Memories of the Bluff

Ebey’s Landing holds so many memories for our family that I will only mention a few or it would take up too much space! It all started for us 28 years ago with one of our first dates. It consisted of a romantic gourmet dinner prepared in secret and carried up the bluff to be set up with wine and music. That summer dinner date was followed by watching many sunsets from Hill Road, walking the beach and building a relationship that would grow into a family of five children. The bluff and reserve have become an integral part of our family’s lives and memories.

Now fast forward a few years to hikes on Mother’s Day and the obligatory family photo op by the “tree” every year, to videotaping school projects, parking a car at one beach (Fort Casey) and hiking to the beach at the bottom of Ebey’s bluff and exploring every inch along the way, spending wintry stormy days watching in awe as the wind rolled the storms in, searching the beach for debris after a storm, finding with delight all those “nose cones” as we call them from left over fireworks to bringing guests and visitors to share the beauty and watch their faces as they take in the beauty.

Every January on my father’s birthday I come to the beach to toss flowers in the water in his memories. We watched an amazing lunar eclipse from the cemetery a few years ago and I thought I felt the presence of a recently departed friend in the crowd. It seems like yesterday when we hid goodies from the Bayleaf on the bluff to be discovered by our daughter and her prom date.

The Reserve is and continues to be a huge part of lives. My spirit soars as I run the bluff trail and my eyes take in the beauty of the mountains, water, eagles and the friends you run into along the way. Happy 30th Anniversary!

Lisa Bernhardt

Prairie Rambings

Today I drove down Engle Rd. through the prairie 3 times. I have driven out there the last 10 years. I don't ever get tired of it. Right now there are 4 inch tall corn plants growing, next to that is a huge field of alfalfa. There are cows lounging around the Jenne Farm and the Engle Farm off Hill Rd. I'm slowly getting the understanding about growing food - keeping it local - organic or nearly organic - supporting our farming neighbors. The Coupeville Farmers market is now full of lots of fresh, locally grown greens for an incredibly tasty and fresh salad. Greens, garlic, onions, potatoes end up in our kitchen and are regularly showing up in local restaurants. At the end of the Coupeville Wharf is the store Local Grown - it shows the variety and abundance of small farms and businesses on Whidbey. Now I'm hungry - time for a handful of miners lettuce. Yum!