Mitch visited a couple weekends ago and took this photo of the daffs on our table. I indulged in armloads of them for the house when I chanced upon a grower a few miles south of Tillamook off highway 101. (I brake for fields of daffodils in bloom.) Multiple varieties in each bunch. The Porter Family runs the farm stand for their operation Farmer Creek Garden on the honor system, $2.50 in the mason jar per bunch.
Mitch went on a bit of a nostalgia tour during his brief visit. Netarts Bay is where it all started. We took the boys here for many August vacations as a break from the Los Angeles heat. Go figure, decades later, Duncan up and decides to move here.
Interesting small businesses are hiding in plain sight — daffodils, dahlias…salt. Jacobsen’s Salt also makes excellent caramels — I just polished off a box.
First time in a theater since 2020! The little downtown is an easy walk from our house.
I made a quick trip to SoCal for doctor visits, squeezed in a little plant shopping, and now have some very important news to share: Yes, it is possible to fly with plants! The Internet says it is permissible but that TSA reactions may vary from airport to airport. I used a soft, mesh-sided pet carrier, so the plants were immediately visible to TSA at LAX. No tricks or subterfuge. I was prepared to abandon the plants if met with any resistance, but it was surprisingly treated as no big deal — noting the carrier, the agent said at least this puppy doesn’t bite! Once on board, the carrier slides under the seat in front of you, just as if you brought your cat with you (instead of plants). Supposedly plants in checked baggage are OK too. Game-changer! As the world continues to devolve in so many ways, mercifully there are still occasional small signs of progress. Like carry-on plants on planes.
I so enjoy following your adventures in Tillamook and environs!
I’m also glad you gave a pretty definitive answer on flying with plants. I’ve done it several times, but always on the sly and feeling oddly guilty for doing it!
Very pretty place, that bay. Lovely daffs, too. What movie did you see?
Coming back from the SF fling I hand-carried a 4″ Annie’s Aloe castanea onto the plane. No one said a word about it.
Your second home is very beautiful, Denise! And how fun to pick daffodils from a field. (My daffodils did NOT do well this year, and I’m blaming the lack of rain and periodic heatwaves here.) Congratulations on resolving the issue of crossing state lines carrying plants (at least between California and Oregon).
Les and Monique always used one of those Igloo Playmate coolers -I think they could fit six 4″ plants and it fir in the overhead. I like your method too ! Great photos from Mitch as usual.
@Gerhard, it always feels like Midnight Express, doesn’t it?
@Hoov, we saw the Fantastic Beasts. I remember first seeing that cat-tail aloe in bloom at Berkeley Bot., so cool!
@Kris, I’m amazed the daffs can take all this rain, but they’ve been really good all over town so it must suit them. The dahlias, on the other hand, are touch and go. I picked up my order from Old House Dahlias and Orange Pekoe had rotted so no tubers.
@Kathy, the pet carrier worked really well and I could have put in a lot more plants but kept it to just a few for the trial run. Parahebe linifolia was one I brought back — never does well for me in zone 10. Had to rescue it and bring it north!
A beautiful place. Could see why your son moved there. I fly with plants all the time and have yet to be bothered by customs officials. Opens up so many opportunities for you now.
Not only can you travel with plants, but spiky ones too! I’ve carried many an opuntia and agave on board and nobody has ever said a thing…