I spent a beautiful Sunday in Pioneer Park, listening to bluegrass, blues and ballads, poetry from folks around the valley, supporting my people at the Skagit River Poetry Foundation as they offered the day up.

For those of you who drive over the bridge often, as I did for 30 some years and rarely set foot in the park (only for the Pioneer Picnic, parents/graduates picnic attendee), I say you are missing a lovely combination of what nature and humanity have to offer. There is no place like it, no place where a cool breeze floats off the channel, up into the park, through a magnificent Doug Fir cathedral. The bridge peeks through their tops.

There’s a small amphitheater and log seating, the lodge has been repaired with care.

Our event was advertised through the La Conner Weekly News, a few posters, word-of-mouth. Plenty of folks came, I am sure stopping in La Conner first for a stroll. Skagit Valley and La Conner have become famous and will be, for a very long time. Those of us who live here understand that, we followed our hearts here one way or another.

If we believe that more advertising is needed, more kitschy stuff is needed, I suggest reviewing inventory and business plan. If our time here is short and depending on some kind of windfall, please respect what we love about us and this place.

We’re all, perhaps, looking for home away from home. In 1988 I received my comeuppance from Terry Nelson’s mom, Roberta.

Respectfully,

Georgia Johnson

Greater La Conner