By Michael Shook The philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche is perhaps most famous among the general public for his statement “God is dead.” He also wrote, “Without music, life would be a mistake.” In contrast, the author Kurt Vonnegut once remarked, “Music is to me proof of the existence of God.” I think Vonnegut would agree with…
By Seán Malone and John Sweetman In our explorations of Vashon history, John and I came upon the original survey of Vashon, an 1841 map by Captain Wilkes and the “Ex. Ex.” or “Exploration Expedition,” which resulted in our Island’s exploration. His crew did not like Captain Charles Wilkes. Because of his “obstinate and overbearing nature,”…
By Jane Valencia Editor’s Note: For more about The Vashon-Maury Community Council, read our article, “The V-MCC: Get More Involved in Your Chosen Community,” available at vashonloop.com It’s no secret that we have issues of heated concern on Vashon, and few spaces where we can address their complexities to achieve intelligent solutions. Fewer yet, it…
By Dr. Steven Nourse As Bob Dylan said, “Everybody has to serve someone.” Regarding the Vashon Health Care District, it has to effectively serve both the healthcare clients it provides funding to and the taxpayers that pay its bills. Several years ago, when healthcare on Vashon was in crisis, I was approached by two now-former…
By Michael Shook As I write this, first spring and now summer have unfolded in a lovely manner. June was a delight, with some sunny days breaking up the deliciously cool and cloudy ones that were at times even a bit moist. The rhododendrons both on the Island and off seem to have bloomed particularly…
By Seán Malone and John Sweetman When Seán and I talked about this story, the original intent was to reflect our adventures in sailing various boats. Things got out of hand in that Seán had his own darn good story to tell. His boat was a wooden rig ketch of indeterminate age powered by some…
By Ali Elsberry Warm summer mornings are my absolute favorite; a quiet stillness in the air, the birds out singing messages to one another, and plants that seem to be so much more alive in those early hours. I have walked around my yard noticing things in the morning that appear to speak with more…
By Erin Durrett Drums in hand, we stand on the edge of the central tidepool at Point Robinson and watch a tiny speck afloat on the East Passage waters just off Redondo Beach. A great blue heron is fishing nearby, and we watch it take a bit of a fish just caught by two otters….
By Michael Shook Kirttimukha, Face of Glory, is a demon in Hindhu mythology who symbolizes the monstrous nature of life and the glory to be found in realizing that this is just how life is, and discovering how to live in it. Read more about Kirttimukha in Part 1 of this series, published in May…
By March Twisdale Authors Note: Written in collaboration with Jane Valencia, Island queer community residents, business owners, and others impacted by recent events. No matter how you slice it, a pitchfork mob is to be avoided. Lately, we seem to be forgetting this. Most are familiar with the story of “Beauty and the Beast.” In…