The Willows Inn on Lummi Island

I think my penchant for islands started as a little girl when I read a Pippi Longstocking story in which Pippi takes her pals Tommy, Anika and Mr. Nilson on an adventure to a "deserted" island in the middle of a lake to show them what it is like to be shipwrecked. I must have liked that idea because ever since then, every time I've seen an island in the middle of the lake I've had a strong desire to hop in a rowboat and go on an adventure of my own : )

Given this lifelong fascination with islands, it's not surprising that my very favorite place in Whatcom County to get away for awhile is Lummi Island. A few weeks ago I got to shoot my first wedding at a cozy little bed & breakfast on the island, The Willows Inn. I had driven past The Willows more than a dozen times on my trips to the beach but never had an occasion to stop there and explore, so I was very excited about getting to shoot a wedding there!

I was taking a break to have a bit of dinner and let the guests enjoy theirs when Riley, one of the inn's proprietors, pulled up a chair and sat down to talk. After I stopped raving about the meal (it was fabulous!!) we got around to talking about my work. He mentioned needing some updated photos of the inn for the website and of course I mentioned my willingness to work in trade (with that meal on my plate in front of me, how could I not?!) Riley was excited about the idea so I made the trek out to the island on a sunny spring day last week to do my best to capture the spirit of the place!

I've not done a lot of work like this in the past so I really enjoyed the challenge. Each room is uniquely decorated with great attention to details so I had plenty of fodder to work with! Here are a few shots that I think give a good feel for The Willows experience... My favorite room at the Inn is The Cottage. It's so bright and airy and has a nice view of the grounds of the inn and the distant islands!
I couldn't resist this shot... I could just imagine visitors putting their feet up to relax while taking in that beautiful scene! (In the distance are Matia and Sucia Islands, both of which I have visited by sailboat. They are as beautiful up close as they are in the distance...)
Downstairs in the Inn is the Taproot Pub and Espresso. It was closed for business on the day I was there so I sneaked down to get a few shots of the interior. It's such a warm, inviting place!Wanting to capture the entire Willows experience, I headed down to the private beach to snap a few shots...My second attempt at a panorama proved to be a major pain but because this view in front of The Willows is so beautiful, I just couldn't let it go until I got it right (or at least good enough!)

(Click to see in large size!)

Before I left I insisted Riley & Judy take a few minutes to sit for the camera because it just wouldn't be right to not have a picture of the innkeepers on the inn's website!

If you're looking for a nice, peaceful place for a weekend getaway or just somewhere new to eat an ultra-fresh, fabulous meal, this is definitely the place to go! Not only does Riley supply the Inn's restaurant with his reefnet salmon catches but the organic produce, chicken and eggs are raised on their property called Nettles Farm. It just doesn't get any better than that...

Riley & Judy, it was great meeting and working with you! I'm really looking forward to spending more time at the inn whether it's for dinner, a wedding or one of the many fun events you offer!