Saturday, August 1, 2009

LA CONNER, UNDERRATED



I mentioned yesterday that La Connor was underrated. Nothing official about that statement, its just that people talk about Anacortes as though La Conner doesn't exist. And, I was influenced by my partner, Jim's statement: "If someone put a gun to my head and told me I'd have to settle in one place, my choice would be Anacortes." Pretty emphatic.
When the people put up a plaque to honor their town dog ya gotta take notice.
Another example of town character is when the state came out and prime coated their bridge. Before they put on the final coat of "state green", the townspeople insisted they liked the color of their rainbow bridge. NO "state green." It stayed primer red.

A tea store has a bush pruned into a teapot shape.


On the side of a building is an elegy to a crow.
There are numerous benches all over the downtown imploring you to sit awhile, get acquainted, enjoy!


Some of the store names are downright testy.



We visited Skagit County Historic Museum, and like all of those we discover in Washington, it was very well done and informative. Hey, they grew corn here that was seventeen feet tall with a picture to prove it. And Missouri can learn a lot about stump farms from La Connorites. Whoooeee! 100 feet wide at the base and 60 feet tall.

The Gaches Mansion, the preserved home of a local scion, contains a Quilt Museum, the only one of its kind in the Pacific Northwest. Themed shows change every 2-3 months. No photos of the changing exhibits were allowed but the fiber art was stellar. I couldn't stop looking at Cher Cartwright's Child's Play, and Nancy Cordry's Colors All Around and Stripes Of Different Colors. Impossible to believe how these women worked pieces 1/4 inch wide, squares smaller than a postage stamp, hundreds of them, into these wall hangings. Ohh, I ached to pick up a needle.
Yup! I liked this town and next time I'm staying longer.

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