The Famous Bayview

This is where Jody works. The red building is the farm store, and the white buildings are the garden store, where she functions as the assistant manager. The rest of the nursery extends to the right of the photo, and it is a stitched photo, so i could lay out the whole panorama on the desktop, but it won't work here.

Basically, it's an equal right angle, and about a third of the red barn is missing from the photo. It's as deep behind the garden store.

What makes this place so incredible is not only the organic emphasis, but the staff. Between them, they have oodles of degrees, and they stay current in their field. So the information about plants is up-to-date and thorough. And they are great people to boot.

Maureen owns the business. A wonderful woman whose spirit is way beyond her diminutive size. She's a good boss, and has become a good friend as well. Eric runs the yard. For a good time, yell out "Hey, yard boy!" He loves it. I met him before Jody worked there when I took a leaf to him, and asked what it was. Turns out it was a Mimosa, and it's a beautiful tree right in front of the Island Coffee House in Langley. The farmer that runs the farm store is Miranda. Always quick with a phrase, she knows her farm stuff. Duke is a part timer in the farm store on the weekends. Jody's direct boss is the living embodiment of Betsy Boop. Elly, Steve, the other Jody, Brian and a host of part timers and new seasonal folk fill out the cast at Bayview.

Part of the wonder of the place is the the corner it's located in. You can see a roof above the garden stores that runs perpendicular to the garden store. That's the roof of the Bayview Center, which is across the parking lot from the Bayview Corner, directly behind the farm store barn. The Center hosts many events from concerts to the Unitarian services on Sunday. The Corner hosts the Three Cat's Cafe, a cozy little place. The Fishmonger is also there, and it's a wonderful place for fresh sea food, and on a couple Saturday nights a month, a Seattle sushi chef comes over for Sushi Saturday Nights at the Fishmonger.

The Star Store of Langley has a satellite store at the Bayview Corner, and there is also the Hub, a bicycle shop. There is also an art supply store, a beauty shop, and the offices of the The Record, the south end newspaper. Upstairs is the front Room, that hosts dances and art exhibits among other events.

It's a busy place. Lot's of people, and of course that's the perfect environment for Jody, because she may not be political, or religious, but she is a people person above all. And believe it or not, that all makes sense, and in truth, the only sense.

This is where Jody works, and where a portion of this small part of the world we inhabit, are fortunate enough to meet her.