Every year since I first moved here, my friend Judy and I have gone to the
Tulip Festival in Skagit Valley together. This year, however, she's traveling and was unable to go with me. I planned to go on Monday, but since it was such a beautiful day this past Sunday, I decided to drive down there myself. It was also Palm Sunday, and I figured if I started early, maybe lots of people would be in church. No such luck.
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| Don't they look like fireworks? |
The traffic was horrendous. For more than a mile before I arrived at the RoozenGaarde display, I was in a long line creeping to the gardens. I was pleased, once I got there, to see that there would be plenty of parking for all of us, provided free, which was nice. However, it cost $5 to enter the gardens, but it was sure worth it. The clear blue skies allowed me to take wonderful pictures, and the shadows of the trees gave me some wonderful light play.
It was difficult to get pictures without people in them, but in some cases they didn't detract. I heard what seemed to be dozens of different languages from passersby, and everyone was in a very good mood, me included. I found that I got the best photos by letting the strong sunlight illuminate the flowers.
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| These fields stretched out for miles |
I then left the gardens and walked across the street to the amazing fields of flowers, tulips as far as the eye could see. They were right at their peak on Sunday, and I had a hard time trying to decide which pictures to post.
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| Lots and lots of people |
This photo shows you how many people were visiting these gardens on Sunday. I also noticed that the red tulips, when the light catches them, were so brilliant they seemed to be on fire. After about an hour of walking all over the place and taking more than fifty pictures, I got in my car and headed home. It was a wonderful way to spend Sunday morning.
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| Me amongst the tulips |
A nice woman saw me taking pictures and asked if I'd like one of me, and I was very pleased with this one. I am very fortunate to live in such a place. Before I moved to the Pacific Northwest, I had never heard of anything like this outside of Holland. This festival continues through April, but you'd better hurry if you want to see them like this!
:-)
Oh, that is just terrific! I would love to view such a splendid garden, something you don't see here in Hawaii.
ReplyDeleteThis is truly a bit of magical delight and colors!!! Wow.
ReplyDeletejust gorgeous! for miles! i like that last one of you, too!
ReplyDeleteOnly fifty photos? Such restraint. And I love the shot of you adorning the garden.
ReplyDeleteAnd would have LOVED to have come with you. Magic.
From what I can see it was well worth the traffic to see these amazing flowers. I wish the gardens weren't on the other side of the state, I would love to go walking there. Great photos DJan, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteFields of bloom would be most impressive. This is for sure something not to miss.
ReplyDeletewow. i would love to go to one of these one day...so many bright colors...its beautiful...saw some pics on another blog this week...but think it was a different farm...
ReplyDeleteWow! That looks spectacular!
ReplyDeleteYour photos are wonderful! I am getting antsy to get up there, but we're not going to make it until after Easter. This year that will be late, it looks like, but we'll take whatever we get. We'll end up at the cabin on Whidbey Island for a couple of days before getting back to all that keeps us busy here at home.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you just up and went on your own. It's not to be missed.
This looks heavenly; the sea of colors astonishes.
ReplyDeleteYou seemed to have chosen the best time to view them. They looked at their most perfect. I would love to visit the tulip fields in Holland. I must put that on my list.
ReplyDeleteI am afraid we do not even have tulips yet, but it is so nice to see yours. I love the vibrant array of colours and would be lost in this wonderful maze for a while I think. Lovely photo of you DJan and beautiful pictures. Today we are experiencing freezing rain - golly, Mother Nature is trying awful hard to hang on to Olde Man Winter this year. Ah well, its not long now. I found some dandelions n crocuses poking their heads outta the ground yesterday :)
ReplyDeleteThere is also one in Oregon, just south of Portland. I have never been, but have read about it and heard from a friend who lives in Portland about it.
ReplyDeleteThat is just breathtaking. I would have been put off by the drive in but my goodness was it worth it.
ReplyDeleteThose colours are so intense. Beautiful photos, you've captured, DJan. And your thoughtful passerby snapped a beauty also.
ReplyDeleteI love tulips! The pale pink ones are my favorite, but they are all beautiful. We have the Dallas Arboretum here and it's fun to visit and take pics this time of year. Gosh, DJan, now you've got me wanting some pink tulips for my Easter table...
ReplyDeleteOne of these years I'll get there!
ReplyDeleteWow. This is spectacular. And here I'd about given up on ever making it to the Keukenhof gardens in Holland. Now I have a Plan B. :)
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you went! I have been looking forward to the tulips! You captured the red ones quite nicely they are very hard to photograph.
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice day to be there!! :)
D'oh I'm last again! Oooh those pictures are gorgeous. I bathed in them. Thank you so much. It looks just like Keukenhof in the Netherlands where I have been several times. You had a wonderful morning.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE LOVE LOVE that photo of you with the tulips! I guess I'm experiencing it vicariously through your photos of you in all that beauty. Ahhh... so it IS Skagit Valley. I'll never forget that place. I wish we could go back there.
ReplyDeleteSpectacular colors of beautiful tulips. I love tulips. Your photographs are amazing!
ReplyDeleteYou have captured snapshots of the most amazing colorful tulips on your photographs. Amazing!
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