By Pam (aka Gates) Johnson If you’ve read a few of my columns, you probably guessed that I like to cook. Nothing much pleases me more than to prepare a meal for friends and family. Back in my school-working days, I would make meals for the entire McMurray staff, 30 people or so. It was…
By Seán Malone and John Sweetman From John: We rarely write about contemporary things, but this story is now old enough to be a least on the edge of vintage recollections. Over 20 years ago, I had helped Seán return to the Island, and he had acquired a great place. An old cabin, situated above a…
By Michael Shook I’ve been immersed in David Slavitt’s wonderful translation of Boethius’s “Consolation of Philosophy” recently, and, while walking the dogs this morning, a remnant drifted across my mind: “… nothing in life lasts.” No kidding. It’s so obvious as to be banal, and yet we humans quite often live as if “everything in…
By Andy Valencia In the ancient monastic tradition, monks would spend the 40 days leading up to Easter (which they called “Pascha”) out in the desert praying. Some would not come back, the victim of animals, accidents, starvation, or illness. On the eve of their departure, they would gather to make peace with their brethren….
By Stephen Buller Benjamin Franklin wrote, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain except death and taxes.” Perhaps one of his less inspiring quotes, but the sentiment holds true today, arguably more so than in 1789. In case you’d forgotten, your federal taxes are due on the 15th of this month. If…
By March Twisdale For eons, there were no coyotes on Vashon Island. For 10,000 years (or longer), human beings have lived in and around the Puget Sound, along with wolves and bears and cougars and many other animals native to this region. But not coyotes. We humans are native to this land. And, like all…
By Jane Valencia Vashon-born and raised and a 2024 University of British Columbia graduate, Mabel Moses, has worked with “The Mother Tree Project.” With a mission to practice forestry in a way that better preserves biodiversity and carbon storage, MTP was started by Dr. Suzanne Simard who many forest-loving Vashonites know for her work with…
By Jayne Simmons Everyone remembers the first time they met nettles in person. Sometimes, you were just trying to step off the trail for a moment, and nettles found you. Or if you are lucky, and you have a good mentor, you got to learn how to fold up the leaf and eat it without…
By Ali Elsberry This is a bit of a detour from my usual “Time Together” articles, but I’ll loop back around to that in the end. I have a slightly different approach to healing than the average person. I believe that our health is our full responsibility and ours alone. I don’t believe that you…