Cedar Tree House

22/04/2018

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As I write it is Earth Day, a time to honor and care for this lovely orb that sustains us. We do not take that task lightly here at the Cedar Tree House. Year round we spend a great deal of time ta…

03/02/2018

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It is only late January as I write, but already signs of spring are abundantly evident here at the Cedar Tree House. Bulbs are awakening and early shoots protrude through soggy soils. Buds on some …

08/10/2017

02/05/2017

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I’ve written before of the bigleaf maple. It is one of the largest deciduous trees that dominate in our area of the planet. I mentioned some of its many uses a couple of years back, though one I wa…

09/03/2017

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One fairly unique amenity of the Cedar Tree House is the 20’ diameter yurt that graces the lawn just outside the front door. It was one of the more interesting construction projects involved in tr…

16/01/2017

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The Katsura tree, Cercidiphyllum japonicum, is a lovely source of shade and year-round interest. Native to Japan and China, it can grow to 60 feet here in Washington but is also widely planted as a…

10/11/2016

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Fall brings a unique color palette to the Cedar Tree House grounds. The yellows seem to brighten against the deepening greens, blues and browns. Meanwhile, the lovely Japanese maple which stands j…

25/09/2016

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Have you ever had a hankering to strut and fret your hour upon the stage? The Cedar Tree House affords you that very opportunity. Set in a natural amphitheater on the lawn, just in front of the h…

14/07/2016

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Before there was the Cedar Tree House, the previous owners of the property ran a business called Shady Lane Hostas. In three large greenhouses they raised hostas, trillium, Solomon’s seal, and vari…

09/05/2016

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Cedar Tree guests pass a large greenhouse and developing food forest on their way up the hill to the house. The lush woods surrounding Cedar Tree are home to many creatures, many of which are hear…

03/03/2016

An Early Spring
Things are waking up early here in the northwest. Here, just outside Bellingham, it was a relatively mild though occasionally windy winter, with plenty of snow up in the mountains for the skiers and boarders, enough to last well into spring. The rivers are running full and we’ve just been blessed with some beautiful warm, sunny weather, perfect for outdoor activities. And now the plants are responding en masse, flowering and leafing out, adding their touches of color to the more monochromatic palette of the winter months. The resident birds are readying themselves for nesting season and, down by our little stream, frogs are beginning to chorus and call to potential mates. Soon the mason bees will be pollinating the early-flowering fruit trees down in the food forest.

11/12/2015

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The Cedar Tree House is increasingly a venue where couples do. Just out front of the main house is the stage, backed by tall cedars and fronting onto a natural little amphitheater. The yurt is mere...

05/11/2015

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With Halloween arriving on the heels of this posting, fall has definitely made its presence known here at the Cedar Tree House. I love walking around on one of our warm, blustery days as the leaves...

22/08/2015

It has been a warm and dry summer here in Bellingham. Warm is, of course, relative, as even at our hottest, it is nothing compared to eastern Washington or most of the southern United States. For m...

22/08/2015

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02/07/2015

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Spring arrived early this year to the northwest, with summer almost on its heels. One truly excellent benefit of this is that the road up to Artist Point, at the eastern terminus of the Mt. Baker H...

26/05/2015

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Certainly, one of the most noticeable features of the Cedar Tree House is that, indeed, it exists within a space surrounded by old, large trees – Western red cedars, Douglas firs, big-leaf maples, ...

23/03/2015

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One of the attractions of the Cedar Tree House is its large open lawn where many groups have played, relaxed, and celebrated various events. In an effort to make this an even better space, we have ...

26/02/2015

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Our Cedar Tree guests pass by a big greenhouse on their way up to the house on the hill. Many express curiousness about the greenhouse and its uses. It serves many purposes. In addition to providin...

26/02/2015

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I was walking uphill today with my trusty companion, Poco the Rat Terrier. Recently we’ve had some big winds, followed by copious rainfall. On the path, I noticed variably sized accumulation...

14/11/2014

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A gradual shift in the wind direction has brought big changes to Whatcom County. Our warm, wet autumn has given way to cloudless skies and a chilly blast from the northeasterly winds. The transitio...

13/09/2014

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Ah, late summer in Bellingham, with its warm days and smell of autumn in the late afternoons. There is a smell of something else as well. Just possibly, it’s all the hops wafting out of the local r...

01/07/2014

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Kara and I were privileged to wander the grounds recently with a delightful young man recently who is third in a line of avid birders. Fanter, for that is his name, was a wealth of information abou...

10/06/2014

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Rhododendrons are native on 4 continents with their area of highest diversity being in the Himalayas. One species is the national flower of Nepal, where their sour taste is enjoyed in various dishe...

07/05/2014

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One of the highlights of many a person’s visit to Bellingham is the Saturday Farmers’ Market, just 10 to 15 minutes from the Cedar Tree House. Many locals go there to meet friends and to shop for m...