<p>Our land – one of the primary reasons we moved – slowly creeps towards summer.</p>

<p>On Monday, we ventured off-island to see the tulips in bloom at the <a href="http://tulipfestival.org">Skagit County Tulip Festival</a>. We took the “whoa-boat” (daughter speak for ferry) to Seattle and drove up to Mt Vernon where we met my uncle. We drove together to the <a href="http://www.tulips.com/">RoozenGaarde</a> display garden skeptical about the weather since reports were calling for storms starting mid-morning.</p>