By Jane Valencia, inspired by the song “Binwag’s Lullaby,” lyrics by Debra Knodel Once upon a time, a Bear King lived in a great forest hall in the north. During summer and the time of abundance, he had many visitors to his hall – Deer, Chickadee, Raccoon, and Red Fox to name a few who…
By Yvonne Higgins Leach for Cora “Honoring Meadowbrook” is about a moment when my daughter, new to the area of North Bend, took me out to view the elk. Up against the wetland forestwhere bands of light fuse with frosty grass,the bull’s crown of points cuts the skylike a lapidary cuts stone.My daughter, new to…
Someone asked me, “What do you call a Dagwood sandwich now in modern times?I replied, “I don’t know … Rubenesque?” ~ A burglar has been casing a mansion for weeks. On Christmas Eve, no one is home, and so he’s able to break in. He sets to work cracking the safe. Suddenly, in the dark,…
By Caitlin Rothermel The Vashon Health Care District hasn’t talked to us in a while, and people have definitely been asking questions. But that ended this November when they met to present and pass their 2024 budget. It’s important to talk about the VHCD now because their proposed plans substantially change their original mandate, with the…
By March Twisdale Some tend to wax negative about shopping during the holiday season, expressing concerns over thoughtless consumption of resources or over-commercialization. In truth, there’s nothing wrong with shopping. We do it all year round, and for good reason. It’s human productivity expressed and shared. And during the winter, traditions focused on love, kindness,…
By Emilia Flor Dear Local Farmers: You are heroes! I think you are extraordinary. We love farmers, gardeners, seed-savers, and soil-makers. I would like to take this opportunity to express how much I value YOU, local growers. I commend you as those whom we rely on to make sure we have local seasonal food to…
By Kathy Abascal I often mention the Eclectic physicians in my articles because of their deep knowledge about medicinal plants. The Eclectics were licensed medical doctors who primarily used herbs and natural principles of healing to treat their patients. They were a strong force in American medicine from the 1830s to the early 1900s, but…
By Michael Shook When I hear the word “replace,” I usually think of it in the sense of something or someone being gotten rid of. As in, “Let’s replace that old vacuum cleaner,” or “Bill, we’re sorry, but we’re going to replace you with a robot.” But the first definition in my dictionary is, “To…
By All Ears Vashon “Hey, I’ve got an idea.” “What’s that?” “Build a giant something down at Point Robinson.” “Why?” “It will attract many people to the Island.” “Oh, that makes sense. So many ferry runs are almost empty. It would be nice to fill them up. But how would they get to the park?”…
By Deborah H. Anderson This time of year, when the temperature dips below 40 degrees, I think about my blue flannel cow jammies. Along with my blue socks and a black fake sheep’s wool blanket I bought at Thriftway, they kept me warm when it got really cold during the year that I slept in…