May: Festivals and Flowers

May in Seattle means the rhododendrons are abloom and the mild days stretch long; up to 16 hours of daylight. It's also the beginning of the outdoor festival season. Locally, this weekend we have the University District Street Fair May 15 and 16, a favorite of mine, where "country fair meets urban retail corridor". And in a couple of weeks the Folklife Festival at the Seattle Center. A huge, free Memorial Day weekend of world music, dance, food and crafts in the shade of the Space Needle. It's an easy bus ride to the Center on the #8 bus line from Salisbury House Bed and Breakfast . Or take our local #10 line downtown and then the monorail to get the full 1962 World's Fair flavor.

Further afield is the Maritime Gig Festival in picturesque Gig Harbor, June 5 and 6, with a parade and classic yacht show. A Father's Day weekend choice is the Washington Brewers Festival June 18-20, an all-ages gathering with more than 200 craft beers featured in a bucolic setting across Lake Washington. And another favorite trip of ours is to Kitsap Peninsula for the Forest Theater's outdoor productions in a wild rhododendron glen just outside of Bremerton. See the "Sound of Music" May 30-June 20.

Ongoing outdoor events:

• Bicycle Sundays when Lake Washington Blvd is closed to motor vehicles from 10am to 6pm.
• Free concerts at the Chittenden Locks every Sunday afternoon at 2pm.
• Out to Lunch concert series in a number of downtown locations on Wednesday and Fridays at noon. Free, pick up picnic supplies at the Pike Place Market.

Early Spring Baking

From the kitchen window of the inn we can track the daily progress towards spring. The massive camellia outside the Garden Room is in full bloom, the crocuses are up and the tiny jonquils in the side yard are getting swelled heads, soon they'll burst open in cheerful yellow.

We've finished the winter renovations, and have made a big dent in the deep cleaning. My office is reorganized and has a fresh coat of paint. Sadly, my terrific assistant, Shelley, has left to start her own inn (more details later!) but I'm taking the opportunity to train my senior housekeeper, Robert, with some of her tasks. This month we are adding baking to his skills. He is bravely taking the spatula to the bowl for the first time ever. He proudly took a loaf of his Lemon Coconut Bread to share with his mother and grandmother. There's nothing better than a man who can cook! Ladies, he's single.

INNProvements

January is renovation month at Salisbury House Bed & Breakfast. It's the quiet season but that doesn't mean we are snoozing by the fire all the time (though we do a little of that). Between guests we are deep cleaning each of the guest rooms, making repairs and small improvements. The entry, stairs and second floor hallway all have a fresh coat of paint and the public rooms will get a touch up too.

Guests will find new bath salts and cloud-like oversize towels (eco-friendly ones) in their bathrooms. We added a printer available for guest use in the library and our tech guy did something mysterious to speed up our already fast WiFi.

Enjoy a winter discount through March of $15 a night for stays of three nights or more. It's a good time to visit, it may be freezing where you are, but it's pretty mild here, mid 50's and the camellias are just starting to bloom.