Emy and Lisa Carter have invited their musical friends to entertain us tonight at Orcas Island Community Church – everyone in the community is welcome and it is free (or by donation if you’d like). They put on a concert several months ago and it was fantastic! Don’t miss this …
I’ve been loving Jerremy Foss’s photographs lately. On his birthday walk the other morning, he captured one of the rare times that high tide overtakes the road along Crescent Beach, pushing all the driftwood across it. I didn’t get to see it, so I loved coming across his photos… Jerremy …
Hilarious bumper sticker that Ray’s Pharmacy just got in… I’m not a cusser but couldn’t resist!
What a wild week it was! No power Thursday from 4:ish PM to 2:ish AM, no power Saturday 8:ish AM to 3:ish PM, thick powdery snow, icy streets, people unable to leave their driveways, and 4-degree temperatures at times with wind chill. On Friday night, temperatures rose quickly and snow …
Sometime on Saturday from 12-6, stop by Rosario Resort to see their Festival of Trees (I happened to visit before the snow)…
If you’re in town running your last errands, I’ll be in Ray’s Pharmacy signing books all day if you need some last-minute gifts for Christmas.
Time now slows down… The islands are out… While your computer still has power (and if your WiFi lasts several more hours), you can go here to check on the power outage.
We thoroughly enjoyed the snow out there today, knowing it will be gone soon. Snow is predicted every hour tonight, and then higher temperatures and rain tomorrow will most likely wash it all away.
Several events have been added to this schedule since the last one I posted several weeks ago (though snow and low temperatures may cancel some of these)… Thurs, Dec 22 Orcas Island Elementary School Concert in the High School Gym, 6:30 PM Fri, Dec 23 Life on Orcas Island book …
Several weeks ago was the Solstice Mercantile at Orcas Winery (December 3rd). Here’s a glimpse…
I only saw the final 10 minutes of the 2-hour Children’s Holiday Market on December 11th at the library – one of my favorite events of the entire Christmas season, in which kids of all ages dream up hundreds of items to make and sell. It’s quite a thing to …
Did you see the KANU concert at Orcas Center before Thanksgiving? I didn’t plan to, but our neighbors called the morning after the first night and said they had been talking about the concert for TWO hours! Even though we were packing for a trip to Texas, I decided our …
What perfect, deep powder the night’s snowfall left for us this morning – terrible for snowballs, amazing for sledding! It’s always hard to come in from a winter wonderland here because you never know what the conditions will be like tomorrow – it could all be gone in a flash. …
I was just about to head to bed around 10:30 when it hit me – ‘What am I thinking? Tonight’s one of those rare, virgin-snow nights! I’ve gotta walk into town and see the white, solitary sights before they’ve changed by the morning!’ Here’s what town looked like… The only …
In case you missed the Holiday Market days at the Odd Fellows Hall last weekend, here’s a look… Great job to the San Juan Makers Guild and specifically Marcy, Tabitha, and Stephen for putting it on.
We’ve been visiting Santa in Deer Harbor every December since our kids were little. They were sick in bed this whole past week of school before their break, which was such a bummer for them. Sometimes that happens – the sickness persists when kids want to be at school, then …
I’ve always thought life here is like being in a little magical shake-up globe world. Especially on snow days like these (to you who live afar, snow isn’t an everyday thing for us)…
If you’re needing more Christmas gifts, I’ll be signing books at Ray’s Pharmacy from 10-6 today. Come on in and visit me!
The GiveOrcas Campaign is going strong right now, and will continue until December 15th. A link on the OICF site takes you to the information below. Wow, the generosity! Check out the 2020 statistics from this site:
Ray’s Pharmacy will be hosting four more author signings for Life on Orcas Island, the perfect Christmas gift for anyone who loves this place!… Tuesday, December 13, 1-3 PM Thursday, December 15, 1-3 PM Friday, December 16, 9:30-6 PM Friday, December 23, 9:30-6 PM Thanks so much to all the …
These adults and kids have been working really hard (and joyfully!) over the past several months to bring this concert to you! Click here to get tickets for Saturday at 7 PM or Sunday at 2 PM at Orcas Center. You will be treated to various music and musicians, so …
Food Bank Director Amanda Sparks is the 2022 GiveOrcas Flat Person, serving as the ambassador for the GiveOrcas Holiday Campaign. I just happened upon her at Orcas Center, as the Choral Society was rehearsing for their weekend concerts. She now joins the Flat Person Family – the people chosen from previous years… Flat …
There are a lot of fun Christmas activities happening this weekend! Saturday starts off with an awesome Winter Holiday Artisan Market from 10-3, then a Night Market from 5-8 (the Night Market time on the sign below is incorrect), both at the Odd Fellows Hall. We were just setting up …
The perfect gift for the person who loves Orcas Island and already has everything they want!
The gray blanket threatened to persist, but the sun broke through!
I LOVE seeing all the gingerbread contestants’ creations for our annual local contest, thanks to the Funhouse and Island Market! We have phenomenal culinary artists here! You’ll have to go in Island Market and see them if you haven’t yet. As you look at them, imagine how much effort EVERY …
This annual tradition continues, and if you haven’t heard about it, it is a fundraiser that turns out AMAZING results for local organizations, thanks to the INCREDIBLE GENEROSITY of this community. Here’s the lowdown from their website: Today is one of the game days mentioned above, so if you read …
Ah, choosing a tree. Everyone has an opinion. ‘Tis the season for joy and compromise 🙂 …
The cookies and crafts are all set up and ready for kids and families to come on in and have fun!…
Leading up to the Winter Holiday Artisan Markets happening at the Odd Fellows Hall the weekend of December 9-11th, there will be an auction of similar local goods and experiences here. The auction is hosted by the San Juan Islands Makers Guild, featuring 48 artists and artisans. All items are …
And the tree was lit… (Eastsound Village Green)
If you went out walking on Crescent Beach right now and looked at the surface of the water very carefully, you’d see the tops of dozens of seals’ heads. Look even more carefully and you’ll see that they are watching you. I talk to them – I’m trying to get …
Fri, Dec 2 Lum Farm Christmas Trees for sale & Farmstand w/ homemade ice cream, cheeses, gifts, etc., 11-5 Online Auction for Winter Holiday Artisan Market Goods from Orcas, Lopez and San Juan Islands Gangstagrass at Orcas Center, 7 PM Sat, Dec 3 American Legion Holiday Bazaar, 10-3 Lum Farm’s …
Life on Orcas Island books are starting to go fast now that the Christmas season is drawing near. If you would like to get some for relatives and friends, here’s where to go: Darvill’s (to the right of the cashier’s desk on a Local Authors table): Ray’s Pharmacy (on the …
Walking past the overlook of East Sound today, I passed a little vignette I had to capture. This is Kristy. She grew up on Beaver Island, the largest island in Lake Michigan. Kristy grew up taking the ferry to mainland Michigan, and she resonates with Orcas Island in more ways …
Vulnerability opens doors in people’s hearts. Raw, brave sharing is inspirational and powerful. It lifts, encourages, and builds all those who are on the receiving end, and the sender soon hears how supported and how very un-alone they actually are. It’s a win-win. (In contrast, remaining hush-hush about hardships, while …
Karl Krüger was a natural pick to highlight in Life on Orcas Island. He is our local stand-up-paddleboarding phenom (there are some others, too, all of whom I call “the windriders” when I catch sight of them downwinding East Sound on beyond-blustery days while I’m washing dishes in my kitchen). …
It’s only early November and it’s snowing and actually sticking. Sun is forecast for tomorrow, so it will be gone in a flash… 10 PM:
Some people have an enthusiasm for life no matter what. I can’t ever remember running into Ezekiel Barr without seeing a smile on his face. After he composed the following list, we had the most fascinating conversation about his life. Love for others is what guides him, and he aims to …
Oh, how fun and fleeting all of last weekend’s activities were! Enjoy… CAMP ORKILA’S HAUNTED HAYRIDE Do you know what happens when one or two hundred kids gather in a giant field, in the cold, buzzing with expectation, waiting sometimes an hour or two for their turn to do a …
If you haven’t met Nikki Ames or been in her clothing shop, Très Fabu, now’s your chance. After 24 years of being an island institution on the main drag in Eastsound, it’s all winding down – this is her shop’s final month. Make sure to go in – Nikki exudes …
This blog and the book that came from it exist because years ago, a friend gave me encouragement at a poignant time. I was standing in Sequel chatting with Michelle Gregg, and I mentioned that I was considering starting a blog about the island. She said, “Edee, if you start …
Wow – check out the work that’s gone into this! Go to Orcas Christian School for their annual clothing drive THIS WEEKEND! Lots and lots of FREE clothes!! Please share this with anyone you know who might benefit. Clothing, jackets, blankets, shoes, kids clothes – at the Orcas Christian School …
Every now and then, life takes us either to the mainland or Friday Harbor for various types of appointments. Today life took me to San Juan Island. A five-hour roundtrip for a 10-minute appointment is normal in these parts – an hour on the ferry, several hours waiting for the …
October has been full of all kinds of weather and beauty. See you this weekend at Camp Orkila’s Haunted Hayride Saturday night, their Fall Festival Sunday afternoon, and trick-or-treating on Monday in Eastsound!
Oh, how I love this event. It epitomizes Orcas Island – talent, courage, and supportiveness! IF YOU MISSED IT OR WANT TO SEE IT AGAIN WATCH THE WHOLE SHOW BY CLICKING HERE! Here are a few clips from the show (not full performances). I only have a handful, but I’ve …
Every person has a different natural bent. My natural state is happy contentment (unless someone else’s negative bent is put upon mine). Some have a natural state that rests in anxiety. Some are low and heavy. Some can’t sit still, and their comfortable place is an uncomfortable freneticism, perhaps even …
I’ve thought of joining the Choral Society for years but wasn’t ever sure if I wanted to leave the house in the evenings when our kids are home and we’re all eating dinner and hanging out. I decided to go for it this year, and even though I’m not a …
The smoke lessened and the coolness of late fall descended this morning. We turned on the heater last week for the first time, sought out our warm slipper boots, and the dampness filled my jeans this morning, hanging by the open bedroom window. I washed my shorts for what may …
Yesterday afternoon the smoke came rolling in. By the time school was over and games and practices were about to begin, the amount of particulates in the air was deemed too high. The visiting soccer team was sent all the way back home to the mainland, and local sports practices …
theOrcasonian.com has a new intern from Orcas Island High School! Read Ellie Wright’s first article on the site about the Orcas Community Resource Center by clicking here. Look for more to come by Ellie! Photos courtesy of OCRC and Ellie
To read 27 Things About Tony Ghazel, go to the article on theOrcasonian here.
