By Marc J. Elzenbeck Imagine it’s May of 2022. You’re a 15 year-old boy in Chicago named Merritt. You’re sitting in your bedroom in front of your laptop wearing a mask all day on Zoom, pretending it’s school. Your teacher, also in their bedroom on Zoom, sits in front of a fake digital shelf of…
When I first wrote about my support for our country’s actions in Iran, it was mid to late February. A la my “cancel culture series,” I was following through on the promise I made to my fellow Islanders back in January. Each month, I would explore harms caused by cancel culture and share my thoughts…
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…
By Rocky (Donna) Liberty Raggedy Andy & Ann – crafted by the author How to make a grandma cry. Take a labor of love, add in animal instinct, throw in some time (thyme), fate, and Voilà! She was ten years old and the apple of my eye. I would die for my grandchild if necessary,…
By Suzanna Leigh James and I landed in Honolulu in late February of 1974. No one to meet me, of course. Culture shock; people in shorts, brightly colored shirts, long muumuus, fragrant plumeria leis around their necks. The very air smelled different. I knew no one. I sat on the edge of a fountain with…
By Michael Shook Over the last two months, we’ve gotten “thumbnail” sketches of both the innate desire of humans for a perfect, usually communal, society, and of the father of modern Communism, Karl Marx. Now it’s time for a look at some of the fruits of the ideologies of Marxism and Communism. For all Karl…
By Deborah H. Anderson I had an opportunity recently to get some closure about my years as a pastor on Vashon. I was one of the first full-time female pastors, and for sure the first soccer Mom pastor. It was sweet and gentle, and I was able to forgive many. Forgiveness is easier when the…
By Jane Valencia Nadja Vol Ochs. Photo by Dawn Stief In Part 1, printed in our March issue, we heard the story of how Nadja Vol Ochs came into nature connection work and onto the Island. In Part 2, we learn about her role as new executive director for the Vashon Wilderness Program (VWP). Stacey…
We asked Nadja to explain what a nature connection core routine is, and to tell us a little about the two routines referred to in the article, Meet Nadja Vol Ochs, Vashon Wilderness Program’s New Executive Director, Part 2 By Nadja Vol Ochs Core routines or routines of connection are simple, repeatable practices that help…