A Saturday without Alison

Is like a day without sunshine. Thank you Orange Juice Council, your writers did a much better job than those responsible for hiring spokesmen.  (Anita Bryant, OJ Simpson)

So, on the first Saturday for quite a while that Alison and I didn't have plans, I thought it would be a good idea to stay home and get some work done in my garden.  So Tom and I got in the car to see where the car, having a mind of its own, would take us. (Poor neglected garden)  I know you'll be shocked to hear that the car drove us to some nurseries.  (I may have a problem.)  Our first stop was Elandan Gardens.  You can read about  a visit here nearly a year ago here. 

There are great things lying around everywhere outside.  Such a  great place to find unusual pieces. 

  
The inside of the shop is filled with an incredible variety of offerings ranging from jewelry, world music c.d.'s, and artwork to houseplants, Chinese and Indonesian antique carved fragments, merchandise from gift shows and just about anything else you can imagine.  The place is so stuffed with treasure that you could spend a whole day just taking it all in.  Unfortunately,  picture taking is not allowed inside the store because of the proprietary nature of some of the original artwork and because the owner fears the practice of showrooming.   The store is a wonder and if you're in the area, you should stop by.  Here are a few of the many outdoor offerings that caught my eye.

Elandan is on a smallish (6 acres) piece of land that juts out into the bay so the smell of the sea and the sound of the waves gently lapping  the shore is ever present as you walk around.  This pot, new but looking as if it just came up from the ocean floor looks totally at home in this setting.

Elandan sits on a site that was once a landfill.  Go here for the fascinating story of  the reclamation of the parcel.

I've a soft spot for head planters.  These weren't priced  and I didn't know if they were for sale or were just display pieces.

They don't look like they could stay out all winter in our climate so they'd be perfect for tender succulents that also want  a frost-free winter.  (I'm ready for a frost-free winter myself come to think of it.)  This hardy sempervivum is a perfect choice.

Shirley  at Rock-Oak-Deer posts about faux bois every now and then.  I'd not thought much about it before but now whenever I see an example, I think of her.

This piece was available this way or filled with concrete to make a table.  I'm thinking that they're sold empty to make moving them easier.  Could also be cool sans water,  glass over the top and an interesting collection of something inside.

More of Will Robinson's sculpture.  Calling the PNW home, Mr. Robinson is currently represented by galleries in Seattle, Los Angeles, Sun Valley and Toronto.

Will the circle be unbroken?  Just wondering is all.

 

The exuberance of this one makes me love it.

A little nautical yard art.  For some reason, they've not included any concrete seagulls.  Try to contain your disappointment.

We were just going to stop here but the car had other plans.  I mean, we'd already crossed the bridge and they charge us to go back to Tacoma so we might as well stay a while, right?  Which is more disturbing, that the car is talking to me or that it's reasoning makes sense?   Wonder where the car will take us tomorrow?