I just read the following and I pulled it straight off the Orcas Recycling Services site in case you creative people out there are looking for a fall and winter project to dream up… Ready to take the Orcas Glass Challenge? What is it? An opportunity for artists, makers, innovators, up-cyclists …
You may pass Marjorie along the road every day. She walks into town by choice each morning, wearing the funnest colors, patterns, and shoes regardless of weather and rain. I love that about her! She doesn’t let the gray weather of winter dissuade her from some personality, individuality, and flair. …
I thought you might like a look at this significant land transformation. I can’t help but pass by it and marvel at the abundance happening inside. All Hands on Earth, a nonprofit begun by Alex Tamayo-Wolf, transformed the open field below at the front of Orcas Christian School into a …
I was in the right place at the right time with no camera. How fun it would have been to show Orcas Island High school’s Homecoming parade in Eastsound on Friday. Oh well. Thank you, Debbie Post, for this photo of Bill Perry, OIHS Class of 1962, here at Homecoming …
Recently I heard a few radio ads that said something like, “We know, it’s hard to eat right.” I remember hearing someone say years ago that she had no idea how to eat right. I had the same internal reaction to both: “Really??” Shelves are packed with books on how …
Happy 93rd year to my friend, painter and writer Frank Loudin – our own Norman Rockwell. I will publish each of his ten episodes as they correspond to the right time in each season about Orcas Island’s beloved coffee and goodies store, Teezer’s, which is now a place in our …
I love the Annual Orcas Island Farm Tour. Of the nine farms, we chose to visit three last Saturday. Here they are… Slanted Apple Farm Warm Valley Farm Lum Farm
Saturday was a beautiful day to celebrate the final Farmers’ Market of the summer…
Last Friday at Orcas Center was the opening party of Island Bounty, a local art, food, and agriculture show celebrating all things related to the land here in our island community. It also kicked off the Annual Orcas Island Farm Tour, which included the final Farmers’ Market of the summer …
Anyone still need your senior portraits taken? I’m offering 90 minutes for $175. You get all the photos. Here are some samples from the past two weeks. See my gallery here to peruse my photography over the past 20 years.
The Orcas Island Film Festival begins this Thursday and lasts through Monday, the 10th. I always forget to look ahead of time at the films on the OIFF schedule until a few days before it all begins, and sometimes the one or two I’m interested in are full by then. …
ORCAS CENTER TONIGHT (FRIDAY) Tonight Orcas Center and the San Juan Islands Agriculture Guild are launching the Annual Orcas Farm Tours with the Island Bounty opening party from 4-7 PM. It’s free for all ages to come and enjoy the art, food, and farms that make Orcas Island what it …
The runners will take off from the track at the public high school at 3:30 today! See you there! Thank goodness the ferries are running smoothly this week after last week’s postponement!
Now this is quintessential Orcas Island! Come on out everybody – let’s have fun dancing together!
Sign up: orcasparkandrec.org Questions: Tom Baldwin: tbaldwin@ucr.edu For more information, contact the Orcas Choral Society. Welcome to all students grades 6-12 from Orcas Middle School, Orcas High School, Orcas Christian School, Spring Street International School, Salmonberry, Homeschool, and OASIS.
Whale of a Show is going to happen again this year at Orcas Center! Woohoo!! I’m a diehard fan of this, and of the other island talent shows as well (for adults and seniors). I bought tickets for my family the minute I heard it was on! Kids ages 5-18 years old …
Several weeks ago I offered to you, the island community and people afar, a place on this blog for your essay called This I Believe. Here is the first one submitted. (If you are interested in writing an essay called This I Believe and then recording it, click here to …
Thanks so much if you were planning on coming! They hope it can happen next Wednesday…
Local biologist and author Thor Hanson’s latest book is called Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid. He often does speaking events, and I believe he’s in the middle of a Zoom talk right now for the Orcas Island Garden Club. Thor is quite the phenom, which is why I highlighted him …
Oh, how invigorating it was to show up at the track this afternoon and see parents, teachers, students, community members, concessions, hot dogs, normalcy, and excitement for the soccer and volleyball games! Life is returning in all its forms here! If you’re ready for more rooting, come to the track …
I’ve been wanting to post Olga Rising for months now, and my photos just don’t do it justice, so I’ll give you a basic look at it if you haven’t been there yet, and you’ll have to see the rest for yourself. This place used to be Vance’s jewelry shop. …
This Saturday all women are invited to Orcas Island Community Church for a simulcast event by speaker and author, Priscilla Shirer. You don’t have to be a church-goer to attend – all are welcome. It’s from 9-3 with a few breaks in between. If you’ve never been to one of …
Remember when there was no such thing as an answering machine? I remember the day my parents bought one. It was so exciting! We all took turns recording a message and laughing at our mess-ups. It was fun to come home every day and press the button on the machine …
If you are in need of portraits of your senior, I am offering 90 minutes of portrait photography for $175. You will receive a flash drive with all the photos on it within 2 days in order to use as you wish for prints, etc. (I don’t make prints.) Email …
I never saw this rendition of “Happy” from 2014 until someone passed it on to me – this is awesome!
Come on down and visit me at Darvill’s this morning from 10-12!
Meet Sharon Abreu and you’ll immediately feel how positive, talented, and humble she is. She is always upbeat, and when she feels there needs to be change in the world, she uses the performing arts to kindly, respectfully, and creatively confront environmental and political issues. I have observed her from …
How very Orcas that the reason I was running late getting to the Farmers’ Market yesterday was due to a lovely turkey visit on our property. Wild turkeys are in certain places on the island but haven’t come to hang out near our house, at least in the last decade, …
The festivities and fundraisers continue. Wish I could go but I’ll be at my Farmers’ Market table and then a Darvill’s book signing until 5 PM. Enjoy it for me!!! (It says 2002 below, but it’s tomorrow!)
You are invited to artist Stephanie Clair’s Open House Art Show tomorrow and Sunday from 12-5 PM at 885 Bartel Road. Follow the signs from Terrill Beach Road, and take a stroll down a tree-lined road to a little red farmhouse where you will find the Wandering Soul Art Gallery. …
After driving down the newly designed Prune Alley today, I noticed yellow signs declaring a big rug sale at the Odd Fellows Hall. I followed them. This is what I saw: There you will meet a kind man named Parviz who is selling off his beautiful rugs handmade in various …
Last night was the first night Prune Alley has been lit by its new lamps!
Tonight Prune Alley officially opened at 6 PM with lovely speeches, a non-motorized parade of people walking down the street for the first time, KIND bars and homemade cookies, and middle-of-the-street socializing. Speakers starting off the event included Councilperson Cindy Wolf, Project Manager Colin Huntemer, and Contractor Mike Carlson, and …
In case you missed this past Saturday’s show at the Village Green, the finale of the summer series, you’ve gotta watch some clips – the Rise Up singers and musicians are fantastic: It became quickly apparent that a young contingent of the crowd was quite well-versed in all of the …
Teachers, Students, Community Members, and People Afar, I invite you to write an essay called “This I Believe” for the public to read and hear, in a tradition that began as a radio program in the 1950s hosted by journalist Edward R. Murrow and has continued through the decades. Each …
Chris and Eliza Morris are the owners of Island Thyme and some of the most genuine, down-to-earth people you’ll ever meet. Many of us islanders have their locally grown and made products in our pockets, showers, and cabinets. While I’ve crossed paths with them umpteen times over the years in the …
Local musicians Emy & Lisa Carter and Steven Baker as well as other local singers and musicians performed in tonight’s Truth and Light Concert on the back lawn at Orcas Island Community Church. It was excellent! Check it out…
This looks like the kind of summer concert finale that we islanders should not miss! I’ve missed a few here and there over the summer that I heard were incredible. See you Saturday at 4:00 at the Village Green!
There you have it.
I just had to capture this moment from a few weeks ago – a fleeting moment rubbing literary shoulders with John Muir and Thoreau’s Walden during a book signing. Thank you, Darvill’s Bookstore, for the joy of having my book in your store!
Orcas Island teaches you new things every day. I’ve been selling my recent book, Life on Orcas Island, at the Saturday Farmers’ Market this summer, which means I have fours hours to soak up all the beauty and local wonder downtown each time I’m there. This past Saturday, I was …
Over a month ago, long-time islander Troy O’Neal suffered a stroke. He’s probably one of the strongest guys I know of. I don’t know him well at all, but I’ve seen him over the years at different events at Orcas Christian School. His family recently moved to North Carolina, and …
Meet Denny and Cindy Carter’s four children and there is no doubt that their parents have done more than a few things right in raising them. Matthew, Nathan, and twins Emy and Lisa are kind-hearted, intelligent, polite, respectful, and respectable young adults. They all know how to work hard, have …
In all these months of construction along Prune Alley Road, I think the hardest business hit may be Sequel. I’m not speaking on behalf of them, in fact I hope owner Keri Lago is okay with my saying so. I think it all the time. It hasn’t been easy to …
Wow, is there a lot of music happening these days! Check it out: Make sure to click here for the Chamber Music Festival’s schedule of events. The photo heading this post is of Time for Three with Sempre Sisters, playing Aug 5th at the Village Green.
We’ve heard people say for years that summer here – meaning consistent sunshine – can only be counted on starting somewhere around the 4th of July. This is one of those summers. The rains usually come again once blackberry season is winding down in late August or early September. I …
This is the second episode of my friend Frank Loudin’s Teezer’s Twists series. Teezer’s was Orcas Island’s beloved coffee and goodies store on North Beach Road (it was across the street from Mijitas), and is now a place in our memories and in island history. Frank and his wife Jannie …
I’m going to put a few spreads from my book, Life on Orcas Island, on this blog periodically so you get a feel for who and what is inside. This photo on the left is of Alyson Stephens, our beloved local physical therapist and Zumba instructor. Here she’s in the …
Didier Gincig is one of those people that you could meet once and never forget. He has an enthusiasm for life that is downright infectious, and he acknowledges each person he encounters with such presence, which implies to me that every moment, every person, and every interaction is important to …
How fun it’s been to do author signings now and then at Darvill’s Bookstore! Today is another signing from 3-5. See ya there!
