By March Twisdale Written roughly 100 years ago, Upton Sinclair’s novel, “The Jungle,” captures the breadth of human behavior, both then and now. There is an interesting fact about fictional stories. No matter how far the author’s imagination strays from what is considered real or mundane, the fundamental basis of their work, the world, the…
Note: #8 Across and #4 Down are multiple words. The space between the words is one character long. SPOILERS!!!! Answers follow. Are you really ready to look? Okay. Here they are. Across: 1. Candles 3. Cashmere 8. The Vashon Loop 9. Jupiter 12. Ofrenda 15. Copal 16. Soup Down: 2. Luminarias 4. Muck boots 5….
Money. Hold-in-your-hand coins. Pull-out-of-your-wallet cash. Circles of metal that last decades, centuries and millennia … matter. Not only are coins “literally” matter, but they offer an experience, a record of human society, an imprint on our lives and tactile memories that no electricity-dependent, Virtual Reality method of accounting or digital currency can offer. A child,…
COVID-19 is one of the biggest challenges we face today. As such, it deserves our utmost attention. But talking about anything related to COVID-19 has become progressively harder. What’s an independent newspaper to do? At The Vashon Loop, our decision is to turn to you for guidance before we start including this coverage. Readers, neighbors,…
Who among us can say, “I embrace death?” There are only two experiences all humans share in common. Birth and death. Since our earliest beginnings, humans have managed to deal with, avoid, celebrate, flee, focus upon, ignore, formulate theories, and flagrantly seek to deny these two inevitable events with exquisite creativity. Proving one thing: Birth…
Many people who move to Vashon Island are unfamiliar with rural living and landowner responsibilities. Whether you’re from a small town, big city, or suburb, who provides your drinking water and manages your sewage matters only when the tap won’t work or the toilet floweth over! Here on the island, it’s a bit different. On…
Trails are incredible for a reason! Humans clear them, protect them, design them, and otherwise bring them into being, and all of this is usually done by volunteer teams working together. Want to spend a day on the trail, in the company of awesome folk, under the gracefully swaying branches of colossal trees as fall…
The title says it all, and if you enjoyed some freshly baked Fisher Scones in the Thriftway parking lot this past weekend (October 7-8), then you already know all about it! If not, perk up your eyeballs and read slowly – so you don’t miss a single clue. Yes, it’s true! The famed author of,…
In the world of Hollywood or the theatre, a performer who can act, sing, and dance is called a “triple threat.” Anne McCaffrey’s “Crystal Singer Trilogy”is a literary triple threat, as it feeds your soul in youth, maturity, and retirement! Making it an exceptionally good use of wood pulp and ink. Bursting onto the page,…
A family recipe, from Puerto Rico! Tostones is plural for Tostón, and is a crunchy plate-shaped fritter made of just green plantain. Tostones are usually enjoyed with mayonaise-Ketchup dipping sauce or seafood on top. Ingredients and Tools Green plantains (NOT bananas; YES, you read GREEN plantains) Frying oil (coconut or olive oil recommended)Garlic MayonnaiseKetchupCutting board, frying pan,…