Mud Bay and Woodstock Farm

Happy Wanderers at Inspiration Point

This group continues to bring many Senior Trailblazers out for some camaraderie and exercise. Today Barb brought us through the Hundred Acre Wood and over to Mud Bay to see the area. It was new to me, so I enjoyed learning about the place where the estuary wetlands joins the sea. An estuary, I learned, is exactly that: where freshwater joins saltwater and makes a brackish environment that is home to many different kinds of life forms.

Mud Bay at low tide

When you look at this picture, you can see the brackish water and far in the distance, the sea. The cliffs above this area, seen on the right-hand side of the picture, are being considered for development, which would of course negatively impact the entire area.

Checking out the estuary

We spent some time checking out the estuary. It would be a real shame if development were to ruin it for all but a few wealthy residents. Then we gathered together again and made our way from this place to nearby Woodstock Farm. It's open to the public during the summer months, but we just went to see what it's like today. This 16 acre park is nestled in a bluff with panoramic views of Bellingham Bay. Woodstock Farm connects 23 acres of public land around Chuckanut Mountain and Teddy Bear Cove. As we walked there, we saw lots of beauty surrounding us. And guess what?

First trillium of the season!

Yes, I saw the first trillium of the current season, and I expect to see lots more before they are gone for the year. They come out quickly and don't last long, but I cherish every one I see.

Pretty star-shaped daffodils

We decided to have a quick lunch on the lawn at Woodstock Farm, as well as taking some time to enjoy the mild and almost perfect weather. It was a bit cool in the morning, but once it warmed up, jackets were shed and plenty of sunshine graced our time at the Farm.

Our lunch spot

It was so lovely there, and I imagined what it must have been like to visit there. We are so lucky to have such wonderful places to explore and enjoy so close to town.

Familiar waterfall

We walked from there to the Interurban trail, which I know very well, and I saw that the waterfall is in good shape, after the rain we've had lately. It was a very good day, and after hiking back to our trailhead, we had covered somewhere around 6.5 miles, varying distances with different devices, but nevertheless just about right. After that, some of us headed out for our Taco Tuesday at Mi Rancho on Northwest Avenue. It was another wonderful day with great friends. 

:-)