What another beautiful day for Farmers’ Market! See you there from 10-2! Here’s a look at last week…
George Post will also be there to speak about the origins of The Exchange, and Peter Fisher will speak about Madrona Point, the Land Bank, and OPAL. Nancy Stillger and the Orcas Island Historical Museum will be launching the bison exhibit tonight. DJ Bodhicypha (Ian Welch) will be spinning music …
Jon Welch is someone I have come across for years in various capacities here on the island, first at TeeJay’s Tacos at the Odd Fellows Hall many years ago, and most recently at the ferry kiosk. He has always been kind-hearted, even-keel, and helpful. He even spoke up for me …
If you’d like to buy a copy of Life on Orcas Island, I’ll be at Farmers’ Market tomorrow from 10-2 and then I’ll be signing books at Darvill’s from 3-5. See you in town!
Happy 92nd Birthday to my friend Frank Loudin, a wonderful painter and writer – our own Norman Rockwell. In honor of him celebrating his first several days into his 93rd year, I am honored to publish the first of his ten episodes about Orcas Island’s beloved coffee and goodies store, …
Oh lovely summer here…
Tomorrow’s community-weaving evening is the second of three “Village on the Green” events from 6-9 PM. People will be gathering to share their island projects, especially those in which women are leading Orcas Island workshops, classes, organizations, and events. Bring your family and a picnic. There will be music by …
Susan Slapin lives life enamored with nature, birds singing all around, lilacs and forsythias brightening the air, vibrant choices of pastels to fit her mood, and her partner and her dog Matisse at her side. She kindly allowed me to be immersed in her life one beautiful day – a …
I so enjoyed being on Lift Your Spirits with Dena Marie and Gretchen Krampf (my second time). Thanks, you two, for inviting me on the show! Click here to listen to it.
All kids from kindergarten to 5th grade are welcome to Vacation Bible School at Orcas Island Community Church, which starts tomorrow and goes through Friday, from 12:45-3:15. Register ahead by emailing stephanie@orcaschurch.org or show up at the church at 12:30 tomorrow. It’s always a blast with games, music, funny skits, …
Our neighbor is an electrician here on the island and his work has taken him to many, if not most, islanders’ homes and businesses. The other day I asked him who he thinks of as a quintessential veteran on Orcas Island, my aim being a fitting subject to interview over …
Today was wonderful from start to finish – events and festivities from morning till night. It’s how every summer day on Orcas used to be before COVID. We’re finally getting back to normal! Here’s a look at the noon parade down the main drag in Eastsound (North Beach Road)… Today …
Life is like the old days again! This extended weekend is so invigorating because everything is back as it was before COVID, and we’ll get a taste of it all – 4th of July Parade, Farmers’ Market, Matthew the Magician show, Martin Lund’s One World 20th Anniversary Concert at the …
Life on Orcas Island will be available across from the Village Green on North Beach Road today from 11-5 PM (thanks to the kindness of our former neighbor who now lives there). Come on down! What a sparkling start to this 4th of July weekend – the sun is streaming …
How fun to see Life on Orcas Island in the window at Darvill’s Bookstore – an author’s dream! I’ll keep you posted, as there will be Saturday book signings this month!
This past weekend was stunning. The clouds finally parted all day, both days, signalling the true beginning of summer for us islanders. It couldn’t have been a more perfect time for the Orcas Island Garden Tour. The idea of driving on such beautiful days immediately took a backseat to the …
In March, I interviewed Kate Jewell about her upcoming trip to help Ukrainian refugees in Poland. She has returned, and I asked if she would write about her experiences in her own words: My reason for going to Poland was to work with Ukrainians displaced by Putin’s War. Upon my …
Come down to Darvill’s Bookstore this Saturday, June 25th, from 11:00-1:00 for a book signing of Life on Orcas Island. See ya there!
One of the little quaint things about island life is its sandwich-board announcements at the two ends of town (and elsewhere too). Cities have billboards; we have sandwich boards. 🙂
It has begun! Thanks to Orcas Center and all the sponsors who help make it happen, we have a full line-up for the Summer Concert Series at the Village Green. It began this past Saturday with The Good Lovelies. They’re the kind of women you just want to hang out …
Our washer recently did its final spin cycle and now sits idly by, awaiting the truck that will haul it away. That means I paid a visit to the laundromat at Country Corner. What a lovely experience! There’s just something fulfilling about getting four home-size loads of laundry done in …
Oh, how fun to see people out en masse again – laughing, singing, and dancing!!! Feast your eyes on the fun. Moments before the parade… The parade… The festivities went on until about 2:30, and then at 6:00 the Summer Concert Series began with The Good Lovelies!
Life on Orcas Island is soon coming to the shelves of Seaport Books in La Conner! Our store is lovingly housed in the historic Seaport Landing Building on the beautiful Swinomish Channel. In addition to new books for readers of all ages, we feature creative efforts by local artists. We’re …
I had a feeling Christopher Evans would have a fascinating story. I think of Christopher as a person who brings kindness, exuberance, and joy wherever he goes. From what I’ve known in passing over the last decade, Christopher lives life to the fullest, making the most of each and every …
One of the many activities during this extended Orcas Pride weekend was the Gay Field Day from 2-6 PM at the Village Green yesterday – an afternoon picnic in which all islanders and visitors were welcome to come down and enjoy music, dancing, games, and performances… I have to stop …
The Northwest just can’t help but rain – especially this year! That didn’t stop Orcas Islanders. Smiling faces, dancing bodies, and jolly Odd Fellows practiced and prepared for Saturday’s Solstice Parade last night at the first of three “Village on the Green” events… See you at the Solstice Parade, if …
Last week some wonderful moments of closure happened. How we all have been needing events again that mark important milestones, endings, and beginnings in life. I purposely left my camera at home for graduation at OCS. I wanted to soak in every last second honoring the five graduates. We have …
Mark your calendars for June 15, July 13, and July 27 – three fun Wednesdays at the Village Green from 6-9 PM that you won’t want to miss! Gretchen Krampf of IsleWork LLC coordinated these “creative-community-collaboratory” events focused on weaving our long-time and recently arrived islanders using the social arts …
The second and final performance of Oliver Twist at Orcas Christian School was this past Tuesday evening. The rain held off for the students to shine, and the five seniors who graduated on Friday evening put on a Senior Spotlight pre-show… (There was also a wonderful speech given by another …
This past month has been wonderful for the soul. Today I’ll let the videos below do the talking. You’ll get a taste of some beautiful hammered dulcimer music by Carolyn Cruso, welcoming a fresh, happy season at the Farmers’ Market. Next is a song that happened spontaneously during the Lummi …
Life on Orcas Island in Darvill’s Bookstore… Thank you Jenny!
Every day when I walk to school with our younger son, we pass the Tony & Jenna Hair Studio, the new Paul Mitchell salon on the main drag as you enter Eastsound from the west side. Tony and Jenna were invited to speak to our older son’s high school class …
Darvill’s Bookstore has a fresh supply of Life on Orcas Island books! Come on down to 296 Main Street in Eastsound.
Mark your calendars for June 5th, 6th, and 7th at 7:30 PM – Orcas Christian School’s production of Oliver Twist will happen in the outside amphitheater in front of the gym building, the same location as their Romeo and Juliet production last year. This year the play features not only …
Tonight sounded like a wonderful time at Camp Orkila together, but unfortunately the public is no longer welcome to attend the Lummi Canoe Journey’s celebrations this afternoon and evening. Several of the Orkila staff have tested positive for COVID, so everyone has decided to play it safe. We’ll still see …
The Lummi Gathering of the Eagles Canoe Journey began Sunday, as the canoeists paddled from Anacortes to Lopez Island. On Monday, they paddled from Lopez to San Juan Island. Today, they will paddle to Orcas Island, landing at Camp Orkila at 4 PM, where the public is welcome to come …
I recently returned from a two-day trip to Seattle as a chaperone with the Orcas Christian School seniors – all five of them – on their last hurrah before graduating, led by Pastor Grayson, the school’s chaplain and high school bible teacher. I thought you might like a little vicarious …
I’ve heard it takes about 30 days to establish a new habit, so I Googled it and the first line that came up said this: “It can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days for a person to form a new habit and an average of 66 days for a new behavior …
Last night I took our older son and his friend to a concert in Everett by for King + Country, a Christian band led by two Australian brothers named Joel and Luke Smallbone. Luke explained during the concert that their father was a music promoter, and their parents and four …
I bet a lot of people on the island wonder what is legal when it comes to walking along a beach here on Orcas Island. I know that I’m always wondering what the correct thing to do is. During a joint book-signing event last Saturday at the Orcas Island Historical Museum, …
If you’d like a copy of Life on Orcas Island, it will be at Darvill’s Bookstore here in Eastsound from now on. If you are not on Orcas Island, you can call Darvill’s at (360) 376-2135 or order it online from them here. Read more about Darvill’s here. It’s a …
I had never heard of Susan Mustard until I went into Crow Valley Gallery a few weeks ago on a whim to look at all the art by different local artists. There is a beautiful variety in there, and the painting that immediately jumped off the canvas and captured me …
Come to the Orcas Island Historical Museum in Eastsound today, April 30, from 1:30 – 3:30 PM for a book signing and talk by five local authors: Boyd Pratt, Judi Watson, Edrie and Terri Vinson, and I will sign and talk about our books. Each of us will have a …
Have you seen the new Orcas Veterinary Service? It’s awesome! I was just there so our dog could have major dental work. (It’s at 9 Hope Lane up Mt Baker Road near Uzek’s automotive place.) I am amazed at what Dr. D. and her team were able to do for …
Carol Wright is someone I’ve met once in passing – I’ve known nothing about her until we began corresponding a few times across the digital aether over the past several days. Here and there in those messages, she referenced things that were a mix of fascinating, significant, and downright beyond …
Come on down to Clever Cow for some ice cream on this sunshine-y day! (Thursday to Sunday, 12-6 PM.)
I will be at Dan’s Wildlife Cycles bike shop tomorrow (Saturday) from 12-1 PM at the picnic table on the side, thanks to his generous offer again. If you’ve not yet had a chance to come down and get the Life on Orcas Island book with the locals’ coupon, this …
They are already on an island, where town is tiny and going somewhere else requires a full day, half a tank of $5-per-gallon gas, and a driver’s license. If they’ve lived here long enough, they’ve done the hikes and the beach walks. As we awaken to yet another rainy day …
Tomorrow and Friday (April 21st and 22nd), come down to Wildlife Cycles in Eastsound at 350 North Beach Road anytime between 12:00 and 1:00 PM in order to buy a copy of Life on Orcas Island. While I will have another release event on April 30th at the Orcas Island …
Orcas Island Community Church has a tradition of celebrating the dawning of Easter morning on the top of Mt Constitution. The sun rises behind Mt Baker, and it’s a rare sight to see if your house isn’t already facing that direction. This is what we saw this morning… The rest …
I don’t normally do reviews of things after I’ve experienced them, but I came home after seeing this percussion group at Orcas Center tonight – which ended with a standing ovation – with a bubbling-over of thoughts to express. I don’t remember ever observing “music” like this. Before I say …
This is last Saturday at Lum Farm at Coffelt Farm Preserve. I think lamb and goat petting is happening today too!
