Kids here have a midwinter break from school in February. Sometimes it happens to snow, but otherwise there’s not a whole lot to do on the island during that week off unless you enjoy family walks in drizzle or rain each day. We planned a trip back “home” to Santa …
February can be a mentally hard month here. By this point in the winter, it’s been gray and rainy for a long time, and sunshine is something our Orcas psyches pine for. I find that I’m least motivated in February to go out and walk, hike, or do anything in …
Several weeks ago we went “to America” for an orthodontist appointment and groceries. The kids and I stopped one final place and I lost my head and stayed about five minutes too long. “Oh my gosh, you guys!! I don’t know what I was thinking! We had plenty of time …
I woke up around midnight and couldn’t get back to sleep. The rain was pounding on the skylights and I couldn’t get my mind off of the fact that there are people who have been running in the 100-mile race ever since we watched them take off at 8 o’clock …
The number of people on little Orcas Island has temporarily increased by about 5% thanks to the 100-mile race that began this morning at 8 AM. Around 100 runners and about 200 “pit crew,” volunteers, and family members are here. Runners paid between $270 to $325 to enter and have …
I’m frugal, frugal, frugal. Eight years ago, I knew Orcas Island was for us when I discovered there were three used clothing stores within a three-block radius. Torture for me is walking around a retail store, burdened by the idea of buying any item for more than $20. I wear …
This past weekend I drew up some simple storyboards and our son and I filmed three commercials, just for fun. For some reason this one took three day-long tries at uploading before it was finally successful. So here’s the second of the series. The irony being that I still don’t …
Time to come out of the woodwork… J.Lo – you’re beautiful, you can dance, you can sing, and you’re famous enough to do it all for the Super Bowl halftime show. But I don’t really get it. It’s all still a bunch of sex-sensationalizing Madonna mimicry, just 30 years later. …
This is what you see on a morning walk on Orcas Island. It equates to a lot of priceless thinking time…
Since our big snow, the rain has taken over. We’ve heard that the ground here is 100% saturated. You see streams where trails were, new creeks cutting through the forest, and water glossing out over the roads. Cascade Lake has overflowed into the parking lot and into the whole grassy …
The next time you have an extra half-hour or so while awaiting your ferry back to Orcas Island, check this place out! It’s an overlook right in Anacortes that is pretty darn stunning, and it takes no time at all to get to. Just drive down Commercial Ave in Anacortes …
Ever since our big snow, it’s been gray and rainy. You know what that means – lots of indoor creativity! Time for some good, down-home apple-pie-making!
What do you do with rainy Northwest winter days and a son who’s well-versed in all kinds of technology? Why, you make commercials, of course! Here’s our first of the series…
