By Orca Annie Stateler In the grip of the pandemic, Tlingit artist Odin Lonning painted four square panels for the Open Space Arts and Community’s public outdoor mural project. From openspacevashon.com: “Attention! Artists at Work” is a jobs program led by Open Space in partnership with local nonprofit organizations. The goal of the program is…
The Strength of Pretend
By Deborah H. Anderson Finding the perfect cinnamon roll at the Edmonds Bakery was a moment of bliss. Huge, spirally, gently baked, lightly glazed, with hidden chunks of nut pieces in the inner fold’s perfection brought unparalleled mouth happiness. Saturday afternoon delight, for sure. Smithsonian Free Museum Day drew me to Edmonds. The drive to…
Blackberry’s Bundle
By Caelan Angell Landing on Island and surveying the possibilities of restoration work, the first major and apparent challenge is handling the intimidating blackberry buttresses. Their thick ridged canes form seemingly impenetrable thorny defenses, any attempt to wrestle them resulting in a desert sky’s worth of red and purple constellations. Their ability to regenerate and…
Groovy Man, Far Out
By Mary Tuel When the Loop folded its tent and crept away last summer, I thought, well, that’s that. I was recovering from a broken back at the time, and that took up a lot of time and energy. So, I blessed The Loop and let it go in peace. Then word came that The…
The Dorsal Spin: For Pod’s Sake
By Orca Annie Stateler “Killer Whale and Salmon Nations of Whulj” Side A – By Odin Lonning Tlingit artist Odin Lonning recently installed a panel on the lawn shared by The Lodges on Vashon, Wine Shop Vashon, and Vashon Brewing Community Pub. “Killer Whale and Salmon Nations of Whulj” is a cutout hardwood panel painted…
TideLines
By Seán Malone & John Sweetman We sat together on Seán’s deck overlooking outer Quartermaster and lifted a small glass of single malt as a mutual toast to the revival of “The Loop.” The deck in particular had been the “source” of many of our stories that ran in the earlier Loop; which had earlier…
What Brought You To Vashon?
By Jonathan Laine Many years ago, after deciding to leave northern California and continue exploring the West Coast, I checked in with a new friend of mine in Arcata. He asked where I was going, but I wasn’t sure. I told him I wanted to go north. He said: “I know exactly where we are…
The Value of a Musician
By Vanessa Burgess Many Vashon Island children start music lessons and overcome the challenges of practicing regularly only to be confronted with the question of whether they should continue with music lessons in favor of pursuits deemed more profitable or worthwhile. Most musicians don’t get scholarships to music school, go on tour, or make a…
Humanity’s Existential Threat and Solution
By Mark A. Goldman There is a great misunderstanding as to what values human beings must study and adhere to in order to remain sovereign and in possession of their natural abilities, inalienable rights, and possible states of higher consciousness. This lack of understanding has evolved because of the various social, educational, economic, and political…
Land Acknowledgment
We honor this island, known today as Vashon-Maury Island, upon which we live and work. We are nourished and blessed by the rivers and waters, the trees, and the fish, the plants, and birds, and many other beings in the soil, Sound, and air who make up this beautiful place we call home. We especially…