Activities are brewing again, as evidenced by the flyers hanging on the post office wall! Woohoo! (Plus a few random ones thrown in too.)
This month’s weather has been all over the place…
Orcas Island Community Church has something each day leading up to Easter. If you’ve never been to any of these, you are invited to any and all. And if you’ve never been up on Mount Constitution for the Easter Sunrise Service, it’s stunning to watch the sun rise over Mt …
Back in November, our son, Evan, had a notice in The Sounder offering tech help to anyone who needed it in order to raise money for a two-week mission trip to Belize with other high schoolers from Orcas Christian School: Thanks to many of you, Evan was able to raise …
Stop in Clever Cow for ice cream tomorrow from 12-6 PM and meet the new owners, Cindy, Frank, and Landry. April’s hard work made Clever Cow an ice cream shop known for consistency, simple beauty, and cleanliness – eye candy functioning like a well-oiled machine. She has passed the helm …
Meet Big Blue, the new glass crusher at Orcas Recycling Services named by fourth graders Audrey Hance and Lana Sasan after a name-voting contest at school. If you park behind The Exchange, you’ll see it a little off in the distance beyond the meadow. Having a glass crusher is a …
I love knowing the details of people’s experiences. They’re not only fascinating, they’re also immensely helpful if you’re in a similar situation. When self-publishing, there are a lot of details you can find if you dig, but there are some that are hard to find – seemingly nonexistent. Here is …
The process of writing and publishing a book requires a lot of uninterrupted time. I worked at home at my kitchen table for the first few months, our son’s $5 Alexa from the Exchange playing Lord Huron songs in the background while I sifted through thousands of photos, wrote endless …
Fun!!! You’ve probably seen all those babies every time you’ve passed Lum Farm lately, and they will be opening their gates for families to come tomorrow and next Saturday (Easter weekend) from 2-5 PM. There is no charge, but they would appreciate a donation of whatever feels comfortable for you. …
Three ways to get the Life on Orcas Island book: 1. Tonight – 6 PM at the Orcas Library! (locals price of $29.99 + tax) 2. Order online and it will be printed immediately and shipped directly to you (retail price): https://store.bookbaby.com/book/life-on-orcas-island 3: Pre-order on our local Darvill’s Bookstore website, …
Come to the book launch of Life on Orcas Island tomorrow, April 7th, at 6 PM at the Orcas Library! (I love small-town life – first-name basis on announcements!) If you’re out of town, it’s available for purchasing here (where you can look inside it too). Can’t wait to see …
You may have already met Michael at Key Bank and assumed his life was that of a banker. It wasn’t until I saw him working at Crow Valley Gallery and Island Thyme that I began to wonder if my assumptions were totally off. Did you know he’s a stained-glass artist? …
It’s not exactly warm and springy yet. We’ve had about four days of sunshine so far in the past month. I passed by these women and had to stop and capture them – they are hard core, meeting outside in the brisk wind to chat and laugh together! It turns …
Looking along Prune Alley every time I stop at Island Market makes me remember what it was like when my 16-year-old was a toddler. Some of his first words were “backhoe loader” and “dump truck,” and we used to seek out job sites for entertainment. I’d carry light chairs, and …
For many years I thought about the idea of publishing a book about Orcas Island. There were definite reasons that I chose not to for a long time. I’m a stay-at-home mom and I didn’t want to give up time from my little ones, knowing I’d never get it back. …
A few little sights around town today…
The other day the sun was shining down and I walked through town like a refreshed, electrified person. I walked in Crow Valley Gallery to say hello to Sonia, who works there and was so kind to my mom over the years when she lived here, and was struck by …
Orcas Christian School has an annual spring tradition called Author’s Tea. K-8 students prepare for it for several weeks, writing books of their own complete with graphs, photos, and illustrations in order to share their completed manuscripts with each other, parents, and community members on an appointed day of the …
Meet Life on Orcas Island, a visual time capsule of this place over the past decade, chronicling the uniqueness and beauty of who we are and where we live, and the endless community gatherings, workshops, festivities, and celebrations that characterize this island life. I will have a few book release …
This Thursday, March 31st, Kate Jewell will be headed to Oświęcim, Poland, for six weeks to help Ukrainian refugees and orphans with One Humanity Institute and Airline Ambassadors International. Kate was a flight attendant for 37 years, so traveling the world and living a life of adventure is normal for …
I just met a new friend at Tidepool Coffeehouse yesterday, and overheard owner Katie Gaible explaining the decadent cake whose slices were for sale to benefit the people of Ukraine. I don’t drink coffee, but noticed they carry bubble tea. They have two kinds – in the can and made …
Almost six years ago, I was looking at different pet adoption sites online for the perfect dog for our family. I grew up with animals and I wanted our 10-year-old son to have his own little companion to grow up with. It felt like the right age for him to …
As my son was leaving school this afternoon, he heard the sound of a plane going down the runway, then some strange sounds that followed. He zipped down the road on his electric skateboard to find that the Kenmore Air plane never made it in the air. Instead, it went …
When we moved to Orcas, we bought a house that was in excellent shape from a single woman who was very gentle on it. We, too, have been gentle on the house but the room our kids share, which was previously unused before we moved in, is partly subterranean and …
Orcas Island is the perfect place to live out your dreams. Why not open a store, right? This may be a little deflating, but let’s think about your dream business… Does it really fill a needed, year-round niche for enough people in this community? Some of those words are vitally …
A ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony was held on Saturday by the Airhawks Flying Club at the Eastsound Airport for their new Gleim FAA-approved Flight Simulator. As students, educators, administrators, and teachers from Orcas High School and Orcas Christian School along with Orcas pilots and the Orcas Island Community Foundation watched, …
I’ve recently become acquainted with artist Frank Loudin through BJ Arnold’s friendship with him, and as always, it’s fascinating to learn about a new friend’s life experiences. I didn’t know a thing about him until I got one of my COVID vaccines at Orcas Center. For the 15-minute wait period …
David and his wife, Chris, are two people I often pass when out walking. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen them, though, so it was a pleasure today when my husband and I ran into David in town. David is an avid sailor, and always has ocean adventures …
Twenty years ago to this day – March 16th – marks the first time Kelly Carpenter stepped foot on Orcas Island. She has never had to write the date down in order to remember it. Raised on a small farm in rural Minnesota, Kelly’s aspirations after graduating from college with …
Masks are coming off, the sun is beginning to come out more, the geese are honking, the birds are chirping, and while it’s still cold outside, the air carries a louder buzz than ever of spring’s renewal and joy in it. Warmth and hope are on the horizon in a …
If you haven’t already met her, Beverly Franklet is a stunning go-getter. Not in a hyper, can’t-sit-still kind of way but in a calm, adventurous, live-life-to-its-fullest sense. Do you remember several years ago when Michell Marshall decided to put up a white board at the back of The Office Cupboard …
Many months ago, we planned a February trip to Fiji, not knowing if it would all work out in COVID times, but spending endless hours on location planning and COVID testing research (they have stringent rules). After two years of isolation and pandemic weirdness, and knowing we (I, especially) might …
I love emotion. I love happy. I love love. When you’re in a community of Christians, you sometimes hear that someone “heard” God speak to them. You often hear people say they “love” the Lord. And it’s common for people to talk of their “relationship” with God. I’m here to …
We’ve come to the time of year when I start thinking, ‘What are we doing here?’ The place is a ghost town except for the market, and the lack of sun has become this palpable frustration that Vitamin D capsules just don’t fix, at least for me. Born in Texas, …
There was a tragic accident here a few weeks ago. I’ve been thinking about the person whose life completely changed after the moment of impact. Seeing as I’m not a family member, a close friend, a news reporter, or even an acquaintance, I don’t feel right about saying more about …
Even after living on Orcas Island for almost a decade, I’m still not accustomed to one very all-encompassing aspect of life here… Constant rain naturally drives people indoors. Especially kids. This isn’t coming from someone who is easily discouraged by dreary weather. I walk every day, rain or rain (shine’s …
It has been an unusually snowy and sunny few days here, the white blanket holding longer than usual in the tolerable dry briskness, as all of the moisture is frozen. We’ve had temperatures as low as -2 degrees due to windchill during the past week but last night we shot …
Here is a little montage of the scenes we’ve seen over the past few days…
I sit here writing on Christmas night in Lake Oswego, Oregon. We are visiting my husband’s family, enjoying love and laughter, and eating meal after beautifully crafted meal. After two all-too-quiet Christmases, the usual things that go along with gathering feel unspeakably special this year – being in someone else’s …
The upperclassmen at Orcas Christian School just produced a phenomenal audio rendition of A Christmas Carol, available for listening on YouTube here: Mr. Rivera’s done it again, tapping into the theatrical arts of his students, after last year’s production of Romeo and Juliet. Yes, my son was the sound engineer, …
I’ve been talking a lot about the festivities each week, but it’s really important not to gloss over the hardships. Some people are lonely and isolated from loved ones. Some people are surrounded by the same loved ones and are lonely for everyone else they can’t visit. Some are having …
This is the title of a new book in Darvill’s Bookstore, with an article called “The Ferry to Orcas Island,” written by local author Ayn Gailey and photographed by non-local Anthony Blasko. Here is an excerpt from the beginning of the article… Traveling to Orcas Island in the Pacific Northwest …
What another lovely week it’s been in this Christmas season. Last Sunday, the library hosted the 8th Annual Children’s Christmas Market. This is one of the events that makes Orcas Island so special and unique. Any child can enter by paying $5 for a table, and the wares they make …
We are smack dab in the middle of one of the most eventful weekends in almost two years, y’all. Yesterday morning, Tide Pool Coffeehouse and the new Salish Sea Yarn Co. (previously Enzo’s) opened the floodgates for people to circulate meaningfully through the upper area of North Beach Road. Wow, …
Happy Thanksgiving weekend and Merry Christmas season! The rain has provided ample time to gather ‘round the glowing screen and ponder life as it used to be and where it’s headed. Always in search of fascinating documentaries, we watched the new Netflix series Countdown: Inspiration4 Mission to Space about the four civilian …
This is their return to the island this morning after winning the state championship last night…
I was born in Texas, the fifth child 11 years after my closest sibling. They were all born about a year apart and when my Catholic mom was pregnant with the fourth, my grandfather said to her, “JoAnn, this is getting a little embarrassing.” She must have taken it to …
When I was 15, I lost my period for a year. It was great! No bothering with feminine products or the potential for embarrassing mishaps. Talking about personal stuff didn’t happen much in my mother-daughter relationship. It wasn’t until my mom remarked one day about how odd it was that …
Rain here is usually a constant, light pitter-patter. Even when it’s “pouring,” it’s nothing like the storms I experienced growing up in Texas. Over the last couple days, the rain was more than a pitter-patter and it just didn’t stop. If you were anything like us, you hunkered down and …
Take a look at the following festivities that we islanders have grown so accustomed to celebrating together throughout the year, every year… Seniors Have Talent show at the Senior Center (November) Hops on the Rock in Eastsound (November) Clay Cafe in the Public School art room (November) Community Thanksgiving Potluck at …
The hairpin left turn immediately after Doe Bay Resort!
