On a recent Monday afternoon, we went for a drive with our friend Chic to San de Fuca overlooking Penn Cove, with the water shining in the sun and a little white-sailed dinghy making its way. Madrona Way may well be one of the state’s most beautiful drives, with the big red-boled tress lining the roadway. Here and there an island home nestles in the greenery and we recalled how many years ago we flew with a friend the entire length of Penn Cove. No wonder early day sea captains sailing into the cove thought it would be a natural waterway to Seattle from the Straits and talked of a canal through Whidbey at this point.

Into Coupeville, past Town Park and on past the museum and Front Street. Not a parking place available. Visitors from everywhere lined the sidewalks and filled the shops. On to Main Street, down to Prairie Center and then to the Tyee for our afternoon coffee.

Out towards Ebey’s Prairie, past the 100 or more years-old homes kept in wonderful shape against the greens and golds of the prairie.

West Beach shone in the sunlight of an autumn day, wavelets tossed their white caps in ecstasy. Back through farms and fields of hay and winter crops. And we wondered about the people who had the view of the future when plans were in focus for the future!

Driving down Main Street again the elegant homes of yesterday bring back even our memories. The House of the Blue Bottles had a front window full of cobalt glass. The tall white home next to the Methodist Church where the Neil family lived after they moved north from Snakelum Point and where the older Neil children attended the Academy that was the largest school north of Seattle. The little telephone office used by the historical society as a museum. The big rock covered with ivy that is said to be the largest glacial rock in the state. And Prairie Center Mercantile that has been a store for more than 80 years.

Coupeville folks have to be congratulated for the forward-looking planning that has gone into reality. Care is taken when a new store is to be built on Front Street that its design fits in perfectly with buildings of more than a century ago. Commecial buildings somehow do not fit in with buildings of yesterday that help make Coupeville a special place to live. Peaceful Valley is still just that. People are friendly, schools are outstanding and visitors to Coupeville are most apt to come back again to show friends the perfect little town of yesterday with all of today!