Welcome to Tumbleweed Tidings during this beautiful fall season! A few weeks ago, my husband Jim and I took a road trip to the other side of Washington State to visit my sister Loralee in Mount Vernon. Rather than the usual route over Snoqualmie Pass, we took the more northern Stevens Pass, spending the first night in Wenatchee and visiting the Bavarian town of Leavenworth. If you ever make it to Washington State, Stevens Pass is a beautiful drive, especially this time of year when the trees were vibrant and the Wenatchee River was running alongside the road most of the way.

While visiting my sister, we visited some local parks, shops and garden nurseries. One day, we drove past a pumpkin patch with many cars there. “What’s that? I asked.” My sister said it must be new, as she goes down that road often and had never seen it before. At that point my husband asked if he needed to turn around so we could go check it out. “Yes, please!”

We pulled in, parked, and started going through their various display areas. Every color, size and type of pumpkin was on display in beautiful vignettes that were piled against a backdrop of over-scaled original art pieces. There were also several vintage trucks and tractors, all brimming with pumpkins and gourds. It was stunning and looked like something out of a fall Hallmark movie!

In addition to pumpkins, they had a produce area that sold potatoes and homemade cider. Each area you moved through was displayed to perfection and provided great photo opportunities for the visitors.

In one area of the pumpkin farm, there was a room full of dried flowers and grasses, and at the center, a wire mannequin form covered in dried items. It is hard to tell from the picture how stunning this room really was.

Another area that was one of my favorites was the wagon full of pumpkins with a recipe for pumpkin soup written on a chalkboard. Their use of creative merchandising was very impressive!

Another fascinating area was the “gourd room” that had rows of green gourds all lined up. Some of the shapes were so beautiful, I purchased one and put it in my dining room fall centerpiece. It reminds me of a swan leaning down to drink water.

We have a couple of pumpkin farms in our area, and they put on festivals with hayrides, a corn maze, and pick your own pumpkin patches. What set this pumpkin patch apart from anything I had ever seen was the creativity in merchandising and displays, along with the beautiful artwork and vintage vehicles. It was incredibly well done.

In addition to all of the pumpkins and gourds, there was a little shed that was set up to sell coffee and cider, as well as a couple of food trucks to feed hungry visitors. Neither of these areas were open on the weekday we were there, but most likely operate on the weekends.

We had such a great few days visiting my sister! We ate wonderful meals, took drives along the water, visited shops and antique stores, and got inspired by all that we saw. My husband and I also got a chance to reconnect with old friends Deb and Rick, who we knew when we lived in Hawaii. They showed us their beautiful home on Deception Pass and we caught up on the past 13 years over a yummy Italian dinner in Anacortes.

One of the things I love most about traveling is the chance to have new experiences, see new things, and visit family and friends. Most people are just waiting to show off their area when given the chance. If your travels take you to the beautiful Skagit Valley of Western Washington during the fall, be sure to visit Gordon’s Skagit Farms in Anacortes. It is truly a feast for the eyes, and I think you will come away brimming with inspiration for the fall season, just as I did!

Good tidings,

Diane