Last Saturday afternoon, Camp Orkila kicked off the weekend festivities with its Annual Fall Festival: ziplining, donut-dangling, goat-petting, pumpkin-painting, hayriding, and other fun activities. Not only do they have their staff serve and entertain the whole town, they also generously feed us as well – for free! – sausages, homemade …
Sometimes I forget why I feel different these days. It’s not just the gray blanket across the sky, blocking the possibility of Vitamin D production. Then I remember. Ten years ago we moved here with young children. Life was bursting at the seams. Not only in the natural world but …
This is what happens when you’re visiting Orcas Island for a quick day trip and I happen upon you as the sun is coming out and illuminating the background scenery. Meet Jacque Breyer and Elise Meade, a traveling nurse and a physical therapist from Tennessee. It was chilly and overcast …
The following is my son’s article on the October 24th Sun Days column on The Orcasonian. Hello. My name is Levi and I am 11 years old. My mom let me write the column this week. I want to say something that I actually don’t think many adults will listen …
Two years ago, I was out running with my husband. We hadn’t exercised much at all together over the past 14 years, and I was elated to finally be doing it again, especially since that’s how we met and courted. Parenting had taken center stage over the years, and there …
Let’s get to the root of “island time.” I can speak on this topic because I am an expert. It’s not something I go around touting; rather, I’m a bit ashamed of it. We’re all supposed to be prompt individuals, mindful of basic courtesy, right? In my head, I’m punctual; …
I had no idea what I was walking into this morning. It was a National Geographic kind of experience. Our son’s class was going to Glenwood Springs salmon hatchery to watch a process that has been carried out by Long Live the Kings for decades. (Since 1986, LLTK has worked …
Today’s episode in the travelogue is a short post. We finally stayed put in the same general vicinity, walking only to a beach and back. It was lovely. Marina Piccola – or “small marina” – is the main swimming beach on Capri, with its crystalline waters and view of the …
Speaking of presentations, performances, events, and activity bubbling up again in that direction (referencing the previous post), the Orcas Island Film Festival is coming! Here is the film schedule. Click here to read about each film. Sixteen films will be shown over five days at the Sea View Theatre here …
We used to live in a college town. That meant there were endless lectures and performances to attend all year round – dance companies from around the world, music groups from Montana to Mongolia, and talks on topics from astronomy to zoology. I had front-row seats for Stephen Hawking’s lecture; …
I love Joanie’s sculptures. (And this is what she oversees…)
Our younger son has two mice. They live in a plastic storage bin, sleeping in a little box during the day, and busybodying all night long. In the morning, their entire landscape is usually completely rearranged, and their leavings on the mouse wheel indicate ultramarathons they have run in the …
Love in front of Roots…
Just your ordinary, typical scenery here on the island.
(A momentary departure from Orcas Island life, continued from Walking Italy’s Scenic Towns V: Minori to Maiori…) Sixteen years ago, our newborn baby nursed every two hours on the dot – his internal clock, not mine. Days were full, and sometimes during one of those restful nursing times I would …
The dark skies and rain are already upon us. People turn inward – literally and figuratively – and it’s right around now that I start wanting to see behind closed doors. Creative juices are flowing. People are binding books, writing plays, inventing gadgets, arranging stained glass, painting masterpieces, felting creatures, …
There are so many aspects of life that we get to repeat seasonally – jumping in the lake in the heat of summer; baking pies in the cool of fall; cozying around warm fireplaces in the cold of winter; marveling at new seedlings in the cool, green spring. I love …
Another giant cobbler in the works. I’ll miss this when pear season ends.
Everyone has a favorite treat. Mine is writing. Years ago, I realized I didn’t want to waste any treat-eating on desserts that aren’t really my thing. For me, nothing compares to cookie dough. So I might as well keep some at all times in the freezer. That way, while others …
Too many to collect! If I eat any more cobbler I’ll be waddling!
Today was one of those crisp, clear, perfect days – the type of weather that you wish would hold for the next five months.
(A momentary departure from Orcas Island life, continued from Walking Italy’s Scenic Towns IV: Amalfi to Ravello…) I awakened early each morning while everyone else was still sleeping in order to plan the day’s or week’s transportation, book trains ahead of time, put QR codes into my Notes app, and …
The blackberry’s time has passed. Blackberries still hang heavily on bushes but they no longer fill our hands, our bowls, our mouths. It’s not because we’ve had our fill. It’s because we know the life cycle of the berry. When they first start bursting off bushes in late July, we …
This would be my new favorite place if it was within walking distance from my house.
(A momentary departure from Orcas Island life, continued from Walking Italy’s Scenic Towns III: Sorrento…) This is a day I had looked forward to for a long time. If you look up the Amalfi Coast on Google, it gives you thousands of stunning images. This is my favorite one, and …
Even the eggs on Orcas Island are beautiful. Too pretty to eat! (Though I will.) I think I need to get some library books on eggshell artmaking. Thank you, Stephanie, for this beautiful, consumable palette!
(A momentary departure from Orcas Island life, continued from Walking Italy’s Scenic Towns II: Rome Arrival…) At about this time – our first morning in Rome, headed for Sorrento – it dawned on me that I was in no pain. For two years, I’ve had zapping pain down the back …
We live here on beautiful Orcas Island where the air is perfect. Forested hills reflect off of the calm ocean, and not even the buzz of a mosquito disturbs the lovely peace and quiet. Birds sing outside, and apples, plums, and berries hang heavily off branches outside our windows. We …
The lagoon…
I’m really impressed with Chris and Eliza Morris. They epitomize quiet strength and perseverance. I’ve observed them over the years and I find their silent resolve to be quite remarkable. At a time when businesses closed and renting space was a scary venture, the Morrises expanded their presence here on …
Meet The Kelp Kraken. It’s somewhere between 30 and 40 feet long, spanning what used to be a disconcerting cliff between the road and the ferry landing area. That’s why it’s there, to distract people’s minds from wanting to hover over the edge. If you live here, you know immediately …
Thank you, Orcas Island School District, for your free Wednesday COVID testing. Our kids have been tested three Wednesdays by you in the past month (two of which were in the past week), for a total of five tests surrounding our international travels, including a Walgreens before boarding a flight …
(A momentary departure from Orcas Island life, continued from Walking Italy’s Scenic Towns I: The Planning…) Dumbfounded that we actually made it on a plane to Europe in COVID times, headed for a vacation in Italy, it was good to have ten hours to let it all sink in before …
Morning at Rosario…
Back in the dark months of COVID when there was no vaccine and no end in sight to isolation and “sheltering in place,” we were bundling up in the winter air and watching European travel documentaries by Rick Steves and Stanley Tucci’s food travelogue called Searching for Italy. Our boys …
Orcas Center did it again. Friday night was yet another wonderful evening of entertainment at the Village Green for the Summer Series Finale. I didn’t even realize it was going to happen until I saw the aerial rope & silk apparatus erected a few hours beforehand, with accompanying acrobats warming …
Enjoy them before they’re gone…
Three weeks ago, I ran down to Sequel for a quick look around. At the last minute, I realized I might need a few outfits that were lighter and thinner than anything I normally wear here on the island. I had in mind a post I might write upon returning …
This is a sweet little salamander the length of a child’s pinkie finger. My son “raised” it in a bucket from the larval stage, when it looked like a little opaque axolotl. His pond treasures gathered in June made for a fascinating glimpse into nature’s miraculous stages of life over …
This is one of the many trails leading into town. I love that walking into Eastsound means being on the stunning seashore or in a beautiful forest. I can’t believe how dense this little jaunt has become in the last year. Once bright with sunlight, it’s now thick, green, and …
Gotta love our seasonal fruit growing on the side of the road!
This just makes you feel good.
What a morning at Rosario…
Playing tourist for several hours and visiting another island is like an easy, lighthearted mini-vacation. It takes about 45 minutes (if you pick the right ferry) to get to San Juan Island. The town of Friday Harbor sits right where the ferry sets your feet on land. The days are …
Meet Brian and Jackie. The other day before heading up the Turtleback trail, they walked by my car and we started chatting. Look at his shirt. It says Bagan Temple Marathon Myanmar. Whoa whoa whoa. Wait a minute. A marathoner who has run in Myanmar (formerly Burma)? I had to …
I love seeing what’s going on behind closed doors here on the island – people working on their music, their business, their craft, their passion, their art, their acting, etc. Anytime I am allowed access into a new environment, I jump at it. After watching and writing about the live …
Blackberry season is upon us now! Hooray! If you’re visiting the island, be sure to ask if it’s okay to pick someone’s berries before going for it. Our neighbors kindly allow us to pick theirs.
Salvadorian street food in the Ray’s Pharmacy parking lot. Four beef tacos for $10. They also sell pupusas, burritos, quesdadillas, etc.
