Bellingham Experience, the community social platform that showcases the best of Whatcom County through resident photography, shared a beautiful Mother's Day weekend photo from Tennant Lake in Ferndale, WA. The image was captured by local photographer Angie Schulz and shows the lake's sweeping reflective surface and surrounding greenery at its May best.
Tennant Lake is one of Whatcom County's quieter natural gems. Located within the Hovander Homestead Park complex in Ferndale, the lake and its surrounding wetlands are managed as a wildlife preserve. The area draws birders, photographers, and families looking for a peaceful walk away from the more trafficked recreational areas closer to Bellingham proper. The floating boardwalk that winds through the wetland gives visitors an immersive view of the marsh ecosystem without disturbing the habitat.
May is prime season for Tennant Lake. The wetlands come alive with blooming water lilies later in summer, but the late spring months bring migrating waterfowl, nesting songbirds, and the vivid greens of new growth across the cattails and sedge meadows. The Fragrance Garden adjacent to the lake, managed by the City of Ferndale, is another draw for visitors who make the short trip north from Bellingham for a weekend outing.
Bellingham Experience regularly features photos from contributors throughout Whatcom County, highlighting locations from Larrabee State Park to the San Juan Islands viewpoints on Lummi Island. The platform has become a go-to source for residents who want to discover lesser-known corners of the region through community-submitted photography. Angie Schulz's contribution captures exactly the kind of local moment the platform is built around: a familiar place seen through fresh eyes at the right time of year.
For families looking for Mother's Day weekend outings, Hovander Homestead Park offers easy walking trails, historic farm buildings, and the boardwalk loop around Tennant Lake. The park is free to enter and open year-round. It sits off Nielsen Avenue in Ferndale, about 10 miles north of downtown Bellingham via I-5.
The weekend also brought community recognition to the public safety workers who spent Mother's Day on duty throughout Whatcom County. Both the Bellingham Police Department and Bellingham Fire Department shared messages honoring the mothers on their rosters who worked through the holiday. Full coverage of those public safety Mother's Day tributes is available for those who want to read more.
