaceful sound of the Dungeness River and the birds singing in the forest makes this a wonderful experience for birdwatchers on vacation in the Sequim area.

Participants can bring their own binoculars but if you are from out of town, the Center will provide them for free. Remember morning hours in Sequim can be still a little chilly, so put on a jacket which you can take off when the sun comes out later. An average 15 - 20 people show up for the Sequim bird walks during the summer months July and August.

Have fun bird watching in Sequim for the rest of this summer. Tomorrow morning is another chance!

Free Concert in the Park

2008-08-18T17:31:00.000-07:00

Most Sequim residents and regular visitors know of our free Sequim concert Tuesday nights during the summer months. Living next to Carrie Blake Park, we have all the advantages this wonderful park has to offer: walks and bike rides, watch Sequim the wild life like Canadian Geese, ducks, herons and of course, listening to the free concerts on Tuesdays. Even when we don't visit the concert, we can hear the music from the Park on our balcony.

Sequim Summer 2008 is slowly going to an end - right now it feels it has just arrived in Sequim with unusual high summer temperatures around 82 F - and with it the free concerts in the Park too. Concerts will continue through September in James Center bandshell just north of Carrie Blake Park. All ages are welcome. For all our Sequim visitors on vacation, here are the concerts which are still coming up for August and September:

August 19 - Kevin Magner and M'ellange mix original rock, folk and blues.

August 26 - Electric Blue Sun plays original jazz fusion. Followed by Move ' Over the Hedge'.

September 2 - Jubilee offers bluegrass and country

September 9 - The Stardust Big Band serves up swing.

You may park your car in the area around the stage. Bring your lawn chairs or blanket. It's a great place for a family picnic. Enjoy the fun. Even if you don't come prepared for a picnic, there is always a hot dog stand to help out. BTW, it's a great place for those who check out Sequim town as a place to retire to meet Sequim residents and hear what made them move to Sequim. There must be a good reason that so many people from Hawaii retire in Sequim!

Hawaiian Party in Sequim

2008-08-11T18:44:00.000-07:00

As everybody who has been following our Sequim vacation blog for some time knows by now, we moved from to sunny Sequim from sunny Hawaii Big island about 2 1/2 years ago. Within those years we've met quite a number of people who had moved from other Hawaiian Islands to the Olympic Peninsula with the main purpose to retire in Sequim, just like us.

We were happy to hear from our friend Margret - who is actually not from Hawaii but always liked and likes to vacation there - that those 'transplants' from Hawaii meet on a regular basis and that there will be a potluck Hawaiian luau in the Park close to the Dungeness Spit. All former Hawaiians and people in love with Hawaii were warmly invited to join the Hawaiian luau on Saturday 8/9/08.

When we arrived at noon in the Park by the Dungeness Spit, a big crowd had already gathered. Food was plentiful and mouthwatering. Even Hawaiian Poi, made from Taro root, was available. Here I must admit that in the many years of living in Hawaii, we both never got used to the Poi. I guess it's an acquired taste. But there was plenty of food and desserts to choose from.

First, the weather was a bit on the chilly and rainy side but it definitely did not 'chill' the aloha spirit and smiles of about 40 - 50 people. And when the hula dancers around their excellent teacher Mahina and Mike and Erma from Naki'i were ready to play their guitar and ukuleles and the hula, the sun broke through and warmed our hearts and spirits watching graceful hula ladies of all ages with happy smiles and listening to familiar Hawaiian tunes. It was amazing what a great job the dancers did after have practiced the hula only for 7 months with Mahina at The Senior Center in Sequim.

We all had a wonderful time with fond memories of our lives in Hawaii. We are definitely looking forward to our next Hawaiian luau reunion. The uke (ukulele) players and the hula dancers made this party really special. OK we did not roast a pig in an imu covered with T-leaves for 8 hours like at a traditional luau in Hawaii but that did not stop us from having a great time. Aloha (love) and ahui hou (till next time). Heidi (Pua) and Keoki

p.s.

