A Trip to the Past

OK. I will confess something right now.
If you haven't already realized, I LOVE history, travel and photography.

But because of the recent winter-in-spring weather we have had here in the PNW, I haven't traveled as much as I normally do.

~

So when I hear a faint rumour that the NW might get some partly sunny/partly cloudy weather,

my first thought is...
not how much work I should be doing
BUT
where can my best friend and I go?

Because fun and exploration is meant to be shared!

Oh I also think

we'd better go because tomorrow we will probably get rain--again:)

~

Need I say my Farmer Boy is the most understanding and patient man that I know
(of course I did tell him we would get back early enough to get some work done and we did; early starts are vital here).
And off we went...

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Now as part of my love of history,

I LOVE historical buildings
and I really, really LOVE historical homes.

(Have I told you I've lived in several older homes?)
Hence I LOVE places like Port Townsend and Ft Worden (Olympic Peninsula),

Port Gamble (Kitsap Peninsula), Astoria (north Oregon coast), Jacksonville (southern Oregon) and all points between where I can find a decent amount of wooden gingerbread trim, covered porches,

ornate windows and railings.

Well I could go on forever but we decided on Ft Vancouver since I had not

been there in a long, long, long time.
After an enjoyable drive, with only one stop for food, we finally arrived..

Fort Vancouver National Site!

Two choices,
which way should we go?
Having been to Ft Worden I know Officer's Row
is the way to go for the detail
my heart loves:)
(although we found good architectural detail elsewhere plus some BIG surprises!)

Passing the parade ground and barracks
(will get to the latter later).

Have I ever told you I love gazebos too?
So where do you think I headed first?
The pretty houses would have to wait
for a few minutes at least:)
OK, having had my gazebo quota satisfied for this month
we headed towards the nearest home...
this one

OK, another confession.
I am a turret/tower loving gal.
I'm not sure if it was the result of all those childhood fairy tales
or perhaps all those Disney movies about princesses in castles,
but I LOVE them!
(another confession here...
my best friend, who was helping remodel and care for a Victorian home one time years ago,
helped me make my Aimee sleeping in a tower dream come true.
Of course it wasn't on a princess bed--hum, I guess that would be a Queen bed...
nope!
But I did have a mattress on the wood floor at least
and the tower all to myself!!!!)
OK, back to the trip...
sorry but at night I get SO silly.

Now I would be quite happy here too
no tower but a BIG covered porch
and a big covered balcony
and some very great flags!
Maybe not,
more square footage equates to more time cleaning.
I'll just keep looking...

Hum, a round turret/tower...
reminds me of my special-all-by-myself-night playing princess.
But you know it looks pretty big too though.
But I do LOVE the ornamental detail...
So many homes, so little time...
What about this one?

A home with a "widow's" walk---pretty!
If I didn't mind heights so much, you'd find me walking up there.
And next to a heirloom rose garden (oh, YOU should be wishing right now I could somehow post the beautiful fragrance of these babies...heavenly!). Some of these rose varieties date back as far as the 1700's! I LOVE heirloom plants--we have several heirloom apples at home.
Eek! Home. That reminds me it is 0312 in the AM, and that most patient and understanding Farmer Boy of mine will be expecting me to clean, cook and garden tomorrow (today) so tour over for tonight:)
To come:
more home detail,
the barracks,
the squirrel and bee,
a historic garden and the fort that makes this Ft Vancouver,
an interesting meeting,
more roses
and
(hopefully) more fun!
-
Blessings all!
Aimee
PS: Oh and I did keep my promise to my Farmer Boy, didn't I honey?
Well except for the grocery shopping:(
Sorry!