By O.S. Van Olinda Some 13 years after the first settlement was made on Vashon, the summer of 1891 to be exact, J.E. Mace bought a 10-acre tract of wild land in what was then known as the “Vermontville settlement,” now the Glen Acres district. Thirteen years wasn’t really much time in those days, when…
Retrospective – Don’t Forget the Birds
By Ed Swan Ed Swan, a master ornithologist with an incredible depth of knowledge and a generous enthusiasm to share it, inspired many Islanders to learn about birds. His column, “Don’t Forget the Birds” appeared for years in The Vashon Loop. Ed passed away on Oct. 28, 2022. With birds returning from their migrations, and…
The Value of Giving a Damn!
By March Twisdale After a year of talking with Island businesses about the significant negative impacts of point-of-service (POS) transaction fees (Bank Taxes), I came up with an idea. How about passing these fees back to customers paying with plastic, just like the grocery stores charge customers who show up without a bag? The only…
Ham Radio in “Peacetime”
By Andy Valencia Last issue, I talked about the strength of ham radio in providing communications during catastrophic disruptions of our traditional networks. But what does a ham radio operator do when the world hasn’t gone full Mad Max? If you have a handie-talkie (a hand-held radio, about the size of a cell phone), the…
Herbs With Kids – Springtime!
By Jane Valencia Spring is here, and behold! Many of our beloved herbs are in vibrant form, with new leaves unfurling and some actually in flower. This is a fine time for you and your children to forage for herbs, as the new growth that beckons us mirrors the vitality the plants impart to us….
Sleep in the Weeks and Months After Your Child is Born
By Amber Matusky In the first weeks and months after a baby is born, sleep is elusive and fragmented at best. Newborns need to feed frequently and parents are on high alert, tending to their infant’s needs. Sleep is a basic human need, and long-term sleep deficiency can have a negative impact on parents’ mental…
Spike Proteins, Mental Fog, and Depression
By Andy Valencia This article is a early “heads up” on some very interesting research coming out of Germany. Dr. Michael Nehls is a physician, as well as a molecular geneticist, and has been chasing population-level brain health issues for many years. He is a published author with works in the area of Alzheimer’s disease, for…
Beets, Hemp Hearts, and Parsley: A Hearty Antioxidant Salad
By NIchole Banducci I love a good salad. They’re such a great opportunity to cram a bunch of veggies into one meal, while delivering on flavor. Bonus points for a salad that can hold its own at any time of year. This hearty antioxidant salad certainly makes the grade! To me, each salad needs to…
Island Epicure
By Marjorie Watkins and Suzanna Leigh Marjorie With the thermometer on my balcony reading 40 degrees, the temperature in the kitchen is cool enough to make a baked dish for dinner. How about a custard or a quiche? People have been eating mixtures of eggs and milk heated to thicken them since at least ancient…