Tonight our church had a presentation and Q & A session about a film called Bono & Eugene Peterson: The Psalms. You probably know of Bono, lead singer of U2. If you’ve read The Message, a translation of the bible in contemporary language, then you know of its author, Eugene …
The post before this one, “Church in Person,” was a post I wrote last week. I postdated it to come out today, and haven’t thought about it since. One of my readers – C.O. – reminded me that it went live today, and I thank her for reaching out. The …
This is what communion has looked like for over a year – whatever we’ve had on hand in the kitchen. Juice and rice cakes. Water and donut pieces. Sparkling cider and crackers. No more! What a joy it is to walk into Orcas Island Community Church and see what has …
One of my favorite locals to “visit” on Facebook is Louise Tucker. What she posts is downright therapeutic. It’s calming. It’s innocent. It’s clean and pure. It’s peaceful. Louise notices all that’s right in front of her. She not only takes time to look, she quietly seeks out everyday miracles. …
What a feeling it is to have Orcas Island back to normal. Our inner tanks are filling with every unmasked face we see, every smile we reciprocate, and every gathering we attend! How appropriate it is that our local Brograss just put on a concert at the Village Green to …
Low tide around Indian Island is a phenomenal experience for nature lovers. It’s ever-important to treat all creatures gently out there, and docents look after the area to make sure locals and visitors are extremely conscientious. When the tide goes out, you only have a few hours to look around …
I love how life leads you to experiences you just can’t plan out, especially here on Orcas Island. That’s why I always leave ample room for spontaneous conversations and wonderful “happenings.” Meet my new friend, Anne Thomas – someone I’ve known about for years – and her lifelong friend, Joy. …
A big thank you to Lance and the Orcas Island Chamber of Commerce for using some of my photos for the new visitor guide. It’s a great resource to have for information on hikes, restaurants, accommodations, etc. You can get one at 65 North Beach Road right in the heart …
Summer at the lake is the best. It’s free all-day fun, and there’s a perfect spot for everyone.
A young life was lost several days ago. Many of our teenagers worked alongside Issac at Rosario Resort and talked to him on one of his last nights. It is a heavy thing, and leaves a long-lasting impression – especially on young people unaccustomed to death – when someone is …
Elizabeth Schermerhorn came up with a great idea during the pandemic when we were all staying at home, and she’s still at it today. Every Wednesday night and Sunday night at 8 PM, she creates a “live” store in which she and local women model the clothing in her business …
This summer, Sail Orcas in West Sound is offering women’s sailing lessons each Monday night from 5:30-7:30 PM – a beautiful time in the afternoon to be out on the water learning some of the most important life skills you could have on an island! The classes are full for …
Well lookee here! The Orcas Island Golf Course now has an 18-hole mini-golf course. When you do it, you’ll see just how much imagination, creativity, and work went into dreaming it up and making it happen. Come along on a lovely evening… For more information, click here. Thank you, Shelly …
How excited I was when these two women passed me in town on their bicycles! You see people from all over the world here, but I’ve never run across an Amish visitor. I called to them to stop so I could say hello and introduce myself, as I’m always so …
This past Friday morning, Gretchen Krampf co-hosted a radio show – Lift Your Spirits! with Dena Marie on Alternative Talk 1150 KKNW – and invited me to be on and talk about this blog. Click here to listen. The segment I’m in starts at 20:10, and the following segment features …
Every summer around the 4th of July, Orcas Island Community Church puts on Vacation Bible School. It’s free or by donation and is open to any pre-K through 6th-grade child on the island – local or visitor. Keep it in mind next year in case you missed it this time …
In 30 minutes it begins! All kids are welcome, even if you just found out about it and your kids can’t make it today but can make it for the rest of the week. VBS is from 12:45-3:15 each day this week at Orcas Island Community Church. It’s free (or …
Fireworks were cancelled again this year, but thankfully another laser light show was planned at Mt Baker Farm. We didn’t hear about it last year until it was too late, so this year I didn’t want to miss out on the only community fesitvities for the big night. Oh my …
Last night we attended the very first unmasked indoor show on Orcas Island since March of last year. Matthew the Magician is one of our local phenoms, and his magic show is not to be missed. He is unbelievably impressive. We’ve been attending Matthew’s shows since he was 13 years …
Here on Orcas Island, we choose an honorary mayor each year by casting our monetary votes to see who gets the most. It’s a clever fundraiser that benefits Orcas Island Children’s House. This year’s candidates? A line-up of various dogs, a bunny, and a bearded dragon. Every year after the …
Freedom took on a whole new meaning at today’s 4th of July parade. With the mask mandate newly lifted from San Juan County – one of the most highly vaccinated counties in the nation – today was a celebration not only of our country’s freedom but also our personal, physical …
I’ve been wanting to highlight the Lums for a long time. Eric and Amy are staples here on the island, known for all of the myriad ways they work the land and help others learn basic skills. When I think of Eric and Amy, I see two knowledgeable people who …
It happens. You’re already 30-60 minutes early in the ferry line so you don’t lose your reservation, and then a ferry is removed from the day’s schedule for a repair, or an important ferry worker has an emergency, or someone brings a car full of ammunition and everything comes to …
Pass it on!
I had one of the best salads ever. In the airport, of all places. I’m so elated that there is healthy food in airports these days. When traveling, I don’t want McDonald’s hamburgers. I also want access to good food that doesn’t come in a tiny plastic package and cost …
Eating out on Orcas Island can be a pretty pricey pastime. I’d rather wear used clothes, eat at home, and save the money for traveling. The rare times we do eat out that aren’t birthdays or anniversaries, we choose places that are tasty, healthy, filling, and moderately affordable. The Kitchen …
If you’re a parent, you know how it feels to raise children – the days are long but the years fly by. So much energy, emotion, and education flow out of you every single day, and you can feel like you’ll have young children for a lifetime. Not so. All …
When you hear the deep croaking of bullfrogs and the sound of their big bodies plunking into the water, you can’t resist grabbing the nets and boots for a try at finding one. Unfortunately, dozens of them can hide well in even the shallowest of marshes, so we never held …
Two months ago, Mr. Rivera, the high school English, history, and guitar teacher at Orcas Christian School, decided that the students would be putting on Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. They had read and discussed the play the previous year when COVID shut down school at school for the last months …
Tonight is the final performance of Romeo & Juliet at Orcas Christian School. The high schoolers and teachers are doing so well – the line memorization, the acting, the dancing, the costume-donning – it’s a feast for the eyes, ears, and soul! Especially after this quiet, isolated year! I’m bursting …
Come down to Orcas Christian School tonight at 9 PM or tomorrow night at 8:30 PM to enjoy an outdoor, evening performance of Romeo & Juliet! The students have been working for over two months to make it a wonderful event. The cost is $5 per adult and $2 per …
I saw these poppies and knew they wouldn’t last for months so I had to pull off the road for a quick photo opportunity. It’s interesting to note how much a picture is enhanced when you get down low for a close-up versus photographing a scene from a standing position…
I used to love going to the library to write for several hours each day (pre-COVID). Now, I’m loving the grounds surrounding it. If you haven’t been lately, go soak in the fantastic flora that’s filling out so nicely. Note, too, that the new hours are 10-5 on Mondays, Wednesdays, …
There are no stoplights here. The maximum speed limit is 40 MPH. And our only town is basically two main streets and their off-shoots. Join me on a stroll on a lazy, sunny afternoon through Eastsound…
Two of my favorite things…
Come along with me for a beautiful, tranquil ride on the ferry home after a day away in “America”…
No flashy entertainment needed around here. Just evening walks through town, soaking in all of the floral drama draping down and bursting out…
Marsh family, I salute you, from our island to yours. You may know of them; I saw their Les Miserables parody many moons ago, but wow, have they been prolific ever since! We are now in some good sunshine and demasking here – the fragrance of spring blossoms filling our …
Orcas Island hasn’t seen many gatherings over the past year, but yesterday there was a huge turnout to support the people of the Lummi Nation and the totem pole they are taking to Washington, D.C., as they stop at various important sites along the way to educate people and raise …
A girl and her grandfather fishing at the lake. Ahh, the good life.
I can’t stop taking pictures of the hope incarnate hanging off branches and blossoming above and below me.
