Just East of Eden : TRAVELING THURSDAY ~ LAEL MOON NURSERY; Rochester Daytrip

Friday, August 20, 2021

TRAVELING THURSDAY ~ LAEL MOON NURSERY; Rochester Daytrip

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mhm6X38bu7s)

This morning, I kept my Naselle Coffee Hour appointment with friends I haven’t seen since I considered looking for a new home – that new home plan has now officially been scrapped … so, I am freed up again, to spend time with my old-new friends 😊

Again, there was a misting rainfall as I left the carport.

But I was not going to be deterred: I intended to see my friends, and visit the Nursery.

The misting rain on the windshield was an annoyance – but there wasn’t enough rainfall to make the roadways dangerous.

Naselle from Heron Pointe; via WA-4 W - 59 mins.

Earlier this week; happily anticipating coffee with friends again, I also planned on a side excursion to Lael’s Nursery in Rochester after the last cup of coffee had been poured and everyone was pulling out of the driveway towards home. I haven’t been to Rochester since the last time Bob and I had passed through there on a daytrip drive – about 5 years ago.

Lael Moon Nursery from Naselle; via US-101 N - 1 hr. 42 mins.

The banana tree I read about in the traveler’s companion booklet I picked up in Randle, earlier this year … was the lure, today 😉

My Ambitions Jar is full of fun Daytrip suggestions gleaned from the Scenic Roadtrip Booklet

Leaving Naselle, I happened to notice the price of gas, driving by Johnson’s: WOW – I decided to gas up back on home turf.

And I also thought, ‘Maybe it’s a good thing I didn’t find a house in the country, after all …’: at these escalating prices, I wouldn’t be able to leave my country home, once I settled into it ☹

((((THANK YOU, YESHUA, for protecting me))))

Going to Lael's to check out their 10-ft. Banana Tree.

Address coordinates punched into GPS.
Gas prices at Johnson's 1-Stop, in Naselle.

I spend a lot of time in the country; I plan my daytrips around country roads – I will drive hours out of the way just to enjoy a relaxing drive on a backroad 😊

I spend a lot of time in the country, on scenic backroads.

The annoying misting rainfall was still mucking up the windshield.

I was hoping the sun would eventually make a showing: at least by the time I reached my destination.

I wanted to see that banana tree.

A little past Artic, I turned off on the Montesano-US 12 spur … then a brief freeway interlude, before turning off at the Oakville-Centralia turn to Rochester.

Montesano-US 12 spur.

A brief freeway interlude ...

Oakville-Centralia turn.

Immediately, while making this turn, I noticed the gray clouds were parting to allow blue sky to show through; and the Highlander was heavily scented with the warmed, sweet, aroma of sun ripened August blackberries: the big fat ones, the size of thumbs. These giant, Himalayan blackberries are the most pungent, juicy blackberries!

Blue sky showing through the clouds ... and the heady scent of sun-warmed blackberries filled the air.

My mouth was watering for a blackberry pie 😉

But dreaming of lip-smacking, mouth-watering blackberry pie was curbed by a traffic jam in Porter – of all places.

Traffic jam in Porter.

A heavy, smoke-belching, oversized white truck (it looked like a dump truck; or something along that line of work) & a slo-mo Puma travel trailer, were holding up a line of 14 vehicles (my vehicle, included in the line); the travel trailer eventually pulled over. The white service truck continued belching along.

I eventually parked myself at Lael’s 😊

The Nursery Owners’ Names are Larry and Bethany Lael: https://www.chronline.com/stories/business-profile-rochester-couple-turn-a-shared-hobby-into-a-living,129552

I was glad the misty rain had halted; the sun was shining, and the temperature was perfect to be walking through a Nursery.

I saw some interesting shrubs, flowers, and trees.

I don’t know what I was expecting by way of the touted Banana Tree … but it certainly wasn’t what I was pointed to: when I saw it, all I could think was, ‘That’s it?’.

I was anticipating a tree – what I saw was an overgrown bush.

Banana Tree, in bloom (not my picture; internet pic).

There were no bananas; it’s too cool in WA State for them to fruit.

But I did enjoy seeing all the other interesting/unique plants, too.

And they got me to thinking … and wondering if I could grow some in huge planter pots, at Heron Pointe 😉

I’ll have to give that thought, some thought.

Made it!

A nice day for a stroll.

Interesting leafed Hydrangea; I LIKE IT😊 'Munchkin' Oakleaf Hydrangea. Pretty cool.
(https://springmeadownursery.com/plantfinder/munchkin-40740)

An interesting Pine - kinda cushy spike leaves; and not sticky. Very nice.
(https://www.umbrellapines.com/)

Pretty bi-color pink Hydrangea - large blossoms. 'Star Gazer' Double Delight Hydrangea.
(https://www.newlifenursery1.net/products/star-gazer-double-delights-hydrangea)
An Australian Fern with a sturdy stem that looks like a tree trunk.
(https://www.monrovia.com/australian-tree-fern.html)

Lael's 10-ft. Banana Tree.

Dinosaur Plant.
( http://www.sunnygardens.com/garden_plants/gunnera/gunnera_1352.php)

The Dinosaur Plant is a marsh plant; grown here in a discarded Jacuzzi tub with soil mixture to mimic marshland.

A Dogwood blossom (?) bush. Hmmm.

Leaving the Nursery, I saw a sign for U-Pick Blueberries: this might come in hand! I love blueberries, and though my own bushes put out quite a bot of berries … they are dwarf bushes, and the berries I get – though significant, all things considered, is not enough to carry me through the Winter.

If I can get through the liquid fertilizer stench (very strong today!) of the farm fields without sucking the life out of my asthma inhaler, I may give this berry farm a try next Spring.

U-Pick Black River Berry Farm down the road from the Lael Moon Nursery.

(https://www.thurstontalk.com/2017/07/14/black-river-blues-farm-blueberry/)

I backtracked to Raymond, and took the Pe Ell route home.

And, passing through along the route, I was glad to see that the gravel turnout I occasionally use has been cleaned up: ((((YAY!)))) A couple weeks ago when I passed through that way, there was a charred truck – either abandoned and burned by rowdies … or stolen and destroyed by rabble-rousers: either way, I didn’t like seeing it along this peaceful drive route I always take. There was also strewn garbage along the chain link fence.

For the first time in decades of driving that route, I felt nervous about being alone on a backroad.

That feeling made me feel violated.

I felt violated because my sense of peace and wellbeing had been shaken by citified violence touching a quiet corner of the backcountry.

That pissed me off.

I don’t like to see city violence spreading to the country.

I don’t like to see places I frequent vandalized – it makes me feel violated and unsafe.

I drive the backcountry roads for the peace it promises; I drive backroads to escape city bullshit. Seeing that violent behavioral activity in off-the-beaten-track places of tranquility, was more than a bit unnerving.

I am glad it has been cleared away.

The charred truck and garbage have been cleared from the backroad turnout.

I hope they found the morons and slapped them silly with fines – jail time, too.

Nearing home, and glancing at the gas level on the Highlander’s dash, I thought I might stop at Lexington to top the tank and wash the bug guts off the windshield before sliding into my carport (the Highlander, and me, were tired) … but the gas prices urged me forward, into town – which would take me about 5 minutes longer to slide into my carport.

Lexington gas prices.

Tank topped off, and tail dragging; I nipped into Hart C’s Thai to grab Supper; it was a long day, and I couldn’t work up the energy to cook at home.