| Amazingly, the drive was fast. We expected it to be longer or seem more time-consuming. We arrived into the town of Montesano, WA without diffictuly. We managed to cover the 96 mile distance in a hour and 50 minutes. We were early (before the creamery opened) so it was ample time to eat breakfast at the Bee Hive Restaurant. Oddly enough, the service and food were good. By the time we finished up, the creamery had opened for business. Easily we found the Estrella Family Creamery. In fact, it’s just minutes outside of town! At first glance, it’s just a farm. But it certainly is more. We popped in their ‘office’. Basically, it’s a viewing room attached to the processing area. Certainly smells like it. Smells like cutured cheese. Smell like teen spirit!
Estrella Family Creamery: Too small area to conduct business in. Be prepared to wait. Simplicity is key here. The workers were liberal about sample sizes and such. Low-technology. No cash register, no electronic funds transfer (EFT) device, no formal way of tracking sales. Yikes! They wrote it down in a notebook. Cash only. Ok.
Not only was it chaotic inside, outside as well. The first weather band brought heavy rain and hail. Next, sun. Finally clear skies. Eventually we arrived to the front of the line to purchase. I realized that we don’t have the cheddar to cover the transaction. Lrod! No boodle, bank, coin, bread, nothing! We discreetly slip out of line, hop in the car, and head to Montesano.
But, the deer stopped us.
Four black-tailed deer were grazing in a open pasture near-by. So we parked, took pictures, and beckoned to them. Finally, they approached the car. To Charlene’s delight she captured some great pictures of all the deer. So we blaze back into town. More pictures of the welcome sign, the Kitsap County Municipal building, and the flagpole. One tiem of note would be the pizzeria and laundry mat. Both businesses were house in the same building. How convenient for college kids!
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So we get back to Estrella. Plow through line, and buy cheese.
Next stop… Bainbridge Island Winery. It’s part of the North Sound Winery Loop but we’ve never been there. To make a long story short (too late!) It was another cash-only business. We only managed to get enough cash for the cheese. Ugh. We made a mad dash for home instead.
“Cash is king.”
CLEARLY!
Cheers,
Carlos & Charlene Bayne
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