By Anthony Latora Spagyrics aspire to redefine what herbal medicine can be. Rooted in the Renaissance era, yet increasingly affirmed by modern analysis, they offer a way of preparing plants that seeks not merely to extract their chemistry, but to preserve their wholeness. Rather than viewing a plant as a collection of isolated compounds, the…
Island Resilience, June 2026
Cash or Credit?
By Stephen Buller Here on Vashon, as the weather changes faster than Superman in a phone booth, swinging wildly from blue skies to downpours multiple times a week, I try to keep my focus on the silver lining: Summer is right around the corner. Maybe sunshine brings out the optimist in me. Summer means many…
Island Resilience, June 2026, Technology
Software: Free as in Beer
By Andy Valencia This article was going to be about saving money when you need to buy a PC. I’ll write about that next month, because it’s hard to save money when your operating system is waging war on your pocket book. We need to talk about Microsoft Windows. Most people do need a connection…
Island Resilience, June 2026, Recipes
A Bread for Resilience
By Andy Valencia Westphalia has an important place in the history of Western Civilization. Currently a part of Germany, it was the site of the accords which ended the Thirty Years’ War in 1648. Setting aside politics, it is also the home of Westphalian pumpernickel. Germany is well-known for its dark breads, but this one…
Health Matters, Island Resilience, June 2026
What’s Your Flavor?
By Anthony Latora One of the first doorways we walk through when getting to know an herb medicinally, alongside sight, smell, and even touch, is taste. What if I told you that through taste alone we can gather much about how an herb may act within the body? This is very much true. Not only…
Editorial Page, Island Resilience, Island Vehicles, May 2026
When Your EV Dies on Vashon
By Andy Valencia EV’s are in most ways simpler than their internal combustion engine cousins. There really just need to be batteries, a controller to send power to the wheels, and a charger. But these parts work hard, since we want fast recharges and even faster acceleration. Stressing electronics means failures will show up eventually….
Island Resilience, Island Voices, May 2026
What’s Next After You Get the Big C Diagnosis
By Gates (Pam) Johnson It’s been a rough few months. In December, I had major back surgery that would hopefully help my foot neuropathy, but would take a year to heal. Okay. I can deal with that. Not fun, but chances are good that life will get better because of the surgery. A couple of…
Island Resilience, May 2026
Social Money
By Stephen Buller Capitalism is under attack by many even though it is the economic system that has brought us more prosperity than any other. Why, then? Because, at a time when the wealth divide is vast and daily expenses are stretching budgets to the limit, “capitalism” doesn’t seem to be working for most Americans….
Island Resilience, May 2026, Nature
Humble Nettle
By Anthony Latora As the days stretch into longer light and the warmth in the air begins to carry the fragrance of new blooms, nettle rises from the somber earth. For many, this plant is known through accident, or by the warnings of caregivers who remember its sharp, lingering sting. Yet what if that very…
April 2026, Island Resilience
Parallel Lives – Bill Robinson Saves the Farmer’s Market
By Richard Odell Identifying points of origin is like picking up ice cream with one’s fingers. One never gets all of it. It might be said, however, the Farmers’ Market we have today began with some now forgotten young man selling oranges by the drop-off box at the post office. This marketing genius was soon…