This is so quintessentially Orcas Island…random, rugged, intelligent… Greg Books and Fabrice van Putten in a spontaneous chess sesh, making brief intermittent moves in between placing incoming items and ringing up customers at The Exchange. Thank you, Fabrice, for letting me use the camera on your phone and emailing me …
Living near Eastsound, it’s rare that I find myself strolling through Olga out on the east side of the island. A few days ago, I took a leisurely evening walk (6:00 – 7:00 PM) through the Olga neighborhood while our son was helping someone fix their technology. Come meander along …
A week ago the Orcas Island Cross Country team hosted the island’s first cross country meet, which took place on the grounds of Camp Orkila. While walking the route a few times before the meet, I thought about all of the memories our family has there, from festivals to school …
Mike Connell and Mindy Sonshine have been quite the busy bees. Over the course of this quiet, isolated pandemic year, they’ve been building a leather business that looks like it’s going to absolutely thrive here on the island – and beyond! Last week, they opened the doors of their new …
One thousand doses made their way here today thanks to the National Guard. They’ve been to Orcas Center before for health workers, teachers, coaches, the immune-compromised, and folks 65 and up, and Ray’s Pharmacy has been vaccinating as well, but now vaccinations have been opened up to everyone 18 years …
I’m seeing our island with new eyes now – from the passenger seat! I can’t believe how quickly this phase came. It seems like just yesterday that we spent the bulk of our family time exploring the low tidelands catching crabs, hiking magical forest trails, fishing for newts in ponds, …
Spring is bursting here with a week of nonstop sunshine and no clouds in the sky – a near-anomaly for this place before summer. Deer are grazing, bunnies are hopping, birds are chirping, and two snakes and two alligator lizards found themselves in our critter cage this afternoon (we catch …
How uplifting it is to have a full week of sunshine – it changes everything! Walking around town, stopping in stores, riding the ferry, and hiking the trails now feels a lot more invigorating with blue skies, beaming sun, light filtering through fresh new leaves, and the scent of blossoms …
You might love some cheering up for Easter. If you’d like to attend one of Orcas Island Community Church’s Easter services tomorrow, there will be an in-person, outdoor sunrise service at 6:30 AM out in OICC’s backyard, which you can also watch livestreaming here: There will also be an in-person …
Sometimes you just need to be swept away into a beautiful storybook land. That’s how I feel every time I do this hike. I’ve done it over and over in the past few weeks and I can’t stop taking photos of the verdant moss, tiny details, and stunning views. (They …
Katie Gaible didn’t let the pandemic stop her from living out her dream. Last October, she opened Salish Sea Yarn Co. right in the heart of Eastsound. In such a tiny little village, it’s important to be in the middle of where all of the main action is. From what …
This past Saturday, we drove through town and it was packed. There was a car in every single parking space and there was actual traffic. After life looking like a ghost town every day and every weekend for a year, I loved it! I couldn’t figure out why all of …
If you’re starved for performance, as I am, you will have a ball watching these speeches the 9th and 10th graders at Orcas Christian High recorded on March 2nd for World History Icon Day at school. Thanks to the generosity of Orcas Center, the students were able to comb through …
“You may know Evan Kulper because he’s helped you with your computer. Or perhaps you attended “Tech Time” at the Senior Center, where for three years he volunteered to show seniors how to use their devices. Maybe you happened upon the underwater ROV he built and demonstrated at the Funhouse …
Here on Orcas Island, we see Mt Baker whenever we go to North Beach and look east toward the mainland and whenever we head up the aptly named Mt Baker Road to take the car to the mechanic. We also get a fantastic view of it whenever we take friends …
I’ve been doing a lot of travel-drooling from my kitchen table. I am one of those people who, freed from my “cage,” will want to go everywhere people are once we can joyously gather and communally eat and lightheartedly frolic! Two of the only promotional-deal email lists I’m voluntarily on …
The same moisture that leads to all of the green lushness and beautiful, undulating, moss-covered rocks here is also responsible for the unique growth that happens inside our houses, on our cars, and within any unfinished wood surface. You know you live in the Pacific Northwest when… You experience your …
I can’t believe the governor in my home state (during childhood) has opened Texas up completely. It’s daunting foolishness, considering how long we’ve been waiting for the moment when we can finally be safe together, and how very close we are to that moment. To jump the gun on it …
Good job San Juan Islands!! NO active cases on ANY island! Here are the latest statistics regarding COVID-19 cases and vaccination numbers in San Juan County. Go to their site of origin to read all of the accompanying fine print. Total Positive Cases to Date Total Positive Test Results Lopez …
If you don’t already know Matthew Carter, he is a gem. If the world were all Matthew Carters, it would be a kind, respectful, peaceful, polite, pure-minded world. Matthew is pursuing a career as a Mission Aviation Fellowship Pilot. MAF trains pilots to fly into remote, isolated areas in order …
The simplest things bring me joy right now. The library is one of them. If you haven’t already heard, the Orcas Library is open to the public – up to 20 people can be in there for 20 minutes each from 12-3 PM on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. It …
I just wanted to write a little note of thanks to all of you who reached out or asked about me after having seen my “Incapacitated” post. The hospital drugs wore off after a week and I felt quite good. I drove back to the same hospital to get an …
As weird as it sounds, sometimes we don’t notice the newness happening all around us here until the sun finally comes out. All of a sudden, inconspicuous Orcas Island looks like a lush, life-filled paradise that had been hidden under a dark gray cover for months. The bright greens pop, …
In normal times, life on Orcas Island entails bumping into all kinds of people throughout the day, having interesting and meaningful conversations, and living in uplifting community with one another. If you’ve ever gone to church or studied the bible with other people, there’s a common phrase – a “God-shaped …
For 10 days and nights in the past two weeks, I’ve been lying in bed. I know every inch of my ceiling, and have watched ten episodes of Virgin River, a Netflix series about a nurse working in a small rural town (filmed in Vancouver, Canada, 45 miles as a …
We are milking the snow on the ground for all it’s worth before it melts completely, thanks to a post on Facebook by Mandy R. showing her family’s homemade snow ice cream. I’m so glad she thought of it, as I’m wanting to do everything possible with snow since we …
Step into the fleeting beauty blanketing this place. This rare gift of snow will be gone in the blink of an eye… Not long from now, we’ll all be surprised at how springy the world looks – plants bursting from the ground, buds bulging on branches, and gardens delighting our …
Today was yet another thick-snow day – what a treat! Here are some scenes from out on the streets… I hope you had a wonderful Valentine’s Day wherever you are! Sweet dreams.
We all knew that yesterday morning we would awaken to snow, thanks to the weather reports. Our first real snow of winter. We got a little dinky one awhile ago, and here you never know if you’ll get another. This is a good one! Beautiful, deep powder. What a transformation …
Here’s another glimpse of our island beauty when the sun shines. It beamed all day yesterday – Hava Nagila! – and is back to rainy and gray all day today. I must say, I’ll be happy to stop saying “I” in this blog and report less on weather whenever the …
In late September, I posted an article detailing my not-so-sparkling gardening experiences here. My woes. In an effort to learn more, I read a bunch of books. Hoping that advice from the masters might somehow take hold in my rocky, acidic soil, I planted fava beans to overwinter. The idea, …
Whenever the incessant rain and cloudiness clears, I just have to book it up to my favorite spot, Ship Peak on the south side of Turtleback Trail. You can see why… Thank you, Walker, for allowing me to photograph you when I came upon you.
This log is stunning to me. It deserves its own post. The bark beetles who create these tunnels make amazing art. (Can you tell there aren’t too many people out and about when I’m highlighting wood?) Some areas remind me of the Nazca Lines in Peru (crop circles). Others resemble …
Some things you don’t imagine. I don’t think anyone ever imagined empty, quiet public schools. It’s been almost a year, and it’s been scarily quiet every time I’ve walked through the campus. Students through 3rd grade have recently been welcomed back, which is beyond wonderful for them, their teachers, their …
You can get by pretty well here on the island with the few stores that exist. But every now and then, when our food’s getting low and we’re starting to pay way too much for the basics at the local store, it’s time to devote one whole day to ferrying …
There was no gathering during Christmastime, so my sister sent all of us amaryllis bulbs. Her idea: our first annual family amaryllis race from afar – something living to hold us together in spirit and keep us in contact with each other over the life span of our plants during …
During an isolating pandemic that provides month after month of familial togetherness, what do you buy on impulse? Why, games, of course! We’ve played instruments. Bought tools. Seen movies. Tried foods. Read books aloud. Popped endless corn. Answered trivia. Exhausted Apples to Apples. Scattered our gories. But what? The board …
I’m the official barber for the three guys in our household – their hair hasn’t been cut by anyone but me. And mine, well, it usually keeps growing and growing. Until COVID. After a month of life without people aside from family, my isolation from the rest of humanity resulted …
Ten minutes into our virtual church service, and I’m wanting to post it, as each speaker is speaking from some beautiful spot on the island. (It’s recorded but we still watch it at 10:00 every Sunday so we can be virtually “with” everyone in spirit.) I should be posting the …
This is how Orcas Island would look all winter if the sun stayed out. Between the thick, lush moss at our feet and the dotting of islands out in the glimmering sea, it’s a living, breathing fairytale. Thank you, Ashley, for allowing me to capture you overlooking all of that …
It’s been a long, deep, all-day exhale. A much-needed emotional break for the limbic system. I’m not one to watch much TV, especially in the daytime, but today I needed every second of the 5 straight hours I watched. Sitting motionless with rapt attention on the raw, real, uncommentated footage …
I just had the funnest experience. Granted, I get pretty excited about anything new in these pandemic times. (Gosh, I get excited when I even see another human being!) Several days ago, a friend of mine sent me a link to Canoe Island French Camp’s bread and pastry order form …
Here’s the beauty we experience on trails that are just a short drive from our front doorsteps here on Orcas Island. Sometimes you don’t even see another soul out there. This is yesterday around Mt. Constitution.
Orcas Island goes the extra mile to keep us residents flexible! When town is already quiet from a pandemic, and political news is keeping us on our toes, we awaken one morning to silent machines and black digital clocks. Power outages in wintertime are a thing here. You never know …
Don’t get me wrong here. I’m not complaining. I am grateful for food; three meals a day; a grocery store minutes from our house with produce from around the world. But wow. With no community gatherings, family reunions, concerts, farmer’s markets, school events, or traveling, dinner has become the thing. …
I don’t know about you, but my mind is getting slow! I search for words that would normally be on the tip of my tongue. I reach for names that I’ve always known. I sound like a grandmother and I’m only in my mid-40s. Sure, we have our families to …
When I was very little, my oldest sister had a poster in the room we shared of a couple standing on a mountain, holding hands, silhouetted by an ethereal background of bright yellow sunlight muted dreamily by swirling clouds. Almost like an island setting overlooking the ocean, but I can’t …
Within moments of moving here almost nine years ago, we heard about Body Boat Blade – the kayaking pros renowned for the professionality of their ocean classes. In college, I was part of UC Santa Barbara’s Adventure Programs, in which I learned first how to rockclimb and kayak, then how …
After watching Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen throw back a couple shots in a near-empty Times Square with constant references to Planet Fitness, then some guy named Pitbull rap around with four girls in red spandex tonight, I got to thinking, ‘Wow, this is the weirdest end to the weirdest …
What does your living room communicate about how you live? Now that home isn’t just the place we all come back to – it’s the place a lot of us spend our days during these COVID times – the supposed living room in our house is completely functionless for my …
On the windiest, stormiest days, I seem to look out of our kitchen window at just the right moment to catch sight of a tiny human form out in the Sound, barreling toward shore on a stand-up paddleboard at a pace that’s normally unheard of. Adrenaline shoots through me – …
Not ready for Christmas to end? It doesn’t have to! We just found out about a series called The Chosen, and it’s one of the best portrayals we’ve seen of Jesus’ life. It’s not stiff and rigid. It’s not corny and cheesy. It’s not heavy and dour. It’s totally human. …
Needing that warm, loving feeling of Christmas Eve Service during these house-bound pandemic times? Here is Orcas Island Community Church’s service, which will bring songs, joy, and warmth into your home…
Metaphorically, we’re getting a taste of that verse here on the island! And at just the perfect time for Christmas! The sun has been beaming and glinting and adorning and gilding, all yesterday and all day today. What a treat in a season when darkness normally reigns supreme. I made …
There may be no gathering with relatives this year; no warm, lively Christmas concerts to attend; no holiday teas or parties. But that won’t stop us from the fun! So what is there to do with the same few family members you’ve been with in the same house since March? …
All-day rain was Monday’s forecast. It was a very dark morning, almost like permanent dusk. A perfect family movie day, if there ever was one. But something began to happen outside our window. We watched as the rain slowly morphed into heavier-looking lumps, then ice, then full-on thick snow. We …
I already respected people who had to move their jobs from the classroom, the business, or the church to the makeshift video production room – the hallway, the bathroom, the basement. We looked on as our kids’ teachers scrambled – seemingly seamlessly on our end – to create online math …
This is one of the quietest, most enchanting hikes when the elements all line up. I sometimes see a few other people, sometimes no one. It’s unrelentingly uphill, which is great for wintertime conditioning, but the other draw is its beauty – the thick moss, the dense fog that settles …
COVID times have meant watching a lot more shows and movies than we ever did in the past. Our two latest series have inspired our younger son to create miniature replicas. We were excited each Friday to watch The Mandalorian, and we grew quite attached to The Child (baby Yoda). …
If you haven’t seen them yet, you’ll have to look at the winning gingerbread houses displayed at Island Market. They are downright incredible. The Funhouse had a competition for all ages on Orcas Island, and the results are stunning – you’d think the winners are from a national competition. It …
Hunger no longer. Yesterday I experienced the gift of watching the Orcas Christian School music class practicing their Christmas songs, led by their wonderful teacher Mr. Rivera. There are no performances this year, of course, but I’m thankful for the boon of video recording so that I can pass these …
This one is really weird for me. I’m actually having thoughts of living in a city. Never in my life has this happened before. Well, actually, in college I used to get in “Malibu Moods,” as I called them, and beg one of my eight suitemates to drive us all …
During normal times, depending on the person I’m hanging out with, I’m anywhere from a fair listener to a very good listener. (The more you talk, the more I listen; the more you listen, the more I talk.) But dang, do I get on a roll talking when I haven’t …
This is about as real as it gets. Here’s how it goes on Orcas Island, thanks to the Lum Farm, formerly Coffelt Farm. (Go soon! No more trees are available after these are gone due to fires and other stops in the supply chain.)