August in Sequim

2008-08-03T10:35:00.000-07:00

It's hot, hot summer all over the United States but there is one little corner in the Pacific Northwest, Sequim on the Olympic Peninsula which has pleasant temperatures for enjoying all outdoor activities, like biking the Discovery Trail, hiking the trails in the Olympic Mountains and pick berries at Sequim berry farms. If you are heading to Hurricane Ridge, read our recent article about traffic delays to Hurricane Ridge during the week.

It's now, beginning of August, that we recommend to come for a Sequim vacation to do all of the above. We are loving each of those Sequim fun activities and want to prove it with a few Sequim photos.

We bike regularly Carrie Blake Park, the Olympic Discovery Trail starting at Railroad Bridge or just bike to visit friends in Sun Meadows or Sunland, as we did yesterday. We looked at our friends' new Sunland home, which is very beautiful and peaceful. Together, we biked to the beach and explored more of the Sunland neighborhood by bike.

My favorite fruits are raspberries. I don't make jam or jello. I love to eat them fresh. Maybe this year, I will try to freeze some. Heard that a good way to do that is to spread the raspberries on a tray, freeze them and then put them in the freezer bags. I will give that a try. Our frozen blueberries worked well last year and lasted long over winter with adding them to our morning cereal. Right now is the best time to pick berries in Sequim. Not too many cherries, another favorite of ours, made it this year but again raspberry and blueberry bushes are full of delicious fruits.

I had a feeling that strawberry season was somewhat short this year but it seems a big blackberry harvest will reward us pretty soon. Blackberry bushes are covered with fruits. The first ones at sunny spots should be ready to pick in about 2 weeks. No need to pick them at the Berry Farms. They are growing plentiful everywhere. I would not recommend to pick them along the road as those areas get frequently sprayed for weed control.

Enjoy all the summer activities in August in Sequim, just as we do.

p.s.

For Sequim residents and visitors: The Sequim Senior Center has its 3rd Annual Benefit Sale coming up on Thursday August 7, 9am - 7pm and Friday August 8, 9am - 3pm. Great way to find something at a cheap price plus to support the community!

Sequim Vacation Articles

Cheap Sequim Vacation

Berry Season in Sequim

Biking the Olympic Discovery Trail

Sequim Vacation Rental

Traffic Delays Hurricane Ridge

2008-07-28T10:11:00.000-07:00

July and August are our high season for Sequim vacation. One of the biggest vacation highlights is a visit to Hurricane Ridge. We love to take visiting family and friends for an outing to Hurricane Ridge and Crescent Lake. Get some hiking done in the middle of the Olympic National Park - great exercise! - and enjoy the most stunning views. When we recently saw this beautiful photo of wild flowers in full bloom on Hurricane Ridge Trail, we decided it's time for a return visit in the middle of summer!

Good for us that we've found two days later in the Peninsula Daily News the article about 'Expect delays on Hurricane Ridge Rd - Crews work to install new conduits, rock walls, repave road'. Bottom line of the article is that visitors may expect delays of up to 40 - 50 minutes each way on Hurricane Ridge Road during construction. Here is an important notice for hikers in this part of the Olympic Mountains: The Switchback Trail parking area, which is about 3 miles north of the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center, will be closed beginning today, Monday 7/28/08. It will be closed for about 1 month to repair storm damaged sites.

New conduits have been installed and new rock walls are being completed. Construction crews have started the process of milling the old pavement and repaving Hurricane Ridge road. Flaggers and pilot cars will guide traffic. The road will stay open 24hrs a day. So far weekend work has not been scheduled. This might be the best chances for visitors and hikers to make it up to Hurricane Ridge without big delays. The crews are working hard to complete this road rehabilitation project my mid-November 2008.

Hurricane Ridge Rd will be closed to all traffic Monday through Thursday from September 15 - October 15. It will remain open Friday through Sunday, weather permitting. For more trail and hiking information, check the Olympic National Park website or call 360-565-3100 or call the Park hotline for additional information 360-565-3131.

Hurricane Ridge Related Articles

Best Things to Do in Sequim - Hurricane Ridge

Second Anniversary of Moving to Sequim

Sequim Things to Do on Sequim Vacation