Port Townsend Washington State More Deer Than People?

Having a shower in the claw-foot tub of my Victorian era rental home in Port Townsend, I reached for my razor on the windowsill ledge. Something caught my eye, outside in the yard. I pulled the curtain back for a better look, not thinking of my current state. He stood there staring right at me with a stunned look on his face. I wondered, what kind of place had I moved to? I just smiled and stared right back at him.

An early evening walk to the Food Co-op grocery store, on my first night in Port Townsend Washington, several deer where grazing on a lawn along Clay Street. I saw more deer than people on the way to the store. Where are all the people? I later walked downtown, looking out on Port Townsend Bay from Union Wharf, and I knew I made a great choice for my April nomad home. I loved the town already.

Twilight at Port Townsend Bay

Most noteworthy, Port Townsend has beautiful Victorian era houses and buildings. While some are in great condition, others could use a little love. The Hastings Building, looking elegant in blue, with the upper floors vacant since the 1960’s. A rehabilitation plan will bring the Hastings Building back to its original beauty.

The house I rented for a month, built in 1890, as are many of the homes in Port Townsend. The building boom occurred when people thought that Port Townsend would be the main port in the area. As a result the town built up for an influx of people who never showed up. The boom went bust in the early 1890’s. The anticipated population of 20,000 is still over double the current count of 9,255 people.

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Upper floors of Hastings building in Port Townsend Washington

I love the old wood flooring in the living room of my Port Townsend home. The bathroom features a claw-foot bathtub, with a shower attachment. I often see deer, munching on the backyard salad bar, from my kitchen window. In addition, there are plenty of windows throughout the house so I have lots of natural light. There is an upstairs suite but no one has rented it this month, peace and quiet for me.

Seems it always takes me a week or so to get used to my new nomad accommodations. Unpacking and organizing all of my possessions takes a couple of hours. The first few days in a new place I have been known to smash into furniture. My thighs and toes have bumped into many a bed frame. Generally, after a week I become accustomed to the layout of the furniture. My bruises fade.

Because people are friendly in Port Townsend, they say hello when they walk by. Sometimes there are long conversations at the checkout counter, about various topics, unrelated to the business at hand. I enjoy the casual and laid back vibe in Port Townsend.

Perhaps that guy gazing at me through my bathroom window always looked casual and chill when I saw him around town. While now he is staring at me, eyes frozen, looking either frightened or excited. I spoke to him – Don’t look at me like you’ve never seen a naked woman before! And I kept on smiling.

And he just kept on staring. Okay maybe he was really a she, what do I know about peeping stags or peeping does?

Port Townsend deer roam around and sometimes stare into my bathroom window