This livery stable photo was taken in 1908. The stable was owned and operated by William G. Fowler, but folks called him Bert. If you are in the lower ferry lines and look to you're right, you'll still see the white house on the hill. This photo is Alfred Lawson and his Morgan stud. Alfred was married to Bert Fowler's sister, Ester. The photo was taken sometime in the early 1900's on the main street of Friday Harbor (Spring Street).

      As you drive around the island, you'll see homes tucked into the trees for privacy. Many of homes are up private roads and you'll only see them from the air. In the early summer you might see fields being cut for hay. Such a beautiful, fresh smell! Take care as you drive, because our black tail deer often cross the road, and people ride bicycles and horses around the island. Please use common sense when passing horses, slow down and swing out a bit so the horse doesn't get spooked. If you bicycle, there are many beautiful places to rest or picnic. And you'll find a pretty view from almost anywhere.

      As you explore you might happen upon the remains of an old carriage house, or Afterglow Vista, the mausoleum in the woods where some claim they see or hear ghosts. However, we think a more common sound is the chattering of a raccoon in a tree. And a more common sight is the wild rose, or wild blackberry blooms that bring the promise of buckets of juicy berries free for the picking. The winter of '99 was so mild that we still had blackberries in November.

      We were downtown and Waterfront Park was fairly empty. Some folks were in line to catch the ferry. This next photo is not real clear, but it's one of the stranger sights we've seen lately. We looked up to see a seagull and a crow chasing a bald eagle. That "air display" went on for about 5 minutes, but we never got a better photo.

      We have a great variety of beaches, so you're bound to find one or two favorites. West Side Road runs next to a hillside covered with poppies in Spring. The opposite side has rocky knolls and drops off down to the water. I love to sit out there on the rocks and watch for whales, or enjoy the sunset. There are also big blackberries to snack on in summer.

      Maybe a smaller beach like the one at Small Pox Bay is more to your liking. From another angle, we saw a large ship and Vancouver Island in the distance. Or you can drive out to the south end of the island, for a barbecue picnic and feed the seagulls scraps, explore the driftwood, or play in the water on the sand and pebble beach. You might see whales, foxes, rabbits and eagles, or a fishing boat headed in or out.

      False Bay (featured above) is filled with interesting tide pools at low tide. Right across the road is a huge, peaceful pasture. False Bay is near San Juan Valley. Other bays to explore (False and Small Pox are mentioned above) include Kanaka, Andrews, Sunset, Mitchell, Wescott, Neal, Garrison, Rocky, Griffin, Jensen, Deadman and North bays. Coves include Eagle, Grandma's, Merrifield, Lonesome, and Smugglers. Points include Cattle, Eagle, Pile, Edwards, Bellevue, Hanbury, Limestone, Mineral, Cantilever, Pear, Low, and Point Caution. There are also many lakes and ponds to enjoy too.

      If you like to take photos or paint, you'll be in Paradise! Many old barns are still in use. They might house anything from llamas (Castalia's Ruby Slippers wearing a vine over her ear to accent her new shearing job, and Burals Espresso grazing behind her) to cattle or horses. You'll also see alpacas and maybe a billy goat. These goats live with a view most folks would envy.

      This photo was taken from the ferry as it was leaving Friday Harbor.