By Kathy Abascal Lobelia is a lovely plant with a gorgeous flower. There are many lobelia species, ranging from the blue L. sylphatica, to the widely used, white-flowered L. inflata, to my favorite L. cardinalis with its dark red flowers. All lobelias (except nursery hybrids) are medicinal. Although it took me quite some time to get over my fear of using…
By Dr. Leigh Siergiewicz Hawthorn, or Crataegus spathulata, is a small-tree member of the rose family, native throughout the northern hemisphere. Hawthorn has smooth, gray bark, and most but not all varieties have sharp thorns on the stems. The flowers can be white or pink in springtime; they have berry-like “haws” that range from red to…
By the Footloose Foodie The “Friendly Foodie” sends greetings! Vashon friends, family, and visitors, I said I would set my feet loose this month and visit a local eatery. Please, reader, remember that I write only of my personal experience. Agree, disagree, or agree to disagree. I have no ill will or nefarious agenda with…
Lately, I’ve been seeing a mermaid. We met online. She’s quite a catch. ~ What does a mermaid wash herself with? Tide. ~ What do you call a wreath of one hundred dollar bills? Aretha Franklins! ~ The media is a weapon of mass distraction!
By Jane Valencia On Thursdays, I head across the water to an Eastern Catholic church where I am learning how to write (paint) icons – sacred images in the Orthodox tradition considered to be “windows into heaven.” I also happen to love juvenile and young adult fiction. Imagine my delight when I found “Icon: A…
By Tripper Harrison “Oh, man, I am NOT going out there alone again,” said Kemal. A university kid from Morocco who speaks several languages, his English was heavily accented, but correct as usual. “Please would someone walk with me to the Lodge?” Maybe because it takes so long in the summer, darkness fell without anyone…
By Anne Terry The Vashon-Maury Island Backpack Pantry Program was established in 2016 to provide weekend meals throughout the school year for students who experience food insecurity. This program is run completely by volunteers and operates under the 501(c)(3) nonprofit tax ID of Vashon’s St. John Vianney Parish. All donations go directly to purchasing food for…
By Suzanna Leigh Only staying active will make you want to live a hundred years. Japanese proverb Why am I so terrified to take the helm today? We are coming into Fairhaven to tie the boat to a mooring line between two big yellow bouys. In all my decades of sailing, I’ve never tied up…