Funny things subtly shift inside you during a pandemic. Putting all heaviness aside, I thought I’d share with you some of my little quirky changes. I never buy wrapping paper. I can’t stand waste, especially one-time-use waste if I can avoid it. My kids have grown up unwrapping birthday and …
My son and his good friend know they can’t come in to play, so they make the most of their playdates outside, even when the weather is cold or drizzly. The other day a little buddy joined them for lunch, just long enough for a brief conversation and a quick …
These are the months when we islanders assume a blanket of gray may cover the land for quite some time. But the last two days have been dazzlers. You folks out there who see the sun every day don’t realize the giddiness that comes with sunshine when you don’t get …
Someone reached out to us a few weeks ago, wondering what kinds of science kits we’ve done with our kids and which we would highly recommend. Our older son was always hungry for more and more science – building, electrifying, wiring, soldering – whatever he could find out there, he …
Had I not put everything aside to enjoy the kids’ week-long break from school, this is what I would have shared with you several days ago. Better late than never… I caught the last moments of a DJ on the radio saying something like, “…and remember that a lot of …
If you’re not a Hebrew scholar, this says “Shabbat shalom,” or Sabbath peace. All of my young life, Sundays weren’t synonymous with peace, per se. More like pure tedium. A test of patience. Endurance was required to go to church and get through the dullness until I had my own …
I love to know all of the quiet little wonders people are working on when the weather turns dark and the elements force us inside. Especially during these pandemic times when we can’t do much with other people. This is Gordon Koenig. He’s our ukulele instructor. If you live here, …
We’ve never watched so much TV in our family life until now. I’m always big on habits – developing good ones and steering clear of bad ones. Well, we may be in deep now, as it seems we watch a movie almost every day. It’s one of the only ways …
Island life is now chilly, rainy, and windy. Digging in the garden all day and paddle boarding in the warm sunshine no longer happen. I read that orca whales were recently spotted in the area right outside our living room window where I used to paddle. Were it still summer, …
A Belated Story for Veteran’s Day… My dad grew up in a poor Norwegian family in the 1930s in Janesville, Wisconsin. The only Christmas present he ever remembered getting was a pair of shoes. His father worked as an electrician, often taking his lunch break standing atop a telephone pole. …
Saturday, November 7, 2020: Joe Biden elected 46th President of the United States. I took deep, nourishing breaths of relief all day long. We just witnessed a most unusual, stunning sunset – brilliant oranges reflected off of clouds and colored everything on the ground and sea in a way I’ve …
One thing I love about Orcas Island is that we are a mish-mash of all kinds of people. It is one of our strengths. Living here, you hang out with people of all walks of life, all opinions, all faiths, and all kinds of experiences. There is definitely not any …
Our first community event since March was such a nice thing! My 10-year-old had to remind me to really be with him, as my excitement was almost pure adrenaline, talking to people and walking around near groups of other humans! As always, Orcas Islanders didn’t disappoint. Here’s a little visual …
I’m thankful for Halloween taking my mind off not homeschooling anymore. I went for a walk this morning and cased the town collecting elements for a costume – Sandy from Grease. I barely dress in anything other than jeans and my black Patagonia jacket during the winter, so Halloween is …
I sit here at a quiet table. A jar of pencils not being used. A homeschooling schedule no longer being followed. An empty house way too quiet and cold. I came in an hour ago from a walk alone. The house is vacant. Sure, there’s always laundry to fold and …
Some activities are possible right now, and Running Camp is one of them. Kids are out in the open, getting some great physical activity and a little camaraderie. It’s one of the few semi-social things out there, and it’s so nice to see humans again when I go and watch …
Next weekend, Halloween is going to happen here! One of the first things our kids lamented when the pandemic hit was the thought that Halloween would not happen. Not so! This Saturday from 3:00-5:30 PM will be the first community gathering we islanders have experienced since March, as trick-or-treating families …
I didn’t originally envision writing a blog that would have less to do with people and community and more to do with scenics and home life, but I suppose that’s what transpires during a pandemic. I’ve asked local people to write about various experiences so I can post their stories …
Sometimes it’s just the simple things – a dark room lit by a tiny glinting swath of sunlight at a specific hour, casting shadows of fall leaves blowing fiercely in the wind, juxtaposed with oscillating colors beaming out of a lamp as modern and synthetic as it gets. The partially …
My Mom is 86 years old. She moved from Orcas Island back to Texas last year and she’s stayed in her senior apartment, nice and distanced, for all these months. My siblings visit her, but for her to go out is an extremely rare thing. The other day, my mom …
Here’s a little beauty for the mycologists out there… It’s amazing how these soft, delicate things burst out of the hardest, rockiest, most packed ground around… I love how a few of the little rocks they pushed through are still resting on the tops of their heads.
Streets here aren’t given arbitrary names. They are very aptly named for their characteristics. Prune Alley is dotted with plum trees. Rose Hip Road greets visitors with bright orange hips in the fall. And Enchanted Forest Road is just that – beautifully enchanting. We locals are surrounded by stunning scenery …
Regarding the previous post’s explanation of biologist/naturalist E.O. Wilson and his documentary, my younger son and I wrote letters yesterday, asking Wilson to thoughtfully consider my son’s requests for animals, since they can’t speak for themselves. For the sake of our son’s privacy, I have not included his letter. It …
When you have kids that love to learn, homeschooling is not only enjoyable, it’s almost therapeutic. I read thousands of books to our kids as they were growing up. I went on daily adventures with them out in the natural world. I met their ever-inquisitiveness with thorough explanations that were …
Just in case you’ve begun to wonder if community life actually happened as you remember it, it did! Wonderfully cozily and maskless, too! Here’s a glimpse of festivities we were accustomed to enjoying together – community cob-oven pizza nights, Camp Orkila’s Fall Festivals, pumpkin carvings and cider pressings, team sports, …
The smoke has been in and out, as has the fog brought on by the smoke, and seasonal change has been creeping in slowly in the midst (mist) of it all. It’s not quite jacket weather. I’m still in shorts, but I don a sweatshirt and Uggs in the evening …
Last Saturday, we spent the day out working on our property. I let the dog out to wander around and get some fresh air, and I took my eyes and mind off of her for a good half-hour. Remembering, I quickly asked the kids if they’d seen her. The worst …
Our last lake day was September 6th, twenty days ago. Then came the smoke. Then the fog. Then the wind. Then the rain. The gifts of introversion and introspection have begun, abruptly and a little early this year. Today was a morning of fall cleaning. Of putting some sparkle into …
Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare. Japanese proverb Boy, have I been humbled by gardening. Really humbled. No amount of hard work will make a garden grow if you don’t know what you’re doing. You might be lucky for a time or have all …
Bob and Lark have been together for 23 years, since she was born. You’ve probably passed Lark a hundred times when you’ve been heading to the ferry and she’s been out grazing. Lark was a descendent of champion horses… But more importantly, she was a kind, gentle horse. A beautiful …
If there’s anything in full swing, it’s the local slug life! There’s some full-on mollusk traffic abounding on the wet sidewalks, and you know you love nature when you’re contorting yourself to get just the right angle for a slug mug. Tread gently out there; these tiny little guys – …
The smoke’s particulates have somehow encouraged fog to lock in on the land. We can see hints of blue sky straight above us, and light is being cast on our living room floor at home, but the scene outside remains gray-white. I tend to go ever-inward with life’s difficulties. Not …
We islanders can be grateful that fires aren’t plaguing us. Though four days of white skies from smoke makes for a pretty empty feeling inside, we certainly can’t complain, considering that people in California, Oregon, and Washington are losing their homes right and left and it looks like midnight during …
I’m going through old photos to catch up on annual family photo books and came across some pictures of Nest. When COVID hit, Cindy Morgan, the owner, had to make the tough decision to close her doors. She never rested, was a master at arranging everything from flowers to open …
This morning may have been gloomy, but this past week was stunning. The air has been beautiful, if you can call air beautiful. I don’t know that there’s a word in the English language that encapsulates all of the wonder in such perfect, pre-fall air. Thursday was particularly exceptional. In …
Here’s a look back at a sight we hadn’t ever seen until COVID happened. I put off an MRI in March, but decided it was pretty essential after a few months (everything turned out okay). So in May, I found myself on a near-empty ferry to the mainland. At the …
I’m a gleaner by nature. I love finding food in trees and on bushes. When blackberry season is in full swing, I’m there. I even wear a certain jacket rife with tears and holes thanks to annual thorny August picking. Blackberries go in cereal, in salads, in cobbler, in pie, …
These are definitely interesting times. Some kids and teachers are doing school from home all year. Some kids and teachers are at school – masked, sanitized, and distanced. Some people are self-quarantining. Some are having parties. Some people are dutifully masked. Some are covering their faces yet asserting their opinion …
Vegetable gardening on our property has made me feel like a failure over the years. The soil is terrible, the warmest spot gets only two hours of full sun, and despite all of my hopes and efforts, oregano and sage are some of the only plants that grow robustly. So …
One of our primary motivations for moving to Orcas Island was the peace, the tranquility, watching the sun set and the moon rise in the quiet of the evening. As tourists before moving here, we spent every night sitting in chairs, watching the colors of the sky change over the …
